To some, bikes are a hobby, a pastime, a toy. To most of our members, bikes are simply their preferred mode of transportation. And then there’s local blogger, GirlonaBikeDC. For Kate, a passion for  bicycles led her, quite literally, down the path to the most romantic bike love story of her lifetime.  At last year’s BikeFest, Kate was the top bidder for our C&O Canal of Romance package, a plush bike trip including 2 nights in a historic lockhouse along the C&O Canal, plus some other special amenities.

Read GirlonaBikeDC’s bicycle engagement story below. And keep an eye out at this year’s BikeFest for the same package with some new additions, for all the bicycle lovers out there.

 

At last year’s BikeFest, one of the silent auction packages caught my eye. No, not the unicycle lesson, or the 50 States Preview Ride. It was the “Weekend Along the C&O Canal” package. My (then) boyfriend Jimmy was just starting to get into riding bikes with me. We often rode to & from work together, and would take short trips to the Mall & memorials. We were often on the look-out for any cheap weekend trip options; short nearby trips that would make us feel like we were on vacation but wouldn’t break the bank or use up our leave time. This “Weekend” package looked perfect: a 2 night stay at a “cozy” lock house that was within biking distance. I had no idea what a lock house was or what was considered “cozy”, but I didn’t care. I was going to win that auction.

Win I did, however we didn’t have an opportunity to go until September. The package also included a bottle of wine, chocolates & a front rack for a bicycle. How romantic (and useful)!  I researched Lock House 6 and from the limited photos & description, it seemed interesting but I still had no clear idea of what we were getting into.  It had been restored to the 1950′s era (each lock house that is renovated for rental is restored to a different time period in the canal’s history) and had full amenities including running water, heat/air conditioning, electricity & furnishings. We just had to supply the towels/linens & food. When it came time to leave, Jimmy was extremely skeptical about the whole affair. We’d have to pack & bring everything we needed with us…on our bicycles?!  Jimmy thought this was impossible. But he tried it anyway. We packed what we thought we would need (we overpacked, actually) and set off.

 

The weather was perfect for the trip. An early fall day with clear skies & mild temperatures. Riding along the canal towpath felt like an adventure. Wildlife peeked out from everywhere, whether it was a heron at the canal’s edge or a fox watching us ride by. When we reached lock house 6 less than an hour later, it felt like we were in a fairy tale and had found a little cottage in the woods. We had a great time exploring the surrounding trails during the day & relaxing in the rocking chairs on the porch at night. It was a wonderful weekend we would never forget.

We’ve been back three times since, and can’t wait for our next trip. The C&O Canal and the lock houses are magical. Even though it was only a few minutes outside of DC, it felt like we were hundreds of miles away. It has become a very special place for us. In fact, lock house 10 is where Jimmy decided he wanted to ask me to marry him (I said yes, by the way). I can’t think of a better place for us to promise to share our lives with each other. And we have WABA to thank for providing the inspiration for what has become our own romantic ritual. “

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The Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew, on the road since 1997, is IMBA’s grassroots educational program and an authority on sustainable trail building practices. Two teams of professional trail experts travel year-round throughout the United States and beyond, leading trail work sessions, meeting with land managers and working with IMBA-affiliated clubs and the communities they serve to improve mountain biking opportunities.

The Trail Care Crew program has inspired great volunteer trail work across the U.S. and abroad – a big help to government agencies and land managers who have limited funding for trail construction and upkeep. As a direct result, there are now thousands of new and improved trails in all 50 states, Canada, Mexico and several European countries.

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Dates: May. 3-6, 2012

Hosted by: National Park Service, Fort Dupont Park

Contact: Kevin Barry, Ranger

Thursday, May 3

• Urban/trail mashup ride, 2pm at Princeton Sports, 6239 Falls Rd. Baltimore, MD 21209.
• Better Living Through Trails presentation followed by social event with the Mid-Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts, 6:30pm at Princeton Sports.

Saturday, May 5

IMBA Trail Building School

• Classroom 9 a.m. – noon @ Fort Dupont Activities Center, Fort Dupont Drive SE, Washington, D.C., 20019
• Lunch provided
• Trail work 1 p.m. – 4/5 p.m. at Fort Dupont Park

* Please do not plan to attend the work session if you can’t make it to the morning classroom. Wear pants, closed-toe shoes, a hat, gloves and bring water for the trail project.

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The Silent Auction at this year’s BikeFest is going to raise some brows, and raise some bucks because we are featuring three very distinct, crowd-pleasing, brow-raising bicycles that will appeal to bicyclists of all persuasions.

For your viewing pleasure, we are giving you the slightest sneak peak at what you could be riding home from this year’s BikeFest! Go on, indulge.

Revolution Cycles  Silver Cycles Bikenetic & Kona

Tickets are selling like hot cakes, get ‘em before they’re gone!

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Hop on your bikes and head down to the National Mall to join WABA and thousands of local residents in celebrating Earth Day 2012.  As always, we’ll be treated to top-notch musical performances, prominent speakers and celebrity appearances, interactive exhibits, and demonstrations.

