I drove a car to work today. What what what? I can hear you crying out there in blog land. His second entry and he writes about DRIVING?? What’s up with that?

Yes, it’s a beautiful day outside – sunny, clear, 76 degrees – and driving wasn’t what I had in mind. In fact, I hated doing it, hated missing the clear air, the time alone with my thoughts as the road rolls quietly by, the communion that I know as my time going to work. So why?

Well, I only have a couple of choices for my commute into work. My 5 mile commute in begins with a scenic route that winds by the Barren River. I’m often the only traveler other than turkey, cows, red-tailed hawks and other assorted critters. Today it was flooded and not an option.

The only other way in involves taking a narrow road that has 10,000 cars a day traveling at 50+ miles per hour, and today they were not looking at the road, but gawking at floodwaters, putting on makeup, talking on their cellphones and generally doing everything except paying attention.

So I chose safety.

Here’s the point I want to make. Cars are necessary sometimes, but not all the time. I’ve driven to work 5 times this year, and today was one of those days for safety’s sake. However, the floodwaters, they are receding, and tomorrow I hope to be back on the bike and taking in the beauty around me once again.

Until then, ugh.

Forrest

Short said the next Critical Mass ride will be Friday, May 28th, same meeting time and place – meet at 5:30 p.m. at Fountain Square Park in downtown Bowling Green and leave at 6 p.m.

Miranda Pederson/Daily News About 30 bicyclists stop at a traffic light as they prepare to turn off U.S. 31-W By-Pass onto Broadway Avenue during an eight-mile ride Friday through the streets of Bowling Green. The event, dubbed Critical Mass, is designed to show support for bike commuters and bike awareness.

By the Daily News
Friday, April 30, 2010 11:07 PM CDT

About 30 bicyclists stop at a traffic light as they prepare to turn off U.S. 31-W By-Pass onto Broadway Avenue during an eight-mile ride Friday through the streets of Bowling Green. The event, dubbed Critical Mass, is designed to show support for bike commuters and bike awareness.

The May 2010 issue of SOKY Happenings has hit newsstands with a lovely four-page spread all about biking in Bowling Green. Bike BG president Sara Shipley Hiles wrote an article called “Why We Ride (And Why You Should Too)”. Bike BG member Stephen Ogden did the goregous design and graphics. Readers will also find ads detailing Bike BG’s 2010 ride schedule and BGLOB’s Tour de Cave ride on June 5.

Here’s the text of the article:

By Sara Shipley Hiles

It’s 5 p.m. on a lovely evening. As I pedal my bike down a quiet street, my heart thrums to the symphony of spring around me. Tulips bob their heads in time with the whirring spokes. Birds tweet their greetings and the wind conducts a gentle rhapsody amid the dogwood blossoms.

I glance behind me to see my 2-year-old son, Alex, happily riding behind me in his bike trailer. We pass other kids on bikes, a family out for a ride, some college students returning home, and a few serious cyclists out to test their legs. We all nod and wave to each other, members of a growing Bike Nation, riding for enjoyment, exercise and transportation.

Biking is one of the most popular sports in the United States. An estimated 42.5 million Americans ride bicycles, according to the National Sporting Goods Association. This is more people than play basketball, golf or soccer, or run or downhill ski.

Besides being just plain fun – who can forget the thrill of having training wheels removed for the first time? – biking makes sense for many reasons. Here are a few facts from the League of American Bicyclists:

• Obesity is a serious problem in the United States, causing approximately 300,000 deaths nationwide each year, according to the Surgeon General. Riding a bike for just 30 minutes a day is an easy way to get exercise and maintain a healthy weight. Did you know that a 150-pound cyclist burns 410 calories in an hour of riding at 12 mph?
• Bikes can be used for transportation, too. They’re much cheaper than cars to buy and operate, and cyclists can often ride right to the front door instead of searching for a parking spot.
• Riding a bike reduces traffic congestion, cuts down on air pollution, and provides freedom of transit for people of all ages and backgrounds.

Yep, I’d say biking can save the world. And in much of the world, people don’t drive – they ride bikes every day, everywhere. Riding a bike may not be feasible all the time, but for trips of four miles or less, it’s often just as fast to go by bike. So why don’t more of us ride?

That’s where Bicycle Bowling Green comes in. This non-profit bike advocacy organization was formed several years ago to build a bicycle-friendly community right here in Bowling Green, Ky. We work with other local organizations to make biking easier, more fun and more common.

Happily, there has been a lot of progress toward our goal of creating a bike-friendly community. Here’s a snapshot:

The Greenways Commission of Bowling Green and Warren County has built 15 miles of shared-use paths all around town at a total investment of about $7 million, with another 5 miles of trail to be completed within the next year.

