BikeWalkLee: Why we walk

BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, March 12, 2020
by Ken Gooderham

I was looking for inspiration on what to write about this week… so I decided to go for a walk.

It’s a common occurrence for many, a chance to get away from the computer screen, clear your head, move around a little and see if it dislodges any ideas.

So I put on a decent pair of shoes, added an extra layer of attire (since it was one of those cool and breezy days we get this time of year), put my phone in a pocket (because you never know), and headed out the door.

Right off, I ran into one of the neighborhood dog walkers. We exchanged greetings and gossip – this is a neighborhood where if you want to know what’s actually going on, you talk to someone who’s out walking their dog. It’s rarely an aerobic activity thanks to a dog’s curious nature, but it is a great source for on-the-ground information – literally.

After we parted ways, I hit the main road through the subdivision. It has a driving lane and a shared-use lane on each side of a divided road, so the walkers and cyclists (and, occasionally, a golf cart or two) cohabitate the narrower lane while keeping an eye out both for each other and for the errant motor vehicle that decides to inch out of its space and into ours.

The shared use lane gets a lot of use, with people out walking and riding all through the day and into the evening. This being a more temperate day than usual weather-wise, people were able to enjoy a walk or ride at will, rather than being driven to early mornings or after dusk sojourns thanks to the heat and humidity.

So there were a wealth of walkers, ranging from the ambler to the ambitious and from the overdressed native (hey, a windy 60 degrees is cold) to the underdressed snowbird (who’s happy the temps and humidity went down a little). Pedestrian traffic was broken up by the occasional cyclist, a couple of serious riders coming home from their morning tour and a father and (young) son duo where dad kept the cars away while the young rider wobbled and wandered and worked on getting his bike balance better.

Pedestrians passed by, cyclists cycled through and the motor vehicles came and went at their Sunday speeds, lighter and less harried than the workday traffic. All this provided a pleasant white noise that, combined with the restive process of putting one foot in front of the other, let my mind start to meander.

That’s one of the less-cited benefits of walking, but one that’s worth a lot in the right circumstances. Yes, walking is a good, accessible mode of exercise, a path to fitness that most people can undertake and one that fits most lifestyles and schedules. It can lower stress and elevate moods even as it moves you around and burns calories.

But it’s also a great time to think – not in a focused and frenetic fashion, but more in letting your mind wander to work on things in the background while you amble along on your merry way. That’s one of the reason I bring along a phone – not to make calls or read texts (no twalking for me!), but to jot down ideas or thoughts as a note or email to work on later. (It also can serve as a source of entertainment if you’re in need of more distraction to make the walk work for you… but that wasn’t the goal here.)

Another less-known benefit of walking is the ability to notice things – really notice them, at a pace where you can take it all in. It’s also a great way to introduce yourself to new places, and some of my best time traveling have been walking around a place I have never been before and seeing the sights, smelling the smells and hearing the sounds that are unique to where you are right now.

That’s another good reason not to block off your senses with, say, loud music or headphones that cancel any outside noise. First, if you’re walking in the vicinity of other traffic (pedestrian, bicycle or motor), you need to be able to hear what’s approaching in order to be prepared to do something if necessary. But even more valuable can be the opportunity to hear what’s going on around you – the sounds of other people living their lives, enjoying one another or simply just being.

Meanwhile, time clearly has passed… and the vibrating reminder on my wrist tells me I hit some movement milestone for the day. That’s also a good reminder it’s time to loop back to the beginning and head back to the office, where the computer waits for no one.

So, did the walk do its inspirational magic? You can be the judge of that.

Ready to ride or run?

Run?  A collection of 5Ks upcoming: The Shrimp Run on Fort Myers Beach Saturday, while both the Cape Coral Animal Shelter (Cape Coral) and the Homeless Hustle (Lakes Park) 5Ks are March 21. You can Run 4 the Cause in an Estero 5K on Friday, March 27, or run for the Lee County Medical Society Foundation at Jaycee Park on March 28. Details at 3dracinginc.com,  runsignup.com and active.com or christyscause.com.

Ride?  Besides the Royal Palm Challenge on March 8, Critical Mass has these regularly scheduled rides on tap:

• Saturday, March 14: Sanibel Critical Mass night ride, gathers at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. 
• Friday, March 20: NE-Lee Critical Mass night ride, gathers at the Winn-Dixie, 14600 Palm Beach Blvd. 
• Friday, March 27: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street for a family-friendly night ride through the Cape.

Lights required for night rides, helmets recommended for all, details and start times 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?  If you’re planning your tri schedule, here’s what is on tap in the next few months:

• Saturday, March 28: Escape from Fort Desoto Sprint Triathlon and Duathlon, plus Aqua Bike (https://www.thunderboltmultisport.com/Events/Escape-From-Ft-Desoto)
• Sunday, April 26: St. Anthony’s Triathlon, sprint and Olympic distances, St. Petersburg (https://satriathlon.com)
• Saturday, May 30: Sarasota Sprint Triathlon and Duathlon, Siesta Key (trisarasota.com).
• Sunday, June 7: Naples Fitness Challenge reverse triathlon, Naples (http://www.thefitnesschallengetriathlon.com)
• Saturday, June 13: Heartland Triathlon, sprint and Olympic triathlon, duathlon and Aqua Bike, Sebring (runsignup.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. 

BikeWalkLee: This park needs a place to park

BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, August 1, 2019
by Ken Gooderham

Image source: wikipedia

The John Yarbrough Linear Park is a unique facility, as much a piece of transportation infrastructure (especially for cyclists) as it is a park. As such, it lacks one element that would make it more popular as a park – a place to park.

The linear park, which opened its first phase in 2005, stretches about 5 miles from Colonial Blvd. south to Six Mile Cypress Parkway along both sides of the Ten Mile Canal (which drains land from the City of Fort Myers southward and eventually empties into Mullock Creek and Estero Bay).

Its wide asphalt path conveys cyclists, runners, walker and skaters along a surprisingly natural swath of Southwest Florida. There are tables for picnics, shorelines for fishing and space for your dog to roam a bit (on leash, of course).

But what there isn’t is a place to park.

There is one area where the path intersects Daniels Parkway for a few cars to pull in (and it’s usually busy with walkers and dog owners. There’s an informal parking area at the southern terminus on a vacant lot in a commercial park off Six Mile Cypress… and, of course, people sometimes just pull off the road near where the path intersects, particularly to walk in a little and fish from the canal banks.

Parking is not as big a deal if you’re a cyclist, as many are going from one place to another via the park’s protected (and shaded, very welcome this time of year) pathway. But unless you live nearby (and a lot of people do), walking or fishing or bringing your dog for a change-of-pace walk is really not feasible.

That’s unfortunate, since the linear park is both a unique facility and a great place for a variety of pursuits. The fact that the pathway is removed from vehicular traffic (except when it crosses various roadways) is also a plus for cyclists who’d rather not deal with traffic and would enjoy a wide path with plenty of room for everyone to do their thing.

