Mar 25 - Spring Bike Collection

Good morning,
Our Spring bike collection is fully underway this week and Tau Beta Pi has done an excellent job providing publicity again.  See the articles at these links:
State Journal:
WBOY Channel 12 TV, State Journal , (more to come)

Yesterday was a big day for volunteers.  Lots of students have been coming in to get their hours out of the way before Spring break and there were over a dozen people in the shop at one point - a great situation when the Channel 12 reporter showed up.  However, I'd just like to mention that if you are part of a group that is coming in, please call a day or more in advance so I can have plenty of work ready.  We nearly ran out of things to do at the end of the day - not because there wasn't work, but because I didn't have everything together to do it all.  Today I've got plenty more ready if you do show up, but I still appreciate some warning.

In the morning I went for a ride to Pt. Marion to see how the Mon River Trail was recovering from our eventful Winter weather.  All of the trees have been cleared to the state line, and there is just one place on the PA side where you have to scramble through a bit.  It looked like clearing has begun and by the time you read this things may be all cleared up.  I hope to do it again tomorrow and I'll let you know what I see.  It was a great reminder of why we ride.  The trees are budding, birds are singing, the river is flowing fast with spring melt and rains.  It was a great way to recharge my emotional batteries.
Remember, the best way to promote walking and biking is to get out and do it so other people see how much fun you're having and want to join in.
Have a great day.

Mar 22 - Back to business, and busy-ness

Good evening,
After returning from a week-long road trip (Florida to drive a car back for friends, Apex NC to inspect a school site for June bike classes, Raleigh to pick up a new bike, Martinsville to spend a few days with raw-food friends and Charlottesville for an LCI seminar) today was my first full day in the shop.  I expected it to be quiet for a while before people discovered I was back, but apparently there was a lot of pent-up demand.  We had calls starting early in the morning to donate ,borrow and buy bikes.  Also lots of students are choosing to do their volunteer hours with us before going off on Spring break.  This afternoon we had a particularly memorable customer brought to us by connecting link (ph 304-296-3300) who needs to get to work at a night-shift job in Sabreton on bike.  It turned out we had the perfect bike for her, and accessories to go along with it.  We'll be getting her fitted out tomorrow.  This is just the kind of thing we are here for, and we hope to get more referrals from Connecting Link now that they know about us.
This week we begin our Spring bike collection to get us enough bikes for the Summer.  We'll need a LOT at the rate they're going out the door.  If you (or anyone you know) have bikes you aren't using and you'd like to see them find a good home please send them our way.
On Friday afternoon from 1-5pm we'll be doing a big strip party at the warehouse.  Just to clear things up, this means we'll be stripping usable parts off unrepairable bikes.  This is very labor intensive, but fun when you have plenty of people doing it.  If you're available please give a call to the shop and we'll sign you up, we'd love to have your help.
Thanks,
Nick

20 Mar - LCI Seminar

Good evening,
I'm in Charlottesville, VA (home of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello) assisting with the League of American Bicyclists' "League Certified Instructor" seminar.  We have 14 students, 4 assistant instructors and the lead instructor - Preston Tyree.  If you don't know Preston you should at least get to know his work - he is the national director of education for the League and has been instrumental in developing all of the teaching curricula - Traffic Skills (101 & 102), Commuter, Group Riding, Safe Routes to Schools, etc..  Taking a bike class from Preston is like having Jesus for a Bible Study leader.  Preston is always positive and helpful, knowledgable and more experienced than anyone else I know.  The picture above shows Preston directing the group to ride in formation, closer than they ever have before, while drinking from their water bottles and looking back for traffic.  The entire weekend was a great time, in addition to a great learning experience.  The best part of it was watching cyclists conquer their fears of pack riding and and busy intersections.  The self-confidence that comes from this spills into everything else they do.  The second best part of the class is that Frank won't be the only lonely LCI's in the state any more.  We now have Ryan, Marilyn and Gunnar for company - pretty pleasant company too.  I'm now hoping to give a few of them the additional training to become youth and parent instructors so we can get another generation on bikes.

