Monday, December 30, 2019

December 30: Upcoming running/walking/bicycling/tri events

Upcoming events

Running/walking:

Cycling:
  • Monday, Dec. 30: Monday Minions Ride. This is a weekly ride that rolls in the 13-15 mph range. Total distance around 15 miles. After the ride most go over to Square 1 restaurant for the $5 burger and fries deal. If you are looking to get into cycling beyond the casual roll, this is an ideal ride for you. 6 p.m., Fort Myers Cyclery, 3630 Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL) 
  • Tuesday, Dec. 31: Taco Tuesday Ride. Every Tuesday night, We Ride For Tacos! After a 21 mile ride on Treeline/Old Airport/Daniels/6 Mile Cypress roads and paths, we'll finish at Tijuana Flats for Taco Tuesday. B RIDERS: 16 to 18 mph for the basic group. A RIDERS: The faster group rides at 20mph plus. We finish well after dark, so Front And Rear Lights are Required. 6:30 p.m., Trek Bicycle Store of Fort Myers, 8291 Dani Drive, Fort Myers (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Friday, Jan. 3: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. Come out and enjoy a large group slow ride with SWFL Critical Mass! A family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers gathering at 7:00 p.m. and starting at 7:30 p.m. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the Publix side lot at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Sunday, Jan. 5: Wakey, Wakey! Weekly Sunday Morning Ride. This is a weekly ride for riders of most skill levels and most types of bicycles (hybrids, fitness, and road). The ride is sanctioned by the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club, thus helmets are required, no ear buds, and no aero bar use while in the group. 7.30 a.m., location varies, visit (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL) for details. 
  • Saturday, Jan. 11: Sanibel Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7 p.m. at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Jan. 18-19: Tour de Cape weekend, with multiple-length rides, a 5K and more, based at Cape Harbour, Cape Coral (tourdecape.net)
  • Ongoing: Join the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on one of their many weekly rides for members and potential members, with an array of paces and routes to choose from. Check them out online at www.caloosariders.org.
  • For more Lee County cycling and tri events, visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL).

 Triathlons:
  • Sunday, Jan. 5: HITS Sarasota Tri, with sprint/Olympic/half distances, Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitsendurance.com)  
  • Check trifind.com to find regional and state tris.





  
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Monday, December 23, 2019

December 23: Upcoming running/walking/bicycling/tri events

Upcoming events

Running/walking:

Cycling:
  • Monday, Dec. 23: Monday Minions Ride. This is a weekly ride that rolls in the 13-15 mph range. Total distance around 15 miles. After the ride most go over to Square 1 restaurant for the $5 burger and fries deal. If you are looking to get into cycling beyond the casual roll, this is an ideal ride for you. 6 p.m., Fort Myers Cyclery, 3630 Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL) 
  • Tuesday, Dec. 24: Taco Tuesday Ride. Every Tuesday night, We Ride For Tacos! After a 21 mile ride on Treeline/Old Airport/Daniels/6 Mile Cypress roads and paths, we'll finish at Tijuana Flats for Taco Tuesday. B RIDERS: 16 to 18 mph for the basic group. A RIDERS: The faster group rides at 20mph plus. We finish well after dark, so Front And Rear Lights are Required. 6:30 p.m., Trek Bicycle Store of Fort Myers, 8291 Dani Drive, Fort Myers (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Friday, Dec. 27: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. TIME CHANGE: Gather at 7:00 p.m., start at 7:30 p.m. at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Saturday, Dec. 28: SWFL Critical Mass monthly Saturday Morning Slow Roll & training. Are you new to group riding, or want enjoy riding through town and the neighborhoods surrounding the Edison home? Join us for a casual 8-10 mph roll on the last Saturday of every month.
  • Sunday, Dec. 29: Wakey, Wakey! Weekly Sunday Morning Ride. This is a weekly ride for riders of most skill levels and most types of bicycles (hybrids, fitness, and road). The ride is sanctioned by the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club, thus helmets are required, no ear buds, and no aero bar use while in the group. 7.30 a.m., location varies, visit (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL) for details. 
  • Friday, Jan. 3: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. A family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers gathering at 7:15 p.m. and starting at 8 p.m. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the Publix side lot at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Saturday, Jan. 11: Sanibel Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7 p.m. at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Jan. 18-19: Tour de Cape weekend, with multiple-length rides, a 5K and more, based at Cape Harbour, Cape Coral (tourdecape.net)
  • Ongoing: Join the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on one of their many weekly rides for members and potential members, with an array of paces and routes to choose from. Check them out online at www.caloosariders.org.
  • For more Lee County cycling and tri events, visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL).

 Triathlons:
  • Sunday, Jan. 5: HITS Sarasota Tri, with sprint/Olympic/half distances, Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitsendurance.com)  
  • Check trifind.com to find regional and state tris.





  
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Thursday, December 19, 2019

BikeWalkLee: Oh, what fun it is to ride…

BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, December 19, 2019
by Ken Gooderham

Love the holidays? Love to bike? Want to find out a way to combine the two?

Here’s a couple of ideas, depending on your level of enthusiasm.

First and foremost, it’s easy to make cycling part of the holiday simply by biking more often. Put the extra time off most of us get around theholidays to good use by getting out on your bike more often. It’s a great way to get around during a traffic-heavy time of year, not to mention an equally great way to burn a few calories during a food-heavy time of year.

It’s also an activity that can span generations, something a family can do together with a minimum of fuss (assuming you have the necessary equipment, of course). That makes cycling a good thing to mix with guests… either to do something together or to give some people a chance to get away from the visiting horde for a little while.