There are plans to build a trailhead park, which would include parking, restrooms and more, on a county parcel at the Six Mile end of the current path. The park was working its way through the permitting process earlier this year, and seemed on track for approval and construction, with funding proposed to get it under way in the next fiscal year.

The park was included in the draft FY 2019-2020 budget presented to the county commissioners at a briefing in early May. Subsequently, advocates have been informed that the project will not move forward next year as planned. No explanation has been given as of now.

This trailhead park will help boost use of the linear park, making it more feasible for people who aren’t nearby to come and enjoy the park’s unique facilities. It also might kick-start completion of the original linear park plan, which was to extend northward to tie in to the North Colonial Linear Trail and eventually up to Hanson Street. (It would be great to go all the way to downtown Fort Myers, but let’s wish for one thing at a time.)

Let’s hope a county commissioner or two starts asking about the status of the trailhead park once everyone is back from break next week. The funding source is there, the permitting was moving apace… so let’s get this back on track and under construction.

The linear park is a great facility… let’s make it available to more people to enjoy.

Ready to ride or run? 

Run? Not much in organized races until the end of August, with the Aug. 24 Rampage 5K on Aug. 24 at North Collier Regional Park (runelitevents.com). Once we get to September, your race schedule starts ramping up again.

Ride? Critical Mass keeps things moving through the sultry summer, with the big downtown ride Friday night, and Sanibel ride Aug. 10 and the NE Lee ride Aug. 16. These all are  night rides, so front and rear bike lights required; helmets recommended for all (meetup.com).

Both? Upcoming events include:

• Sunday, Aug. 4: Siesta Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon (trifind.com) 
• Monday, Sept. 2: Venice Sprint Tri, Sharky’s on the Pier, Venice (trifind.com)
• Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 7-8: Galloway Captiva Tri. Sprint on Saturday, kids’ events Sunday (https://www.gearedup.biz/captiva-triathlon)
• Saturday, Sept. 21: The Original Siesta Key Tri, sprint (runsignup.com)
• Willing to drive? Check trifind.com or active.com for tris around the state.

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. 


 

BikeWalkLee: Hot fun in the summertime

BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, June 20, 2019
by Ken Gooderham

It’s a great time of year to be on your bike. But then, any time of year is a great time of year to ride.

But there’s something about cycling in the summer – less traffic, more daylight – that’s especially enjoyable. You can get out early before the heat of the day kicks in, or head out late after work or after the regularly scheduled thunderstorm.

Heat and humidity, you say? Of course, it’s Southwest Florida after all. You don’t spend the steamier half of the year here (May-October) unless you’re up for a little hot, wet weather. But the typical temps of a Southwest Florida summer don’t have to chase you inside, not if you plan ahead and prepare yourself for the climate.

The first step is to acclimatize yourself, getting ready for the heat by staying on the road as the temperatures rise. You can’t spend May and June sitting in front of an air conditioner and expect to be able to handle the furnace blast that is July… your body simply isn’t able to cope. But if you keep riding as the thermometer keeps rising, you’re going to be able to cope with heat better.

Not that you always need to… that’s the next step. Hit the roads or trails when it’s not so hot – before 11 a.m. and after 5 p.m., let’s say – and you’ll keep yourself more comfortable while still having enough time for a decent ride.

Choosing your route can also help, looking for paths or roads that offer some shade along the way. Even a momentary respite from direct sunlight can make a difference to your comfort level… as can a reasonable breeze, nature’s own air conditioning. Know which way the wind is blowing and (if possible) plan your route accordingly.

Next? Be aware of what you wear, opting for light, bright and quick-drying to keep you cooler and more visible. Leave the dark cotton T-shirts in the drawer and look for materials that wick moisture (meaning sweat) away and can dry pretty quickly. It is summertime, so you may need to include something to keep the rain off if you pedal into an inadvertent downpour (unless you don’t mind a little warm rainfall).

One last step to keep you cool(er): If you can’t avoid it, prepare for the sun by protecting your skin. Apply sunscreen enthusiastically and appropriately (remembering those body parts such as legs and arms that are more exposed during a typical ride). The other option is to cover up, looking at some of the outdoors gear that’s made to wick and reflect heat. Everyone has their own preferences… the key is to protect your skin in the best way you can that works for you.

Photo: cyclingmagazine.ca

Now we come to the most essential part of hot-weather cycling: Hydration. Ultimately, it’s the key to keeping your cool during summer cycling.

You should have two goals here: Cooling off and replacing what’s lost during exercise. For the former, have a two-stage plan – one bottle of cold liquid to drink first, another frozen to still be cold when you need to switch them out. For the latter, include a sports drink (for the sodium, minerals and carbs) in the hydration mix… how much you’ll need depends on how long you ride (and how much you sweat).

Don’t let the heat and humidity drive you inside. Take some time to plan and prepare, and you’ll be ready (and able) to ride all summer long.

Ride leader training ahead

Want to take your cycling skills to a new level? An upcoming class can get you certified as a ride leader, while honing your cycling skills to boot.

The training, offered by the Florida Bicycle Association, will be this Saturday, June 22, from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the University of South Florida’s Center for Urban Transportation Research. Topics include:

• Bike safety, Florida Bicycle and Pedestrian laws and cyclist rights on the road.
• Preparation, from bodies to bikes, helmet fitting and nutrition.
• Communication, from hand signals to how to give great pre-ride tutorials, on-the-ride coaching and how to brand your club or organization through cycling professionalism.
• Coaching and Mentoring skills to develop stronger, safer cyclist in your club or organization.
• Advanced cycling skills for 17+ mph group rides like paceline etiquette and how to control skill with speed.
• Accident and rider-down tips and preparation.
• Community and family ride leader skills.

This Ride Leader / Ride Marshal training and certification program is modular in approach, to allow registrants the opportunity to choose the modules that are most relevant for their needs and ride leader development.

Cost is $20 for FBA members, $35 for non-members. You must register in advance (and ASAP) at floridabicycle.org.

Ready to ride or run? 

Run? Just one 5K this weekend, the Sugden Stride 5K at North Collier Regional Park (runeliteevents.com). But with July 4 on the horizon, there will be three 5K to choose from: Freedom 5K on the Cape Coral Bridge (ftmyerstrackclub.com); USA Independence Day 5K at Hertz Arena, Estero (runeliteevents.com); and Moe’s Firecracker 5K at Fleishmann Park, Naples (gcrunner.org)

Ride? Three Critical Mass rides ahead: The NE Lee night ride on Friday (June 21), the Cape Coral night ride on June 28, and the Saturday morning Slow Roll on June 29 in downtown Fort Myers. Lights are required for night rides and helmets are recommended; details at meetup.com.  Looking for summer activities for your kids? The next week-long Wheel Lee Fun camp kicks off June 24 (the classes take a holiday break the following week, then return July 8). Details at caloosariders.org.