Mar 17 - A new bike

Good evening,
I don't usually make a big deal about my new bike purchases but this one is unique - and practical.  It's a carbon homebuilt (~2000) made by John Tetz of the Metro (NY) Area Recumbent Society (MARS).  I picked it up in Raleigh NC where Roger Vale had taken it after purchasing it but deciding not to keep it.  I'll be using it to make the regular commute from the shop to Wadestown.  There is a detailed construction history at this link:  http://www.recumbents.com/mars/pages/proj/tetz/OFS/projtetzOFS.html
Come by the shop next week if you're interested in seeing the real thing.  I took it on a magnificent ride today.
Tomorrow I'll be in Charlottesville, VA to attend Bike League instructor training with a group of other Morgantown cyclists getting their LCI certification.  I'll be back on Sunday.  In the meantime John Dorsey is handling the shop and you can call him at the regular number if you need to get in outside regular hours.

Mar 12 - A new era

I've just returned from the National Bike Summit in DC.  In addition to the celebrities I was able to hobnob with (that's Gary Fisher in the photo above) there were 3 other delegates from WV - Kim Broughton (Parkersburg), Dennis Strawn (Charleston) and Brian (?) from Martinsburg.  On Thursday we met with aides for Senators Rockefeller and Byrd, and Representatives Capitio, Mollohan and Rayhall (who met with us personally - photo coming soon).  All were very receptive to our requests to support legislation (Safe Routes to Schools, Active Communities Transportation and Complete Streets) , joining the bike caucus and supporting increased funding for non-motorized transportation (NMT).  WV leads the country from the bottom with 0.2% NMT funding yet 8% of trips are non-motorized (14% in Morgantown).  It was a great big deal when Sec. LaHood made the following proclamation at the closing reception: "People across America who value bicycling should have a voice when it comes to transportation planning. This is the end of favoring motorized transportation at the expense of non-motorized.”  Let's get this message out in Morgantown - tell everyone, not just bureacrats, because leaders will make the changes demanded by the people who elect them.
More breaking news on the new DOT bike/ped policy at this link:
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bikeped/policy_accom.htm

The 10 mile bike ride on Friday was a great success in spite of threatening rain (which didn't amount to anything).  I was the sole West Virginian on the ride, my "mountaineer tough" compatriots skipped out, I have pictures of the young family who stuck it out for the ride - just to make them feel (justifiably) guilty.

Thank you!

Mar 9 - Bike Summit

Good evening,
The summit opened tonite, this picture shows Dennis S. (from Charleston) and I at the opening reception where we heard some from some of the other small communities who have made bicycling a big part of their communities (and economies).  A small town in MN (pop 800) who put in a trail saw their hotel tax proceeds rise from $250K to $4.7 MILLION after putting in the trail.  League leadership made it clear that now that we have separate trails to ride on and have shown our economic impact, it's time for us to have space on the road.  That's what this summit is going to be all about - passing the:
Safe Routes to Schools Act
Active Communities Act
and Complete Streets Act.
Fortunately Dennis tells me that all of our lawmakers are already planning to vote in favor of these bills so all we have to do when we show up is thank them.  We'll still ask them to do more of course, but this is a great position to be in.  Please take any opportunity you can to write Mollohan, Rockefeller or Byrd and thank them for their support of better roads for bikes and other vehicles to share.  Then let them know what else you'd like to see.
And keep in touch with them.  In the advocate training workshop they reminded us that you have to stay in this for the long term.  Copenhagen and Madison, WI took 30 years to get where they are.  Using their example we can do it faster, but only if we stay on the job
Thank you.