You may have to listen to your wacko uncle around the dinner table, but you can ride out of earshot when the rants ramp up on a bike ride.

If the holidays mean getting out to look at the decorations, let me share a little secret: The best way to see those lights is while riding a bike. You’re going slow enough to gawk, you can easily stop to watch someone’s lights run through their full display cycle (in the case of decorations on steroids as you’ll find in some neighborhoods), and it’s the best way to hit the side streets without causing a traffic jam.

Obviously, this works best at night – which means you need to light yourself up to be seen. This means a minimum of a headlight (white) and tail light (red, preferably blinking), with more lights never a bad idea. If you can figure out how to combine a headlamp with your helmet (which of course you’ll be wearing, right?), that will give you light where you look.

If you already ride at night, you should be set with the lights you’ll need. If you’re new to the night, your local bike shop should have a good assortment of lighting options – most of which can easily be mounted and removed as needed. These likely will have options for how they are powered as well, whether running on replaceable batteries or able to be recharged. If you’re thinking this night riding might be an activity you’ll do more often, get a mixture of power options: Rechargeables are very handy, but you have to remember to charge them and they can run out of juice at inopportune moments; batteries are bulkier but easy to carry when you need to replace them during a night ride.

The next step in holiday cycling might be to make yourself part of the celebration… by decorating your bike. Not only does this make you more visible at night (always a plus), it’s also a great way to have a little fun on wheels during this most wonderful time of the year. A little research will reveal a lot of lighting choices for your two-wheeled display… wheel lights that can fit on (or around) your spokes, string of lights that wrap securely around your frame, and plenty of options fore and aft.

The next and final step for the more ambitious might be a holiday parade. This is a growing trend in neighborhoods, with bikes and golf carts decked out with all the typical holiday hoopla – and it can be a lot of fun as well as a great way to celebrate together as a community.


However, it can also be a lot of work, necessitating some planning and coordination to keep everyone sane and safe. You’ll need to pick a date and a route, get the word out to encourage participants and parade watchers alike, and (if you’re doing this on public roadways) coordinate with the public safety folks. At the very least, the police need to be aware that roads will be full of slow-moving vehicles; more likely, you’ll want them to be part of the parade to keep other (faster) traffic at bay – something officers are very good at doing.

These parades can draw a crowd – both on wheels as well as those along the route who enjoy the decorations and applaud the decorators. And the event can expand or contract as much as you want, from a simple parade to a full-blown block party and everything in between. They can quickly become a holiday tradition as well, assuming you have people who want to put in the time year after year to make it all happen.

Just remember: Whatever you do to bike through the holidays, let the focus be on fun. That’s a gift everyone will be happy to get – and to give.

Ready to ride or run? 

Run? There’s a break in races for the holidays, before the new year (and new resolve) kicks back in. Those looking for an event can try the Marco 5 Mile Hill Run on Saturday, Dec. 21 (details at gcrunner.org), or ring in the new year with the Jan. 5 Hooters River Roots and Ruts 10-mile and 5K run at Caloosahatchee Regional Park in Alva (details at ftmyerstrackclub.com).

Ride?  Critical Mass has these regularly scheduled rides on tap:
  • Friday, Dec. 20: NE-Lee Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7 p.m. at the Winn-Dixie, 14600 Palm Beach Blvd.
  • Friday, Dec. 27: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:30 p.m., start at 8 p.m. at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street for a family-friendly ride through the Cape.
  • Saturday, Dec. 28: Saturday Slow Roll 8 a.m. meet-up at 2160 McGregor Blvd. Recommended for inexperienced/young riders. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction.
  • Friday, Jan. 3: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. A family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers gathering at 7:15 p.m. and starting at 8 p.m. Bring all your friends and meet in the Publix side lot at First Street Village.
Lights required for night rides, helmets recommended for all, details at meetup.com.

If you’re looking for a good ride and some cycling camaraderie, look no further than the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club. Check out their ride calendar and you see a ride for almost every day of the week (never on a Friday, but even more on weekends), all mapped and planned for your enjoyment. The Riders even tell you how fast (or not) you’ll need to be to keep up… click on the ride of your choice for all the details and even a map. All at caloosariders.org.

Both?  The multiple-length HITS Endurance Sarasota Tri is Sunday, Jan. 5, offering sprint, Olympic and half Ironman distances, all running out of Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitsendurance.com).

TELL US ABOUT YOUR RIDE:

Have a favorite route you like to bike, or a unique walk you’d like to share with others? Tell us about it at info@bikewalklee.org, and maybe we can feature it in an upcoming column.

# # #

Ken Gooderham writes this on behalf of BikeWalkLee, a community coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County — streets that are designed, built, operated and maintained for safe and convenient travel for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Information, statistics and background online at www.BikeWalkLee.org. 


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Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Project list for bike-pedestrian improvements sorely lacking


Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, December 18, 2019
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

The enormous cost of adding pedestrian access ways rather than including them up-front is the best argument of doing it right the first time.

Lee County government and its various municipalities have on the books unmet infrastructure needs, some of which are also included on the Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization’s project list, which includes over $200 million worth of projects. Unmet SUN Trail needs amount to another $ 7.6 million.

