28 January Update

Good evening,
On our last workday for Biloxi bikes we managed to get only a few more bikes out, bringing our total to 35. I would like to see if the local bike shops could repair a few more for us so we can get the total up to 50. I've come across a church in Biloxi and may be able to wrangle something through my local church to get them there.

Our website is down for a few days due to homelessness - the host provider went out of business. A new site has been found and the content is being transferred. It should be up by Friday.

This Friday Feb 3 will be the Critical Mass ride at 5pm in front of the Lair. We're planning a party for afterwards at the shop in Grand Central Station with various fun movies (Human Power and Transportation themes). Hope to see you there.

On Saturday the shop will be open for volunteers who want to help fix up the remaining Biloxi bikes, and members who want to work on their own bikes. The shop doesn't have tools, so you'll need to bring your own. We are selling memberships to raise money to buy tools, once we do we'll offer free classes to members in how to use them properly and you'll basically get access to hundreds of dollars worth of tools for $24/year. Members also get free access to our stock of recycled parts.

We've decided to add morning hours for working on the Biloxi bikes. The schedule is:
9am - 1pm Biloxi Bikes
1pm - 5pm Open shop (bring your own tools, the shop doesn't have any yet)

Hope to see you then.
Nick

Nick

21 January Update

Welcome to new volunteers Jennifer, Jerry and Jeremy who helped us get more of the Biloxi Bikes done this weekend. We'll need lots of help next weekend to get them finished. Please volunteer, especially if you have bike skills. We've got about 25 bikes done toward our goal of 100.

Also next Saturday we've been given the chance to exhibit at the Morgantown Mall Community Service Fair. We'll have a table setup from 10am to 9pm with a display board and brochures to hand out to promote our activities. If you can help staff this table please call Nick at 599-1791. We've received our bike locks and helmets - we'll be publicizing their availability at this event. Even if you can't help at the shop days or events, if you want to volunteer, call or email and we'll find a job for you.

This Wednesday (Jan 25 at 7 am) Nick and John will be giving their Katrina Trip report for the Morgantown North Rotary Club at the WVU alumni center. The presentation will last about 20 minutes.

In February Positive Spin will enter a new phase, shifting from bike collection and donation to education and member service. Look for these events....

Regular Saturday shop times for personal bike repair.

Membership drive.
The benefits of membership will include free use of shop tools and recycled parts (new parts will be offered for sale as available). We will see about getting member discounts at local bike shops.

Monthly membership meetings.
After the Critical Mass meetings (5pm on the first Friday of each month) we'll meet at the shop for a movie or other transportation-themed event.

Beyond that we've begun a full-year calendar with these events tentatively scheduled...
April 15 - Bike Tradeup day
Bring in your old bike to trade in on a new one

March 20 - Earth Day (Monday)
All Day Critical Mass ride. Special Movie night at the shop.

May 7 - Spring Spectacular ride
Traditional opening day of bike season in Morgantown

May 19 - National Bicycle Greenway Day in Morgantown
Be part of scouting a national trail and roadway system across all of America

14 January Update

This was expected to be a big weekend at the shop, with the helmet and lock day planned. On Friday Nick and Will painted the White room, cleared out and mopped the showroom and did other general cleanup and beautification. We didn't get any customers for locks or helmets, but this may have been due to the fact that it snowed all day. Volunteers were there though, so we finished some minor construction projects and started in on the Biloxi bikes. We have completed 20 of them, putting us 20% of the way toward our goal. We have another 40 waiting in the shop for fixup, and 30 coming from the Morgantown police impound lot. If you have more bikes, or know someone who does please get in touch - we'll still take them.

Thanks to Will, Beth, Dan, John and Joe for all their great help and inspiration.

By the way, we now have about 50 helmets available and 40 cable locks on their for whenever we reschedule helmet/lock day. Contact us by phone if you need yours before then. They are available to anyone for a $7 recommended donation (our cost) or free if you received a coupon at the Christian Help Christmas event.

7 January Update

Good evening,
It was a big day at the shop today. On Friday we had the first Critical Mass ride of the year with 5 people showing up. Nearly everyone continued up to the shop afterwards to help get the place spiffed up for this month's big events - the Jan 14 Helmet/Lock day and the Jan 28 Biloxi Bike fixup day (our goal is to have 100 bikes ready to ride and shipped to the Gulf Coast at the end of this month).

This weekend's effort included stripping and recycling old bikes and frames, sheetrock repair, painting, cleaning, reorganizing and craft projects. Thanks to Carmen, Scott, Will, Joe, Tiger Joe, Gibran, Ivan, John and several people who came by to drop off bikes. We put fluorescent bulbs in all the old commercial fixtures so there is light everywhere. As a result we saw that there was dirt and grime everywhere too so we cleaned and vacuumed the whole place. We've hauled the junk out of the office and made it a little more workable. We completely rearranged the parts room to take advantage of the light and space better (next project is to organize the stock). All of the collected Biloxi bikes (about 60 so far) have been reorganized and we're ready for more. About 30 bikes will be coming from the Morgantown Police impound lot this week.

Also this week we'll be publicizing next weekend's helmet/lock day at which we'll offer helmets and locks at discounted prices (anyone who brings in a coupon from the Christian Help event will receive theirs free). We could still use some help with final preparations, if you've got time in the evenings this week please give me a call at 599-1791. Nick

1 Jan. Happy New Year!

Welcome to 2006. Will Ravenscroft, Lee Ravenscroft, their families spent some time this weekend getting the shop fixed up and collecting more bikes for the Hurricane Relief drive. Our goal is to have 100 bikes fixed up and ready to ship by the end of January. We have collected more than 60 bikes so far, not all of which are useable so we still have lots of collecting to do. There will be open shop hours every Saturday 10-4 for anyone who wants to come in and work on the bikes. If there is a time that is better for you call or email and we'll try and accomodate you. January 28 will be our big day and lots of volunteers will be needed that day. Please volunteer generously. Please also ask your friends to donate bikes and financial gifts.

On January 14 we'll be having the helmet and lock day. We've got some helmets and I've ordered more. The locks and cables will be ordered this week. As noted in the previous message, we'll need lots of volunteer help - before and during the event. If you can help give a call or email.

Wishing you peace in your heart, on Earth and all through the year.
Nick Hein
Acting Director.