Nick

Mar 6 - How to get things done

Short answer: Do them. This week a customer came in looking for a donor bike for a project, and we had time while sitting in gridlocked traffic to talk about some things. This gentleman, Stan, was the first president of the Mon Rail Trail Coalition (MRTC). Before that though he lived in Masontown where the railbed had been abandoned and cleared but not graded. Stan knew someone with a grader, so they graded it. This kept going until the graded section of the railbed reached Morgantown, where it might would have been an embarassment to do nothing - so things got done. Activists in Morgantown got together, made a plan and implemented it to create the 50+ miles of trails we now enjoy. If there's something you want done and you're hoping for help or cooperation from someone else, stop waiting. Do what you can do now to get the ball rolling, then it will be much easier for others to see how they can help.
In case you can't think of anything, let me share some ideas. This week I'll be travelling to the 10th annual Bike Summit in Washington, DC where much of our time will be spent lobbying senators and congressmen to vote for legislation that promotes biking and walking. It will make our job a lot easier if you're sending letters and calls to their offices to let them know you back us up - and you vote.
Here's the web page with more information (Specifically on the Active Communities Transportation act)
http://www.peoplepoweredmovement.org/site/index.php/site/blog/2636/
Other bills currently in consideration include:
“Safe Routes to Schools” Act S. 1156/HR 4021
“Complete Streets” Act - S. 584/HR 1443

And whenever you have the chance advocate for
1) Bike/ped safety education as a requirement in schools (rider education at the grade school level, bike/ped awareness in drivers' education) This will have impact beyond training the current generation of walkers/bikers, it will educate the next generation of voters, legislators, planners and traffic engineers.
2) Increases in non-motorized funding to a level comparable to its mode-share in WV (currently we're the worst - walking/biking is 8% of all traffic, but only gets 0.2% of transportation funding).
Talk to your senators (Byrd, Rockefeller) and congressman (Mollohan). Candidates are already appearing to replace Mollohan after his current term expires, so let these candidates know that you want Morgantown to be a place to walk and bike safely, instead of the traffic slum it's become.
Nick

Mar 3 - It's starting already?!

This evening we had our first bike sale since Christmas, a woman buying a good bike for her husband on his 50th birthday tomorrow.  He bought her a bike for her last birthday and she's looking forward to going out riding together.  Hope he likes it, it was a beautiful bright red GT mountain bike - sweet ride!  Several other customers were in today and may be buying bike(s) tomorrow.  We'd stockpiled about a half dozen bikes to prepare for a busy Summer, but at the rate things are going we'll need a lot more donations to keep up.  If you have good bikes at home that aren't being put to good use please consider donating them to us - it's fun, empowering and tax-deductible.
Tonite we received notice that Bikes for the World will be doing their annual collection and pick up in Cumberland, MD in association with the Cumberland Rotary Club.  They've asked us to bring out our excess bikes to help provide basic transportation in developing countries, as we've done for the past few years.
During ship time tonite Pete (from Waynesburg) got our next pedal generator going, this is the one with the professionally-machined roller.  It works like a champ!  Thanks Pete. The generator will be going to a paying customer as soon as I can get him on the phone.
As I was closing shop tonite a young gentleman named John came in to volunteer.  He's enrolled at WVU for Summer but has lots of time to help out until then and a passion for working on bikes.  He's new in town having moved here from LA, if you see him he may ask for help finding work or moving furniture - help him out if you can.  We want to keep this guy around, he shares our passion for pedalled transportation.  In LA he volunteered at Bike Wave, another community bike shop.
Have a great nite!
Nick

Mar 2 - Getting things rolling

Today I purchased helmets, lights and bike pins to use in our Spring bike/ped classes.  These are vendors we have been using for a while so they recognize our name when we call and ask us how things are going.  I don't really know how to answer this question yet.  While awareness of biking and walking is on the rise, we don't have a way to measure it yet.  The things we do measure, like how many volunteers show up on a regular basis, are small and increasing slightly - enough to give some encouragement.  Wouldn't it be great if there were a huge outpouring of support though?  If you're in  a position to do so please renew your membership, volunteer your time and tell all your friends to do the same.  A big shift in the number of people walking and biking might be what it takes to keep our last 2 remaining neighborhood grade schools (Woodburn and Suncrest) and improve their non-motorized access.  This is a current and critical issue.
Tomorrow at 9 AM we'll be at MTEC with 2 of our WVU MDS Capstone students to give basic bike repair/maintenance instruction, and talk about having the students work together painting bike frames.
Thanks for your support!  Nick