Lee County’s list is made up of those in unincorporated parts of the county as well as on Lee County roads that run through the various municipalities. None of the bridges linking Fort Myers with Cape Coral and Sanibel that are under the county’s jurisdiction allow pedestrian access nor are facilities to address the need to change that fact among 125 identified projects, or even acknowledged as a need. Retrofitting the bridges could add $5-$30 million for each structure, perhaps much more for the Midpoint Bridge and Sanibel Causeway structures because of their length (the estimate is based on FDOT’s U.S. 41 bridge, which is approximately one mile long).

The enormous cost for adding such features, rather than including them upfront, is the best argument of doing it right the first time, whether it be a bridge or road project. That’s exactly what a Complete Streets policy does. So, in reality, Lee County’s needs are much more expensive than $160 million.

Dan Moser is a long-time bicycle/pedestrian
advocate and traffic safety professional
who cycles, runs and walks regularly for
transportation, recreation and  fitness.
Contact him at bikepedmoser@gmail.com
and 239-334-6417.
The city of Cape Coral, which was just awarded a three-year renewal of its Bronze-level Bike Friendly Community designation from League of American Bicyclists, estimates $63 million to complete its current bike/ped master plan list, a conservative estimate that doesn’t include associated design, right-of-way acquisition, stormwater elements, or even specific bike/ped safety projects such as intersection improvements.

Another way Cape Coral looked at its needs is related to the tragic deaths last school year of two students who were waiting at or walking from their bus stops. Because of those events the city did a remarkable thing: it conducted a study to determine what the needs and cost estimates would be for various levels of sidewalk installations throughout the city as well as streetlighting, seating and enhanced signage around all the bus stops and the two-mile walking distance to each school.

The study found that to provide sidewalks on the 1,250 miles of roads within the city that currently don’t have them (meaning approximately 90% of streets) it would cost over $1 billion in today’s dollars for 5-foot sidewalks on both sides of all major roads and one side of all local roads. It goes up to over $2 billion if the local roads have sidewalks on both sides rather than just one. The estimates only include 5-foot sidewalks and does not consider wider shared use paths or bike lanes where appropriate, both of which are features included in the city’s bike/ped master plan.

The village of Estero lists 17 projects with a cost estimate of $63 million, quite significant for a new entity with a very small annual budget. The town of Fort Myers Beach did an excellent job turning the portion of Estero Boulevard that’s under its jurisdiction (Times Square to Bowditch Park) into a Complete Street a few years back. Now the rest of Estero Boulevard is undergoing a full rebuild that includes bike/ped features. Still, the town has around $200,000 in bike/ped needs on its list.

I wasn’t able to get accurate data from Fort Myers, Bonita Springs or Sanibel, but even without needs and cost estimates there are at least $360 million in identified unmet bike/ped needs within the county.

By contrast, new roads and improvements to existing roadways that will primarily benefit motorists have $1.8 billion in funding identified to be constructed by 2040, meaning approximately $90 million per year dedicated to those projects.

To learn about this topic and more, visit bikewalklee.blogspot.com and www.streetsaliveswfl.org.¦


Highway bridge with bus lane and guard-railed bidirectional bike lane (source: Google)

For Lee County cycling and tri events visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL). The Florida Bicycle Association (floridabicycle.org) is your source for statewide happenings. BikeWalkLee’s blog site has all the information you’ll need to stay abreast of advocacy efforts in Southwest Florida as well as statewide and nationally.






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Monday, December 16, 2019

December 16: Upcoming running/walking/bicycling/tri events

Upcoming events

Running/walking:

Cycling:
  • Monday, Dec. 16: Monday Minions Ride. This is a weekly ride that rolls in the 13-15 mph range. Total distance around 15 miles. After the ride most go over to Square 1 restaurant for the $5 burger and fries deal. If you are looking to get into cycling beyond the casual roll, this is an ideal ride for you. 6 p.m., Fort Myers Cyclery, 3630 Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL) 
  • Tuesday, Dec. 17: Taco Tuesday Ride. Every Tuesday night, We Ride For Tacos! After a 21 mile ride on Treeline/Old Airport/Daniels/6 Mile Cypress roads and paths, we'll finish at Tijuana Flats for Taco Tuesday. B RIDERS: 16 to 18 mph for the basic group. A RIDERS: The faster group rides at 20mph plus. We finish well after dark, so Front And Rear Lights are Required. 6:30 p.m., Trek Bicycle Store of Fort Myers, 8291 Dani Drive, Fort Myers (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Friday, Dec. 20: NE-Lee Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7 p.m. at the Winn-Dixie, 14600 Palm Beach Blvd. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Sunday, Dec. 22: Wakey, Wakey! Weekly Sunday Morning Ride. This is a weekly ride for riders of most skill levels and most types of bicycles (hybrids, fitness, and road). The ride is sanctioned by the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club, thus helmets are required, no ear buds, and no aero bar use while in the group. 7.30 a.m., location varies, visit (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL) for details.
  • Friday, Dec. 27: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Note the start time: Gather at 7:00 p.m., start at 7:30 p.m. at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Ongoing: Join the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on one of their many weekly rides for members and potential members, with an array of paces and routes to choose from. Check them out online at www.caloosariders.org.
  • For more Lee County cycling and tri events, visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL).

 Triathlons:
  • Tuesday, Dec. 17: 2019 Christmas Sprint Triathlon and Duathlon, Sugden Regional Park, 4284 Avalon Dr., Naples (trifind.com)
  • Sunday, Jan. 5: HITS Sarasota Tri, with sprint/Olympic/half distances, Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitsendurance.com)  
  • Check trifind.com to find regional and state tris.