Both? Upcoming events include:

• Sunday, June 22: Englewood Sprint Tri & Duathlon, Englewood Beach (swflymca.org)
• Sunday, June 23: Sirens Sprint Tri, Sarasota (trifind.com) 
• Sunday, Aug. 4: Siesta Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon (trifind.com) 
• Monday, Sept. 2: Venice Sprint Tri, Sharky’s on the Pier, Venice (trifind.com)
• Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 7-8: Galloway Captiva Tri. Sprint on Saturday, kids’ events Sunday (https://www.gearedup.biz/captiva-triathlon)
• Saturday, Sept. 21: The Original Siesta Key Tri, sprint (runsignup.com)
• Willing to drive? Check trifind.com or active.com for tris around the state.

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. 


 

BWL Column: It's never too late to learn to ride

BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, June 6, 2019
by Ken Gooderham

Is it ever too late to learn how to ride a bike – or ride it better?

Sure, if you’re a kid, learning how to ride is considered de rigueur – a virtual rite of passage of one’s childhood. The mastery of a new skill, a sense of newfound freedom, the launch of what (for some) becomes a lifelong passion – all common results of learning to ride.

And there typically are a variety of opportunities to learn to ride a bike, or ride one better, for kids. One good example we covered in an earlier column is the Wheel Lee Fun summer camp which begins next week, where riders ages 8 to 15 can learn and expand their cycling skills.

What about the adults new to cycling and seeking to learn to ride (period), to ride better or to expand their cycling skill sets? There may not be summer camps for that, but there still are a number of options.

If you need to learn how to ride, it’s never too late – and you have a number of ways to pursue that skill. One is to find a cycling instructor to teach you in person; local bike shops can be a good source for potential instructors. There are also a lot of resources online, both from websites (look for reputable ones to start, until you can discern the difference between savvy and silly on your own) and the ubiquitous YouTube, with more videos than you’ll have time to watch them.

If you already can ride but would like to ride more skillfully, it may come down to the skills you’d like to learn to guide your pursuit. Want to learn how to ride in a group? The best to learn is to do it, and local bike clubs often offer sessions on group skills as well as rides where you can practice what you’ve learned.

You can also look at cycling skills classes and instructors, often coordinated through state or national advocacy groups – such as Florida Bicycle Association and the League of American Bicyclists. Check out their websites for details.

Of course, while online you can search for tips or videos that can also boost your skills. These will help you see how to get better… but nothing beats actually doing it for the best learning experience.

Another important skill for cyclists is taking care of your bike – including making emergency repairs on the road. How much you need to know depends on how far afield you plan to ride… so if you’re just cruising the neighborhood, the best skill you may need is knowing how to get your broke-down bike to the local bike shop. But if you’re looking at longer rides, it’s smart to have some basic repair skills (like replacing or repairing a flat) that can enable you to make it back home safely.

For those, again you have choices. Bike shops frequently offer clinics to help new riders (and potential customers) learn the basics of bike maintenance; check your local shops for offerings. That’s also a great way to make new contacts with fellow cyclists and the local biking community, if you’re interested in that.

Have some basic mechanical skills? Then a little research and reading (as well as some careful wrenching) can expand your repair repertoire rapidly. (Just make sure you don’t make a bad situation worse by a botched repair, and that you have the tools necessary to get the job done.) Also, YouTube (again) has a ton of videos on bike repair to show you how it’s done.

Perhaps the best advice is to know what you don’t know so you can find someone who can tackle that on your behalf. Handling basic maintenance is one thing, taking on a major repair is something very different – particularly repair of a crucial component such as brakes, gears and chains.

After all, you want to spend your time riding, right? Not being broken down on the side of the road – or worse – from a repair gone wrong.

Ready to ride or run? 

Run? Still a few organized races for those willing to get up early to beat the heat. This Saturday, there’s the Cape Coral Elks 5K at Rotary Park in Cape Coral (3dracinging.com or active.com). The following weekend (June 15), the Fort Myers Track Club holds its annual Membership Fun Run 5K at the CenturyLink Sports Complex, Fort Myers (ftmyerstrackclub.com).

Ride? Back-to-back Critical Mass rides this weekend, with the original SW Florida night ride in downtown Fort Myers Friday and the Sanibel night ride Saturday. Lights are required for night rides and helmets are recommended; details at meetup.com. Looking for summer activities for your kids? The first week-long Wheel Lee Fun camp kicks off June 10. Details at caloosariders.org.


Both? Upcoming events include:

• Sunday, June 9: Heartland Sprint and Olympic Tri, Sebring (trifind.com)
• Sunday, June 23: Sirens Sprint Tri, Sarasota (trifind.com) 
• Sunday, Aug. 4: Siesta Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon (trifind.com)
• Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 7-8: Galloway Captiva Tri. Sprint on Saturday, kids’ events Sunday (https://www.gearedup.biz/captiva-triathlon)
• Saturday, Sept. 21: The Original Siesta Key Tri, sprint (runsignup.com)
• Sunday, Nov. 17: Longboat Key Sprint/Olympic Triathlon and Duathlon and 5K (imathlete.com)
• Willing to drive? Check trifind.com or active.com for tris around the state.

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. 


 

Two halfs don’t make a whole (lot of sense)

BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, Febuary 28, 2019
by Ken Gooderham

Does Lee County have a big enough running base to support two half marathons? Probably.

On the same weekend? Probably not.

You may have noticed that next weekend features back-to-back halfs, with Saturday’s City of Palms half (and 5K) followed by Sunday’s Lazy Flamingo half (and relay).

How did this happen? Is this one of those “everyone reads the same marketing stats” that seems to guarantee there’s, say, a Walgreens right across the street from a CVS?

Not exactly. It’s more about nature (or race organizers) abhorring a void.

For a decade, the first weekend in March was host to the Hooters Half Marathon, a beloved race that raised a ton of money for local children’s charities and gave thousands the opportunity to run the streets of Fort Myers from Hooters out Colonial Blvd. toward the river, then down McGregor Blvd. to downtown, then back down U.S. 41 to Hooters.

However, Hurricane Irma and road construction along McGregor doomed the 2018 race. Another company tried to put on a half marathon – a couple of times, actually, eventually moving to the early March slot – but left a trail of unhappy runners behind in a wake of cancellations. Hooters eventually switched its sponsorship over to the River Roots and Ruts 10-mile trail run at Caloosahatchee Regional Park… and the March half-marathon void yawned ever wider.

Two different groups jumped in to fill that gap:

• Elite Events, a local event organizer that already offers a range of races in Southwest and South Florida, teed up the City of Palms Half, which starts and finishes on the FGCU campus and runs along Ben Hill Griffin Parkway to the Gulf Coast Town Center Saturday morning.
• Meanwhile, the Lazy Flamingo restaurant teamed with the nonprofit Fort Myers Track Club (who ran the original Hooters Half and hosts a full schedule of road races each year as the pre-eminent local running club) for the Lazy Flamingo Half on Sunday. It starts and finishes at the restaurant on McGregor, running through the Whiskey Creek community and along McGregor Blvd. almost to downtown before doubling back to return to the start.