1Mar - Start of the bike/ped Education Season

Good morning,
If you've been following things here or in the shop you've heard me mention that we now have classes lined up in 2 WV schools (Charleston and Martinsburg) as well as Apex NC in June.  In addition we have local bike rodeos for MCCAC, Ridgedale School, Girl Scouts and of course Tradeup Day April 17.  Although those days may seem far away it's we have to start ordering helmets, pins, literature and lights for those events now so we have time to get them shipped here, and before they run out.  Our income from recycled bikes is almost nothing at this time of year, so this is a shameless plea to ask you to renew your membership or make a donation to help us pay for these items.  Also, if you have spare time please come in and work in the office to help apply for grants and assist with the planning for the year.  It's mostly me and I could really use the help and encouragement.
Yesterday's Dominion Post featured this letter from a visiting Nebraskan who was appalled by the poor state of snow clearing in our fair city and gave a few suggestions for improving it.  It serves as a good reminder that, although Mountaineers should always be free to work for their own future, no one is free from the responsibility of ensuring the safety of those around them - other motorists, pedestrians and cyclists who need to get places too.

25 Feb - a busy day in the office

Good evening,
Between naps to sleep off a cold I decided to stay in the office today and clean out old emails and follow up on leads that have been piling up for the past few weeks.  Here's a sample of what transpired;
Allliance for Biking and Walking is offering to donate a van to a bike/ped non-profit who makes the best case for needing it in their operation.  Turns out today is the deadline, our application is IN and has been acknowledged.  No guarantees on this, but I think we have a good case.
Rock Forge Neighborhood House has had us over to give bike/ped safety classes in the past, now that we have a new curriculum and need to try it out we've scheduled tentatively for Monday March 15.  We could use volunteers for this, especially if you have a truck or van to cart bikes to the site.  They have an indoor gym where we'll set up the course.
The Green Riders of Palo Alto will be passing through Morgantown in June on their continent-crossing electric bike ride and they  contacted us today to feature us on their blog and in their video when they are in town.  We will probably be presenting at Mon Cty Library's Green Night when they are here.
WV Safe Routes to Schools - On Monday we met with  coordinator Becky Davisson, she informed us that the many schools in the state who have gotten funds to build sidewalks are now looking for a way to provide the bike/ped safety instruction required by the grant.  Since we have the only instructor in the state (and possibly region) this means lots of opportunities to present classes and certify new instructors.  I set up one class in Charleston and have been asked to do another in Martinsburg.  Volunteers will be needed to support these trips.
Morgantown High School Young Democrats  - Lastly, Josh called to invite us to exhibit at their green night at the school on Friday March 26.  This is bike drive week so we may ask attendees in advance if they can bring out bikes to donate.  We'll bring our bike generator to power bike videos - we'd like to have one made about us if there's anyone out there who would do that.
More tomorrow.
Nick

19 Feb - Velomobiles for the 21st Century

Good morning,
This article was written by a friend of mine, more eloquently than I could ever put it.  Check it out.
http://urbanmobilityproject.blogspot.com/2010/02/velomobile-21st-century-eco-solution.html
Nick

16 Feb - Welcome to Winter

It's good to remember at times like this when the snow starts piling up, that the roads were built and paid for by all people - not just the ones in cars.  That means that everyone is has a right to use them, not just the ones in cars.  The legal "right of  way" means that when there's a way to get somewhere, everyone has a right to safe use of it.  This is a shared right  - not an exclusive one.  If you're driving it means that if the sidewalks are impassable on a given street, if they don't exist or haven't been shovelled for example, pedestrians have a right to use the road and motorists have a responsibility to give them safe room and slow down if necessary to give everyone time to react and adjust to each other.
Of course motorists should drive at or BELOW the speed limit.  Apparently it isn't obvious to everyone that a posted speed is an UPPER limit, not a lower one.  Also, bikes have the right of way on public roads at this time of year just like any other.  Every public road is already a bike lane.  This may mean it takes a few seconds longer to get where you're going, take the time to relax a little.  That will benefit everyone too.
Nick

26 Jan - City Council Meeting 6:30 tonite to discuss Pedestrian Plan

Good morning,
If you haven't already made your plans for this evening please consider coming out to the city council meeting at City Hall where the budget for the next year will be discussed.  A major sustainable transportation initiative to be discussed will be the Pedestrian Plan and fee proposed by the Pedestrian Safety Board.  The board is asking your support, here's Christiaan Abildso's email describing what you can do.