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Monday, December 9, 2019

December 9: Upcoming running/walking/bicycling/tri events

Upcoming events

Running/walking:
  • Saturday, Dec. 14: QBE Shootout 5K. Proceeds to benefit Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. Tiburón Golf Club, Naples (gcrunner.org)
  • Saturday, Dec. 14: Naples Christmas Glow Run 5K. Run on paths lined with thousands of lights and dozens of lighted characters! Add to the excitement and fun by running or walking with glowing decorations. Runners will have the choice of running in the Competitive Wave that has a 30 minute time limit or have fun with family and friends in the non competitive wave. Sugden Regional Park, Naples (runeliteevents.com)
  • Sunday, Dec. 15: Naples Distance Classic 5K/10K/Half Marathon, Eagle Lakes Community Park, Naples (naplesdistanceclassic.com)
  • Sunday, Dec. 15: Jingle Bell 5K. Join us on December 15 for our 3rd annual Jingle Bell 5K! We’ll have live music, food, and drinks. Babcock Ranch (babcockranch.com or active.com)
  • Saturday, Dec. 21: Marco 5 Mile Hill Run, Marco Island (gcrunner.org) 
  • Jan. 5: Hooters River, Roots and Ruts 10-mile and 5K run, Caloosahatchee Regional Park, Alva (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Jan. 11: Pine Island Kiwanis Club Calusa 5K, Pine Island (3dracinginc.com) 
  • Jan. 18: Run to Home Base 5K run/walk, 1 mile walk and kids dash, JetBlue Park, Fort Myers (ftmyerstrackclub.com) 
  • Jan. 19: Naples Daily News Half Marathon, Naples (gcrunner.org) 
  • Jan. 25: BUG Chase 5K run/walk, Calusa Nature Center, Fort Myers (ftmyerstrackclub.com) 
  • Jan. 25: Run for the Paws 5K, to benefit the Collier Humane Society (gcrunner.org) 
  • Feb. 1: Strides for Education 5K Run/Walk, Florida Southwestern Stats College (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Feb. 1: Running Water 5K, Jaycee Park, Cape Coral (3dracinginc.com)
  • Feb. 16: Paradise Coast Half Marathon/5K, North Collier Regional Park (runeliteevents.com)
  • For more running events visit gcrunner.org/calendar.html; ftmyerstrackclub.com/race-calendar; eliteevents.org and 3dracinginc.com

Cycling:
  • Monday, Dec. 9: Monday Minions Ride. This is a weekly ride that rolls in the 13-15 mph range. Total distance around 15 miles. After the ride most go over to Square 1 restaurant for the $5 burger and fries deal. If you are looking to get into cycling beyond the casual roll, this is an ideal ride for you. 6 p.m., Fort Myers Cyclery, 3630 Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL) 
  • Tuesday, Dec. 10: Taco Tuesday Ride. Every Tuesday night, We Ride For Tacos! After a 21 mile ride on Treeline/Old Airport/Daniels/6 Mile Cypress roads and paths, we'll finish at Tijuana Flats for Taco Tuesday. B RIDERS: 16 to 18 mph for the basic group. A RIDERS: The faster group rides at 20mph plus. We finish well after dark, so Front And Rear Lights are Required. 6:30 p.m., Trek Bicycle Store of Fort Myers, 8291 Dani Drive, Fort Myers (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Saturday, Dec. 14: Sanibel Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7 p.m. at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Sunday, Dec. 15: Wakey, Wakey! Weekly Sunday Morning Ride. This is a weekly ride for riders of most skill levels and most types of bicycles (hybrids, fitness, and road). The ride is sanctioned by the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club, thus helmets are required, no ear buds, and no aero bar use while in the group. 7.30 a.m., location varies, visit (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL) for details.
  • Friday, Dec. 20: NE-Lee Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7 p.m. at the Winn-Dixie, 14600 Palm Beach Blvd. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Friday, Dec. 27: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:00 p.m., start at 7:30 p.m. at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Ongoing: Join the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on one of their many weekly rides for members and potential members, with an array of paces and routes to choose from. Check them out online at www.caloosariders.org.
  • For more Lee County cycling and tri events, visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL).
Triathlons:
  • Tuesday, Dec. 17: 2019 Christmas Sprint Triathlon and Duathlon, Sugden Regional Park, 4284 Avalon Dr., Naples (trifind.com)
  • Sunday, Jan. 5: HITS Sarasota Tri, with sprint/Olympic/half distances, Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitsendurance.com)  
  • Check trifind.com to find regional and state tris.









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Thursday, December 5, 2019

Cape Coral retains Bronze level of bike friendliness

BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, December 5, 2019
by Ken Gooderham


The latest rankings of Bike Friendly Cities (and more) are out, and Cape Coral (the only local community whose ranking was up for review this fall) retained its Bronze level of bike friendliness. It joins three other Southwest Florida communities honored for bike friendliness: Sanibel (gold), Venice (silver) and Naples (bronze).

Why is this a big deal?

It’s independent: The ranking is done by the League of American Bicyclists, formed in 1880 to promote the newfangled transportation mode known as cycling. The group established the criteria, handles the judging and confirms conditions on the ground.

It’s quantifiable: For its five levels of friendliness, the League established metrics in five areas… its “Five Es”:
  • Engineering: Creating safe and convenient places to ride and park.
  • Education: Giving people of all ages and abilities the skills and confidence to ride.
  • Encouragement: Creating a strong bike culture that welcomes and celebrates bicycling.
  • Enforcement: Ensuring safe roads for all users.
  • Evaluation & Planning: Planning for bicycling as a safe and viable transportation option.
It’s achievable: Communities are told where they rank in a number of preset categories, and are given suggestions on how to move up to the next level to boot.

