From Barbara Duerk: There will be a March 18, Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Essentials in Chester and March 26 Fast Estimation of Air, Noise and Water Estimation class in Arlington. Encourage members of your Bicycle Club, VDOT Employees and Trail builders in your area to attend.

Virginia LTAP announces the opening of registrations for the Winter 2009 Workshop Schedule and invites you to sign up for any workshop between January and March 2009 at your convenience.

For further details, please visit our website http://ltap.cts.virginia.edu/ and choose from any of the 11 workshops listed below. For general registration information, go to http://ltap.cts.virginia.edu/workshops.php. Please note that your booking will only be regarded as confirmed on payment of the registration fee.

The Winter 2009 issue of The Road Ahead also provides more details about the winter slate of classes. (see http://ltap.cts.virginia.edu/newsletters.php) [continue reading…]

In July 2008 VBF announced an upcoming campaign to inform bicyclists and dog owners of the dangers of dogs running loose. We are now asking for your help to bring this important information to bicyclists around Virginia. There are two parts to this campaign.

First is an information article written by Bud Vye, VBF Vice President, that explains the law pertaining to dangerous dogs, and VBF’s recommendations on how to respond when you are injured as the result of actions by a dog, whether a bite or being knocked down. Full text of the article follows below, or you can download [continue reading…]

The Virginian-Pilot reports that a cyclist was killed in Chesapeake last Thursday, Nov. 20. According to the newspaper report, both the cyclist and motorist were traveling in the same direction, which suggests an unsafe pass or hit-from-behind type of crash. Charges against the driver are pending, but to our knowledge have not yet been filed.

VBF encourages bike advocates in Chesapeake to keep after the police and the press, to ensure charges are filed if appropriate and that the story gets covered.

It seems that most people who have ridden Bike 76 through Virginia have heard of the Cookie Lady. June Curry of Afton has been providing fresh baked cookies to cyclists on Afton Mountain for over 30 years. Her hospitality efforts grew into a hostel known as the Bike House, the inside of which is plastered with photos, postcards, jerseys, and other memorabilia left by cyclists from all over the world who have stopped there.

But at 87 years old, running a hostel is a challenge!

So last Sunday, some cyclists from the Richmond Area Bicycling Association presented June Curry with a check for the donations they had been collecting, to show their appreciation and to help further her cause.

Bike touring blog Biking Bis covered the event.

WVTF, our local National Public Radio station, was also there, and did a nice 3 minute radio piece on the Cookie Lady(mp3).

Unfortunately, the future of the Bike House is uncertain. VBF is working on setting up a donation page, to help raise money to keep the Bike House going.