The Bioneers is an organization that’s trying to bring widespread awareness and action to our most pressing environmental issues. “Bioneers is inspiring a shift to live on Earth in ways that honor the web of life, each other and future generations.” And, this weekend, the Bioneers are in Ithaca coordinating activities with the main 2009 Conference in San Rafael, California. Most of the Ithaca events are taking place at Ithaca College, but there will be some festivities — music, big-group photo, exhibits – on the Commons at noon and bikeithaca is going to join them with an info table. We’ll just have some bike safety tips, info on bikeithaca, an invitation to try cycle touring from the FLCC, some high-vis safety vests, and whatever else seems appropriate to promote the most appropriate of transportation modes. I hope to see some familiar faces down there noon-2:00 pm.
The handouts are also here as PDFs: Explore the World by Bicycle, Cycling Classes
People began arriving at the parking lot next to the Cass Park Turtle around 8:00 pm and by half past we had a dozen and a half cyclists ready to go. It was nice to see Jennifer Dotson at another of our events — I think she represents Ithaca’s first ward and all of Ithaca’s cyclists on Common Council. It was gratifying to see that everyone actually had equipment for night riding. Brenda Smith and her son, Jordan, spent some of our socializing time getting brand new lights attached to their bikes.
At around 8:30, two headlights glided into the parking area from the north to join our Night Ride: it was Juan Salazar and Jamie Gartenberg, just at that moment completing their ride of over 200 miles that they had begun at 4:00 that morning.
Saturday, March 28, people around the world will be observing Earth Hour by turning their lights and other electric gadgets off for one hour. There are over 2,000 cities and towns in 80-some countries committed to this symbolic gesture of concern for the Earth. The event is put on by the World Wildlife Federation.
Well, we came, we were seen, and no doubt we conquered a few of the hundreds of people on their way from one chili vendor to the next. It turned out to be a gorgeous, sunny day rather than the forbidding chance of snow of the forecast — just a bit cold to be standing around for a long time. Juan Salazar remarked that it was a lot colder standing there than accumulating icicles going over snowy mountains. Helping out at the table were Juan, Brenda Smith, Mary Bouchard, Robbert van Renesse, Jennifer Dotson, and Jeff Bateman; thanks also to Glenn Swan for lending us his folding canopy — fortunately we didn’t need it to protect us from precipitation this time.
The excellent courses created by the League of Ametican Bicyclists for cyclists of all levels are being taught in our area again beginning in April. If you are uneasy riding on the streets, uncertain of your riding or mechanical skills, or new to cycling, these courses are a terrific way to get more comfortable with biking. Even if you’re an experienced cyclist — time and again old-time cyclists who take the course exclaim that it changed the way the feel about riding (for the better). We are really fortunate to have these courses offered in a community as small as this; do check them out.