For example, for Cape Coral the “Steps to Silver” include more (and more nuanced) bike facilities, a look at speed limits, more bike parking throughout the community, encouraging bike commuting and safety for young riders, establishing a Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee for the city and enhanced data collection.

However, the way the program is matrixed communities can quickly and easily see the points of progress up the scale of friendliness. FYI: the five levels mentioned above run from Bronze to Silver to Gold to Platinum (five of those nationwide) to Diamond (which no one has met… yet).

The Bike Friendly Community program, established in 1995, currently recognizes 488 communities for their commitment to bike safety, plus almost 100 more who earn Honorable Mentions for beginning the steps to win a BFC ranking.

This year also brings the biennial Bike Friendly State rankings – and Florida ranked No. 10 overall!

Since the state is ranked the most dangerous for pedestrians (according to Smart Growth America’s 2019 rankings), with eight of the 10 most pedestrian-dangerous metro areas (including Cape Coral-Fort Myers at No. 8), a decent showing for bike friendliness is a bit of a surprise.

What pushes Florida up the rankings is its spending on infrastructure (tops in the nation) and its policies and programs (fourth in the country). Holding the stat back is its ranking for evaluation and planning (particularly bike/ped safety) and for legislation and enforcement (winning a D for laws restricting bicyclists and pedestrians).

As with the communities, the League offers advice and ideas for improvement, along with kudos for past successes. One hopes information plus incentives inspires improvement.

There also are rankings for Bike Friendly Businesses and Bike Friendly Universities, each of course with its own metrics.

Local business ranks by the League:
  • Acme Bicycle Shop, Punta Gorda – gold
  • Real Bikes Venice – gold
  • Bikes International (Venice) – silver
As for university campuses, seven in the state are honored – none in Southwest Florida, an omission we hope to eventually see corrected by one of our local institutes of higher learning.

The next deadline for submitting to be a Bike Friendly City is Feb. 5, 2020. (Businesses and universities have different application deadlines, but all in 2020.) Details at https://bikeleague.org/bfa.

Ready to ride or run? 

Run? A burst of events before the holiday hiatus: The venerable City of Palms River Run (10K and walk) is Saturday in downtown Fort Myers, followed by the Florida West Coast half marathon and 5K Sunday at Nathan Benderson Park in Sarasota. The following weekend brings two events – the QBE Shootout 5K and the Naples Christmas Glow Run 5K – Saturday, followed by two more – the Naples Distance Classic 5K/10K/half marathon at Eagle Lakes Community Park, and the Jingle Bell 5K at Babcock Ranch – Sunday. Details at   ftmyerstrackclub.com, westcoasthalf.com, gcrunner.org, runeliteevents.com, naplesdistanceclassic.com and active.com, respectively.

Ride? Critical Mass has these regularly scheduled rides on tap:
  • Friday, Dec. 6: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. The usual First-Friday Critical Mass ride through downtown Fort Myers is on hold this month.
  • Saturday, Dec. 14: Sanibel Critical Mass ride (also their Christmas ride), gathers at 7 p.m. at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel.
  • Friday, Dec. 20: NE-Lee Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7 p.m. at the Winn-Dixie, 14600 Palm Beach Blvd.
Lights required for night rides, helmets recommended for all, details at meetup.com.

If you’re looking for a good ride and some cycling camaraderie, look no further than the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club. Check out their ride calendar and you see a ride for almost every day of the week (never on a Friday, but even more on weekends), all mapped and planned for your enjoyment. The Riders even tell you how fast (or not) you’ll need to be to keep up… click on the ride of your choice for all the details and even a map. All at caloosariders.org.

Both?  Sunday, Jan. 5: HITS Endurance Sarasota Tri, with sprint/Olympic/half distances, Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitsendurance.com).

TELL US ABOUT YOUR RIDE:

Have a favorite route you like to bike, or a unique walk you’d like to share with others? Tell us about it at info@bikewalklee.org, and maybe we can feature it in an upcoming column.

# # #

Ken Gooderham writes this on behalf of BikeWalkLee, a community coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County — streets that are designed, built, operated and maintained for safe and convenient travel for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Information, statistics and background online at www.BikeWalkLee.org. 


 

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Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Infrastructure for non-motorists isn’t aging; it’s lacking


Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, December 4, 2019
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

City bridge with bi-directional bike path, sidewalk, bus lane, and motor vehicle lanes (source: Google)

It’s generally agreed upon that America’s aging transportation infrastructure is in need of significant repair and upgrades. To most, that means everything from our bridges to highways and airports; here in Southwest Florida, however, things aren’t as dire as they are in many other parts of our country, primarily because much of our area was developed post-WWII and is relatively “new.”

But that’s doesn’t mean we don’t have critical needs — especially where infrastructure for pedestrians and bicyclists is concerned. It’s not that we need to replace/repair aging facilities, but that we need to provide the basics where none has ever existed.

The Lee County Metropolitan Planning Organization (www.leempo.com) has a list that includes more than $200 million in projects to accommodate non-motorists awaiting design and construction. Some of the most significant are:

Shared use paths, or SUPs, on both sides of Estero Boulevard on the islands that connect Fort Myers Beach and Bonita Beach. This will allow non-motorized access to Lovers Key State Park, one of our area’s natural gems. The estimated cost is $3.5 million.