Some of the hubs along these paths include Western Kentucky University’s main campus and south campus, the Lover’s Lane soccer park, Kereiakes Park, the RiverWalk at Mitch McConnell Park, Lost River Cave and Preston Miller Park. One project currently underway will add a 1.5-mile trail to connect Hobson Grove with Boat Landing Park. Another project will add a 4.5-mile trail to connect several schools and parks in Woodburn.

“The first goal the Greenways board set was to try to connect schools and parks, so you can get from place to place without being isolated,” says Greenways coordinator Josh Moore. “Trying to make an inner and outer loop of city limits was part of it as well.”

Western Kentucky University has been a leader in promoting bicycling. WKU has added 500 bike racks to campus during the last three years. All regular service buses are equipped with bike racks. Students can attend the “Velorution” bike festival each fall, and they can check out free bikes through the Big Red’s Bikes bike-lending program.

Jennifer Tougas, director of Parking and Transportation Services, advocates bike riding partly to reduce the demand for parking. “For many people, getting around town by bike is an excellent alternative to driving a car.  It’s healthy exercise, it’s cheap, and it’s sustainable,” she says.

The campus has a full-service bike shop inside the Preston Center athletic facility. And WKU and the city of Bowling Green are collaborating on the WKU Community Bikeway Project. The $1.2 million, 2-mile project will connect the campus to downtown via Center Street, and should be finished in 2012, says WKU landscape architect Helen Siewers.

The City of Bowling Green has officially endorsed the goal of becoming a bike-friendly community. The city works toward this goal through a variety of programs, such as its Energize BG initiative to get people exercising. Mayor Elaine Walker will lead her third Mayor’s Bike Ride on Sept. 18.

The Bowling Green League of Bicyclists, the city’s original cycling club, maintains a busy schedule of road rides and mountain bike rides in Warren County and surrounding areas. The club will put on its annual Nat’s Outdoor Sports Tour de Cave ride on June 5. Its members participate in everything from Bike to Work Day (May 21 this year) to long-distance rides in other states. Check out bglob.com for more information and a ride schedule.

Bicycle Bowling Green, for its part, organized the city’s first successful Bike Summit in 2008. More than 100 people attended to hear speakers including Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson, a major bike advocate. The summit solidified a commitment to making Bowling Green a bicycle-friendly community recognized by the League of American Bicyclists.

This year, Bike BG will continue its popular rides for cyclists of all abilities. Every Thursday, the “Easy Riders” leave Kereiakes Park at 6 p.m. for a leisurely hour-long ride. New this year, the “Tour de Town” ride series will be held once a month on Saturdays and include t-shirts and other giveaways. For example, the June 19 Water Park Ride, starting at Preston Miller Park, will provide free water park admission for all participants! Look us up on Facebook or visit bikebg.org for a complete schedule.

Bike BG is also cooking up new community involvement programs, including a public service announcement contest and a business-recognition program.

My favorite part about riding a bike has always been the joy of being outdoors. Riding down country roads, surrounded by forests and fields, puts me in a state of transcendence akin to a spiritual experience.

Springtime in Bowling Green is perfect for biking. Whatever your motivation, I hope you will get out there and enjoy the ride!

About the Author: Sara Shipley Hiles is a freelance journalist who teaches journalism part-time at Western Kentucky University. She is president of Bicycle Bowling Green, a non-profit group working to build a bicycle-friendly community. Visit bikebg.org for more information and join our group on Facebook.

At the meeting, you can enjoy a FREE light lunch, hear about Bike BG’s great schedule of events for 2010, and learn how you can get involved. If you support making Bowling Green a more bicycle-friendly community, please join and support our cause! Memberships start at just $10 and are tax-deductible.

If you can’t attend the meeting but still want to join Bike BG, please click here to read more about joining and download our membership application.

Here is a link to the original article. The text of the article is below.

The business of biking
Official urges BRADD to take advantage of the millions of dollars spent each year by bicyclists

By ROBYN L. MINOR, The Daily News, rminor@bgdailynews.com/783-3249
Tuesday, April 27, 2010 11:43 AM CDT

With an estimated 57 million bicycle owners nationwide, the opportunity exists for economic development in area communities by engaging bicyclists, according to Jennifer Tougas.

Tougas, an avid bicyclist and director of Parking Services at Western Kentucky University, spoke Monday to the Barren River Area Development District about how members can take advantage of some of the millions of dollars spent each year by bicyclists.

Tougas cited as an example a tandem bike rally in Bowling Green two years ago that drew 240 people from all over the world.

“The rally was for three days, but many of those people stayed four or five days,” Tougas said.

With its rolling hills and relatively quiet roads, aside from the busy Interstate 65, the region has the infrastructure needed to attract bicyclists, she said.

“You don’t need a bike trail,” Tougas said.

Matt Westbrook, a Western Kentucky University student, rides to his downtown job and on campus, in part to avoid parking hassles. But Westbrook says he also enjoys the ride.