Both are credible and experienced race organizers offering interesting (and time-limited) 13.1-mile courses. But can both events survive on a back-to-back schedule? Not likely.

Other Southwest Florida communities host multiple half marathons, Naples and Sarasota being the obvious examples. But not on the same weekend, competing for the same runners – even in the larger Lee County market.

One hopes both events are successful for their inaugural run… successful enough to keep both events coming back for 2020, but giving organizers an incentive to figure out how to separate them on the schedule so that both can thrive and prosper in their own niche. Runners (both locals and those seeking a destination event) would support both races, and having both halfs at different times would help the local racing schedule continue to evolve in terms of both types and distances of events available.

Lee County is ready for more longer running races, even with the challenging logistics of putting runners on overcrowded tourist-season roadways for longer periods of time than the typical 5K requires… and holding more challenging races during times when the temperatures are still tolerable.

Just not on the same weekend.

NOTE: If you’re driving in the vicinity of either half marathon this weekend, have some flexibility in your routes as both events will be using parts of the various public roads for the runners. That’s why both races have time limits… to limit the amount of time the roads are tied up.

Ready to ride or run?

Run? As already mentioned, this weekend features two half marathons (both with shorter options), and there’s still time to sign up if you’re up for the distance; go to eliteevents.org or ftmyerstrackclub.com. After that, the schedule returns to the regular 5K lengths, starting with the Yo Taco Beach Shrimp Run March 9 (active.com).

Ride? Critical Mass ahead… the original downtown night ride is Friday night, with the Sanibel night ride March 9. Lights required, helmets recommended, details at meetup.com. Want more? The renowned Royal Palm Challenge returns March 9-10, with a new Saturday ride option of 32 or 42 miles, added to the traditional Sunday rides of 15, 40, 62 and 80 miles. Details and registration at caloosariders.org.

Both? Upcoming events include:

• Saturday, May 11: Cape Coral Sprint Tri (trifind.com)
• Saturday, May 18: Life’s a Beach Tri, Sarasota (trifind.com)
• Sunday, June 2: 33rd Annual Fitness Challenge Triathlon, Naples (trifind.com)
• Sunday, June 9: Heartland Sprint and Olympic Tri, Sebring (trifind.com)
• Sunday, June 23: Sirens Sprint Tri, Sarasota (trifind.com)
• Willing to drive? Check trifind.com or active.com for tris around the state.

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. 


 

It’s a great time to get outside!

BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, Febuary 14, 2019
by Ken Gooderham

It’s gorgeous outside! What are you doing sitting here reading a newspaper?

Yes, if you like to ride, run or walk, it’s a great time of year weather-wise to be outdoors. Moderate temperatures and low chances for rain (mostly)… what’s not to love?

The only real obstacles you might face are wind and traffic – and both can be made more bearable with a few simple hacks.

Windy days are more frequent during the SW Florida winter, especially as cool fronts approach or pass through. We’ve had a few days this year where it was wiser to stay home than to brave the 25+ mph winds, but that’s rare. Otherwise, here’s some idea on how to cope:

    • Pick your route to lessen your time riding into a headwind, or tackle that stretch of the ride first, when your legs are fresher. If you’re going out and back, that means either going into the wind first and last or adjusting your route to avoid heading directly into the breeze.

    • Make yourself a smaller target, at least when it gets gusty. When riding into the wind, get as aerodynamic as you can so the wind has less of you to push against. Bend over your handlebars even if you don’t have a road bike (and use the drop handlebars if you do. Similarly, when the wind is at your back make yourself as big a target as possible to let nature give you a boost.

    • Drop down a gear (if you have that option) when headed into the wind, to give your legs a break and keep your pedaling cadence closer to normal. It will also keep you steadier on the bike, which is handy if the winds are pushing you around.

    • Dress appropriately. Think layers (to add or subtract depending on the direction) and fabrics (something more wind/water resistant on the outside to help you keep body heat, something wicking closer to your skin to keep moisture under control.

    • Know your limits. Wind is the closest things we have to hills here, in terms of making you work to make headway... which means if your legs aren’t used to extra resistance, you may want to work up to a long windy-day ride.

As far as traffic, it’s that time of year for both roadways and pathways. A lot of users, many of whom aren’t familiar with where they are or where they’re going, and a range of skill sets to boot.

That means the smartest thing you can do as a rider, runner or walker is be aware, be patient and be in control.

    • Be aware: On the pathways, know what’s going on around you and watch out for other creatures (human and otherwise) who may not know what to do as you approach. On roadways, paying attention is even more crucial in case other vehicle drivers are not watching out for you. Use all your senses (especially hearing, so lose the earphones so you can hear vehicles approach), ride bright (colors and lights) and smart (obey the rules, painful as that can be, when there are other vehicles around).

    • Be patient. If there’s a bottleneck on the bike path or construction on the roadway, don’t barrel through and hope for the best but back off and let things sort themselves out. You’re never in such a rush that putting yourself at risk is a smart idea.

    • Be in control. If there are dangers on the path ahead – be it inattentive children, wandering dogs or debris on the path – take charge of the situation and take whatever steps necessary to keep you and everyone else safe. That could mean warning people you’re coming through (always a good idea in a crowd, as well as required by law), even dismounting to walk past the problem (or move the problem out of the way if necessary).

On the road with other vehicles? Know your rights and know the rules – but also know that, in an argument between a motor vehicle and a bicycle, the little guy never wins. So if you have to yield even though you have the right-of-way, or if you run into a motorist who’s not altogether happy about sharing the road, you need to do whatever is necessary to keep yourself safe first, not count on everyone else to do the right thing (or anything at all).

Remember, wind and traffic are temporary inconveniences, and a small price to pay for getting to ride, run and walk in paradise.

So put down this newspaper and get outside!

Ready to ride or run?

Run?  A big running weekend, with the Edison 5K (featuring a new route with a start/finish downtown) Saturday and the Paradise Coast half (and 5K) in Naples Sunday. Back to the 5Ks the next weekend, with Feb. 23 events in Labelle, Naples and Fort Myers. Details at ftmyerstrackclub.com, gcrunner.org, 3dracinginc.com, and runsignup.com.

Ride? Critical Mass ahead… tomorrow in NE Lee, Feb. 22 in Cape Coral and Feb. 23 in downtown Fort Myers for a slow roll. ON Feb. 24, two options: The Tour de Marco with 5-, 51- and 30-mile routes on the island’s roads and lanes, or the Dirty Hamster Hundred in the Babcock/Webb wildlife preserve south of Punta Gorda, with a 10- and 25-mile off-road loop and a 10-mile paved loop where you can ride till you drop, if that’s your thing. (meetup.com)

Both? Upcoming events include:

• Saturday, May 11: Cape Coral Sprint Tri (trifind.com)
• Saturday, May 18: Life’s a Beach Tri, Sarasota (trifind.com)
• Sunday, June 2: 33rd Annual Fitness Challenge Triathlon, Naples (trifind.com)
• Sunday, June 9: Heartland Sprint and Olympic Tri, Sebring (trifind.com)
• Sunday, June 23: Sirens Sprint Tri, Sarasota (trifind.com)
• Willing to drive? Check trifind.com or active.com for tris around the state.

