Bicycle Ambassador Events: June 28- July 4

Here are some happening Ambassador events for the week of June 28-July 4

Some Highlights:

On Tuesday we'll begin our campaign on the Walnut St Bridge. Look out for our signs from 3:30-6:30PM. We'll also be there on Friday, July 2 from 2:00-4:30PM.

Wednesday we'll be at Hoagie Day at the Art Museum 7-9PM. You can do your best Rocky impression running up the steps.

Saturday and Sunday is the all you can eat Ice Cream Festival at Penn's Landing, 12PM-9PM. We'll be there eating our share of ice cream and talking about bikes.

Sunday we'll be working the crowd at the Independence Day Parade 11AM, 5th and Chestnut

Remember you can always request the Ambassadors for a group class, or we take you out for a one-on-one ride with an ambassador. These services are both free. All you need to do is fill out our request form.

Wow, it is hot!

Just in case you forgot that today is the Summer Solstice, the 90 degree heat is here to remind us that it is definitely summertime.

What are your tips for staying cool in the heat?

Let us know here or on twitter at @bikeambassadors.

Bicycle Ambassador Events: June 17-27

Highlights for the upcoming week:

-Wednesday we will be hosting a public "Urban Riding Basics" class at the South Philadelphia Free Library, for all you South Philly kids!

-Then for West Philly, swing by our Happy Hour "Cycing in the City" Discussion on Thursday 6/24, hosted by YOUCIE (RSVP in advance and you get a free drink);

-On Saturday come trick out your bike, and many other fun arts activities, at the Fleisher ARTspiration Festival!

Thursday, 6/17:

• Jefferson University Farmers Market- 11am-3:30pm, Chestnut St East of 10th St.
• Street Outreach- 40th and Walnut
• Clark Park Thursday Farmers Market- 3:00pm-7:00pm, Clark Park (43rd and Baltimore)
• NEW: Cecil B. Moore (Temple) Farmers Market- 3:00pm-6:00pm, Cecil B. Moore between Broad St. and Park Walk

Saturday, 6/19:

• Clark Park Farmers Market- 9:00am-12:00pm, Clark Park (43rd and Baltimore)
• "Complete the Trail" Walk- 9:30am-11:00am, meet at Bartram's Garden Parking Lot (54th and Lindbergh). Walk through the Bartram's property to 51st Street, over to Gray's Ferry Ave, and over the Gray's Ferry Bridge to see the newly constructed Dupont Crescent site across the river. Refreshments will be provided. The walk will end at the Philadelphia Trolley Works, who will kindly "bus" everyone back to Bartram's Garden. Please RSVP for this event.
• Schuylkill River Trail Outreach- 1:00pm-3:00pm, SRT near the Art Museum
• Samantha Bee at the Free Library- 2:00pm, Free Library of Philadelphia Main Library (19th and Vine)

Sunday, 6/20:

• The Bicycle Coalition's Bike Freedom Valley- Ride Starts at 7:45am. After 30 years, Bike Freedom Valley returns to its roots - to celebrate the progress of the Schuylkill River Trail as it is becoming the premier transportation and recreation greenway connecting neighborhoods across the Delaware Valley and to illuminate the attractions that just beyond the trailway. Register online by the 19th or day-of on the 20th.

Monday, 6/21:

• Urban Riding Basics for City Employees- 12:30pm-1:30pm, Municipal Services Building (15th and JFK). Email Aaron.Ritz@phila.gov with questions or to RSVP.
  

Tuesday, 6/22:

• Street Outreach- 7:30am-9:30am, 16th and Locust
  
• Rittenhouse Square Farmers Market- 10am-1pm

Wednesday, 6/23:

• Urban Riding Basics at the Free Library South Philadelphia Branch- 6:30pm-7:30pm, 1700 Broad St. (Broad and Morris).

Thursday, 6/24:

• Jefferson University Farmers Market- 11am-3:30pm, Chestnut St East of 10th St.
• Fairmount Farmers Market- 3pm-7pm, 22nd and Fairmount Ave
• Cecil B. Moore (Temple) Farmers Market- 3:00pm-6:00pm, Cecil B. Moore between Broad St. and Park Walk
• YOUCIE "Cycling in the City" Happy hour & Urban Bicycling Discussion- 5:00pm-7:00pm, Cavanaugh's Restaurant, 119 S. 39th Street (Sansom and 39th). Join YOUCIE and the Philadelphia Bicycle Ambassadors for "Cycling in the City," a happy hour and discussion to kick off the summer cycling season. This 2 hour event will begin with a happy hour at 5pm followed by a presentation on urban biking and open discussion led by the Bicycle Ambassadors. Appetizers are FREE and happy hour specials include $2.50 draft Lagers, house wine and liquor drinks. RSVP and your first drink is free!