Not only is the event free, but so is the bike valet! WABA is proud to provide  ample, safe, and accessible bike valet services throughout the event.

Find us from 11am-7pm at  the SW corner of the mall panel between 12th & 13th. We’ll have bike maps, stickers, safety information, and smiles – AND we’ll keep a watchful eye on your bike while you’re enjoying the festivities.

Find out more about the 2012 Earth Day Rally on the National Mall 

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DDOT has released its evaluation of its innovative bike facilities and is hosting a meeting to discuss those projects and future projects, including the L Street cycletrack.  Please plan to attend, review the evaluation, and provide your feedback on the proposals.  (Hint: this might be a good chance to weigh in on whether you think anecdotal evidence from New York provides sufficient justification to include “mixing zones” on L, or whether you believe better separation is merited.)

From DDOT:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 18, 2012

***PUBLIC MEETING NOTICE***
Public Meeting on Innovative Bicycle Facility Research and Protected Bike Lane on L Street, NW

(Washington, D.C.) The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) will host a public meeting on Thursday, May 3, 2012 to discuss the results of the Innovative Bicycle Facility Research Project and present and take comments on a proposed protected bike lane for L Street, NW.

The Innovative Bicycle Facility Research Project is a one-year effort to analyze three existing bicycle facilities:  (1) bicycle signals and bike boxes at the intersection of 16th Street, U Street, and New Hampshire Avenue, NW; (2) the two-way cycle track on 15th Street, NW between E Street and V Street; and (3) the center median bicycle lanes on Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.
An executive summary of the study is now posted online at http://ddot.dc.gov/DC/DDOT/Publication%20Files/On%20Your%20Street/Bicycles%20and%20Pedestrians/Bicycles/Bike%20Lanes/DDOT_BicycleFacilityEvaluation_ExecSummary.pdf.

The study assesses the operations, safety, and perceptions of the bike facilities through extensive quantitative data collection and analysis, as well as intercept, neighborhood and business surveys.  The objectives were to improve the safety and operations of these existing facilities, and guide future DDOT projects, including the proposed L Street, NW protected bike lane.

The proposed L Street protected bike lane between 25th and 12th Streets is planned for summer installation.  Separated by flexible posts, the bike lane will be placed on the north side of the road.  It will be the second of its kind in the city (15th St was the first), and will provide more protection from cars than a typical bike lane.  The plans will be available for review at the meeting.
What:               Public Meeting on Innovative Bicycle Facility Research
and L Street, NW Protected Bike Lane

When:              Thursday, May 3, 2012
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Where:             Reeves Center
2nd Floor Community Room
2000 14th Street, NW

Getting There
Transit: The Reeves Center is one block from the U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo Metrorail station on the Green Line. It is also accessible via the Following bus routes:
*       DC Circulator – Woodley Park/Adams Morgan/McPherson Square Route
*       Metrobus – U Street lines 90, 92, 96 and 14th Street lines 52, 53, 54
Bicycling: There is a Capital Bikeshare station adjacent to the Reeves Center on 14th Street and another at 16th and U Streets, NW.
Parking:  On-Street metered parking is available.
DDOT is committed to ensuring that no person is excluded from participation in, or denied the benefits of, its projects, programs, and services on the basis of race, color, national origin, or gender, as provided by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 or on the basis of disability as provided by the Americans with Disabilities Act.
If you need special accommodations or language assistance services (translation or interpretation), please contact Mike Goodno at             202-671-0681       ormike.goodno@dc.gov<mailto:mike.goodno@dc.gov> in advance of the meeting. These services will be provided free of charge.

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With all due respect to Alfred Hitchcock and his contributions to cinéma scary-té, if he’d ever been handed a script about the BikeBuild contest taking place at the 2012 BikeFest, he’d have been out of a job. This is a story so suspenseful, so spellbinding, it needs no dramatic lighting, no voyeuristic point of view or urgent violin score to tart it up. It is the real thing, and it has begun.

Our builders, Threepenny Bikes, Silver Cyles, and Papillon Cycles are going head to head to build the most unique, and most popular bike out of used parts and a limited budget. Who will build be crowned this year’s BikeBuild Champion? You be the judge.

David Wendt of Threepenny Bikes is creating what can only be called a work of art. Culled from hand-selected and painstakingly seasoned bamboo wedded to steel, David’s mixte frame bike exemplifies the ideal synthesis of nature, engineering and artistic vision. But who is to say this rarified creation will be the fan favorite?

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From BikeArlington Events & Outreach Coordinator, Zanna Worzella:

Every Tuesday night is bike night in Arlington!  BikeArlington is hosting weekly gatherings where people can chat and learn about biking in Arlington, and in the DC region.  The sessions are informal, social and informative and are open to the public – this includes people don’t ride or are considering to ride a bike to people who ride 20 miles a day just to get to work.  Each week, a different topic is discussed – riding safely in traffic; equipment, clothing and gear (including a fix-a-flat tutorial), and routes and directions.  WABA will lead 1 of 2 traffic riding/safety sessions each month, sharing all of their experience and knowledge about safety while riding so everyone can feel more confident when they bike with traffic.

