B is for...bike!

Sure the letter B could be for bananas, but for me it has always been for bike. The lack of bike paths in towns across this country, now that's bananas!

2013 is just around the corner. It should be priority for towns to start realizing that 'if you build it, they will come'. Ok, so in the context of this conversation it might be more like, 'if you build it, they will ride...', but you get my gist. Of course, the issue of 'who will pay for it' generally finds it's way into infrastructure conversation. Sure, building bike paths and dedicated bike lanes is costly, not to mention the signage and other maintenance involved in keeping the paths rideable.

But, that's what we do. Bikepath Country is working directly with municipalities and businesses to take a new approach on raising funds for bike path creation, as well as to help pay for the costs related to maintaining parks and recreation facilities.

Do you know of a bike path in your town that needs some repairs? Or maybe you just really wish your town had a paved bike path? Let us know how your town/city is doing!

Do You Consider Your Town to be Bike Friendly?

As more and more people are leaving their cars at home, we'd like to do a quick survey of our readers to see how many of you consider yourselves bike commuters! More importantly we wonder what may prevent more of you from choosing the bike over the car.

Maybe you work way too far away? Or, the route to work doesn't leave you feeling safe? Maybe there are no bike racks to lock your bike up when you get there? Maybe it's just entirely too hilly? Whatever your reasons, we would love to hear them.

You probably aren't the only one in your town who wishes there was a bike lane, or at least a shared roadway sign! So let's hear it!

Thanks for participating! We will report back our results. Be sure to share with your friends. If you know of paths that are in need of repairs, or signs that need to be put up, visit Bikepath Country for more info on how we can help your town raise funding for bike paths, signage, parks and recreation areas!

A Healthy September: Tips on Staying Healthy and Getting in Shape

There's no better time to 'get healthy' than today! So many of us tack on 'getting healthy' to our summer plans, and then we spend all of summer complaining it's too hot. Well, as August comes to an end (rather quickly, just a few days remain), and the humidity has seemingly left the area, why not make September your 'get healthy' month?

Start with a goal!

Your goal doesn't have to be something extravagant like, I want to be able to run a marathon by the end of the month. Although setting our sights high is sometimes motivating, it can also be quite the daunting task. Start small. I'm going to take a hike every Saturday! The sights are quite fantastic from atop a mountain! Or, how about I'm going to ride my bike at least once a day! Put it on your to do list, and make sure you check it off! (Even if nothing else on the list gets a check!! wink wink)

Have Fun!
When we give ourselves something to work towards, we feel like we have something to accomplish. Sometimes we let our minds view exercise as a chore, which causes us to run the other way! But if we pick activities that we enjoy, you might even find that you start looking forward it!! Leave the car behind. Not everyone lives in a bike/walk friendly area. But, if you do, try leaving the car home for your errands! You'll even save money! Take a look at some helpful navigation tools to map your route before you go.

Eat Healthy!
It's funny that when we think of 'eating healthy' we immediately associate this with bland, boring food. Exploring new and healthy recipes can actually be rather rewarding to your taste buds! Find the inner chef in you this September. Remember, your local farmer's markets are probably open through November! If you live nearby, leave the car home. Take your bike, or walk.

And if nothing else, remember portions! Instead of taking the entire bag of chips with you to the couch, fill a small bowl. Of course you can always get up for seconds, but you'll question whether or not you REALLY want to!

Maybe you've got a great secret that could help others! Share your 'get healthy' tips with us!