1) Tues, Jan 26 6:30 - City Council meeting to develop budget priorities (Don Spencer will propose the fee as a priority)

---I will attend to encourage ped plan/fee prioritization; not many others need attend

2) Thurs, Jan 28 6:30 - Public Forum hosted by the DP re: plan/fee - South Middle School auditorium

---Bill & I will present the plan

***!!!we need as many as can be there to be there!!!***

 

In other news, we are continuing to write grant applications to help get funding to cover our operating costs now that we've gone beyond just bike recycling.  Eventually we expect to get sustaining income from memberships, consulting, education programs, etc - but we are now in the organizational phase known as "capacity building".  For this funding we are looking to city, county and foundation grants.  Naturally the easiest programs to get funded are the ones that we are already doing, so our focus is on bike riding/repair skills and trip planning.  If you'd like to help draft these proposals, which are due in the next few weeks, we could really use your help.

Additionally we are receiving a large amount of student volunteer help from the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) Multi-Disciplinary Studies (MDS) teams and individuals.   We can also use help supervising these volunteers.  Call the shop for details.

Special thanks to Jessica Weber, a new WVU grad student in Public Administration who has volunteered her time and energy.  Jessica spent the past year as an intern for the Alliance for Biking and Walking in Washington DC.  Although her time is limited, her energy doesn't seem to be and we look forward to working with her.

Let's make the 2010 the year we "Bike and Walk to Break Gridlock"!

20 Jan - Good reading

A couple of new book have arrived at the Positive Spin Sustainable Transportion library and are available for viewing or checkout:
"How to Live Well Without Owning a Car" by Chris Balish
"Bicycle Design" by Mike Burroughs

These are in addition to some other titles that may interest you:
"Effective Cycling" by John Forrester
"Human Powered Homes"
"Pedaling Revolution"
"Bicycling and the Law"
"Traffic Skills 101/102" from the League of American Bicyclists

There are some childrens' books for the younger crowd:
"Sally Jean the Bicycle Queen"
"Mike and the Bike"
"Michael Recycle"
"Gracie Goat's Big Bike Race"

And we have various videos on bicycling, bike repair and bike safety.
Come in and check them out, and volunteer while you're here.
Nick

19 Jan - Update

There's too much new stuff going on to just talk about one topic.  So here's the rundown.
- This morning we helped out in a workshop at MTEC teach bike mechanic skills to students in Scheryll Richard's class.  Special thanks to Rob Voorhees, the local Cannondale rep who donated his time/tools/skills to organize and conduct the session.  From now on we'll be showing up regularly on Thursdays to cover a new subject and work with the students rehabbing bikes for the shop.  We are in need of donations of money, a workstand and wheel truing stand to equip the shop.  If you have any of these items sitting around unused please consider donating them.  Contact Positive Spin.
- Preparations are well underway for the Bike Skills classes to be taught at Apex, NC next month.  Last Friday I travelled to DC to assist with a class there that will be similar to the classes I'll give.  Special thanks to the Washington Area Bike Coallition for giving us this great experience.  We are now looking for volunteers to help with planning and organizing for the event.  If you can help out please contact the shop.
- We've received calls from our first "Community Service" volunteers of the semester.  In addition to working in the shop they'll be helping in the office - setting up our member database, email contact list and other tasks as needed.  Some of these students are doing the work for classes, others as atonement for various infractions - we're OK with that.  We'll make this the kind of punishment that keeps them coming back for more.

