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Posts Tagged ‘outreach’

 

Have you recently spotted a bicycle enthusiast in a red DC Bike Ambassador T-shirt on your commute to or from work?

That’s because the Bike Ambassadors have kicked off a series of outreach events at some of the prime bicycling locations around town. We started last week at two locations, 16^th & U St NW and 14^th St & Clifton St NW, and were out on the Metropolitan Branch Trail yesterday morning. We have a few more locations picked out, but we would love to hear your suggestions for additional sites.

 

Upcoming Outreach Locations (Dates TBD):

- Rock Creek Park/Trail & Virginia Ave NW
- Capitol Hill
- 14^th St and Park Rd NW
- You tell us!

 

To commemorate the life and history of civil rights advocate Frederick Douglass, WABA partnered with local community members and organizations to co-host the first “Lion Ride” through historic Anacostia and Anacostia Park. The heat and humidity of early August Washington weather didn’t deter the hundreds of attendees who roamed the grounds of the Frederick Douglass Historic Sitebeing treated to free ice cream and popcorn, dancing, music, games, tours, and family bicycle portraits with none other than Frederick Douglass himself. Local cyclists had the opportunity to comment on cycling infrastructure and where improvements might be made in their neighborhoods on an enlarged DC Bicycle map. ”The Lion Ride” was a new component of the National Parks Service’s 5th annual Frederick Douglas Family Day.

With help from local community members Kellie Armstead and Adrienne McCray who inspired and sparked this event, WABA helped to bring Capital Bikeshare and Bike and Roll bicycles to the community of Anacostia. Nearly 100 cyclists cruised down the majestic streets, homes and businesses of MLK Ave to the breezy banks of the Anacostia Riverwalk trail. Metropolitan Police officers helped escort the caravan to and from the Anacostia Skating Pavilion. Over a dozen riders from Artemis Bicycle Racing Team provided integral support to help riders navigate the route as well as lend a hand in the intense summer heat. Volunteers from the Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative helped our bike check out run smoothly and efficiently. Residents got a chance to see just how close natural outdoor amenities are to their homes via bicycle. Older residents remarked on how this event helped them get back on a bicycle for the first time in years. Younger residents remarked on how this event helped them to get on a bicycle for the first time in their lives.

The Lion Ride, named after Frederick Douglass’ moniker, the Lion of Anacostia, marks a tremendous achievement of advocacy and community support for cycling East of the River as a safe, viable, affordable and sustainable form of transportation. To echo the sentiments of Mr. Douglass’ thoughts on reading, “Once you learn how to [cycle], you will forever be free.”

Please join WABA August 25^th at St. Elizabeths East for a day of cycling, education, repairs and more.

On August 25th, the streets of the St. Elizabeths will be opened to bicyclists, and the campus will be converted into a bike carnival for all ages.

We are incredibly excited about this event, as it combines two rare happenings.

First, the public is invited to tour the long-closed, historic St. Elizabeths campus. For years, security restrictions have made it nearly impossible to visit and see this amazing campus.  When occasional exceptions were made for tours they filled immediately (and of course they weren’t for biking).

Second, we almost never get the opportunity to use closed streets for a free event, in which we can invite kids, parents, and novice cyclists to come and enjoy their bikes in a car-free setting.

When WABA was invited to use these car-free streets for biking our reaction was immediate: Yes!

So we have mapped out two self-guided tour routes that are safe and family-friendly, and that will allow you to see as much of the historic campus is possible.  We will be marking those routes, so all you have to do is show up, pedal, and enjoy the views.  We’ll have staff members and volunteers riding the routes as well to help with any issues and make sure things go smoothly.

Meanwhile, at the main gate, we will have an assortment of bike-themed carnival games with prizes, a bike decoration station, a kids’ bicycle skills course, plenty of giveaways, answers to all your questions about biking in the city, and much more.

At 2pm we will raffle off a number of new bikes–both adult and youth models–to be given away to those in attendance, then we will kick off the first ever St. Elizabeths Bike Parade.  So be sure to get to the event in time to visit the bike decoration station to get your ride ready for the show.  I want to see hundreds of people, smiling and safe, riding car-free streets on decorated bikes, enjoying the opening of this space and the fun of being on a bike.

Whether you live across the street from the campus or across the region, this is a unique event in a truly unique place.  Please mark your calendars, RSVP on the Facebook page so we know how many people to expect, and come join us at the carnival.  Bring your kids.   Bring your friends.  Especially bring your friends who are thinking about biking and need a safe place and a good reason to give it a try.

Hope to see you there!

(If you have a bike, please bring it.  Remember, Metro allows bikes at all times on Saturdays.  We will have a rather limited number of bikes available for use on a first-come, first-served basis.  But there won’t be enough for everyone.)

