Bike me out to the ball game

BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, 2/1/2018
by Ken Gooderham

Image courtesry: Cycle Tour | Sport24

One of the long-standing rituals in Southwest Florida is spring training… a chance for fans for see their favorite major league teams up close and personal.

Another regional ritual is the traffic jam that accompanies most spring training games locally. All those fans in all those vehicles, on top of already crowded roadways struggling with season, equals gridlock.

There’s a way to enjoy the former ritual without enduring the latter, if you’re willing to park your car and ride your bike.

Both Hammond Stadium/CenturyLink Sports Complex and jetBlue Park/Fenway South – training sites for the Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox, respectively – are easily accessible by bike, with some routes able to keep cyclists comfortably away from traffic (if that matters to you).

This idea may be particularly appealing should your tickets take you out to the ballgame on one of the few days when both teams are playing at home – which is guaranteed to turn Daniels Parkway into a parking lot those afternoons.

Parking your bike once you arrive at the stadium can be a challenge, so be sure to bring a sturdy lock and cable/chain to secure your ride to whatever you can find (which won’t be bike racks, I’m sure).

Not up for a long ride from home? Then park and ride… drive your bike to a nearby park or parking area (say, Lakes Park?), then ride your bike the rest of the way. You’ll still avoid the traffic jams and get some exercise (which can help justify that ballgame beer, hot dog or other snack).

You could even park at the airport and bike out from there… but given the cost and the calamity (RSW is not the most traffic-friendly site this time of year), I would not recommend it.

Maps showing the specific routes to both sites are available at bikewalklee.com (look for the Maps link), or you can pick up the countywide bike facilities map at your favorite bike shop (or download it from http://leempo.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/3rdEditionFinal_000.pdf). The countywide map is also a great way to plan your rides to take advantage of the various bike facilities the county has in place.

You don’t have to wait until spring training (which kicks off Feb. 22) to put this idea into use. If you want to avoid traffic and find a convenient place to park in downtown Fort Myers during Art Fest this coming weekend, ride your bike. (Should you find some artwork you just can’t live without, most of the artists are happy to hold it for you until you can come back with a more appropriate vehicle.)

Still time to comment on projects

You may have missed the Jan. 29 public workshop to speak up about two proposed bike/ped projects in Fort Myers, but you can still get your feelings on the record – at least until Feb. 12.

The two projects – the next phase of the Yarbrough Linear Park and the Winkler Canal Shared Use Path – are facing feasibility studies to determine their fate, so supporters should speak up or forever hold your peace (and your complaints about missing links in the bike/ped network).

What’s proposed? For the Yarbrough park, it’s extending the existing shared-use path northward from Colonial Blvd. to Hanson Street (it now runs from Six Mile Cypress to Colonial along Ten Mile Canal). For the Winkler project, it’s a new shared-use path from U.S 41 to McGregor Blvd. proposed to run along either the Winkler Canal, within Jefferson Park neighborhood, or along Hill Ave adjacent to the Fort Myers Country Club.

Email your comments to mavola@cella.cc (CellaMolnar & Associates is handling the public information aspect of the studies) by Feb. 12 to make sure your voice is included in these two vital projects.

 

Ready to ride or run?

Run? wo Fort Myers 5Ks are up this weekend – Strides for Education at Florida SouthWestern and the Medical Society Foundation 5K at Lakes Park. The following weekend brings the Cape Rotary 5K on Feb. 10 and the Edison Festival of Light Junior Fun Run on Feb. 11 – which of course means the Edison 5K is the following weekend (make your downtown plans accordingly). Details at ftmyerstrackclub.com and 3dracinginc.com.

Ride? This Friday’s Critical Mass downtown ride coincides with the opening of the weekend Art Fest, so expect even more crowded downtown streets. Next weekend brings the NE Lee ride on Friday night and the Sanibel ride Saturday night. Lights required and helmets recommended for all, with details at  meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events.