WABA will be leading today’s session that is taking place at the Westover Library.  Specific discussions will include crash prevention which cover bicycle rules and laws, lane positioning, and hazard avoidance.  But we leave the discussion up to you so please come with plenty of questions and we’ll make sure to answer them.  We’ll have free refreshments on hand and will also be raffling off a FREE set of front and rear bike lights at the end of the session.

Register for the event here:  http://www.eventbrite.com/event/3327742367.

Best,

Zanna

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Get to know your Climate Riders and fellow WABAns while enjoying a happy hour beer (or two).  Bring your co-workers, friends, significant others, or entire family.  As you mingle and munch with a roomful of stellar folks, you’ll also be helping raise money toward the Team WABA fundraising goal and thereby, supporting WABA with every sip.  We’ll be raffling off fun prizes and getting pumped for the upcoming ride!  With May 19th fast approaching, there is little more than a month to go before the Climate Riders hit the road for 5 days and 300 miles!

When?
Tuesday, April 24th, 6 pm-8 pm

Where?
Continental Pool Lounge
1911 North Fort Myer Drive, Arlington, VA
703-465-7675

How? (Are we raising funds for Team WABA)
We will be holding a raffle for some sweet biking stuff including the limited edition 2012 Team WABA Climate Ride jersey.  We also strongly suggest a donation of $5 or more to support Team WABA.

Register here and bring a friend.  Or just show up!

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The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) is looking for a full-time coordinator for the DC Bike Ambassador program, an innovative grassroots approach to bicycle outreach and encouragement.

The DC Bike Ambassadors are educators and enthusiasts who are working to bring better bicycling to the people of the District. Carefully selected for a love of bicycling, an understanding of the benefits that bikes can bring to communities, and effective communication skills, they are out on the streets day and night to promote bicycling and act as two-wheeled role models in our city.

The DC Bike Ambassador Coordinator is responsible for all aspects of the Bike Ambassador program, including volunteer recruitment, training and coordination, event scheduling and staffing, developing new strategies and approaches to bicycle outreach and encouragement, and online program support and marketing. The DC Bike Ambassador coordinator will develop, produce and distribute bicycle safety publications, implement bike safety and education presentations, manage volunteer coordination and training efforts, participate in WABA events (both on- and off-bike), and the maintain and expand the Bike Ambassador program’s unique trailer program.

Responsibilities

 The DC Bike Ambassador Coordinator will:

1. Develop the calendar of Ambassador events and appear in public as the face of area bicycling.
2. Communicate an effective and encouraging message about bikes and bicycling to employers, employees, cyclists, motorists, pedestrians and the press.
3. Develop and implement Ambassador events, including: scheduling, logistics, planning, volunteer coordination, loading and unloading, staffing events, and pulling the bicycle trailer(s).
4. Run the Bike Ambassador Trailer program, which involves pulling an advertising/public awareness bike trailer to target bicyclist, motorist and pedestrian behaviors.
5. Administer all aspects of the program, including: budgeting, volunteer recruitment/coordination, data entry, organization/inventory, equipment maintenance, clerical work, grant reporting, etc.
6. Advertise for, hire, and supervise a Part-time Bike Ambassador, as well as recruit and manage interns.
7. Assist WABA in a non-Ambassador program capacity as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

 The ideal candidate will have:

1. A strong commitment to WABA’s mission and be a skillful and committed bicyclist with a solid understanding of the principles of bicycling safety and traffic law.
2. At least two years of combined experience in: project management, events planning/management, marketing and/or volunteer coordination.
3. Supervisory experience a plus.
4. Excellent writing, presentation and public speaking skills.
5. A flexible schedule and willingness to work evenings and weekends as needed.
6. Experience with Microsoft Office, Facebook and Twitter (for professional purposes), experience with Salsa/Democracy in Action and WordPress a plus.
7. The ability to pull a bicycle trailer weighing 100 lbs. for 1-3 hours.
8. The ability to lift at least 50 lbs.
9. The ability to organize time wisely and multi-task in a relaxed, fun environment.
10. Conversational fluency in Spanish strongly preferred.
11. Prior League of American Bicyclist Instructor certification a plus.

Benefits include flexible schedule, vacation, sick and personal leave, and WABA’s retirement and health insurance programs. Compensation: low to mid-$30K’s. This position is full-time, 40 hours/week.

 About the Washington Area Bicyclist Association

Making bicycling better through advocacy and education, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) promotes biking as a healthy, low-cost, and environmentally-friendly form of transportation and recreation. With 4,000 members region-wide, WABA serves bicyclists throughout the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area, including the District of Columbia and parts of Maryland and Virginia.

Contact

Send a cover letter describing why you are the person for the job along with a resume to jobs@waba.org.  No phone calls please.

Position available immediately. Applications accepted until the position is filled.

WABA is committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation or gender identity, disability, sex or age.

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