Notes from the 2010 Western Wisconsin Bike Summit
Filed under: Advocacy, Education, Events, Issues, Lifestyle
Lots of people talking about bicycling.
On Tuesday march 23, somewhere between 230 to 250 people attended the 1st Western Wisconsin Bike Summit in La Crosse, WI. This event was organized by the Drifters Region Bicycle Coalition (DRBC) and Human Powered Trails (HPT), in coordination with the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin (BFW) and the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA). The event was aimed at raising community awareness of the benefits of bicycling.
John Burke, the president of Trek Bicycles was the keynote speaker. He generated a lot of media coverage before the event. Excitement was obvious even before the session began as many people people visited the booths set up in the lobby. These booths include informational booths from the local MPO Bike & Pedestrian committee, local organizations promoting healthier and greener communities, local bike shops and both HPT and DRBC. Read more
Join the Cause Party a Success
The bikes start showing up outside Pearl Street Brewery.
Wow! At times there was very little room to even move around at the Driftless Region Bicycle Coalition’s “Join the Cause” party this past Sunday (March 20). With almost a hundred people signing in, the Pearl Street Brewery in La Crosse was the spot to be for people interested in bicycle advocacy. The place was filled with familiar and new faces and there was even a pickup Foosball tournament in the back of the room.
The event was attended by bicyclists from around the region, not just La Crosse. I had the opportunity to personally talk with individuals from Vernon County, Eau Claire, Onalaska and even from Minnesota. This shows that there is a strong desire to have a organization like the DRBC representing the needs bicyclists throughout the Driftless Region. As we grow DRBC will continue to reach out and serve cyclists across the area. The wide range of ages and the diversity of the crowd was very exciting. Read more
You Can Call Me Dummy
Filed under: Advocacy, Commuting, DRBC, Gear, Lifestyle
Surly Big Dummy reporting for duty
In the summer of 2008, Patrick and I had to sell our Tacoma pickup truck back to Toyota due to a recall. Knowing we would not want to jump into purchasing another truck right away, and also knowing that we had a new bike in mind, we took some of the money and invested in a Surly Big Dummy. If you are not familiar with this bike, it is the pickup truck of bicycles. Originally Xtracycle sold components to give a regular bicycle the ability to extend it’s wheelbase, therefore giving it the capability to haul heavier loads. Surly took this concept and ran with it to build a complete bike. The Big Dummy is able to carry 400 pounds including the rider. With it’s elongated frame, snapdeck, and accessories such as side pannier bags, wide loaders, bicycle mounts…the list goes on, one can haul quite a load. Read more
Life in the Bike Lane
Filed under: Advocacy, Commuting, DRBC, Gear, How To, Lifestyle, Rides
Hello biking community- my name is Karen and I am contributing to DRBC by writing about my biking experiences. First, a little background on how I got started.
I started commuting by bike in college right here at UWL in the mid-nineties. Finding it easier to find a spot to park a bike than my VW, biking became second nature. I was fortunate enough to live close enough to campus for it to be a short commute. After college I hung up my bike and didn’t ride much for a few years until I discovered mountain biking at the Human Powered Trails. HPT is an amazing trail system that gives a rider of any skill level the opportunity to improve not only bike control and confidence, but also improve technical skills. (If you can jump a log on a trail, you can jump a curb in the city.) If you have not had the opportunity to try out HPT’s trails I encourage you to do so. You can check them out at humanpoweredtrails.com for this season’s info. Read more
Western Wisconsin Bike Summit
2010 Western Wisconsin Bike Summit
On Tuesday, March 23 the first Western Wisconsin Bike Summit will take place at the Radisson Center. Doors open at 5pm for a social and networking hour, speakers start at 6:30. This local event was organized by a variety of area bicycling groups including Human Powered Trails and Driftless Region Bicycle Coalition in coordination with the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin and the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA). The Summit will offer opportunities in networking, learning and idea sharing. The Summit will connect regional business leaders, individuals, organizations and policymakers who have a shared interest in the benefits of bicycling for our community and region.
Keynote speaker:
John Burke
President, Trek Bicycle Corporation
Welcome to the DRBC
Welcome to the Drifless Region Bicycle Coalition's online community. At DRBC we are about getting more people on bikes, more often by advocating for bicycling infrastructure and a dynamic bicycling culture.
The DRBC currently seeking organizations and individuals who support the idea of complete streets in our community.
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