Dan Moser is a long-time bicycle/pedestrian
advocate and traffic safety professional
who cycles, runs and walks regularly for
transportation, recreation and  fitness.
Contact him at bikepedmoser@gmail.com
and 239-334-6417.
SUPs on both sides of Bayshore Road in North Fort Myers from where the pathways currently end just west of the I-75 overpass to SR-31 (just under $4 million) and SR-31 from Bayshore Road across the drawbridge to Palm Beach Boulevard ($1.6 million).

In east Lee County, SUPs on both sides and bike lanes along parts of Orange River Road ($3.1 million) and sidewalks and bike lanes on both sides of segments of Buckingham Road ($7.7 million).

In Lehigh Acres, sidewalks and bike lanes along parts of Joel Boulevard ($9.3 million) and sidewalks on Bell Boulevard from Joel Boulevard to SR 82 ($2.3 million).

In southwest Fort Myers, bike lanes along McGregor Boulevard from Cypress Lake Drive to south San Carlos Boulevard ($5.7 million).

Many of these are only a portion of a full project. And there generally are no “bells and whistles” on any of them.

Another list MPO keeps is for our portion of the statewide SUN Trail network for which we’re seeking trail-specific dollars to build. One of three segments along Kismet Parkway in Cape Coral (from Del Prado Boulevard to Nelson Boulevard) is in the design phase and will cost almost $5 million; the two additional segments that will close the gap from Del Prado to SE 24th are estimated at $2.6 million.

Across the river in Fort Myers, the next phase of John Yarbrough Trail (from Colonial Boulevard north to Hanson street) comes in at $1.8 million. But a pedestrian bridge spanning Colonial to meet the existing trail is estimated at another $3.27 million, bringing the cost to just over $5 million.

I’ve pointed out many times Lee County’s critical shortcoming in the complete lack of pedestrian access on all but one of our major bridges. Those on foot cannot cross the Sanibel Causeway, the Cape Coral Bridge, the Midpoint Bridge or the Caloosahatchee River Bridge. The southbound span of the Edison Bridge is the only structure a pedestrian can legally traverse.

As part of a SUN Trail grant application, some type of facility is being considered for the Caloosahatchee River Bridge that would serve pedestrians and cyclists. But the cost to add such access to any of those bridges — the estimate for retrofitting the Caloosahatchee River Bridge is around $30 million for 8-foot cantilever structures and $5 million$ 8 million to narrow travel lanes to make room for 5-foot sidewalks and raise the railings — means we’ll likely only see this happen when new bridges replace existing ones. And even that might be a risky assumption, considering three of the offending bridges have been constructed in the relative recent past without those features.

To learn about this topic and more, visit bikewalklee.blogspot.com and www.streetsaliveswfl.org.¦

Highway bridge with (electric) bus lane and guard-railed bidirectional bike lane (source: Google)

For Lee County cycling and tri events visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL). The Florida Bicycle Association (floridabicycle.org) is your source for statewide happenings. BikeWalkLee’s blog site has all the information you’ll need to stay abreast of advocacy efforts in Southwest Florida as well as statewide and nationally.






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Monday, December 2, 2019

December 2: Upcoming running/walking/bicycling/tri events

Upcoming events

Running/walking:

Cycling:
  • Monday, Dec. 2: Monday Minions Ride. This is a weekly ride that rolls in the 13-15 mph range. Total distance around 15 miles. After the ride most go over to Square 1 restaurant for the $5 burger and fries deal. If you are looking to get into cycling beyond the casual roll, this is an ideal ride for you. 6 p.m., Fort Myers Cyclery, 3630 Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL) 
  • Tuesday, Dec. 3: Taco Tuesday Ride. Every Tuesday night, We Ride For Tacos! After a 21 mile ride on Treeline/Old Airport/Daniels/6 Mile Cypress roads and paths, we'll finish at Tijuana Flats for Taco Tuesday. B RIDERS: 16 to 18 mph for the basic group. A RIDERS: The faster group rides at 20mph plus. We finish well after dark, so Front And Rear Lights are Required. 6:30 p.m., Trek Bicycle Store of Fort Myers, 8291 Dani Drive, Fort Myers (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Friday, Dec. 6: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. A family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers gathering at 7:15 p.m. and starting at 8 p.m. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL) 
  • Sunday, Dec. 8: Wakey, Wakey! Weekly Sunday Morning Ride. This is a weekly ride for riders of most skill levels and most types of bicycles (hybrids, fitness, and road). The ride is sanctioned by the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club, thus helmets are required, no ear buds, and no aero bar use while in the group. 7.30 a.m., location varies, visit (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL) for details.
  • Saturday, Dec. 14: Sanibel Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7 p.m. at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Friday, Dec. 20: NE-Lee Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7 p.m. at the Winn-Dixie, 14600 Palm Beach Blvd. Lights required, helmets recommended.(meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Ongoing: Join the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on one of their many weekly rides for members and potential members, with an array of paces and routes to choose from. Check them out online at www.caloosariders.org.
  • For more Lee County cycling and tri events, visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL).

Triathlons:
  • Tuesday, Dec. 17: 2019 Christmas Sprint Triathlon and Duathlon, Sugden Regional Park, 4284 Avalon Dr., Naples (trifind.com)
  • Sunday, Jan. 5: HITS Sarasota Tri, with sprint/Olympic/half distances, Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitsendurance.com)  
  • Check trifind.com to find regional and state tris.