If you haven't been to the shop in a while, or you've never been, don't wait until you need a bike.  Come in for the tour and stay to help out.  If you want to come in outside posted hours just call and make an appointment.  And just as a reminder that we're about more than just bikes, check out this article showing the savings for riding a bus.

13 Jan - Alliance grant is complete, Next task....

I've just sent in the application for the Alliance's Advocacy Advance Grants.  This is the preliminary round, if we're selected at this stage then we'll have to turn in a final application in March.  Thanks to those of you who helped with this round.  However, the work isn't done yet.  We've just received applications from the city and county where money is available.  These deadlines are coming up quick, if you can help out with the applications please don't hesitate to call.

Today is another great day for riding while the temps are still below freezing.  By tomorrow it will warm up and the melting will leave a salty, mushy mess in its path but it will be the first time we've gotten above freezing in a few weeks.  Hope you're all enjoying it where ever you are.  This weekend I will be travelling to Washington DC to get a taste of what it's like to try and teach bike/pedestrian skills to unruly mobs of K-5 schoolkids.  This is in preparation for the classes we'll be teaching in Apex (Raleigh) NC next month.  This is another task I can use help with.  This would be a particularly good job for any physiology or phys. ed. students who want to see what a gym class setting will be like to deal with.  Again, if you can help please call the shop.

Just for fun, if you want to see some outrageous bowling check out this video. 

12 Jan - It's Grantwriting Season

It was a beautiful day for biking in the snow, well for some of us anyway.  For the rest of you, if you've got some time for sitting around and are looking for something really helpful and rewarding to do, how about helping us write grant applications for the following funding sources:

Morgantown Community Block Development Grants (Due Feb 8)Mon County Grants (Due Early March)
Alliance for Biking and Walking:  Advocacy Advance Grants (Final App due Mar 3)

We've applied for grants in the past, but so have lots of other people and we need your help to make a compelling case for why we're the best investment for these limited funds.  If you have time and, particularly if you have experience, please call the shop and find out what you can do.  Also, feel free to make comments on this post if you can suggest people or other resources that might be helpful.  Chances are that the changes you make possible will stay in the community for a long time to come - better health, safer streets, cleaner air and a nicer place to live, work and get around.

Thank you,
Nick

11 Jan - Pedestrian News

This past weekend I travelled to Charleston, WV to offer assistance to a group who are starting a community bike shop there in the Habitat for Humanity - Restore.  They have a great looking facility, even includes heat and decent lighting.  If anyone reading this list is in that area please consider volunteering to help them out.  I'll have contact details soon.  Otherwise lookup Zoe Beavers, the force behind the organization.

Tonite after returning the rental car I walked downtown on Willey St from the Mileground and started thinking about how much room has been left for improvement in this corridor.  There is NO sidewalk for most of the way, and the road is so narrow that you are left no choice but to stop traffic until you can get to a safe place to pull aside.  The sidewalks that there are haven't been shoveled (in violation of unenforced city ordinance) so it's still a sub-optimal experience at best.  Since the Pedestrian Safety Board meeting was planned for 4pm today I made that my destination.  The discussion at the meeting was mostly focused on the new pedestrian plan for Morgantown and how to present the $1/ft assessment as an investment that will end up raising housing values and saving costs that more than offset it.  I promised to supply a link to the PLAN and to the PETITION if support you can sign.  Next month the city council votes on putting it in the budget (Jan 26 at 7pm in the council chambers) - your presence at the meeting would help let the city know that this is a priority.  Find more information at our website link.

Jan 6 - Welcome to the New Year

Positive Spin re-opens its doors today after the holiday, we hope you'll be dug out of the snow and can come by to help out with the new projects we have going on for the Winter season and prepare for biking in the Spring.  There are lots of exciting new opportunities to increase biking/walking and reduce traffic congestion.  In the next few days we plan to have a newsletter out describing some of them, but don't wait.  If you want to help make big changes in Morgantown transportation call anytime.

Note:  Our regular shop cellphone has gone missing (I lost it).  Until it turns up you can contact the shop on my personal cellphone at 304-685-8954.