Dan Moser's Column: Bike commuters to gather at Oasis Restaurant on Bike to Work Day

Dan Moser

Florida Weekly, May 8, 2013

If you can’t find something to do on weekends in Lee County, you’re just not looking hard enough. Deciding on which activity to take part in is the real challenge, as was the case on the recent Saturday of American Lung Association’s Fight for Air Climb. More than 500 walkers from the March of Dimes Walk for Babies literally crossed paths with those heading to the Climb, passing by High Point Place, many with strollers leading the way, just as the climbers were getting started. Fort Myers Police Department officers managed the traffic situation very well, but it illustrates just how many competing events there are, sometimes both figuratively and literally stepping on each other.

And yet another fundraising active-event, the Zero Prostate Cancer 5K run, took place in Lakes Park that same morning. It’s hard to say if one event’s attendance was impacted more than another, but the downtown competing activities probably did affect participation in one or both. Although there are many community calendars around, there doesn’t seem to be one go-to source for event organizers to use when determining dates, especially when scheduling occurs well in advance, oftentimes a year or more.
Punta Gorda’s Tour of the City bike ride. The potential for such dueling events lessens when things slow down a bit as the weather heats up and participant numbers dwindle due to the exodus of seasonal residents. But there are still plenty of options to choose from, including the always-popular Turtle Trot 5K in Lovers Key State Park on Saturday, May 11, and the Cape Cops 5K on Saturday, May 18. Information for both events can be found at www.ftmyerstrackclub.com.

May is National Bike Month, and I’m doing my best to encourage readers to be part of it in some way. Most activities happen during Bike to Work Week, May 13-18. Our local Ride of Silence in remembrance those killed or injured while on their bikes, takes place beginning at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 15, from Centennial Park. The Bonita Bay Bicycle Club is also hosting a Ride of Silence. Contact its organizer at cvwesq@earthlink.net at least one day prior if you’d like to participate.

Bike to Work Day is Friday, May 17, and we’ll be set up outside the Oasis Restaurant in downtown Fort Myers at 2260 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., on the corner of Jackson Street, to offer complimentary refreshments and other goodies for anyone who commutes by bike that morning.
There’s also a meet and greet at Oasis that afternoon, from 4-7 p.m.

I’ll lead a ride for elected and appointed officials and staff of our local governments on a portion of our Tour de Parks route to wrap up the week on Saturday, May 18. I’m especially looking forward to city of Fort Myers representatives taking part.

The reason I’m anxious for city officials to participate in the Tour de Parks is because they appear to be backing off moving to the next level in implementing the Complete Streets policy that was formally approved well over a year ago. Likewise, there was a setback in Lee County government related to helping LeeTran at least move toward where it needs to be. County commissioners pulled the agenda item that would have set up a committee to continue the work of the Transit Task Force.

So, for the foreseeable future, LeeTran will continue to provide services at the current level (or less), with no hope of improved travel times and service areas for its ever-expanding number of users — most of whom have little choice but to use the system. You’ll find all the details on BikeWalkLee’s blog at www.bikewalklee.blogspot.com.

Until next time, I’ll look for you on the roads and trails. ¦
— Dan Moser is a league cycling and CyclingSavvy instructor/ trainer and programs director for the Florida Bicycle Association who cycles, runs and walks regularly for transportation, recreation and fitness. He can be contacted at dan@floridabicycle.org or 334- 6417.