Saturday, 6/26:

• Fleisher ARTspiration Festival- 10:00am-4:00pm, Fleisher Art Memorial, 719 Catherine St. Join Fleisher and many community groups (including us) for a day of fun, free, art-making activities (including a trick-out-your-bike Scraper Bikes activity).
• Fitler Square Farmers Market- 10:00am-2:00pm, 23rd and Pine
• Schuylkill River Trail Outreach- 2:00pm-5:00pm

Sunday, 6/27:

• Bicycle Bus, Train, Feet: Alternative Modes of Travel Made Easy Fair- 5:30pm-7:30pm, Calvary Presbyterian Church of Wyncote (Cheltenham), Bent Rd. & Fernbrook Ave, Wyncote, PA 19095.

AMBASSADOR BIKE STOLEN: We miss you, Bernard!

Yes, it happens to everyone. Last Friday, one of our Bicycle Ambassadors fleet bikes -the Fuji Touring bikes you may have seen them riding- was plucked right out from under our nose.

Our Ambassador team travels to all our events by bike (many times with a trailer in tow), so its no surprise that after the spending so much time with them, all of our fleet bikes have names. We miss you, Bernard!

We have figured out a Plan B to keep the team up and running until we can replace Bernard, but we still need your help:

1 - Please keep your eyes peeled for a bike matching the description below.
2 - Review what you should do to protect yourself if your bike is stolen.
3 - Review what you should do if your bike is stolen.

1. KEEP YOUR EYES PEELED FOR OUR MISSING BIKE!!!

• 58cm Fuji Touring Bike
• Champagne and evergreen in color
• Silver Planet Bike fenders (plastic)
  
• Black Incredibell on left side of handlebar
  
• I BIKE PHL sticker on top tube.
• Burley trailer hitch on rear wheel
• Responds to Bernard
• Email Breen@bicyclecoalition.org, or call 215-399-1598 x701, if you know anything.
  

2. PROACTIVE MEASURES TO PROTECT YOURSELF

When you first get a bike:

• Write down the serial number of your bike(s) and keep in an easily accessible place (I like to keep mine in my cell phone)
• Take a few photos of the bike and of anything unique about it (stickers, fenders, ect.) (photos are important if you ever want to make an insurance claim)
• If you have a super nice bike, check with your insurance company to see if you need an additional insurance rider.
• Review the comprehensive Advice for Locking Your Bike in Philly on this blog.
  

3. MY BIKE WAS STOLEN - WHAT NOW??

• Call 911 and report the theft (provide your serial number) - It is very important to report theft to the police - bikes thefts are severely under reported and we use those statistics with our advocacy work.
• Log the theft on SeeClickFix (the Bicycle Coalition Wiki for reporting major and minor incidents)
• Post a note on Craigslist with photos of your bike.
• Email local bike shops with photos and serial number.

In closing, getting your bike stolen really stinks! Put your energy to good use and report the theft to as many people as possible. It is not unheard of to recover a stolen bike.

What additional tips can you share for recovering a stolen bike? Any good stories?

Bike Safety Education - 80s style!

A few of you may have seen this in your heyday, but whether you have seen this or not, it is certainly a sight to see how outlandish the 80s were!

Enjoy...

Bicycle Ambassador Events, June 12th-20th

This week the ambassadors will be at a variety of farmers markets, teaching a class in Spanish in South Philly and a class in English in Kensington, and taking part in the Complete the Schuylkill Trail Walk on Saturday- an exciting chance to see the new trail improvements in progress and learn about the sections that still need work.

Then, Sunday is the Bicycle Coalition's Bike Freedom Valley Ride- sign up today if you haven't yet!

Bicycle Ambassadors Calendar- Sat, 6/12 to Sun, 6/20

Saturday, 6/12:

• Art in the Open- 10am-5pm, at the 'Skate Park' area- on the trail just south of the PMA and Spring Garden Bridge
• 1st African Baptist Church Health Fair- 10am-3pm, 16th and Christian

Sunday, 6/13:

• Philly Pride Festival and Parade- 12pm-6pm, Penn's Landing. Or check us out in the Parade, leaving at 12pm from 13th and Locust.

Monday, 6/14:

• Clase de "andar en bici en la ciudad" con JUNTOS- 4:30pm-6pm, Centro Comunitario de Houston, 2029 S. 8th Street (8th & Snyder).
• Ambassador Service Station- 4:30pm-6:00pm, 22nd and Spruce
• Ambassador Service Station- 4:30pm-6:00pm, 16th and Pine

Tuesday, 6/15:

• "Sidewalk Riding is Illegal" Campaign- 7:30am-9:00am, 33rd and Walnut
• Rittenhouse Square Farmers Market- 10am-1pm

Wednesday, 6/16:

• University Square Farmers Market- 10am-2pm, 36th and Walnut
• Love Park Farmers Market- 11:00pm-3:00pm
• Street Outreach with Bus Bike Rack- 3:00pm-6:00pm, Drexel Park, 33rd and Chestnut
• "Sidewalk Riding is Illegal" Campaign- 3:00pm-5:00pm, 33rd and Walnut
• New Kensington CDC "How to Ride Workshop"- 6:00pm-8:00pm, NKCDC Garden Center, Berks and Frankford Avenues
• Friends of Clark Park Monthly Membership Meeting- 7:00pm-9:00pm, Clark Park Bowl if weather is nice/Griffith Hall, University of the Sciences if weather is bad. We will be giving a 20 minute presentation on our program and the basics of urban riding.

