Ride Illinois fall e-newsletter & GIBT

 Club News
Nov 112019
 

Keep up to date with Ride Illinois events and advocacy activities. The Wheelers are an affiliated club, meaning that we support the efforts of Ride Illinois through annual contributions. You can also become an individual member and get Illinois cycling info delivered directly to your inbox. Each year Ride Illinois hosts the Grand Illinois Bike Tour! The ride moves around the state. The 2020 loop will tour the Trails of Madison County and start and end in Litchfield. For all this and more, see Ride Illinois’s latest e-newsletter…

Beyond Normal October Rough Road Ride — I & M Canal — Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019

 Club News
Sep 272019
 

Wheeler Beyond Normal October Rough Road Ride — I & M Canal — Saturday, Oct. 5, 2019

Brian Schuneman, and possibly other family members, will lead the final Beyond Normal ride of the season to the I & M Canal on Saturday, Oct. 5. Hope you can join us! 

Please be aware that I & M Canal trail is NOT paved and is NOT suitable for road bikes. Please tune up your hybrid, gravel bike, or mountain bike for this adventure.
Departing from the Connie Link parking lot at 8:00A for the hour drive to somewhere in the Illinois River Valley known only to Brian.
Ride Description: The current plan is to drive to the trail access in Utica and then ride west to LaSalle and back east to Ottawa. Buffalo rock State Park is along the way and offers a panoramic view of the Illinois River from up on a bluff.
Note that the quality of the I & M Canal is rather weather dependent. If there is significant rain the week prior to the ride, the alternate plan could be the packed gravel section of the Rock Island Trail going north from Peoria –  Alta to Princeville and maybe beyond.

American Bicyclist & Bicycle Friendly Communities

 Announcements, Bicycle advocacy, Club News
Sep 242019
 

Bicyclist+Mag+CoverIf you’re a member of the League of American Bicyclists, you should have recently received the print edition of “American Bicyclist” the magazine in your mailbox. If you’re not yet a member, the magazine is now online and available to read and share with your friends. The Summer 2019 edition covers topics like:  Advocacy in Action and how your support helps us make biking better for all Americans, and The Bright Future of Bike Clubs: a checklist for leaders.  The League has also shifted its strategic focus to being more inclusive and adding value across our diverse communities. Specifically,

              • Positioning bicycling as something that helps others achieve their health, sustainability, and economic goals.
              • Serving, relating to and adding value to the entire population—across America’s diverse communities.
              • Leading and building partnerships inside and outside bicycling communities.
              • Empowering policymakers with an understanding of the inherent value of Bicycle Friendly Communities.

Love what you see? Join the League and get on their mailings.

Easterseals 100 Registration Discount through Sept. 6 – Labor Day Sale!

 Club News
Sep 012019
 

Easterseals 100 bicycle ride on Sept. 28

Celebrates our 100th Anniversary at Easterseals

Events showcase the Easterseals Timber Pointe Outdoor Center, our camp on Lake Bloomington for kids of all abilities. Labor Day Sale and Early bird registration for these events expires noon, Friday, Sept. 6!

Labor Day Sale. Those registering for the ride before noon, Friday, Sept. 6 get $10 off registration. Registrations after noon, Friday, Sept. 6 and through the ride on Sat., Sept. 28 will be $50. Register online at: www.eastersealsci.com/cycle100

<ES 100 Flyer>

Fundraiser for WBRP Bike Co-op & Tool Library — Sunday, June 9 at Keg Grove

 Bicycle advocacy, Club News
May 262019
 

Bike Co-op Sign BoardA fundraiser for the West Bloomington Revitalization Project Bike Co-Op and Tool Library, hosted by Keg Grove Brewing Company, will take place at the Brewery on Sunday, June 9, from noon to 8:00 p.m.  All tips for the day go to the Tool Library and Co-Op. Keg Grove Brewing logo

Twång, Bruce Bergethon and Rockin’ Tom Ricker, will provide the music. There will be merchandise for purchase, including a tantalizing variety of WBRP, Co-Op, Tool Library, Book Bike t-shirts and ever-cool, black Twångtees.

Please come and help us support the great work done by WBRP’s  Tool Library and Bike Co-Op and tell a friend. Thanks to all at Keg Grove for hosting!

Ride of Silence and Cyclist Video Evidence Model

 Club News
Apr 222019
 

The Austin Ride of Silence shared Cyclist Video Evidence Model

The Ride of Silence honors fallen cyclists. Cyclist’s Video Evidence prevents collisions, hopefully ending the need for Rides of Silence.