Both?  Nothing nearby in the near term, check out trifind.com or active.com for events in 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: Royal Palm Classic tops list of bike events

BikeWalkLee's March 6, 2013 column in "Go Coastal" Section of News-Press
This week's BWL column encourages people to beat the traffic by going by bike to Spring training games, to try the Tour de Parks route, and participate in the upcoming Royal Palm Classic ride.

Our weather can’t be beaten, but there are too many cars on the street. It’s a great time to take a ride (rather than a drive) — so if you haven’t been on your bike lately, now’s the time to mount up.

Right on cue, here comes the annual Royal Palm Classic, a signature event for the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club now in its 16th year. There’s a distance for everyone — from a metric century (62 miles) to a “no rider left behind” 15-miler — all with full support, marked routes and lunch is even included. It kicks off at 8 a.m. (for the longest ride) on Sunday, March 16, at a new location this year — the Fort Myers Brewing Company in Gateway off Daniels Parkway just east of JetBlue Park.
More information and registration is at royalpalmclassic.org, It’s a great first ride for the novice and a good test for the veteran —but be sure to bring your helmet, as it’s required to participate (and just a good idea overall).

Beat the traffic

Nice weather and overwhelming traffic must mean it’s spring training, with both the Red Sox and the Twins in the midst of their spring schedules.

Both JetBlue Park and the Lee County Sports Complex are easily accessible by bike, even for the most inexperienced riders. The Sports Complex, in particular, is served by bike paths from all directions, making it comfortable for even the most wary cyclists. JetBlue has protected streets leading in from the north, while the most popular Daniels Parkway route is mostly served by bike paths with some bike lanes thrown in. Coming from the south on Treeline Avenue will mean using the roadway’s popular bike lanes — and, while you’ll share the road with motor vehicle traffic, you’ll have your own space that’s marked and (mostly) respected by drivers. Too much for you? Use the sidepaths along both sides of Treeline instead.


Many of these routes are part of the county’s “Tour de Parks” network, which ties together Lakes Park and the Calusa Nature Center, the Yarbrough Linear Park and the North Colonial Linear Trail, the full length of Six Mile Cypress Parkway from College Parkway to U.S. 41 — and the two stadiums, of course.

Find out more at bikewalklee.org. Click on the “Maps” link from the home page to get all the maps and even turn-by-turn directions to ride to both parks.

Change of pace

Looking for something new in your riding or hiking?

Both bikers and walkers can find some new trails at Caloosahatchee Regional Park, particularly if you’re looking for a break from the flat terrain so prevalent in Southwest Florida.

Thanks to the volunteer efforts of the Florida Mudcutters, you can access more than 11 miles of off-road bike trails (even with hills!) ranging from easy to advanced, all on the north side of the park.
Across the street, hikers can traverse a variety of loops along more than 3.5 miles of flatter trails.

And, if you want to bring your kayak along, there’s even an access point to the Caloosahatchee for launching.

Find out more about the park at leeparks.org, and about the Mudcutters and the bike trails at mudcutters.org.

Upcoming events 

Running/walking:
• Saturday, March 15: Race in the Park 5K at the Lehigh Spring Festival, Veterans Park 55 Homestead Road South, Lehigh Acres (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
• Saturday, March 29: Scope for Hope 5K, Hammond Stadium, Fort Myers. (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
 
