Spring is just around the corner -- soon it will be May which means National Bike Month. Here in the Centre Region it means lots of folks getting out on bicycles for fun, health, and transportation.

We'll kick off Bike Month a little early with an all day event at the Allen Street Gates on Friday April 26. Stop by our table to look at maps of all the great riding routes you can explore within 5 miles of that spot! We'll have information on upcoming events, info about bicycle registration (it's free), and much more.

Sunday May 5 is the Linden Loop Ride in support of the Rock Hill School.  For more information, go to http://bit.ly/lindenloop2013.

Saturday May 11 there will be a Bicycle Festival at Mt. Nittany Middle School. Join the community ride leaving from there and going the distance of your choice.

Friday May 17 is National Bike-to-Work day. Join folks all over the country in using alternative transportation that day.

Once again we are grateful to have the support of CATA.  Remember that all CATA buses have bike racks on the front.  Riding the bus to a location out of town is a great way to get out to the start of some really great riding if you are a bit intimidated by riding in traffic.

Watch this space for updates to our activities!

New officers for 2012 were elected at our January 22 meeting. 

Jim Serene was elected President. Among Jim’s many contributions to CRBC projects and programs, he led the committee that helped the State College-Centre Region achieve Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community status.

Brian Dempsey is Vice-President. Brian has worked with the CRBC since its inception in 2000. Among his many contributions to CRBC, Brian also served as President at two different times during the last 12 years. 

Lynda Crow stays on as Treasurer, extending her service in that role to 3 years. During her tenure, CRBC has seen the long-awaited addition of online membership renewal and a positive bank balance that will help fund our advocacy efforts. 

Joan Potter also remains as Secretary. Joan has been an active proponent of CRBC cycling education programs. Her employer, Videon Central, is the area's first (and so far, only) Bicycle Friendly Business, due in large part to the cycling encouragement programs Joan put in place in her position as Videon's HR Directror. 

Welcome to all our new and returning Officers. Please give them your support to help make cycling in the Centre Region a safe, fun, and healthy lifestyle alternative. 

Info on a night riding clinic offered by Stephen Fast of the State College Cycling group:

When: Tuesday 22 January 2013; 7-9 PM
Where: Room 201 State College Borough Building, 243 S. Allen St.
CHANGE IN LOCATION: Schlow Memorial Library, 211 S. Allen St

This?

Love to ride? Hate short days that cut into your riding? Ever wanted to ride, then it got dark?

or This?

Learn how to keep riding when the days are short.

 

Farewell, Chuck!

Long time CRBC volunteer, Vice-President, and past-President, Chuck Anderson will be leaving the area and us at the end of December. To explain why and where he's going, I thought it best to use his own words: 

"With mixed emotions I want to let you all know that at after Christmas Susie and I are moving to Boulder, CO. I have been offered a position with the National Geophysical Data Center there in Boulder. It has been great working with you all over the years and I will miss the challenges and opportunities of the bike community here in State College. I am proud of the work CRBC has done and regret that I will not be a part of it. On the flip side, Boulder is a platinum level BFC and I'll pass along anything I see there that would fit into the needs here in State College." 

We regret it, too, Chuck!  Chuck has been an integral part of the cycling advocacy scene since his arrival in the area. As well as serving multiple executive posts, Chuck was always working on one cycling issue or the other. Many of the improvements you've seen, and many you may not have noticed, were started, nudged, & sometimes pushed along through Chuck's tenacious desire to see things bettered for cyclists in the area. From consulting with accident victims, to interacting with area planning agencies, police forces, and PennDOT, Chuck put a lot of personal time and effort behind his beliefs. 

As a League (of American Bicyclists) Cycling Instructor, Chuck's Street Skills and Fix-a-Flat and More classes at Penn State helped spread the word and experience that cycling is and can be an enjoyable experience that needn't be feared, whether on a bike path, a trail, or down Atherton St.  

As a member of our Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) committee, Chuck helped write the application that won the Centre Region BFC Bronze, and he served on advisory committees at Penn State that spurred the progress that led to PSU's recent award of Bronze Bicycle Friendly University. 

As a volunteer for CRBC, Chuck could always be counted on to help staff our tables for Bike-to-Work Day/Week/Month, run a cycling education seminar for Earth Day, or events with the Campus Sustainability Office. 

And as I write this, I realize the void that Chuck's departure will leave in the organization. I hope that some of his legacy will be to inspire others, as he has me, to take up the banner of cycling advocacy, pitch in, and help fill that void and keep the area progressing towards an even more bicycle friendly place. 

Thanks Chuck. The CRBC and the Centre Region appreciate all you've done for us. Good luck to you and Susie in this new phase of your lives. We'll miss you. 

Paul Rito 

Slides from the presentation are available here: http://www.centrebike.org/images/downloads/documents/tourpres2012.pdf

Thursday, October 18th, 6 pm in Room 201 of the State College Borough Building, 243 S. Allen St.

Bicycle Touring can be as simple as an overnight to a nearby location or as monumental as an around-the-world adventure. If you are thinking of a tour next year, it’s time to start thinking about why and where how and whatifs. Maybe you’re just interested in learning what touring’s all about. Either way, join us for a panel discussion featuring local touring cyclists who’ve done a variety of tours from local overnights to cross-country and European tours. We’ll talk about types of tours, planning, equipment, cost, training, resources, and share our experiences with you (and we’ll be showing pics from our tours throughout the discussions).

• Brian Dempsey rode 2400 miles from Arcata, CA to St. Louis, MO during May 2006. He rode with a friend, partially supported the first two weeks. It was a life-changing event!
• Roy Greenfield is a retired PSU Geoscience Professor and has ridden, with Toby Carlson and others, more than 10 self-supported 2 week rides in Europe staying in moderately priced hotels and B&Bs.
• Kurt Kunka has crossed-countried multiple times and has extensive local and regional touring experience.
• Dana Miller solo crossed-countried from D.C. to Oregon in 2010, and will provide a woman's perspective on solo and small group touring.
• Eric Nord and his brother crossed the country between mid May and July of 1993 on mountain bikes converted for touring.
• Paul Rito cross-countried from Seattle to Bethany Beach in 2005, combining organized group and solo touring. He’s also organized and led smaller scale tours locally over the last 5 years.

Thursday September 27th Fix that Flat (and Beyond) 6-9pm in rm 117 EES Bldg. WEL 512

We will discuss routine preventive maintenance for your bike, including maintenance of cables and shifting mechanisms, adjustment of brakes, and proper lubrication techniques. You will also learn how to handle emergency roadside repairs, such as flat tires, broken cables, jammed chains, and bent wheels. This is the perfect class for people who ride bikes but always take it to the shop for even minor maintenance, and who think of their cell phone as their emergency repair kit.

Register at:PSU Health Matters (if you're not a PSUE student/faculty/staff, you'll need to use/create a "Friend of Penn State" account to register, or you can call 863-4606).