Near-Miss-Spectrum-The Austin, Texas Ride of Silence and www.CyclistVideoEvidence.com have created an innovative model that can be copied by all other Rides of Silence participating in the worldwide ride on Wednesday, May 15th 2019.

The inclusive mission of Cyclist Video Evidence is to increase the number of cyclists who feel safe and confident riding on the roads. They invite all cyclists – pedal powered, electric bikes, scooters and motorcyclists – to use our free Incident Management System to track, map, update and analyze all of their near miss incidents, search for repeat offenders, establish potential patterns of dangerous driver behavior, and generate near miss data to map dangerous locations – before collisions occur! Learn more..

Bloomington-Normal Ride of Silence is held on May 15, starting at 6:30P from the McLean County History Museum. More details at…

Early Risers / Early Riders — New crack of dawn pop-up rides

 Announcements, Club News, Group rides
Apr 112019
 

Cycling at sunriseGood Morning Early Risers / Early Riders. Are you interested participating in mid-week rides? Rides will begin between 6:00 and 7:00A with a distance of 25 – 30 miles. Typical average speed of about 11 – 14. Ride timing should work for members who are still gainfully employed and might like to get in a ride prior to going to work as well as for those with a more leisurely schedule. Winds are calmer and temps are cooler in the earlier morning hours. If interested, please text Jim at 707-486-0290 in order to be added to his group text message, remember to include your name with your text to him. RB

Illinois lawmakers propose harsher penalties for texting and driving crashes

 Club News
Mar 312019
 

texting while drivingIllinois lawmakers are working on creating a harsher penalty for people who cause a serious injury to another person while texting and driving. Under the proposal, a driver who causes great bodily harm to another while distracted by using a phone or other electronic device would face a $1,000 fine and a year without a license. Currently, the penalty is $75, along with other punishments for dangerous driving.

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Norine Hammond, R-Macomb, came after a constituent in her district that lost his leg in a crash where the other driver was texting while behind the wheel. State Rep. Mike Unes, R-East Peoria, said the stiffer penalties would discourage the dangerous behavior.  State Rep. Melissa Conyears-Ervin, D-Chicago, said the bill would disproportionately affect low-income people. Likewise, state Rep. Marcus Evans, a Chicago Democrat who grew up in a low-income family, said many families wouldn’t be able to absorb the cost of $1,000 or be able to pay it without having a license to get to work.

Others agreed that the cost was too high, but still endorsed the idea, saying $75 was too low to be a real deterrent for what has become a widespread habit. The bill now needs a vote on the House floor before it can be reported to the Senate. Learn more…

If you feel strongly about this proposed legislation, contact your state representative. MD/RB

 

Ride of Silence — Wednesday, May 15, 2019

 Club News
Mar 312019
 

Ride of SilenceThe Ride of Silence is a global event that takes place on the third Wednesday in May. In 2018, the ride was held in 20 Countries and 47 US States. The purpose of the ride is to honor bicyclists killed by motorists, promote sharing the road, and provide awareness of bicycling safety.   

This year’s ride in Bloomington-Normal starts on the east side of the McLean County History Museum on N. Main Street between Washington and Jefferson. Cyclists assemble starting about 6:30 pm, to sign-in and complete a waiver of liability. There will be a few observance remarks starting about 6:45 pm with the ride commencing at 7:00 pm. Riders proceed slowly and silently from Downtown Bloomington to the ending point at the Uptown Normal plaza (approximately 3 miles and 20 minutes). The ride will have a police escort.

All cyclists are required to wear a bicycle helmet and bike lights are recommended. RB

Catch the Century Train

 Club News
Mar 252019
 

Century Train Day

New this season, Allan Griffith and others will lead a series rides with increasing durations to prepare riders to complete a Century or 100 mile bicycle ride. Training works! And gradually increasing distances and endurance will keep you smiling as the miles slip by.

Catch the Century Train rides begin on Saturday, April 13, 2019 at 11:00A with a 25 mile ride starting at the Y on the Constitution Trail. Century Train rides will be offered each Saturday and Sunday throughout the season. All interested riders are advised to do at least one Saturday or Sunday ride each weekend to maintain their endurance. 100 miles

Several organizations are sponsoring Century rides in the Bloomington-Normal area this summer. Century Train is a nice opportunity to up your game!  Learn more…  RB

Photo credit and suggestions on what to pack for a century.

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