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. 


 

New year, new you?

BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, January 3, 2019
by Ken Gooderham

Will a happy new year mean a happier (or at least healthier) new you?

Tis the season for resolutions, and for myriad stories extolling the excellence of exercise. They’re right, of course – regular exercise has a host of health-improving benefits, leading to both a better quality and quantity of life.

Reaching the recommended level of exertion is not out of reach; the current levels are 150 minutes of Moderate aerobic activity (or 75 minutes of vigorous exertion) per week, plus strength training for all major muscle groups twice a week – or, for shorthand, 30 moderate minutes a day to maintain, and it doesn’t need to be continuous.

That’s possible in most daily lives – particular if you, first, find something you enjoy doing as exercise; and, second, find something that works into your usual daily routine.

Of course, you’d expect a group named BikeWalkLee to suggest biking or walking (running’s good, too, if you want to be more vigorous in your pursuit of fitness). Both can be done in a variety of place and times of day, both can easily be made part of one’s daily routine, and both are accessible to a variety of abilities and skill sets.

You can bike or walk for fun, for fitness, or for transportation… as a way to get things done or get some time alone. The cost of admission is another plus: Bicycles and good walking shoes can fit most budgets, and the facilities (sidewalks and bike paths or lanes, assuming there are some near you) are free… or at least you already paid for them.

Need to get more steps in? Walk to nearby errands rather than taking the car, or (if a car is unavoidable) park further away from your destination and hoof it the rest of the way. This time of year, you also have the advantage of a moderate climate to make the walk more welcoming.

Rather ride? Again, look at nearby errand that can be done by bike (which will also help control your purchases if you have to ride them back home). Have a close commute? Bike it a day or two a week… or even every day while the weather cooperates.

Need incentives? Set reasonable goals and be reasonable in reaching them. Need more than that? Find someone to help motivate you, if that’s your thing. Or use technology – in the form of any number of gadgets that will track your daily efforts by step, mile or other forms of measurement.

Of course, make sure you’re able to be more able by checking with a medical professional to be sure you’re healthy enough to get healthier. They can also recommend ways to work around existing conditions or how to make adjustments to make exercise more beneficial.

Making exercise routine, and making it a priority, will make it more likely you’ll keep at it and hit your goals (and more). If biking or walking simply becomes “what you do every day,” you’ll end up doing it – and that’s the point.

Because the bigger issue is not extolling exercise or harping on healthiness. It’s staying “well” enough to preserve your wellness – the “move it or lose it” approach. The longer you can maintain some basic level of fitness – a state of health and well-being -- the longer you’ll likely be able to maintain a good quality of life, to be able to do the things you enjoy and keep up with the people you want to have in your life.

Start to lose the ability to perform the most basic of physical activities and you start losing that quality of life – and once it’s gone, getting it back takes a lot of work (if it can be done at all).

Newton’s first law of motion says it best: "A body at rest will remain at rest, and a body in motion will remain in motion unless it is acted upon by an external force."

So make this new year the time you put (or keep) your body in motion, by making some kind of exercise regular, routine and rewarding.

Ready to ride or run?

Run?  After a holiday break, races start ramping up again… with a Snowman’s Shuffle 5K run/walk at Lakes Park Saturday and the renamed Hooter’s River, Roots and Ruts trail run (10-mile or 5K) at the Caloosahatchee Regional Park in Alva on Sunday. Details at active.com, ftmyerstrackclub.com respectively.

Ride? Tomorrow night is the monthly Critical Mass night ride through downtown Fort Myers, with the Sanibel night ride set for Jan. 12. Front and rear bike lights required, so grab your helmet, bring all your friends. The regular Sunday morning rides continue as well; details on all at meetup.com . Looking for more of a challenge? Look to the Hamster Wheel 200 in Punta Gorda, a 12.5-mile loop you can ride to your heart’s content (or at least your leg’s ability). Details at peaceriverridersbicycleclub.com.

Both? Upcoming events include:

• Sunday, Jan. 6: HITS Triathlon Series, with sprint, Olympic and half-Ironman distances. Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitstriathlonseries.com)
• Sunday, Feb.11: Tri Your Heart Out sprint, Sarasota (trifind.com)
• Willing to drive? Check trifind.com or active.com for tris around the state.

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. 


 

Going for the gold

BWL's column this week spotlights both Sanibel's designation as a "Gold" Bicycle Friendly Community, and Bonita Springs Deputy Mayor Peter O'Flinn, who was honored by BWL this week as its 2018 Complete Streets Champion of the Year. It's great to be able to celebrate progress being made towards making our communities more walkable and bikeable...places people want to live, work, and play.
BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, December 20, 2018
by Ken Gooderham

From left: Sanibel Councilor Holly Smith, Mayor Kevin Ruane and BikeWalkLee’s Darla Letourneau at the announcement of Sanibel
achieving gold status as a Bike Friendly Community (Courtesy Photo)

Sanibel has long been known locally as setting the gold standard for bike-friendliness. Now the city has an actual gold award to back that up.

Earlier this month, the League of American Bicyclists awarded Sanibel with its Gold level as a Bike Friendly Community, making it only the second community in the state to earn the top award. This comes after the city earned a bronze in 2010, followed by a silver in 2014.

“We invest heavily and systematically into our Shared Use Path system as a city-wide alternative to motorized transportation,” said Sanibel Mayor Kevin Ruane. “We are fortunate to have many partners who support the city’s efforts to focus on the health benefits and safety of biking on Sanibel. To have our collective efforts recognized nationally as one of the nation’s premier programs is a source of community pride for Sanibel.”

Among the elements that earned the city this higher status:

1. Biking infrastructure improvements, including a new shared-use path to Bowman’s Beach and upgrades/repairs to the 26-mile system following Hurricane Irma
2. Island-wide shared use path intersection updates and safety improvements, 
3. Education efforts to promote safe cycling, including an award-winning “Cycling on Sanibel” video spearheaded by the Sanibel Bicycle Club.
4. Promoting the importance of the shared use path system to Sanibel, including increased focus on the “bikeable and walkable community” brand.
5. A commitment to future improvements, including a Sanibel Master Plan update and continued improvements and expansion of the path network.

The Bike Friendly America program run by the League offers communities a roadmap to improvements that make cycling more accessible and safer based on five “building blocks”: Enforcement, education, engineering, evaluation and encouragement.

Cape Coral and Naples have earned the bronze level in bike friendliness from the League. We hope both communities follow Sanibel’s lead and keep working to move up the ladder – and that other communities (and businesses and institutions) in our region opt to apply to see if they can improve (or even just prove) their bike friendliness.

O’Flinn’s a champion

Speaking of awards, BikeWalkLee recently honored Bonita Springs Deputy Mayor Peter O’Flinn as its 2018 Complete Streets Champion of the Year for his outstanding leadership, vision, and commitment to bringing complete streets concepts to reality on the ground in Bonita Springs.