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Monday, November 25, 2019

November 25: Upcoming running/walking/bicycling/tri events

Upcoming events

Running/walking:
  • Thursday, Nov. 28: 40th annual Turkey Trot 5K. Bring the entire family out for a fun filled morning of Turkey Trotting. Offering a 5K Run/Walk, 1 Mile Fun Run, Tot Trot, and kid friendly pricing means participants of all ages can have a great time. Wellness center, Cape Coral Hospital (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Thursday, Nov. 28: GCR Thanksgiving 5K, plus 1K kids run, downtown Naples (gcrunner.org)
  • Thursday, Nov. 28: Thanksgiving Day 5K, Hertz Arena, Estero (runeliteeevents.com)
  • Thursday, Nov. 28: FGCU Ninth-Annual Gobbler 5K and 1K fun run, Alico Arena, Estero (runsignup.com) 
  • Thursday, Nov. 28: Gobble Gobble Four Miler, timed event and fun run/walk, Naples (runsignup.com)
  • Saturday, Dec. 7: 41st annual City of Palms River Run 10K and 2-mile fun run/walk, Centennial Park, Fort Myers (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Sunday, Dec. 8: Florida West Coast Half Marathon & 5K, Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (westcoasthalf.com)
  • Saturday, Dec. 14: QBE Shootout 5K, Tiburon Golf Club, Naples (gcrunner.org)
  • Saturday, Dec. 14: Naples Christmas Glow Run 5K, Sugden Regional Park, Naples (runeliteevents.com)
  • Sunday, Dec. 15: Naples Distance Classic 5K/10K/Half Marathon, Eagle Lakes Community Park, Naples (naplesdistanceclassic.com)
  • Sunday, Dec. 15: Jingle Bell 5K, Babcock Ranch (active.com)
  • Saturday, Dec. 21: Marco 5 Mile Hill Run, Marco Island (gcrunner.org) 
  • Jan. 5: Hooters River, Roots and Ruts 10-mile and 5K run, Caloosahatchee Regional Park, Alva (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • Jan. 11: Pine Island Kiwanis Club Calusa 5K, Pine Island (3dracinginc.com) 
  • Jan. 18: Run to Home Base 5K run/walk, 1 mile walk and kids dash, JetBlue Park, Fort Myers (ftmyerstrackclub.com) 
  • Jan. 19: Naples Daily News Half Marathon, Naples (gcrunner.org) 
  • Jan. 25: BUG Chase 5K run/walk, Calusa Nature Center, Fort Myers (ftmyerstrackclub.com) 
  • Jan. 25: Run for the Paws 5K, to benefit the Collier Humane Society (gcrunner.org)
  • For more running events visit gcrunner.org/calendar.html; ftmyerstrackclub.com/race-calendar; eliteevents.org and 3dracinginc.com

Cycling:
  • Monday, Nov. 25: Monday Minions Ride. This is a weekly ride that rolls in the 13-15 mph range. Total distance around 15 miles. After the ride most go over to Square 1 restaurant for the $5 burger and fries deal. If you are looking to get into cycling beyond the casual roll, this is an ideal ride for you. 6 p.m., Fort Myers Cyclery, 3630 Cleveland Avenue, Fort Myers (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL) 
  • Tuesday, Nov. 26: Taco Tuesday Ride. Every Tuesday night, We Ride For Tacos! After a 21 mile ride on Treeline/Old Airport/Daniels/6 Mile Cypress roads and paths, we'll finish at Tijuana Flats for Taco Tuesday. B RIDERS: 16 to 18 mph for the basic group. A RIDERS: The faster group rides at 20mph plus. We finish well after dark, so Front And Rear Lights are Required. 6:30 p.m., Trek Bicycle Store of Fort Myers, 8291 Dani Drive, Fort Myers (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Friday, Nov. 29: 26th Annual Turkey Leg Metric Century, leaves from Daniels crossing Shopping Center at 7:30 a.m. (caloosariders.org)
  • Friday, Nov. 29: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:30 p.m., start at 8 p.m. at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street for a family-friendly ride through the Cape. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Saturday, Nov. 30: Saturday Slow Roll 8 a.m. Meet-up at 2160 McGregor Blvd. Recommended for inexperienced/young riders. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Sunday, Dec. 1: Wakey, Wakey! Weekly Sunday Morning Ride. This is a weekly ride for riders of most skill levels and most types of bicycles (hybrids, fitness, and road). The ride is sanctioned by the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club, thus helmets are required, no ear buds, and no aero bar use while in the group. 7.30 a.m., location varies, visit (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL) for details.
  • Friday, Dec. 6: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. A family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers gathering at 7:15 p.m. and starting at 8 p.m. Front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Saturday, Dec. 14: Sanibel Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7 p.m. at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended. (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Friday, Dec. 20: NE-Lee Critical Mass ride, gathers at 7 p.m. at the Winn-Dixie, 14600 Palm Beach Blvd. Lights required, helmets recommended.(meetup.com/Biking-SWFL)
  • Ongoing: Join the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club on one of their many weekly rides for members and potential members, with an array of paces and routes to choose from. Check them out online at www.caloosariders.org.
  • For more Lee County cycling and tri events, visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL).

Triathlons:
  • Tuesday, Dec. 17: 2019 Christmas Sprint Triathlon and Duathlon, Sugden Regional Park, 4284 Avalon Dr., Naples (trifind.com)
  • Sunday, Jan. 5: HITS Sarasota Tri, with sprint/Olympic/half distances, Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitsendurance.com)  
  • Check trifind.com to find regional and state tris.









