Monday, May 8, 2017

Bike Month: Bike More Challenge, Skills Fairs, Bike Boulevard Open House

Finally we are beginning to have some sunny weather, and it's time to remember that it's National Bike Month. Salem might have more going on this month than you think!

The number one reason to ride in Salem right now, has to be to check out the Minto Bridge!

via Twitter
There are lots of others of course, and you might have already checked out the bridge. But if you don't ride often, or you ride seasonally, the new bridge is almost certainly the best reason to dust off your bike, pump up the tires, check the brakes, and take it out for the inaugural ride of the year.

Bike More Challenge

Formerly known as the Bike Commute Challenge, the Bike More Challenge continues to evolve. This year, in tandem with the BTA becoming the Street Trust, there's a new set of graphics and branding. The social component of "encouragement" also is increasingly important.
Businesses compete against each other to see who can get the most staff to ride a bike and log their trips between May 1-31. We use a simple points model to allow workplaces to compete with each other across their size category (see the points system below). The points system has been carefully selected to ensure a fair and exciting competition, and to strongly encourage workplaces to engage new riders if they want to climb the leaderboard and secure victory!

It’s not just about who can ride the most miles, but also who can encourage the most people to give bicycling a try. Of course, if you log more miles and more trips you'll earn more points (and have a shot at some special individual prizes), but the fastest way to earn more points is to encourage more people to get on a bike and ride!
There's a Salem-Keizer division, with 30 teams currently registered. There could be a whole lot more!

Go Hub, Go!
On the current leader boards, Northwest Hub is the only Salem business.

Trips don't have to be commutes, do note. It's now the "bike more" challenge not the "bike commute" challenge. So errands, shopping, beer and cider tasting, Minto Bridge checking out - they all can count!

There's also the new bike lanes downtown on Church and High to try out if you haven't already.

For Kids: Walk and Roll Challenge, Fire up Your Feet


The Walk and Bike Challenge has also evolved, into the Walk and Roll Challenge. It is keyed to Walk and Roll to School Day on the 10th.

In years past about 4 Salem area schools have participated, so there's lots of opportunity here to grow it.

There is also the Fire up Your Feet competition.

If you have kids in the schools, check 'em out and think about participating on your own or even organizing a wider participation.

Also for Kids: Skills Fairs

The Salem Bicycle Club is working on some projects. From the May newsletter:
The Salem Bicycle Club will be helping with several Bicycle Skills Fairs in May and June. We will be at Washington Elementary on May 19 and Harritt Elementary on June 3. The Club will have a short family ride as part of the Keizer Iris Festival on May 21. We can always use help for these events, too
Bikes for the newest Salem residents - via the Hub
Last month, the Hub helped with another fair:
It’s a Transportation Fair for Salem Refugees! We’re planning to distribute 30+ children’s bikes and helmets. We’ll also have information booths and translators for the adults and teens in the following areas; bikes, public transportation, and navigating the DMV. We’ll try to match “transportation independence” volunteers to specific individuals. (This is big!) The Boy Scouts are going to be running the kids through a little bike-rodeo safety training. Right now the Northwest hub is accepting monetary and bicycle donations for the event.
Bike Boulevard Open House no. 2

The City, Salem Bike Boulevard Advocates, and Pacific Northwest Safe Routes to School are together hosting an Open House on Wednesday, May 24th:
Join nationally-renowned walking expert Dan Burden and come learn how YOU can help Salem build an Active & Age-Friendly Transportation Network!

4pm-6pm Winter Maple Bikeway Open House (Give feedback on the newest progress update.)

5pm-6pm Neighborhood Walk with Community Leaders (Learn how healthy streets create healthy neighborhoods.)

6pm-7:30pm Presentation and Q & A with Dan Burden

Light snacks and refreshments provided by North Salem High School catering.

Raffle prizes have been donated by the following local businesses: South Salem Cycleworks, The Bike Peddler, NW Hub, and Salem Summit
The Open House is from 4pm to 7:30pm in the Center 50+ on Highland and Portland Road, 2615 Portland Road NE

Do you know of other events? There might be more!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

South Salem High School students built and installed new bike racks at the school’s main entrance. This project, generously funded by the South Salem Rotary, was completed as part of the CTEC Commercial Manufacturing program. The seven new ‘staple’ racks offer improved security and convenience for faculty and students who ride their bike to school. The ‘staple’ rack design will allow riders to use an appropriate U-Lock, as well as provide support and two points of contact for bicycles in an upright position. These new racks will maximize the number and types of bicycles that can easily, and safely, use the bike parking area.

SSHS will celebrate the newly installed racks before school on National Bike-to-School Day (Wednesday, May 10). Student and faculty cyclists, using the new racks on this day, will receive a free U-Lock from the Bike Peddler and a breakfast snack from Life Source Natural Foods. Salem police officers will also be present to help interested riders register their bicycles.

Salem Breakfast on Bikes said...

That's great news! Go SSHS!

(As a moderating note...please no unattributed copypasta! Here's a preferred way with citation/link at the end:

"Three cheers for the South Salem High School students who built new bike racks for our school’s main entrance. This project, generously funded by the South Salem Rotary, was completed as part of the CTEC Commercial Manufacturing program. The seven new ‘staple’ racks offer improved security and convenience for faculty and students who ride their bike to school. The ‘staple’ racks design will allow riders to use an appropriate U-Lock, as well as provide support and two points of contact for bicycles in an upright position. These new racks will maximize the number and types of bicycles that can easily, and safely, use our parking area.

SSHS will celebrate the newly installed racks before school on National Bike-to-School Day (Wednesday, May 10th). Student and faculty cyclists, using the new racks on this day, will receive a free U-Lock from the Bike Peddler and a breakfast snack from Life Source Natural Foods. Salem police officers will also be present to help interested riders register their bicycles."

http://www.southsaxons.com/information/newsletters/May_2017_SaxonNewsletter_web2.pdf

Thanks!)

Salem Breakfast on Bikes said...

Salem PD and Salem Bike Boulevard Advocates have pix and a wrap of the new bike racks at South from this morning!

Anonymous said...

Chemeketa Community College is playing with a small but mighty team.

A few new bicycle racks are cropping up at the Salem campus, slowly but surely and now there's a bicycle fix-it station at the main entrance there.