Westchester Farmer's Market

Bronxville
Saturdays 8:30 - 1:00pm through 11/17
Stone Pl at Paxton Ave

Croton-on-Hudson
Wednesdays 1:30 - 6:30pm 5/30 - 11/21
Lot on Municipal Place - off Rt 9 exit

Dobbs Ferry
Fridays 10:00 - 4:00pm through Thanksgiving
Corner of Cedar and Main St

Larchmont
Saturdays 8:30 - 1:00pm 5/26 - 12/15
Parking lot off Chatsworth Ave

Mahopac
Sundays 9:00 - 3:00pm
Temple Beth Shalom

Mahopac
Wednesdays 1:00 - 6:00pm
Saturdays 9:00 - 3:00pm
1085 Rt 6

New Rochelle
Fridays 8:00 - 3:00pm 5/22 - 11/16
Library Green - Huguenot & Lawton Streets

Ossining
Saturdays 8:30 - 1:00pm 5/26 - 12/15
Parking Lot corner of Spring & Main Streets

Peekskill
Saturdays 8:30 - 2:00pm through November
Bank St/Downtown Peekskill between Main St and Park St

Pleasantville
Saturdays 8:30 - 1:00pm 5/26 - 12/15
Memorial Plaza off Manville Rd

Rye
Sundays 8:30 - 2:00pm 5/27 - 12/16
Parking lot behind Purchase St stores

Tarrytown
Saturdays 8:30 - 1:00pm 5/26 - 11/17
Patriot's Park on N. Broadway (rt. 9)

White Plains
Wednesdays 8:00 - 4:00pm through 11/21
Court St between Martine Ave & Main St

Biking in New York City: The Dirty Facts

So I was going to this party with my friend in Brooklyn on the Fourth of July, and walking from the Prospect Park subway station I noticed these-

Bike paths. 

Actual, explicitly segregated bike paths alongside a two-lane road. I couldn't help myself- I stopped in my tracks to snap that pic. I needed proof. This was the kind of bike path I thought only existed in places like... like Disneyworld. Or, at least, hipster neighborhoods in Colorado. Based on where I live in Queens and where I work in Manhattan, I assumed biking was a fend-for-yourself kind of operation anywhere but an actual park, regardless of whether you were biking to work or in a large loop right back to where you started. I didn't realize that in a major metropolis, biking could be anything but a very dangerous game of survival-of-the-fittest with contestants battling erratic SUV's and randomly opening driver's doors, but here was the evidence- at least in this borough, bikers have rights. 

Of course, seeing the gorgeous paths winding through South Brooklyn is nice, but it doesn't help me much. Walking home that night, I glanced at my own street. It's big enough for me to bike with no problem, but I couldn't help but pout at the definitive absence of missing green paint and medians. After seeing the luxury of an actual bike lane, I became a little concerned. If actual bike lanes exist, what does that mean for areas without the lanes within the same city? This seems like it might be an issue. 

According to public record, NYC had about 170 miles of painted bike lanes in 2009, with other lanes either in progress or under planning. That's only a small fraction of the total mileage of roads in NYC overall, though- so for anyone biking on the regular roads, I checked. You can still bike anywhere, you just have to follow basic traffic laws. You're considered a vehicle, which means you don't have any particular right of way over traffic. This is less of an issue for a commuter, but that can make recreational biking less... well, recreational. 

Uhmmm... okay.

As someone who used to run, this is new to me. I'm used to getting the right of way, not to mention use of the sidewalks. I almost trashed the idea of getting a bike altogether- if I have to use the roads, I might as well just get a car and call it a night. It's not like I can bring my bike on the subway, right?

False. While looking up some of the bike path stats for the city, I came across some interesting information for recreational bikers and commuters alike-

First, some of the laws I found to make biking easier. In 2004, the city limited the number of cars that could drive through Central Park, then went on to limit the speed limit of said cars to 25 mph and grant the park an additional hour of car-free time in 2007. There's currently a movement to make Central Park completely car-free as well, and some people are pushing to allocate road funds specifically for speeding up the extension of bike lanes throughout the city. 