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Thursday, November 21, 2019

BikeWalkLee: Hot to trot?

BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, November 21, 2019
by Ken Gooderham


Are you ready for running’s big day?

That day would be next Thursday – Thanksgiving – the most popular day for running races according to Running USA. The group tracked 1.17 million runners participating in some kind of Thanksgiving-based event in 2018 – more than double the runners they found in 2011, the first year the nonprofit tracked the Turkey Trot totals.

That’s a lot of trotting.

What makes the event so popular?
  • It’s meant to be fun, with an array of costumes you would never see at a regular race.
  • It can be a family event where the generations can do something together.
  • It can become a tradition, with runners boasting about how long their streak of participating reaches each year.
  • It’s ubiquitous, with races in every town.
  • It almost always benefits a worthy cause, another draw for participants.
  • And it’s tied to Thanksgiving – a holiday known for edible excess – so burning off a few calories before ingesting vast quantities later in the day is somehow appropriate.
If this has piqued your interest in trying one out, you’ll have plenty to choose from locally (all scheduled on Turkey Day itself):
  • The 40th annual Turkey Trot 5K, 1-mile fun run and tot trot, Cape Coral Hospital (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
  • The 6th annual GCR Thanksgiving 5K, plus 1K kids run, downtown Naples (gcrunner.org)
  • The Thanksgiving Day 5K, Hertz Arena, Estero (runeliteeevents.com)
  • The FGCU 9th annual Gobbler 5K and 1K fun run, Alico Arena, Estero (runsignup.com)
  • The Gobble Gobble Four Miler, offering a timed event and a fun run/walk, Naples (runsignup.com)
  • The 21st annual Turkey Trot 5K run and fun walk, Florida Southwestern State College, Punta Gorda (runsignup.com)
If you can’t find one out of that lineup, you’re just not trying.

It’s a bike path!

Maybe it’s the snowbirds flocking back to town. Maybe it’s people just not knowing any better. Maybe it’s just a streak of bad luck.

Whatever the cause, it seems as though more drivers are deciding that cyclists and pedestrians shouldn’t be the only ones who use the local bike paths and lanes. They want in that action, too – so they’re parking vehicles where people should only be biking, walking or running.

How bad is it? On one recent ride, I encountered five different vehicular obstacles in a 15-mile route… two landscaping trucks, one lawn mower, one utility vehicle (actually, two – but they were end-to-end, so I’ll count them as one long obstacle) and one truck that apparently was trying to sneak off the new-car lot but only made it across the bike path before it was stopped.

In case you did not know, parking on sidewalks or bike lanes is illegal in Florida (check out Florida Statutes 316.1945) and many other places.

I understand that there are times when, absent any other option, drivers may need to temporarily park on a sidewalk or bike path… say, for a delivery, or letting a passenger out, or due to a vehicle malfunction. But none of these instances qualified as that.

Most of them were simply a matter of convenience – for the drivers, however, not for the cyclists or pedestrians. As far as the car lots who feel compelled to park their vehicles on sidewalks or bike paths… no one is going to buy your car or truck simply because it’s two feet closer to the road – but it does improve the chances of someone running into your high-priced vehicle.

So, drivers, when you have to pull off the road for whatever reason and you see that stretch of pavement or asphalt so conveniently located just over there… please resist the urge. It’s not a really long parking space… it’s a bike path, and motor vehicles should not be on it.

Ready to ride or run? 

Run? Besides the plethora of Turkey Trots mentioned above, local runners can also choose from two half-marathons – the Fall Classic Half in Naples Nov. 24 and the Florida West Coast Half (and 5K) in Sarasota Dec. 8 – along with a 10K – the 41st annual city of Palms River Run in downtown Fort Myers Dec. 7. Details at runeliteevents.com, westcoasthalf.com and ftmyerstrackclub.com, respectively.

Ride? Critical Mass has these regularly scheduled rides on tap:
  • Friday, Nov. 29: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:30 p.m., start at 8 p.m. at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street.
  • Saturday, Nov. 30: Saturday Slow Roll 8 a.m. meet-up at 2160 McGregor Blvd. Recommended for inexperienced/young riders. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction.
  • Friday, Dec. 6: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. A family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers gathering at 7:15 p.m. and starting at 8 p.m. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers.
Lights required for night rides, helmets recommended for all, details at meetup.com.

For cyclists looking for another post-Thanksgiving tradition, try the 26th annual Turkey Leg Metric Century, which leaves from Daniels crossing Shopping Center at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 29 (details at caloosariders.org)

If you’re looking for a good ride and some cycling camaraderie, look no further than the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club. Check out their ride calendar and you see a ride for almost every day of the week (and even more on weekends), all mapped and planned for your enjoyment. The Riders even tell you how fast (or not) you’ll need to be to keep up… click on the ride of your choice for all the details and even a map. All at caloosariders.org.


Both?  Sunday, Jan. 5: HITS Endurance Sarasota Tri, with sprint/Olympic/half distances, Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitsendurance.com).

TELL US ABOUT YOUR RIDE:

Have a favorite route you like to bike, or a unique walk you’d like to share with others? Tell us about it at info@bikewalklee.org, and maybe we can feature it in an upcoming column.

# # #

Ken Gooderham writes this on behalf of BikeWalkLee, a community coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County — streets that are designed, built, operated and maintained for safe and convenient travel for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Information, statistics and background online at www.BikeWalkLee.org. 


 

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