Thursday, August 20, 2015

mass transit, mass media

TRENTON, NJ – New Jersey Bike & Walk Coalition Executive Director Cyndi Steiner testified
last Monday before the New Jersey Senate Legislative Oversight Committee during a hearing
intended to identify challenges facing the state's transit system. 

In her testimony, Steiner emphasized the integration of biking and walking as a first-mile/last
mile solution that provides a cost-effective way to improving New Jersey's overburdened, 
cash-strapped mass transportation system both now and in the future.

Read the entire article here.    I happened to be channel surfing and came across this:







Sunday, August 9, 2015

event: Super Moon bike ride at Lawrence-Hopwell Trail, night of Saturday Aug. 29


After the sun sets on Saturday, August 29, a full moon will provide illumination as bicyclists ride along Rosedale Lake, through meadows and under the tree canopy in wooded sections of Mercer Meadows in Hopewell Township. They will be participating in the second annual Super Moon Bike Ride at Mercer Meadows, sponsored by the Lawrence Hopewell Trail (LHT) and Mercer County Park Commission. 

All riders aged 12 and up are invited to participate in the six-mile loop along the Lawrence Hopewell Trail, the Maidenhead Trail and the Twin Pines Trail. The ride, expected to take about 45 minutes, is free to all, although donations are greatly appreciated. Advanced registration for every rider in the family is highly recommended at www.lhtrail.org.


For an interesting recap of the initial Super Moon ride a year ago, check
out this 5-minute video feature by photographer and LHT trustee Cie Stroud. 

In the video, the talking heads include Peter Kremer of Parsons Brinckerhoff
(bike master plan consultants), Michael Grey, co-owner of Sourland Cycles
in Hopewell, and Eleanor Horne, co-president of the LHT.

Related video, also by Cie Stroud. PS have you ridden on the LHT yet ? Try it !


Who else is in the news re: bike to work ?   

      The Green Bay Packers continued their famous training camp tradition of
      allowing kids to lend them bicycles, for riding to/from the practice field. 
      Jumping into the act, an insurance company has sponsored The Dream Fleet
      of customized sidecar-equipped bikes for "The DreamDrive".  SlideshowVideo

More local news re: riding around in the dark

        As part of a multi-month bicycle safety initiative, East Windsor Township is launching 
         "Bike at Night — Use a Light", on Tuesday, Aug. 4, which will continue through 
        Friday, Sept. 11. During this phase, the township will be distributing, at no cost, to 
        East Windsor residents the required pair of bike lights along with safety information 
        literature, daily through the police/court building at 80 One Mile Road. 

        Mayor Janice Mironov said, "'Bike At Night, Use a Light', the third and final phase of 
        the township Bike Safety Program, is geared to safe biking at night and will be a directed
        effort, through public education and personal contact to get bicyclers to use proper lighting
        at night. Those who bicycle at night without proper lights are a danger not only to themselves, 
        but to motorists using the roadways."

        The bicycle safety program is underwritten by a $10,000 grant from the New Jersey Highway 
        Traffic Safety Division.         Read the entire article.

Saturday, August 1, 2015

event (sold-out) - Tour de Farm NJ, Hunterdon County


Unfortunately, I wasn't aware of this event until yesterday. And for
the first event, Hunterdon County, registration is closed. However
note the upcoming rides in the "Tour de Farm New Jersey 2015" series: 
Sussex County (Sept 6) and Warren County (Sept 19).

"The Tour de Farm Hunterdon County is a Culinary Cycling Tour through
gorgeous Hunterdon County. The purpose of this tour is to help promote
NJ Farmers and their Farms. The cyclists will visit the participating farms
and get a little 'tasting' at each farm."

For more info, go to http://www.tourdefarmnj.com/

and scroll down to the links at "Read about us in the news".

or view the slideshow and learn about the organizers at the NYT article



Trivia - for readers more interested in history/politics than gastronomy:

1876 - prominent lawyer Abraham Browning of Camden refers to "The Garden
            State" in a speech at Philly's Centennial Exhibition. "Our Garden State is like
            a huge barrel, with both ends open, one of which is plucked by New York
            and the other by Pennsylvania".

1954 - the "Garden State" slogan goes on NJ license plates, against the wishes of then governor Meyner.
           The same governor signed the Green Acres act for open space preservation, in 1961.

2014 - a bill is enacted whereby "The Garden State" becomes the official slogan of NJ.