“Deputy Mayor O’Flinn is a tireless leader who is focused on bringing that vision to reality one project at a time, each building on the other attracting grant funds, and gaining state and national recognition,” said BikeWalkLee’s Darla Letourneau.

Vice Mayor O'Flinn (center with trophy) with BWL representatives (Darla, Doug, Sarah, to his right),
along with Mayor Simmons (L) and member of Bonita Springs City Council

Bonita Springs is a shining example of a community making a paradigm shift into a new way of thinking and doing business. The city has taken the complete streets approach and, through collaborations and partnerships, adapted and built on the foundation put in place over the past decade.

Prior to joining the Bonita Springs City Council in 2016, O’Flinn was an engaged community leader, advocating for enhancing the quality of life in Bonita through a complete streets approach.

Once on the council, he made complete streets one of his top priorities. He has provided visionary leadership on the council, throughout the community and countywide. His goal has been to consistently advance these concepts and help educate the public about its benefits.

“Thanks to Deputy Mayor O’Flinn’s efforts, the citizens of Bonita Springs will have safer streets, a community with more options for getting around town, a trail that will serve present and future Bonitans for generations, and a burnished reputation as a great place to live, work, and play,” said Letourneau.

Ready to ride or run?

Run? Running races take a break for the holidays, with the exception of the Marco 5 Mile Hill Run this Saturday (Dec. 22 – details at gcrunner.org). Keep on training, though, as the events come back strong in the new year.

Ride? Tomorrow night is the month NE Lee Critical mass ride, followed on Dec. 28 with the Cape night ride and the Dec. 29 downtown Fort Myers Slow Roll. Front and rear bike lights required for the night rides, so grab your helmet, bring all your friends. The regular Sunday morning rides continue as well; details on all at meetup.com.

Both? Upcoming events include:

• Sunday, Jan. 6: HITS Triathlon Series, with sprint, Olympic and half-Ironman distances. Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitstriathlonseries.com)
• Sunday, Feb.11: Tri Your Heart Out sprint, Sarasota (trifind.com)
• Willing to drive? Check trifind.com or active.com for tris around the state.

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. 


 

Looking for rides, or riders?

BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, December 6, 2018
by Ken Gooderham

New to the area, or new to cycling in general? Looking for places to ride? We’ve got some ideas for you.

You may be a recent transplant or a newly arrived snowbird… ready to ride, but looking for good routes. Or perhaps you’re just starting your cycling, drawn by the fitness, fresh air and freedom to roam on two wheels… looking to expand your cycling horizons or just build up your skills.

Either way, the first question you should ask yourself: Are you looking for places to ride, people to ride with, or both? Your answer will affect the resources you need.

If you just want ideas on where to ride, there are a variety of options. From online maps to in-person suggestions from your local bike shop, you should be able to find the rides – with both the right locales and distances – you want… and enough to offer some variety once you start hitting the trails with purpose.

For an easy place to start, the BikeWalkLee website (bikewalklee.org) has a selection of Lee County bike maps, including the most recent guide to facilities throughout the county – a great option if you want to make up your own routes but need to know the conditions to help you make decisions. (Note: Remember that bike maps become out-of-date the minute they are printed, and that roadwork and other issues can impact the ride-ability of any route on a temporary [or not so temporary] basis.)

Click here for all our online bike maps.

Click here for an updated guide to biking resources in Lee County.

If you live close to a bike path, you can start from home and meander as far as your legs are able. If you’re not so lucky, there are a number of places you and your bike can drive to that can serve as a start/finish point for your bicycle excursions. Either way, the big overview maps will give you lots of options.

In other Southwest Florida counties, look for local resources that offer the same options. In Collier County, check out the colliermpo.org site for county bike facilities. In Charlotte County, traillink.com has a few routes listed. You can also find a lot of different options via Google, of course, with the usual warning about accuracy… for example, mapmyride.com pops up on many local searches, but most of the rides shown are five years old or older and thus may not reflect current conditions.

If you prefer the more social aspect of cycling, then you’re looking for fellow enthusiasts with which to share the road (or path or lane). Here; you also have plenty of choices.

The most accessible and plentiful group rides (at least in Lee County) is Critical Mass… less a bicycle club and more a bicycle social hour (or two). Offering five different rides a month and an easy-to-ride pace, it’s a great introduction both to riding and riders. Note: Most of the rides are at night, so you’ll also need lights (helmets recommended as well). If you’re looking for some paceline practice and faster speeds, look elsewhere… this will be far too relaxed (and probably festive) for your taste. Interested? Find out more at http://www.meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/.

For more serious riders (and rides), you’ll want to check out some of the local bicycle clubs. Here, where you live will probably determine who you’ll join:

• Lee County: Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (http://www.caloosariders.org/)
• Sanibel: Sanibel Bicycle Club (http://sbcsite.altervista.org/SBC-Site/Home.html)
• Bonita Bay: Bonita Bay Bicycle Club (https://bonitabaybicycleclub.com/)
• Punta Gorda/Port Charlotte: The Peace River Riders Bicycle Club (http://www.peaceriverridersbicycleclub.com/)
• North Port: Coastal Cruisers Bicycle Club (http://www.coastalcruisers.net/)
• Naples: Naples Velo Community (https://naplesvelo.com/)

What does joining a club get you? Plenty of rides (usually multiple rides/multiple distances are scheduled each week, especially in season) and people to ride with; great skills-building opportunities, very useful if you want to become a better bicyclist; discounts at local bike shops and other businesses, and more. Most of all, if you’re interested in getting to know other people who love cycling, a club is a great place to look.

So, grab your maps or submit your membership… and get out and ride!

Ready to ride or run?

Run?  Tis the season to be running, with plenty of seasonal events during the lead-up to the holidays (which are another good reason to grab those running shoes). You’ll find Xmas 5Ks on the calendar the next two weekends in Babcock Ranch, Sarasota, Fort Myers and Naples… and if you need more distance than that, there’s a half marathon in Sarasota this Sunday as well. Details at 3dracinginc.com and eliteevents.org.

Ride? Back-to-back Critical Mass rides ahead, with the big downtown ride Friday night and the Sanibel ride Saturday night; front and rear bike lights required. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends. The regular Sunday morning rides continue as well; details on all at meetup.com.

Both? Upcoming events include:

• Sunday, Dec. 16: Christmas Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon, Sugden Regional Park, Naples (eliteevents.org)
• Jan. 6: HITS Triathlon Series, with sprint, Olympic and half-Ironman distances. Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitstriathlonseries.com)
• Willing to drive? Check trifind.com or active.com for tris around the state.

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. 


 

Longing for a longer race?

BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, 11/22/2018
by Ken Gooderham

Some of you may be reading this after enjoying one of the many 5Ks offered on Turkey Day.  (If you’re an early riser and ready to run, check out the local races on the adjacent list.)

If the Turkey Trot inspired you to look at more events and longer distances, you’re in luck. Our area is seeing an explosion of half marathons this season, starting with the Fall Classic Half held in Naples last weekend.

