22 Mar - The MidMarch Special Edition Newsletter is out

Good afternoon,
With all the activity going on as the riding season approaches, I've posted a newsletter with reports from the Bike Summit, plans for workdays, bike collections and Spring Tradeup Day.  You can read the newsletter online at: http://www.positivespin.org/Newsletters/2011_03_SummitNewsletter.pdfat: In our new location we expect a lot more activity and we'll need more volunteers to serve everyone.  Please consider volunteering to help out on workdays, shop days and as a board member to help plan and keep things going throughout the year.
Right now, as we start construction on our new office and shop areas we need a plumber and electrician to help with the work before our volunteers come in to finish the walls.  If you can help please call the shop.  Construction starts this Thursday.

15 Mar - Back from the Summit

Good evening,
I arrived back from the Summit on Friday.  I can't say enough words of grattitude about my rides (Kim Coram of Parkersburg there, and Greg Good of DC/Morgantown on the return).  Thanks especially to my homestay hostess Elisabeth in DuPont Circle.  You can read the trip report online at this link.  Saturday we saw some customers and donors beginning to venture out into the Spring weather.  Now that Spring is officially upon us and the daylight lasts longer we expect more.  We'll be back to our regular hours this week - Wed 1-7pm and Thu-Sat 1-5pm. Hope to see you.
Some of you know about the transmission Kenny and I have been working on, I was able to show it to a couple of manufacturers at the Summit and they seemed to show genuine interest.  Now that I'm back I intend to get the transmission mounted on the bike that it was built for, and get out and ride it.
During the Summit I was particularly impressed by the talks about getting kids on mountain bikes whether for fun days, clinics or races.  It makes sense that parents will let their kids play in the dirt before they'll let them play in traffic.  I'm looking for anyone interested in helping plan a pilot event (working title "Take our sons/daughters to Dirt") possibly to be held in May, and focusing our youth instruction on MTB riding  rather than street riding.  If you love to work with kids and would like to be part of this please call the shop, or come by Wed Mar 22 at 7pm for an organizational meeting.
On a personal note, I have moved out of my temporary Cheat Lake home and am staying with friends until I can find another place that I can afford.  My preference is to rent a room in a home, within 5 miles of town but not in student housing.  If you know of someone who has an affordable place please contact me at the shop phone number.  And also remember that the best thing you can do for cycling is to ride, the second best thing is to take someone with you.
Nick

11 Mar - Riding the Summit

Good morning,
Today the delegates who were still around got together for a ride from the capitol building.  I used one of the Capitol Bikeshare bikes.  The people you see here are just a small sample of all the riders, I got to the start late so I didn't get a group photo.  There were probably 200 riders who turned out on this chilly (~40deg) cloudy morning.  We rode North along the route of the Red Metro subway line and then back on the trail that goes alongside it.  Had a great time talking to the riders, in the 3 days we've been here we've ate, talked, slept, walked and dreamed bikes.
Today we finally got to ride some.  I'll be heading back in about an hour.  Looking forward to seeing you in the shop tomorrow.

10 Mar - Lobbying Day

Good morning,
Yesterday we heard speakers and seminars on various aspects of bike advocacy and action.  I've put my notes online at this link for anyone interested.  In particular I was impressed by the youth education seminar and the tremendous success that's been had by staging kids' mountain bike races and building mountain bike parks.  I would like to direct more of our energy toward this as I think it might bring in more customers and volunteers.  Any comments?

We had our meetings with lawmakers today.  We were told in advance that the flag flying today (photo above) has been dedicated to cycling.  We met Capito and McKinley in person. for Manchin, Rockefeller and Rahall we talked with legislative staffers.  All were positively impressed by the herds (800) of happy, slim and energetic people running around with bike pins on.  This made a bigger impression than corporate money, it was fun to be a part of it.  I'll be back in the shop Saturday at 1pm.  Hope to see you then.

Hope things are well back home, wish me luck.
Nick

8 Mar - Out of Town

Arriving in DC, the Pennsylvania Ave. Bike Boulevard
While in Washington DC this week for the annual League of American Bicyclists Summit, someone else will be watching the shop.  Ken will have it open tomorrow from 2pm-7pm.  I'll be back on Saturday.  We've been working on finishing more bike projects before the riding weather arrives.  The new transmission is working and you can see a video on youtube - search for NickHeinWV.  I've got the prototype with me and I'll be showing it to friends in the industry to see if there's interest.  Have a great week.
Nick

 Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood addresses the opening banquet of the Bike Summit