Thursday, 6/17:

• Jefferson University Farmers Market- 11am-3:30pm, Chestnut St East of 10th St.
• Street Outreach- 40th and Walnut
• Clark Park Thursday Farmers Market- 3:00pm-7:00pm, Clark Park (43rd and Baltimore)
• NEW: Cecil B. Moore (Temple) Farmers Market- 3:00pm-6:00pm, Cecil B. Moore between Broad St. and Park Walk

Saturday, 6/19:

• Clark Park Farmers Market- 9:00am-12:00pm, Clark Park (43rd and Baltimore)
• "Complete the Trail" Walk- 9:30am-11:00am, meet at Bartram's Garden Parking Lot (54th and Lindbergh). Walk through the Bartram's property to 51st Street, over to Gray's Ferry Ave, and over the Gray's Ferry Bridge to see the newly constructed Dupont Crescent site across the river. Refreshments will be provided. The walk will end at the Philadelphia Trolley Works, who will kindly "bus" everyone back to Bartram's Garden. Please RSVP for this event.
• Schuylkill River Trail Outreach- 1:00pm-3:00pm, SRT near the Art Museum
• Samantha Bee at the Free Library- 2:00pm, Free Library of Philadelphia Main Library (19th and Vine)

Sunday, 6/20:

• The Bicycle Coalition's Bike Freedom Valley- Ride Starts at 7:45am. After 30 years, Bike Freedom Valley returns to its roots - to celebrate the progress of the Schuylkill River Trail as it is becoming the premier transportation and recreation greenway connecting neighborhoods across the Delaware Valley and to illuminate the attractions that just beyond the trailway. Register online by the 19th or day-of on the 20th.
  

Bicycle Ambassador Events This Week

Come hang out with the Ambassadors this week all over Philadelphia!

Highlights include:
-Art in the Open festival all week
-An Urban Riding and Fix-a-Flat at the awesome Slingluff Gallery in the Kensington/Fishtown area on Thursday
-Philly Pride on Sunday!

Bicycle Ambassadors Calender June 7th-13th

Tuesday, 6/8: 10am-1pm- Rittenhouse Square Farmers Market

Wednesday, 6/9: 10am-5pm- Art in the Open at the Schuylkill Trail behind the Art Museum
Wednesday, 6/9: 1oam-2pm- University Square Farmers Market, 36th and Walnut

Thursday, 6/10: 10am-5pm- Art in the Open
Thursday, 6/10: 11am-3:30pm- Jefferson University Farmers Market, Chestnut St East of 10th St.
Thursday, 6/10: 5:30pm-8:30pm- Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll (We will be set up by Firehouse Bicycles, 50th and Baltimore)
Thursday, 6/10: 7:00pm-8:30pm- The Slingluff Gallery Urban Riding Class and Fix-a-Flat, 11 W. Girard Avenue (near Frankford)

Friday, 6/11: 10am-5pm- Art in the Open

Saturday, 6/12: 10am-5pm- Art in the Open
Saturday, 6/12: 10am-3pm- 1st African Baptist Church Health Fair, 16th and Christian

Sunday, 6/13: 12pm-6pm- Philly Pride Festival and Parade, Penn's Landing

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS!

Attention Bicycle Enthusiasts: The Bicycle Coalition’s monthly volunteer night is almost here! This Wednesday, June 2^nd, at 6:30 PM, we will be serving pizza and drinks to anyone interested in learning about June’s volunteer opportunities, including Bike Freedom Valley (June 20^th). We will also give a brief training designed to give volunteers the basics on how to be a volunteer “Ambassador for a Day” for the coalition. Like our full-time Bicycle Ambassadors, you too can get the word out about our Education and Advocacy efforts that are making bicycling better in Philadelphia. As if all this weren’t enough, we will also be working to complete a special appeal mailing to our members that is designed to make Stu Bykofsky (Daily News Columnist and Philadelphia Bicycle Antagonist) our number one donor! We’ll be sending out these letters, asking for donations in his name.

If any of this sounds important or fun, please attend the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia’s volunteer night at 1500 Walnut – Suite 1107, this Wednesday from 6:30 – 8:00 PM.

Thanks for your attention and support, and keep on biking!

Sincerely,

Joshua Willis

Volunteer and Membership Coordinator

Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia

www.bicyclecoalition.org

Upcoming Volunteer Dates

· National Trails Day

- June 5th

· Bicycle Rodeo

- June 6th

· Int'l Cycling Championships

- June 6th - Flyer for our BFV 2010 ride and get your fee waived!

· Bike Freedom Valley

- June 12th, 13^th

- June 18th, 19th, 20th (Ride Day!!)

· Dump the Pump Day

- June 17th - Outreach opportunity.