Tougas said 41 percent of bicyclists ride for exercise, while 37 percent ride for recreation, making that group ripe for tourism opportunities.

Area communities also may be able to take advantage of the biking opportunities that exist at Mammoth Cave National Park and, in the future, that could include a world-class mountain bike trail.

Tougas said volunteers are in the process of designing a trail, then will begin trying to raise money to build it.

Investing in such opportunities, even if it’s just a little time spent in promoting a community, can pay off.

“It’s a multibillion dollar industry when you are talking about what people spend to gear up before they go out,” Tougas said.

Good touring bikes cost upward of $1,000, and that’s just the beginning – bicyclists also require clothing and gear for their sport. If they are coming to a community from somewhere else, that could mean spending the night in an area motel or eating in area restaurants.

Tougas told area leaders about local resources to help promote communities to bicycling groups. They include Helen Siewers with the Kentucky Bicycle and Bikeway Commission at helen.siewers@wku.edu; susan.ammons@insightbb.com for the Bowling Green League of Bicyclists; or Sara Shipley Hiles at saraship@gmail.com for Bicycle Friendly Community.

Also speaking to the BRADD board was Nick Noble, one of the partners of Park Mammoth Resort.

Noble reported to the board on the resort’s successful Sabre Defence Blue Ridge Mountain 3-Gun Championship over the weekend.

In addition to awarding $250,000 in prize money to competitors from around the country and the world, one of its fun events Saturday evening raised $27,000 for charity.

“And now the facility is the new home of this particular event for forever,” Noble said.

BRADD Executive Director Rodney Kirtley went to the event Sunday.

“When I was on my way up there, I stopped at the Dollar Store in Park City,” Kirtley said. “The person asked me where I was from and what I was doing.”

When Kirtley told him where he was going and that he was a local, the clerk proclaimed how many people from around the country had stopped in the store on their way to the weekend event in Edmonson County.

Kirtley said just as the Dollar Store there benefited from the event, much of the region has the potential for benefit for large scale events that the resort’s 100-plus rooms can’t handle.

“Get with Nick and let’s spread these guests out,” he said.

Noble said the resort had a 57-person waiting list for its rooms over the weekend. It’s expected that many more people will need rooms in the region for July’s Pan American Shotgun Championship.

— For more information about Park Mammoth Resort, go to www.parkmammothresort.us.

Why do I commute? Because want met could. But that’s true always if you think about it.

It began as part of an assault on my weight. I ballooned up to nearly 300 pounds and I decided I would put a little effort into getting around.

Part of getting around was riding a mile and a half to work. It hurt my pride and worse, it hurt my butt and chafed my legs and made me wheeze. But I made it. It was the beginning of my way back to a love affair with the bicycle. It was a way back to health and a whole lot more.

Check back on this space. Two or three times a week I’m going to share my thoughts from the ride to work and maybe get you to thinking what it could mean to you. You clicked on this link, so I know your curious.

I’ll write about nuts and bolts stuff too. At the very least you’ll see a link where somebody else wrote it better. Here’s a preview:

• Connectedness with the world? check!
• Good for the world? check
• Easy to do? check
• Health? check
• Wealth? check
• More? lots more.
• What you need? check
• Why you can do it? (maybe you can’t, but just maybe you can)
• Why? of course.
• Cheap therapy? check.

Til next time,

Forrest

Bike Red rides a tandem bike with a student at the Velorution bike festival on WKU's campus. Photo by Clinton Lewis, University Staff Photographer.

Western Kentucky University has been a leader in promoting bicycling. WKU has added 500 bike racks to campus during the last three years. All regular service buses are equipped with bike racks. Students can attend the “Velorution” bike festival each fall, and they can check out free bikes through the Big Red’s Bikes bike-lending program.

Jennifer Tougas, director of Parking and Transportation Services, advocates bike riding partly to reduce the demand for parking.

“For many people, getting around town by bike is an excellent alternative to driving a car.  It’s healthy exercise, it’s cheap, and it’s sustainable,” she says.

The campus has a full-service bike shop inside the Preston Center athletic facility.

In addition, WKU and the city of Bowling Green are collaborating on the WKU Community Bikeway Project. The $1.2 million, 2-mile project will connect the campus to downtown via Center Street, and should be finished in 2012, says WKU landscape architect Helen Siewers.

Many of these services fall under Parking and Transportation Services, whose mission is to provide access to University programs and services through management of the University’s transportation resources.

Tougas provided a list of the things PTS has done to support biking on campus over the past several years:

• Installed over 500 bike racks throughout campus.
• Installed bike racks on the front of all of the buses.
• Successfully completed a federal grant to build a bike path between main campus and south campus.  The City of Bowling Green was a partner on this project.
• Worked with the City of Bowling Green to install bike paths near campus, such as along Chestnut Street.
• Hosted the annual bicycle festival, “Velorution”, to connect students to the biking community and available resources in Bowling Green.
• Support Big Red’s Bike free rental program by donating abandoned bicycles and providing funds for a mechanic.