Half marathons are one of the fastest growing distances in running events… enough of a challenge to make you work for it, but not so much that training takes over your life. It also is a more manageable distance for both course distances and event times (compared to a marathon, at least), which is important if you need to use public roadways for your race course.

With this proliferation of halfs comes a desire (actually, a need) to make each event special (or at least different). That means a number of unique venues or features meant to make the race memorable (and to draw destination racers if possible). So you can pick a race that appeals to you in many different ways – from where you run to where you finish and the sights along the way, as well as the cause or nonprofit you’re running to support.

Speaking of different approaches, there are also a variety of training plans you can choose and use to get ready for your 13.1 miles of fun. Even though the distance is feasible for many runners, it’s still something you need to build toward… unless you’re already a committed distance runner (which means this is old news to you and you can move on to the Black Friday ads).

Once up on a time, you had just two half-marathon choices in Southwest Florida: The Naples Daily Hews Half (usually in January) in Naples and the Hooters Half (usually in March) in Fort Myers. (Hooters dropped the half after its 2017 running and has switched to sponsoring the River, Roots & Ruts 10-miler in Alva.)

No such limitations on choices this year… here are the races you can pick from locally:

• Sunday, Dec. 9: Florida West Coast Half Marathon and 5K at Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (eliteevents.org). The hook here is the finish, dubbed the “Final Floating Mile” where you run across the centerpiece lake at the park.
• Sunday, Jan. 20: Naples Daily News Half Marathon at Cambier Park, Naples (napleshalfmarathon.net). Aside from running through some of the most expensive real estate on the Southwest Florida coast, this one also features cash prizes for open division and age groupers… so expect a lot of fast contestants.
• Sunday, Feb. 3: Sarasota Music Half Marathon, downtown Sarasota (sarasotahalf.com). Starts at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Center and runs out over the Ringling Causeway on Sarasota Bay to St. Armands Circle and back through south-of-downtown neighborhoods… also with a lot of bands along the race course to serenade or inspire you.
• Sunday, Feb. 17: Paradise Coast Half Marathon and 5K, Lely Resort, Naples (eliteevents.org). The finish here is at the Florida Sports Park, renowned for its swamp buggy races.
• Saturday, March 2: City of Palms Half Marathon & 5K, Florida Gulf Coast University (cityofpalmshalf.com). Its first year, one of the two halfs looking to pick up the mantle of the Hooters Half. It winds through the campus and some adjacent neighborhoods east of the interstate.
• Sunday March 3: Lazy Flamingo Half Marathon and Relay, Fort Myers (ftmyerstrackclub.com). The other Hooters replacement, which winds through a few South Fort Myers neighborhoods and up McGregor before returning to the start/finish at the sponsoring restaurant.
• Sunday, March 17: Marco Island Half Marathon & 5K, Marco Island (marcoislandhalfmarathon.com). This one features two high-bridge crossings (yes, actual hills of the manmade variety) and a lot of water views.
• Sunday, March 24: First Watch Sarasota Half Marathon & Relay, downtown Sarasota (sarasotahalfmarathon.com). This event also takes you across Sarasota Bay to St. Armands, but the course heads further north from its Van Wezel starting point.

If you’re willing to travel, check out halfmarathons.net where you’ll find a half marathon almost every weekend… at least until the temperatures start to rise again and runners (and events geared for them) head indoors or up north.

So Happy Thanksgiving… sign up for a half and use that as your excuse for an extra helping of turkey today!

Ready to ride or run?

Run?  There are Turkey Trots galore this morning, in Cape Coral (the oldest event of the day), Estero, FGCU and Naples… but if you haven’t already registered you may not be able to get in (check their websites). If you missed your chance today, the next races will be Dec. 1 – the 10K River Run in downtown Fort Myers and a 5K run/walk in Naples. Info at gcrunner.org, 3dracinginc.com, ftmyerstrackclub.com, runsignup.com and eliteevents.org.


Ride? A Critical Mass slow roll on Saturday morning might be a good choice to rouse you from a turkey-induced stupor. Should you need a more rigorous effort to counteract your holiday indulgences, there’s the annual Iron Joe Turkey Ride with distances up to 62 miles on Sunday, along with the Wakey, Wakey! Rides that morning (and most Sunday mornings). Critical Mass returns to the streets of Cape Coral on Friday, Nov. 30, for its traditional night ride (lights required, helmets recommended). Finally, the local Trek stores are offering a Poker Ride Sunday, Dec. 2, with an 80-mile poker ride, and 4-mile blackjack ride and a 10-mile fun ride. Critical Mass details at meetup.com , the Iron Joe ride can be found at caloosariders.org, and the Trek details are at www.bikesignup.com/Race/FL/FortMyers/TrekPokerRide.


Both? Upcoming events include:

• Sunday, Dec. 16: Christmas Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon, Sugden Regional Park, Naples (eliteevents.org)
• Jan. 6, 2019: HITS Triathlon Series, with sprint, Olympic and half-Ironman distances. Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitstriathlonseries.com)
• Willing to drive? Check trifind.com or active.com for tris around the state.

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. 


 

Less means more for safety

BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, 11/8/2018
by Ken Gooderham

Welcome to fall in Southwest Florida – or at least what passes for autumnal weather in the subtropics. It’s a time of year when we have to deal with less, and more.

Under the “less” category comes less heat and humidity – a welcome trend after a very long hot summer – as well as less daylight – which makes bikers, runners and walkers less likely to be seen by drivers.

On the “more” side, we definitely will have more people – as snowbirds return and visitors flock to fairer climes – which will mean more traffic (both vehicular and bike/ped) and more opportunities for unfortunate interactions between vehicles and non-vehicles.

It will also mean more people using our area’s bike/ped facilities – good news for awareness, bad news for possible accidents. So it’s time to brush up on your courtesy and competence skills, to ensure there’s room for all on the local paths and lanes.

More traffic and more bikers and walkers means more emphasis on safety – and that applies to all parties. It’s too easy to single out motor vehicles for blame in bike/ped incidents simply because they can do far more damage far too easily. But staying safe needs to be a mission undertaken by all the road (or road-adjacent) users, even though the risk is far higher for the more vulnerable users on foot or on bikes.

The Florida Department of Transportation has a campaign going on right now that emphasizes safety for all. Titled “Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow,” it focuses on safety steps for all road users to increase awareness of risks and requirements along with a range of tools and reports (hey, it’s DOT… there has to be studies!) to increase safety for all parties.

The campaign breaks down into three areas:

• Engineering: Primarily focused on Complete Streets, to give all road users a place of their own on state roadways.
• Education: A variety of pieces and PSAs to spotlight safety measures for all concerned, including some good reminders we call think we already know but could stand to brush up on nonetheless.
• Enforcement: The part nobody wants and everyone needs, with an effort to target high-risk areas with high-visibility enforcement activities… because the only way you get through to some people is with a ticket and a fine.

