May Is National Bike Month

The month of May is National Bike Month and is sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists.  The weather is turning nice and more people want to get out and about. Many communities will hold special events such as memorial rides (Ride of Silence is Wednesday May 18th, leaving from Trappe – more to come later), bike safety rodeos (Quakertown’s is Saturday, May 14th), and bike to work days. The week of May 16th-20th is Bike to Work Week, with the 20th being Bike to Work day.

The Pottstown Mercury published a great article today by Eileen Faust that covers commuting by bike. There are many quotes from local bike commuters include myself and other Town Square bloggers.

Follow-Up to “Mountain Biking In Your Backyard”

The race at French Creek this past weekend was a blast! We had great weather the morning of and it just made it that much more enjoyable. My goal for the day was just to finish as I’ve been over coming some injuries. I didn’t finish first but I didn’t finish last! I did break my chain and had to fix it in the middle of the longest climb! But overall I finished with a smile on my face! I’m looking forward to the next race on June 5th at Iron Hill Park in Delaware.

Me feeling good in the beginning of the race

My brother's favorite picture he took during the race

Spring Has Sprung!

Many area cyclists are looking forward to the start of spring riding weather. It has been a long, cold winter and we are ready to see if the hours on the indoor trainer or in spin classes have paid off! Spring also means the start of charity riding events. For the past three years I have marked the beginning of cycling season with the Girls with Gears cycling event to support CAROL For Heart. The pro peloton has Paris-Nice to mark the official beginning of the season, I have Girls with Gears and the hills of Limerick!

Girls with Gears, A Women’s Cycling Event (men welcome too!) is held every spring in Limerick, PA. This year’s event is on Sunday, April 17th and is limited to 1,200 riders (so register soon!). The event features four different ride lengths (10, 25, 40, and 62 miles) all on the scenic back roads of Limerick and neighboring towns. The ride is to support CAROL For Heart, an organization set on preventing women’s heart disease through education. Women’s heart disease is the #1 killer of women in the United States, 1 in 4 women will die from heart disease. CAROL For Heart is on a mission to better educate women of the risk and prevention factors in an effort to someday reverse these numbers.

So why do I enjoy this ride? For one it is a local charity, the ride is sponsored and organized by local people, and you get to enjoy some scenic roads that we often zip too fast down in our cars. Last year I rode the 10 mile loop with my Mom, a novice cyclist, and she had a wonderful time! As a veteran rider I enjoyed some roads I didn’t know existed but more importantly I was able to share the experience with my Mom and support a great cause. This ride is perfect for riders of all skill levels and provides the opportunity to share the sport of cycling with others. This year I am again riding with my Mom and we will be tackling the 25 mile route!

The title of the event often encourages more women to ride. After all, women tend to do things in groups – bathroom breaks, shopping, why not riding our bikes? Men are encouraged to participate but plan to be outnumbered!

I’m very much looking forward to the ride this year and hope to see many new riders!