THE BIKE PGH! eMESSENGER
Volume 5, Issue 11 – November 22, 2006

Visit www.bike-pgh.org, become a member, and get patched into the Pittsburgh bicycling community. Together we are making Pittsburgh a better place to live, work, and ride!

Advertise here! This newsletter reaches over 2,000 bicyclists in and around Pittsburgh, please contact info@bike-pgh.org for rates.

IN THIS ISSUE:

* Bike Pittsburgh Launches New Website!
* Take Action! Help Make Pittsburgh a More Walkable Community
* This Holiday, Give the Gift of Better Biking in Pittsburgh
* You’re invited: Bike Pittsburgh Holiday Party
* Calendar of Events
* Spare Parts: News + Links
* Make Pittsburgh a Better Place to Live – Become a Member of Bike Pittsburgh!

BIKE PITTSBURGH LAUNCHES NEW WEBSITE!
If you haven’t checked out our new website, please take some time to do so! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to connect with local cyclists using the Bike Pittsburgh Messageboard. Also, keep up to date with the latest cycling news in the Bike Pittsburgh Blog. All this and more can be found at www.bike-pgh.org. Check it out and let us know what you think!

» Be sure to sign up for an account so you can post to our messageboard and comment on our blog
» Subscribe to our blog RSS feed
» Subscribe to our calendar RSS feed

TAKE ACTION! HELP MAKE PITTSBURGH A MORE WALKABLE COMMUNITY
The City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Planning is in the process of creating a Pedestrian Plan to address and correct issues with regards to walking around town. Pittsburgh is one of the first cities in the country to create a Pedestrian Plan, and we applaud that effort. They are inviting the residents of Pittsburgh to attend a Public Hearing to review the Draft Pedestrian Plan. This is a unique opportunity to meet with City Planning and give ideas on how to make the streets safe for all users. What’s good for pedestrians is good for cyclists as it usually incorporates traffic calming measures, so mark your calendars!

When: Saturday, December 9th, 2:00 PM
Where: Oakland, University of Pittsburgh’s Public Health Auditorium (located between Desoto and Bouquet Streets off Fifth Ave)

For more information, contact Richard Meritzer, City of Pittsburgh-Dept. of City Planning
richard.meritzer@city.pittsburgh.pa.us
(412) 255-2102
For more info on pedestrian issues go here: www.walkinginfo.org

THIS HOLIDAY, GIVE THE GIFT OF BETTER BIKING IN PITTSBURGH
Looking for a gift for that special someone you know who loves riding bikes? Look no further! Give a gift membership in Bike Pittsburgh. With a gift membership your friend will receive a membership card good for discounts and benefits at local bike-friendly establishments, discounts to Bike Pittsburgh events, and a warm feeling in their heart that their friend (you) helped make Pittsburgh a little bit safer and more bike-friendly by supporting the organization that's fighting to make it all happen (us).

YOU’RE INVITED: BIKE PITTSBURGH HOLIDAY PARTY
Join Bike Pittsburgh, Friends of the Riverfront, and PA Cleanways for a fun-filled holiday party at our offices. Come on down to the South Side, hang out with members of these great organizations, and enjoy the good food and drinks.

No need to dress up.
Plenty of Bike Parking.

Thursday Dec 14, 5:30 – 9:00 PM
33 Terminal Way
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

CALENDAR OF EVENTS: NOVEMBER + DECEMBER
Here is a sample of upcoming cycling events in the Pittsburgh Region. For complete details and updates be sure to check out our Google Calendar and subscribe! If you have a bike event you’d like to submit, just email us at submit@bike-pgh.org. Be sure to answer all the typical questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how much.

