News

Why do YOU care about bikes?

Posted on by Paul Adkins

If you are reading this article, bicycling is probably important to you – I know it is to me, which is why I am currently the Chair of the Advocacy Committee.  What we are looking for are stories illustrating how bicycle programs and infrastructure have made a difference in your life.  What we are going to do with those stories is use them as compelling examples to elected officials on why we need their support.

For example, I was very overweight (obese?) as a child, on into high school.  I started biking once I got to college and lost a lot of weight (40 pounds!).  I have mostly kept it off since then by maintaining my active, bike-filled lifestyle.  How much money have I saved myself, my insurance plan, and the government by not developing diabetes or heart disease? How much quality of life have I gained by taking up a hobby, feeling healthier, and improving my mood?  All of these are tough to quantify, but the story itself means a lot when you’re trying to convince a legislator that bike funding IS crucial.

If you have a story like mine, please let me know.  The more inspirational, “mom-and-apple-pie”, personal, or engaging, the better.  Because, when it comes to the world of politics, charts and figures are good, but a unified voice demanding, “Because I want it!” is sometimes more compelling.

Email me, Price Armstrong, at pricearmstrong@gmail.com with your story.

The Oregon Active Transportation Summit Needs Your Active Participation

Posted on by Paul Adkins

This year, the organizers of the Oregon Bike Summit have decided to make a welcomed change to the event, expanding the focus to all varieties of active transportation.  This means that on March 29 – 30 in Salem, bike and pedestrian advocates from across Oregon are going to be gathering for the Active Transportation Summit!

The primary point of the Summit is to meet with legislators to discuss key bicycle and pedestrian issues. As the second largest metropolitan area in the state, it is so important to have the voices of Eugene/Springfield residents heard while the legislature tries to figure out how to untangle the state’s budget mess.  GEARs already has a few members who are planning on going, but we are hoping to employ the tactic of “overwhelming force” when we convene in Salem.  We need to send a strong signal to our elected representatives that without active transportation infrastructure or programs, our great state wouldn’t be nearly as great.

For more information, see http://www.oregonbikesummit.com/.  There are also a limited number of scholarships available through Alta Planning, where the Registration page indicated, “Interested folks should send an email to Julie McDougal with a paragraph describing who they are and why they want the scholarship. Deadline for requests: March 22.”  Finally, if you have any other questions, don’t hesitate to contact me at pricearmstrong@gmail.com.  Hope to see you in the capitol!

Multi-Day Tour Planning

Posted on by RideCoordinator

The GEARs Bike Tour Committee is planning a multi-day GEARs tour and we need your input. If you’re possibly interested in a GEARs multi-day ride next summer, please complete the BRIEF 4-item survey at the link below by Sunday, Feb. 6. We will use the survey data to help us create a ride you will enjoy! More information about the Tour will appear in future news pieces & in the GEARs newsletter. Thanks for your help: GEARs Tour Survey Link

If you have any questions, or would like to help plan a multi-day tour, please contact Sue Wolling at sue@eugenegear.org

GEARs Advocacy Committee Gearing Up

Posted on by RideCoordinator

Only two weeks into the new year, and already an incendiary bill that would outlaw children riding on bikes has been proposed.  This is exactly the kind of legislation that the GEARs Advocacy Committee needs to watch and comment on, to make sure that the collective voice of the bicycling community is heard.  Since being appointed chair of the Advocacy Committee at the November 2010 Board meeting, I and a few other folks have been working on policy issues at the local, state, and national levels.  I am writing not only to give an update on activities so far, but also to see who else might want to contribute to the effort.

First, some context.  In Oregon and nationally, the budget outlook is not hopeful.  At home, we are faced with a $3.5 billion dollar budget shortfall that is going to have to be closed.  This means we are going to be spending 20% less on education, Medicaid, public safety, and transportation – asking for funding for new bike paths is that much harder.  At the same time in congress there is an intense focus on cutting federal spending, and particularly from the discretionary budget, which includes transportation spending.  Basically, programs are being scaled back or eliminated at all levels of government, which means we need to work that much harder just to preserve what little we have. Continue reading “GEARs Advocacy Committee Gearing Up” →

January General Meeting- Tour Presentation

Posted on by RideCoordinator

Don’t miss the January GEARs General Meeting:

Bob & Linda’s Tour Presentation
Tuesday, January 18th, 6-8 p.m.
Countryside Pizza & Grill (645 River Road)
Have you ever contemplated a long distance cross-country bicycle tour? Did you ever wonder what gear was necessary and if you had the mental and physical stamina to succeed? Bob and Linda Metzger share “dos and don’ts” of their 2700 mile 2010 bicycle tour from Chicago to Eugene at the January General Meeting. The one hourpresentation (with plenty of time for questions and answers) will focus on planning your trip and route, choosing the right bicycle and equipment, clothing selection, physical conditioning prior to your trip,mental preparedness, and how to fuel your “engine” (nutrition / hydration). A host of other valuable resources will be provided along with trip photographs. Plan on attending, and perk your interest in bicycle touring.

Bob and Linda recently moved to Eugene, after selling their coffee business in the Midwest. Bob is a retired petroleum geologist. Linda teaches fitness at the University of Oregon

2011 Education Schedule Announced

Posted on by RideCoordinator
via Flickr: RussRoca

Are you thinking of doing more bicycling this year? Do you want to become a better rider, a more confident and safer commuter, or learn more about traffic laws or bicycle maintenance? Or do you know someone that wants to learn more about bike riding in Eugene?

GEARs is announcing our 2011 Confident Cycling class schedule.
http://edu.eugenegears.org/classes

Our classes teach people the laws, skills and technique, giving riders the
confidence they need to ride safely and legally in traffic and on the trails.
The courses cover state laws as they pertain to bike riders, bicycle safety
checks, fixing a flat, on-bike skills and crash avoidance techniques
and include a student manual.

Our Adult Traffic Skills class is recommended for adults and children
above age fourteen. This fast-paced, nine-hour course prepares cyclists for
a full understanding of vehicular cycling and is a great resource for cyclists
from beginners to experienced. This 9 hr. class, endorsed by the League
of American Bicyclists and sponsored by GEARs, is offered in 2 sessions.
Materials Fee $10.

Our Family Traffic Skills class is shorter 3-hour – designed for parents and children – course that includes traffic laws, confidence building techniques and on-bike skills as well as bike maintenance. Parents that would like to ride bikes as a family are strongly encouraged to attend this class. Materials fee per family is just $5.

This years we’ve also introduced a class called: Riding with Leaves – where
we will spend 3 hours learning the laws which affect bikers, safety measures
and on-bike skills and techniques to get you safely through leaf pick-up
season in Eugene.

All GEARs classes are led by League of American Bicyclists Certified Instructors
with many years experience. GEARs wants to see more people riding bikes
and doing it safely.

We encourage you to please pass this on to anyone that you think would
be interested.

Learn more and Register online at:
http://edu.eugenegears.org/classes