 

 

 

 

Hey there!

My name is Megan McCarty, and I recently joined WABA as the new DC Bike Ambassador Program Coordinator.

The Bike Ambassador program was designed to educate cyclists, drivers and pedestrians on safe use of roads, sidewalks, and trails. As the new program coordinator, I want to make sure I provide the Bike Ambassadors with the leadership, resources, and knowledge to help others make the choice to go by bike a safe and easy one.

My ultimate goal for the program is to encourage more DC residents and visitors to get on a bike, whether it is for fun, fitness, or transportation. Bicycling is an integral and growing part of the transportation system in DC, and I know that the Bike Ambassadors can play a huge role increasing the visibility of cyclists and welcoming all of the new riders out there to life on two wheels.

My first event as a Bike Ambassador was a Commuter Cycling class with an organization called Back On My Feet, a nonprofit group “dedicated to creating independence and self-sufficiency within the homeless and other underserved populations by first engaging them in running as a means to build confidence, strength and self-esteem.” They invited Bike Ambassador Katie Bolton and me to talk to some new bicyclists about bike safety, basic traffic skills, and taught them how to properly fit a helmet and use Capital Bikeshare.  It was a great learning experience and hopefully more Bike Ambassador Volunteers will join me next time!

As a fairly new DC resident, I am excited to explore the city on my bicycle. I grew up biking around my neighborhood in sunny Tampa, FL and moved to Baltimore, MD after graduating from the University of Central Florida. My background is in Civil Engineering and Transportation Planning, and I have always had a passion for Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning, specifically. I fell in love with commuting by bicycle, and decided to switch gears and work full-time in bike advocacy.

In the coming weeks and months, you will probably find me at various community events, as well as biking around town with the Ambassador trailer – a moving bike advocacy billboard on two wheels! I hope you will join me!

Love bikes? If you’re interested in becoming a Volunteer Bike Ambassador, shoot me an e-mail (bikeambassador@waba.org) or fill out this form.

Happy Biking!

Today’s mobile bike repair shop in Congress Heights was one of our largest ever, and provided us the opportunity to repair a ton of bikes, get a great supporter of our East of the Anacostia program back on a bike after quite a few years, and see several of last year’s “Get on a Bike” contest winners still riding.

Thanks to all who came out and to the Congress Heights community.  As always, if you are interested in WABA’s East of the Anacostia programming, contact alex@waba.org.

 

This post is part of WABA’s Women on Bikes program, an ongoing campaign to create a community, share resources, and develop strategies for getting more women on bikes. To read about the project so far, click here to check out the WABA blog. To learn more and sign up to receive emails about this project, click here.

By Kiera Zitelman & Laura Jean Shane, WABA’s Women’s Bicycling Interns

WABA’s Women on Bikes campaign is pleased to present the Tour de Bells, an inaugural ride open to all women and celebrating confident, fun and accessible bicycling for women of all levels of experience. The goal of this summer bike ride is to provide an easy and safe riding opportunity to women and to further encourage more women to simply go out and get on a bike!  The Tour de Bells is a leisurely, slow paced ride where no woman will be left behind.

On June 2nd, Tour de Bells women will ride together for ten miles around the city stopping at various famous (and not-so-famous) bell towers. Bring along a friend to help them gain confidence and knowledge about riding in the city in a comfortable setting. You can ride your own bike or you can also rent a bike through Bike and Roll’s Downtown location at the Old Post Office Pavilion. We’ll be starting and ending the ride at this location as well.

Click here to register for the Tour de Bells!

Tour de Bells

Date
June 2nd. Rain or Shine

Time
Meet-up begins at 9:30 AM to allow time to rent bikes.
Ride leaves promptly at 10:00 AM.

Start/End Location
Old Post Office Pavilion
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue

Distance
10 miles (approx.)

Please Note
All riders are required to wear helmets and sign a waiver (available on site) to participate.
Bring along a bike lock if you would like to go to the top of the Old Post Office bell tower (free).

Women on Bikes is dedicated to helping women ride bikes more often and more enjoyably, and so this ride is designed to be women only.

Click here to Register!

Click here to receive Women on Bikes emails!

Bike Rental Information

Rental bikes and helmets are available from our friends at Bike and Roll. Please note that we do not guarantee the availability of bikes on the day of the event, and it is up to you to ensure that you reserve a bike.

Bike and Roll, Downtown @ The Old Post Office Pavilion
1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
In the rear plaza, entrance off of 12th St. NW
202-842-2453

Saturday Hours: 9am – 9pm

Laura Jean Shane is a spring 2012 Women’s Bicycle Outreach & Advocacy Intern. She  came to WABA as a former sports medicine professional and current Masters of Public Health student at GWU. A devotee of RAGBRAI, she moved to DC last year and cannot imagine getting around any other way.