Then, for commuters. Here's what the city does to make your life easier, and what you need to know- according to a study done by the city, the number of people in New York commuting on bikes has almost doubled in the past decade. This makes sense, since roughly 40% of NYC residents live less than a dozen miles from where they work. The city has bike racks in most Metro North and LIRR stations, and is working on adding bike racks to regular city lines, but for now you can bring your bike onto the train with you with a permit, obtainable for no cost at Grand Central Station. In 2009, the city also added a law requiring buildings with freight elevators to permit employees to bring bikes into the office with them. 

Whether you're a commuter or a recreational biker, though, this caught my eye: Every May, NYC holds the 40-mile Five Boro Bike Tour for over 40,000 riders. It's the largest recreational cycling event in the United States, spanning all five borough and ending across the Harbor on the Staten Island Ferry. I think... I think I've found my new New York Marathon. 

This whole biking thing is still kind of a maze to me- it seems the more research I do about cycling, the more information I end up needing to find. It's kind of cool, though- my city's doing it's best to make biking a bigger thing. It's nice to see a road with more bikes than cars, as impractical as it is to imagine that might become the next big thing. I'm done rambling, though. Until next time... ride on! Catch ya on the flipside. 

How Bike Friendly is Your Town?

With the number of bike commuters on the rise, people are showing quite the concern for bike safety in towns all across America. What exactly is it that gives a city that bike friendly title? And, what can you do to help your town get there? One thing I've noticed is that climate doesn't have a thing to do with it!

Here are the top 50 bike friendly cities according to Bicycling Magazine:

    1. Minneapolis, Minnesota
    2. Portland, Oregon
    3. Boulder, Colorado
    4. Seattle, Washington
    5. Eugene, Oregon
    6. San Francisco, California
    7. Madison, Wisconsin
    8. New York, New York
    9. Tucson, Arizona
    10. Chicago, Illinois
    11. Austin, Texas
    12. Denver, Colorado
    13. Washington, D.C.
    14. Ann Arbor, Michigan
    15. Phoenix/Tempe, Arizona
    16. Gainesville, Florida
    17. Albuquerque, New Mexico
    18. Colorado Springs, Colorado
    19. Salem, Oregon
    20. Scottsdale, Arizona
    21. Louisville, Kentucky
    22. Chattanooga, Tennessee
    23. Long Beach, California
    24. Cary, North Carolina
    25. Milwaukee, Wiscosin
    26. Boston, Massachusetts
    27. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    28. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    29. Charleston, South Carolina
    30. Arlington, Virginia
    31. Sioux Falls, South Dakota
    32. Boise, Idaho
    33. Kansas City, Missouri
    34. Columbus, Ohio
    35. Tulsa, Oklahoma
    36. Grand Rapids, Michigan
    37. Billings, Montana
    38. St. Louis, Missouri
    39. Cleveland, Ohio
    40. Greensboro, North Carolina
    41. Lexington-Fayette, Kentucky
    42. Omaha, Nebraska
    43. Salt Lake City, Utah
    44. Miami, Florida
    45. Indianapolis, Indiana
    46. Fargo, North Dakota
    47. Anchorage, Alaska
    48. Baltimore, Maryland
    49. Little Rock, Arkansas
    50. Rochester, New York

As it turns out, the Twin Cities have quite the bike infrastructure. Not only do they have 84 miles of dedicated bike paths, as well as 44 miles of designated bike lanes on streets, but they also have plans for another 40 miles of designated bike lanes. Busses and trains have bike carrying capabilities and office buildings are required to have bicycle storage. In addition to their infrastructure there is also a huge community of cyclists.

So, all that being said, how bike friendly do you consider your town? Do you have dedicated bike lanes, municipal bike racks, and public trans equipped with bike carrying capabilities? Is there a local bike culture? What about a bike co-op, bike shares or swaps? What would cause you to leave your car in the driveway and start taking riding your 2 wheels to work?

Bikepath Country is working to help municipalities raise money for parks and recreation departments in order to help preserve and expand our country's bike path system. If you're looking for some ideas on how to help your town raise money, be sure to contact us today!