I (Rebecca) cannot attend this week, but I have it on good faith that James will be present to lead folks on yet another edition of the Wednesday Ride.

Please come out and join us – while our goal is an “intermediate” pace, “intermediate” can vary, depending on the fitness levels and speed of whomever shows up. The most important thing is to be willing to work with others and be patient to make the ride challenging, but fun.

Details for the ride:

Meet at 5:30 by the Flagpole, roll out at ~5:45, and if you’re running late let James know (before 5:20, e-mail james-dot-allan-dot-robertson at alumni.nd.edu).

We’ll average around 16 mph for 32 miles total (that will take 2 hours and change). We regroup at the end of each section to make sure no one gets lost or left behind, and there’s a stop at a gas station partway in to refuel (ha!). If you’re feeling frisky and reach regroup points fast, you can always add bonus miles by U-turning and doing additional laps. Why not?

Route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4665389

Bring water (2 bottles recommended), strap on your helment, fire up your bike lights, check to make sure you’ve got a snack and your toolbag, and join us!

Every Friday, a group of bicyclists meets up at the Blue Baker on Dominik Drive for breakfast and conversation about all things bicycling. We would love to have your company! People generally start appearing a few minutes after 7 am, and then filter out sometime between 7:40 and 9 am, depending on the amount of time it takes to get to work. Bike-Friendly Fridays are a great way to get to know some of the area bicyclists, share experiences, and hatch schemes for future bicycling adventures. Come join us this Friday!

BFF riders posing with the Earl of Sandwich at Blue Baker

Here’s a recent article about reaching out to lower-income riders, based on survey data collected in two lower-income neighborhoods in Washington, D.C.. The writers conclude that

Cycling just isn’t popular among the urban poor (yet). In 2012, respondents ranked cycling seventh out of nine transport modes, ahead of only taxis and bike sharing. Cycling barriers included poor road safety, poor or lacking infrastructure (e.g. bike lanes, racks, or storage), distance, and physical exertion. In 2013, respondents reported more than 30 barriers to cycling or walking. Physical safety (32.6 percent), distance (30 percent) and comfort/cold/sweating (25.4 percent) were the most common objections. Other barriers included the difficulty of carrying bulky items, work attire, not knowing how to ride, theft risk, poor health or disability, the slower speed, “laziness,” and a lack of desire. One respondent said, simply, “I just want a car.”

The article continues with some thoughtful approaches to addressing the different transportation priorities of people of different socioeconomic status as well. What do you think this could all mean for the sake of promoting bicycling and other forms of alternative transportation in places like College Station and Bryan?