To learn more about biking on WKU’s campus, visit transportation.wku.edu.

Cyclists pause for a SAG stop on the Tour de Cave.

The Bowling Green League of Bicyclists invites cyclists to join the Nat’s Outdoor Sports Tour de Cave on Saturday, June 5, 2010, starting at Oakland Elementary School in Oakland, Kentucky.

Riders have a choice of routes that are 8, 16, 43 and 65 miles.

Whether you’re a seasoned (dance up the hills) rider or just beginning to fall in love with your bike, we have the route for you. Cruise the beautiful & scenic Kentucky countryside into Mammoth Cave National Park (43 & 65 mile routes only) and explore the beautiful back roads of Warren, Barren and Edmonson counties on the route of your choosing.

The Tour de Cave is celebrating its 22nd year by re-vamping the longer two routes to include more of the national park’s untamed beauty.

All routes are fully supported, with sag stops every 15-20 miles providing Gatorade, water, snacks, and words of encouragement (only if you’re nice). Roving sag vehicles are also available for road support. All riders must wear a helmet, sign a release waiver, and obey traffic laws. We want everyone to have a safe & enjoyable ride.

8 & 16 Mile Routes

Perfect for families & less experienced cyclists, these routes traverse the gently rolling terrain of South Central Kentucky. These routes provide a great opportunity to experience cycling alongside ripe fields and cow filled pastures.

43 & 65 Mile Routes

Both the 43 and 65 mile rides are moderately hilly (you’ve been warned) and take you through the beautiful Mammoth Cave National Park.The 65 mile route offers a great opportunity to test your legs over some of Kentucky’s most beautiful backwoods roads. This route no longer ‘figure 8s’ back to the start point nor does it drop south of I-65. This is an almost entirely new route for your riding pleasure.

Registration Information

PRICING:

Family Registration (none BGLOB member) – $40 – After 5/17/10 – $45

Family Registration (BGLOB member) – $35 – After 5/17/10 – $45

Single Rider Registration (none BGLOB member) – $20 – After 5/17/10 – $25

Single Rider Registration (BGLOB member) – $15 – After 5/17/10 – $25

Fabulous T-Shirts (click here to see) – $15 each. (only guarenteed  for registration recieved before 5/17/10)

SIGN UP:

Register online at Active.com. Or you can download our ride brochure and mail in a completed registration form (download PDF here). You can register the day of the event but will not be guaranteed a t-shirt.

For additional information, contactStephen Lee Ogden – Stephen Ogden (opens email application).

Registration 7:30- 8:15 AM

Mass Start for 43 & 65 – 8:15 AM

Mass Start for 8 &16 – 8:30 AM

Location: Oakland Elementary School in Oakland, Kentucky  …. http://bitURL.net/?6vyq75

Riders cross the restored pedestrian bridge at RiverWalk at Mitch McConnell Park in downtown Bowling Green.

Do you want to help make Bowling Green a more bike-friendly community? It’s easy. Join Bicycle Bowling Green and help the dream come true. Your tax-deductible donation helps Bike BG to promote education for both cyclists and drivers; encourage more people to ride; improve law enforcement concerning bikes; build more bike paths, trails and lanes; and evaluate our efforts and plan for the future.

Just print and fill out the application below, or click here to download a copy.

Bicycle Bowling Green

2010 Membership Application

Name: ________________________________________________________________________

Organization/Title (if applicable): ­­__________________________________________________

Mailing Address: ________________________________________________________________

E-mail: _______­_____________________________________ Phone: _____________________

Membership Level (check one)

Individuals/Families

__ Student – $5

__ Individual – $10

__ Family* – $20

Sponsorships

__ Bronze – $50

__ Silver – $250

__ Gold – $500

__ Platinum – $1,000

__ Other _____________­­

What are your top priorities for making Bowling Green a more bike-friendly community?

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Liability Waiver

In signing this form for myself and/or family members, I understand and agree to absolve Bicycle Bowling Green (Bike BG) and its organizers or sponsors of all blame for any injury, misadventure, harm, loss or inconvenience suffered as a result of participating in any ride or activity associated with or sponsored by Bike BG. I further understand that I as an individual am responsible for abiding by all traffic laws and regulations governing bicycling and take full responsibility for my actions. *Note: For family memberships, each member must sign, and if under age 18, a parent or guardian must sign.

Make check out to WKU Foundation, our fiscal agent, with “Bike BG” in the subject line.

Mail to: Bike BG, 1906 College Heights Blvd., #8122, Bowling Green, KY  42101-1041

Your donation is tax-deductible. Questions? E-mail BikeBG@gmail.com