Kiera Zitelman is a spring 2012 Women’s Bicycle Outreach & Advocacy Intern. She has gotten around the DC area by bike for years since growing up in Silver Spring. As an environmental science and policy student at UMD, she uses her bike to navigate campus every day and ride the Anacostia Tributary trails near College Park on the weekends.

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 

This post is part of WABA’s Women on Bikes program, an ongoing campaign to create a community, share resources, and develop strategies for getting more women on bikes. To read about the project so far, click here to check out the WABA blog. To learn more and sign up to receive emails about this project, click here.

By Kiera Zitelman & Laura Jean Shane, WABA’s Women’s Bicycling Interns 

WABA is proud to introduce our new Women’s Bicycling Outreach and Advocacy campaign, Women on Bikes.

It’s a fact: Women in our region bike less than men. We learned from the Women’s Forum last winter that WABA needs to step up and do something about it. So we’ve been hard at work developing a plan. With spring in the air and bike month on the way, now is the time to get moving. Now is the time to bring together the women in your life that say, “I’m interested in biking , but…”

Women on Bikes is WABA’s new approach to women’s bike outreach and for this to work we need your help. Our goal is to help women who bike for recreation/fitness to become transportational bicyclists and we plan to do it by bringing women together. We want to reach out to you, your best friend, your aunt, your co-worker, your favorite women of all ages and experience levels–whether they already bike or have only thought about biking.  We’re asking you to become our Bike SpokesWomen. To us, a Bike SpokesWoman is a bicyclist who sees the benefits of more women on bikes and wants to step up and help make it happen.

This campaign will truly be only as successful as our ability to get new faces in the room or in the bike lanes! That’s where Bike SpokesWomen come in. You can be a bike buddy and mentor, and you can turn a recreational rider into a city rider by bringing her along for the ride to our events and to bike rides and outings throughout the region.

How to Get Involved

So we’re asking two favors of you, our Bike SpokesWomen:

1. We need you to sign up for our email updates. You can do that here.
2. And we need you to bring one woman–just one!–to a Women on Bikes event. You can use our handy Tell-A-Friend tool to start the conversation.

The Women on Bikes campaign consists of educational meet-ups, bike classes, and friendly rides that will seek to address the concerns of new transportational bicyclists. These FREE events will present opportunities to turn the interested but concerned riders in your life into confident, effective street riders.

Women on Bikes Events

The action begins this weekend:

On Saturday, April 7th, we are hosting our first Women on Bikes Meet-up, a conversation about bikes. We want you—our friends and cyclists—to bring along a woman you know who wants to ride and who has questions and concerns. The event is designed to present useful information in a fun and social setting.

Sign up for Women on Bikes email updates to learn how to register for this and future events.

Become a BikeSpokesWomen now!

Then pass along the invitation.

Laura Jean Shane is a spring 2012 Women’s Bicycle Outreach & Advocacy Intern. She  came to WABA as a former sports medicine professional and current Masters of Public Health student at GWU. A devotee of RAGBRAI, she moved to DC last year and cannot imagine getting around any other way.

Kiera Zitelman is a spring 2012 Women’s Bicycle Outreach & Advocacy Intern. She has gotten around the DC area by bike for years since growing up in Silver Spring. As an environmental science and policy student at UMD, she uses her bike to navigate campus every day and ride the Anacostia Tributary trails near College Park on the weekends.

Last year, one of WABA’s most popular and influential outreach activities was our East of the River Mobile Bike Shop series.  In the spring and summer of 2011, we partnered with DC bike co-op The Bike House to repair bikes in parts of the District where residents lack easy access to a local bike shop.

In 2012, we plan to host a mobile bike shop each month throughout the Spring and Summer, and we need the help, hard work, and talent of local mechanics willing to provide technical support for cyclists in need.  WABA seeks interested organizations and individuals with the mechanical expertise to replace cables, patch tubes, replace brake pads, and provide general repair services at these outdoor community gatherings.

If you are an organization interested in taking on this year’s mobile bike shop series, please review the following RFP and submit a brief proposal to mobilebikeshop@waba.org by April 6th.  And if you are a mechanically-inclined individual interested in volunteering, send us an email with your skills and availability.

Mobile Bike Shop RFP

And we wish all the best to our friends and 2011 partners from The Bike House as they focus their mechanical skills on serving Petworth and Bloomingdale cyclists at Annie’s Ace Hardware at 1240 Upshur Street, NW and at the Bloomingdale Farmer’s Market at 1st & R Streets, NW. For more information on their work visit www.thebikehouse.org.