Cycling and other events:
• Sunday, March 16: Royal Palm Classic, organized by the Caloosa Riders. Starts at Fort Myers Brewing Company east of JetBlue Park, with 15-, 30- and 62-mile rides and a “no one left behind” guided 15-mile loop. SAG support and lunch included (caloosariders.org)
• Saturday, March 29: Walk, Wheel, & Wobble for Ataxia, Florida Gulf Coast University. 10-, 30- and 62-mile rides, 5K run (knowataxia.webs.com/)
• Saturday, April 5: Pedal and Play in Paradise, five different rides start in Punta Gorda including 15-, 30- and 62-miles rides, a 10-mile poker run and a City Manager’s History Tour. All rides benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and TEAM Punta Gorda’s bicycle-friendly initiatives. SAG support and lunch included (pedalandplayinparadise.com/)
• Sunday, April 13: Immokalee Ride for Literacy, 15-, 30- and 62-mile rides. SAG support and lunch included (caloosariders.org/)
• Sunday, April 13: Everglades Ride, McLeod Park, Everglades City, sponsored by Naples Pathways Coalition and River of Grass Greenway. On-road rides 16 to 62 miles, plus an off-pavement 27-mile ride. SAG support and lunch included (evergladesROGG.org)

— BikeWalkLee is 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 BikeWalkLee.org.

Pedal to the Park!

BikeWalkLee is collaborating with the Lee County Visitors and Convention Bureau (VCB) on an initiative to promote biking to the upcoming Spring Training games.  Kudos to VCB and BWL's Mike Bacigalupo for stepping up to the plate to work on this.  Stay tuned for more details in early 2014.

Riding a bike to the Ball Park for a Spring Training Game is a viable option for the 2014 Spring Training Season with improved bike friendly lanes and paths navigating to the parks.  

Located in Ft. Myers are Hammond Stadium the home for the Minnesota Twins and Jet Blue Park the home to the World Series Champion Boston Red Sox.  Once at the park, bike parking is free and much less of a hassle.  

So are you ready to leave the car behind..?

The 2014 Spring Training Season officially starts the end of February and runs through March; perfect weather to get outside.  Riders of all ages and all abilities can safely and easily navigate to the parks.  Distances can vary from a few miles to larger loops around the City.  

Spring Training brings with it a following of fans from all over the nation, many looking for places to eat, sleep, and be merry.  Fort Myers Visitor and Convention Bureau is coordinating with popular hotels/motels and bike shops in providing special lodging packages that come with the use of the bikes.  Local residents don’t despair - your Family can take advantage of a “stay-cation” and experience firsthand why our city is a tourist hotspot.  

This initiative is part of Lee County's complete streets program that promotes alternative modes of transportation, and encourages residents and visitors to use the county's  expanded biking and walking facilities.  Pedal the unique South Florida landscape on a series of interconnecting bike routes that highlight some of what the County has to offer.  Both of these ball parks are stops on the Tour de Parks Route.  The 36-mile Tour de Parks route, complete with way finding signs and a map, is almost entirely on shared use paths, linking eight parks and recreation facilities, including both ballparks.

Bike Routes & Maps:

Bike Routes to Spring Training Parks

Jet Blue Park - Bicycle Access Map

Tour de Parks Bike Route

Park & Bike Option:  

There are options for biking to Ball Parks if you live too far away or want just a short ride. Good starting points are other Parks included on the Tour de Parks Bike Route.  These Parks often offer parking and bathroom facilities.  Another good starting point are one of the Bike Shops highlighted on the Tour de Parks map.  In the event a bike needs air in the tires or a minor adjustment the local Bike Shop would be more than willing to help.  In addition there are numerous retailers located along the routes.  

Check for Updates:  

Visit the links below to learn more as the Spring Training Season gets closer.  

Ft Myers Visitor Convention Bureau

BikeWalkLee - Website

BikeWalkLee - facebook

BikeWalkLee - blog

So get off your behind and leave the behind.  Not only will you avoid traffic congestion, it is fun, good for your health, and contributes to the sustainability of Lee County.  Once the Spring Training Season is complete Hammond Stadium is home to the Ft. Myers Miracle Regular Season.  

Mike Bacigalupo 

Volunteer Opportunities:  

BikeWalkLee is looking for volunteers to participate in upcoming events.  If you can help out, please contact: Mike Bacigalupo at MrMikeBaci@gmail.com.  

Report by Mike Bacigalupo