November 24th
Pittsburgh Critical Mass
5:30 PM
Location: Carnegie Library in Oakland

November 25th
The Dirty Dozen
Annual Race up a baker’s dozen of Pittsburgh’s steepest hills. For experienced rider’s only.
10:00 AM
Location: Washington Blvd Oval

November 29th
Free Ride Kid’s Bike Build-a-Thon
Help Free Ride fix up a bunch of Kid’s bikes for the Holiday Season. The bikes are going to the local non-profit Tree of Hope. No experience necessary.
6:00 – 10:00 PM
Location: Free Ride, 214 N. Lexington Ave, PGH, PA 15209

December 3rd
Punk Bike Enduro
17th Annual Outlaw Mountain Bike Ride
11:00 AM
Location: Dorseyville Fire Hall, 100 Charles St. Dorseyville, PA 15238

December 6th
REI Winter Cycling Clinic
Join Bike Pittsburgh and REI for an informative clinic on cold weather bike riding. We'll cover all aspects of this rewarding activity: Bike set-up and maintenance, clothing for warmth and safety, lights, and motivation. Don't lose your summer fitness this winter; continue riding through the cold weather.
Free!
7:00 PM
Location: REI, 412 S. 27th St., PGH, PA 15219

December 9th
Public Meeting on City’s Draft Pedestrian Plan
2:00 PM
U. of Pittsburgh Public Health Auditorium
Oakland, Between Desoto and Bouquet Sts, off Fifth Ave

December 10th
PTAG End of the Year Wrap-up Trail Day
10:00 AM
Location: North Park

December 14th
Bike Pittsburgh Holiday Party
5:30 PM
Location: 33 Terminal Way, PGH, PA 15219

*If you’re looking for some fun and easy rides in the city, be sure to check out Team Decaf (every Tuesday evening) or Team Caffeine for some more intense riding (every Thursday evening). Both rides leave from Enrico’s Tazza D’Oro Cafe at 1125 N. Highland Avenue in Highland Park at 6:15pm sharp. For more information please contact John Strait. More rides can be found at WPW, P.O.R.C., and Venture Outdoors

SPARE PARTS: NEWS + LINKS Check out these articles:
NY Times: A New strategy to discourage driving drunk
AP: Europeans OK Anti-Obesity Charter

Links:
Bikely: www.bikely.com
ByCycle: www.bycycle.org
P.T.A.G.: www.bike-pgh.org/campaigns/ptag
MapHub: www.maphub.org
Sign up to BikePool: www.commuteinfo.org
Free Ride: www.freeridepgh.org
Western Pennsylvania Wheelmen: www.wpwbikeclub.org
P.O.R.C.: www.porcmtbclub.org
Friends of the Riverfront: www.friendsoftheriverfront.org
Sustainable Pittsburgh: www.sustainablepittsburgh.org

MAKE PITTSBURGH A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE – BECOME A MEMBER OF BIKE PITTSBURGH!
Membership in Bike Pittsburgh enhances the quality of life in Pittsburgh by directly supporting bike lanes, shared lane markings, bike route signs, bike racks, traffic calming, the removal of cycling hazards, safer pedestrian facilities, maintained streets and trails, and just downright good urban design. Other things we’re working on are bike maps, educational brochures, and fun events like BikeFest and Bike to Work Week. Phew, that’s a long list… You really get a lot for your money.

With your tax-deductible donation you will receive a Membership Card good for discounts at participating businesses, invitations and discounts to special Bike Pittsburgh-sponsored parties and events, and the satisfaction that you are making a difference for all of us who ride in Pittsburgh. Membership is affordable and sends a strong message that you want a better city to bike in. Join us today!

This Thanksgiving, Bike Pittsburgh gratefully acknowledges the Richard King Mellon Foundation for their generous support. We also wish to thank all of our members. You are the most important source of revenue for us. It is your willingness to go the extra mile that helps create such a strong grassroots foundation, and the momentum behind Bike Pittsburgh. We can’t do this without you.

We also would like to thank Pittsburgh’s Department of City Planning and Department of Public Works for their continued interest in working with us. Thanks everyone!
The eMessenger is an electronic newsletter published once a month. Previous issues of the eMessenger can be found in the Newsletters section of our website. Bike Pittsburgh, Inc. does not rent, sell, or make available any personal information, including email addresses. If you would like to be removed from the distribution list, simply email remove@bike-pgh.org