You can check out the details at alerttodayflorida.com, which has a range of links and logos and more reports than you can count. A lot of this is recent material that have been repackaged (or at least re-linked) for this campaign, and some of it is pretty technical… but there’s plenty of good information for all road users, it’s a good collection of road safety and design information for anyone form the novice to the knowledgeable, and the focus on the full spectrum of safety is a welcome one indeed.

With less light and more motorists, sharing the road or path or lane is more crucial than ever if everyone is going to arrive home safe. Anything that increases awareness of the need for everyone to strive for safety is a good message to hear..

Ready to ride or run?

Run?  Plenty of options if you’re looking for a run (or even walk), with a variety of distances and venues as well. This Saturday, you’ll have a 10K run (2K walk) in Olde Naples, a 5K as part of the Cape’s Coconut Festival, a chance to run across the river thanks to Midpoint Madness, and a tot walk and 5K in Punta Gorda. Next weekend, you can handle a half-marathon in Naples or a 5K in Estero or Naples – all building up to the annual Turkey Trots to celebrate Thanksgiving. Info at gcrunner.org, 3dracinginc.com, ftmyerstrackclub.com, runsignup.com and eliteevents.org.


Ride? Two Critical Mass events – NE Lee on Friday night and Sanibel on Saturday night – lead a slimmed-down cycling schedule. Lights are required for the night rides and helmets are recommended for all; details at meetup.com. You can also join the no-drop Wakey, Wakey! Sunday morning ride leaving from Fort Myers Trek. The ride is sanctioned by the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club, so helmets are required, no ear buds, and no aero bar use while in the group.


Both? Upcoming events include:

• Sunday, Nov. 18: Longboat Key Triathlon & Duathlon, sprint and Olympic-distance tris, plus a sprint and Olympic duathlon. Longboat Key Club & Resort (longboatkeytriathlon.com)
• Sunday, Dec. 16: Christmas Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon, Sugden Regional Park, Naples (eliteevents.org)
• Jan. 6, 2019: HITS Triathlon Series, with sprint, Olympic and half-Ironman distances. Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitstriathlonseries.com)
• Willing to drive? Check trifind.com or active.com for tris around the state.

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. 


 

Saving Daylight Saving Time

BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, 10/25/2018
by Ken Gooderham

Not this coming weekend, but the one after that, we’ll all have a chance to “fall back” again due to the departure of Daylight Saving Time.

And if you’re thinking that doesn’t sound quite right… well, you’re right (sort of).

During the last legislative session in Tallahassee, lawmakers in both houses overwhelmingly approved what was called the “Sunshine Protection Act” – basically leaving Daylight Saving Time in place year-round. Gov. Rick Scott signed the bill, and it became law in July.

Except the Legislature doesn’t have the authority to do any of that.

You see, DST is a federal thing, first instituted in 1918 supposedly as a wartime way of lessening energy needs by keeping daylight lighter longer. The country went back and forth on the concept, finally adopting it for good during the energy crisis of the 1970s… except, of course, those exceptions such as Arizona and Hawaii that steadfastly stay on the same time.

So states can vote all they want to adjust (or not adjust) their clocks, but only Congress can actually act to enact such measures. And, so far, this Congress has not – although Sen. Marco Rubio has filed two bills to save DST, one for Florida only and the other for the entire country, which have yet to win a hearing on the Hill.

So, come 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 4, we’ll be falling back once more – disruptive, to be certain, but at least less so than springing ahead next march.

So what does this have to do with biking, running and walking? Plenty, if you do any of that outdoors.

Tinkering with the sun’s timing is usually a zero-sum game – for everyone who gains by getting more light at one end of the day, someone else loses when the sun disappears sooner that it did before.

For those whose time is not their own thanks to jobs and other commitments, it’s even more of an issue. Like to go for a run before you head to work? An earlier sunrise can be your friend. How about a bike ride after work? When sunset jumps forward by an hour, you either dig out the lights or leave the bike in the garage.

It can also have a very real impact on other whose schedules can’t adjust when the clocks do. It’s particularly difficult on students who either wait for the bus by the side of the road in the morning or walk home from the bus stop in the afternoon – because doing either of those in the dark or even dusk adds danger to the beginning or end of their school day.

Either way the clock shifts, someone’s safety is at risk – which should be a warning to drivers to keep a sharper eye after the time change as everyone adjusts to the different light and time conditions. Unfortunately, we live by the clock and stay safe by the sun – so when the two re-adjust their daily routine, bad things can happen.

Research has ruled out some of the presumed benefits to DST… in fact, in subtropical areas such as ours, having sun later in the day can increase energy use as we run the A/C longer to keep cool. And most of the world does not bother with springing forward nor falling back, just sticking with the same old time all year long.

So is permanent DST a good idea? Who knows… and, unless Congress does something to change it, who cares? We’re stuck with the time shifts we have no choice but to get used to – which is a lot easier falling back than springing ahead

So ask most people their opinion on Nov. 4, and they’ll be happy for the “extra” hour. Wait until March 10 next year (when DST returns) and you’ll probably get a very different answer.

Ready to ride or run?

Run?  Any holiday is a good excuse for a race, and Halloween is no exception: There will be themed 5Ks this Saturday at Babcock Ranch and Fleischmann Park in Naples (3dracinginc.com and gcrunner.org respectively), plus the annual F.I.S.H. 10K on Sanibel (ftmyerstrackclub.com) and a Run for Recess 5K at Diplomat Elementary in Cape Coral (runsignup.com). Another elementary school run follows on Nov. 3 at Villas Elementary in Fort Myers (runsignup.com).

Ride? The Cape Coral Critical Mass amasses tomorrow (Friday) night at the SWF Military Museum, followed by the Saturday Slow Roll in downtown Fort Myers the next morning. The following Friday (Nov. 2) brings the original Critical Mass rise in downtown Fort Myers. Lights are required for the night rides and helmets are recommended for all; details at meetup.com. This weekend also brings the annual Tour de Northport on Sunday, with 15-, 35- and 65-mile rides planned (caloosarider.org). The Gulf Coast Cyclefest rides in the following weekend, with 104-, 79-, 63-, 35- or 20-mile routes starting at Lakewood Ranch, Sarasota (caloosariders.org or active.com). You can also join the no-drop Wakey, Wakey! Sunday morning ride leaving from Fort Myers Trek. The ride is sanctioned by the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club, so helmets are required, no ear buds, and no aero bar use while in the group.

Both? Upcoming events include:

• Sunday, Nov. 18: Longboat Key Triathlon & Duathlon, sprint and Olympic-distance tris, plus a sprint and Olympic duathlon. Longboat Key Club & Resort (longboatkeytriathlon.com)
• Sunday, Dec. 16: Christmas Sprint Triathlon/Duathlon, Sugden Regional Park, Naples (eliteevents.org)
• Jan. 6, 2019: HITS Triathlon Series, with sprint, Olympic and half-Ironman distances. Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitstriathlonseries.com)
• Willing to drive? Check trifind.com or active.com for tris around the state.

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.