BMC To Do Bike/Ped Counts

Just as Baltimore City performs (very wet) bike counts this week, the Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC) is getting in on documenting bicycle and pedestrian traffic. The BMC is requesting proposals from contractors will work with representatives from BMC staff, Maryland State Highway Administration and BMC member jurisdictions to develop a common data framework for storing, displaying, analyzing and sharing bicycle and pedestrian count data among the state and local governments. The contractor will collect bicycle and pedestrian data using agreed upon technologies at locations at 19 locations in the Baltimore region (none in Baltimore City) May through June 2013.

Click here for more info

County Ped/Bike Group Selects Projects

Following up to the April 17th public meeting, the Baltimore County Pedestrian and Bicycle Committee made a final recommendation for which projects the county should pursue this year.  The committee was asked to pick which projects should be priority projects and then rank them, which included:

1)       Feasibility Study and Preliminary Design for the North Point Heritage Trail

2)       On Street Road Improvements in Catonsville area, including a linkages between UMBC, Arbutus, Catonsville, and Patapsco Valley Park

3)       Towson Bike Loop “Spokes” (Putty Hill, Pennsylvania & Chesapeake Avenues, Kenilworth Drive)

4)       Bike Lanes on Dundalk Avenue

While the Cromwell Valley Trail was popular during the public meeting, this project was not selected because there is not enough support from the immediate community.  To fund these projects, Baltimore County will be preparing the grant applications, which are due June 5.

New Fairland Trails Have Something For Everyone

Contributed by Nate Evans

Fairland Park Trail Laison Austin Steo rides a more challenging line. The boardwalk is a good alternative for novice riders

The new trails at Fairland Regional Park is another gem in Maryland’s single track system.  A short drive down 95, Fairland is a relatively slender, stream valley park surrounded by suburbs, quarries and a golf course.  To develop a series of sustainable trails on this former quarry site, MORE first established a good working relationship with Montgomery County and the  Maryland National Capital Parks & Planning Commission.  With a grant from REI, MORE, led by trail boss Austin Steo, put in over a thousand hours of volunteer work to create the system.  MORE held a ribbon cutting ceremony yesterday to officially open 8 miles of new trail.   These new trails represent just another phase in the developing system at Fairland.   Several new trails provide more challenging features like boardwalk skinnies, up and overs and log lines.  One section of trail features a series of rollers which allows riders to pump their way along a hillside as if riding a rollercoaster!  Don’t let these features discourage you from riding here.  All the trails are well-graded with no real challenging climbs and easy alternatives around the more challenging obstacles.

New wayfinding signs help users more easily navigate the trails.

Future plans for Fairland include a mountain bike skills park; like Rockburn but more for mountain bikes.  The old slag piles from the quarry will be the basis for future gravity lines.  One of the new trails connects to a residential area allowing the immediate communities to take advantage of the park.  These connector trails can also be extended north into adjacent parklands.   If you have an mtb trip planned to Rockburn or Patapsco, add some time and hit Fairland while you’re at it.

The ‘original’ trail bike. One man’s trash is another man’s trail art

Perfect Day for a Kinetic Sculpture Race

Baltimore could not have asked for better weather to run the 15th Annual Kinetic Sculpture Race.  Thanks to the American Visionary Art Museum for hosting the ultimate Baltimore bike event!  (This thing really should be bigger than Preakness)

The Loose Cannon makes its annual appearance

Combination race, bike parade and costume party, the KSR is fun for everyone

The inner workings of a kinetic sculpture

Navigating the water course with help from kayaks

Delegate Luke Clippinger as one of the event judges

MORE Opens New Trails in Fairland

MORE (Mid-Atlantic Off-Road Enthusiats) will open another trail system this weekend at Fairland Regional Park
Join MORE and our partners from MNCPPC and REI to celebrate the the opening of the best trail system you have never ridden!

Bikemore’s Homebrew Tour Tomorrow

Sponsored by Ron Howard & Associates Realtors, Nuovo Soul Catering, and Nepenthe Homebrew, Bikemore’s famous Homebrew Bike Tour is back this Spring 2013! (Check out photos from last October’s Tour)

On Saturday May 4, (after the Kinetic Sculpture Race) bike between three houses in Reservoir Hill, Woodberry and Remington) each serving small samples of homemade beer and food. Gather with your bikes at Nepenthe Homebrew (Meadow Mill — 3600 Clipper Mill Road) to start the tour at 5 pm and then ending the ride with a party at the Baltimore Node space in Station North at midnight.

Cost is $20 / person. The tour is limited to the first 100 participants.

Get your tickets online here

Bikesurfing Lake Montebello

Cargo bikes have long been known around the world for making seemingly impossible trips more bikeable.  Whether carrying groceries, children or furniture, extended frames provide more versatility and balance in transporting heavier loads.   At Lake Montebello, the use of cargo bikes broadened to include adults.  With the level terrain and reduced vehicular traffic, the lake loop was the perfect setting to test one’s balance with bikesurfing.   The Kona Ute comes standard with a ‘surfboard’ on the back perfect for carrying…well, people! (above)

Yesterday, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake kicked off National Drinking Water Week and Bike Month with a bike ride around Lake Montebello.  Part of Recreation & Parks’ “Laps Around the Lake” anyone can rent a bike for a leisure pedal every Thursday evening through the summer. Adult and children’s bikes and helmets are available. You must have photo ID to borrow equipment. This program is perfect for first-time bikers, those that are out of practice, or those who just don’t feel like lugging that old dusty bike out of the basement.

With the recent asset liquidation at ‘da Point’, several trikes made their way to Velocipede and Baltimore City Recreation and Parks.  The ‘trunk’ on the trike was also perfect carrying passengers. Mark Dennis (left) uses a trike to photograph Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake leading a group of cyclists around Lake Montebello.

Do Not Miss The Kinetic Sculpture Race!

No matter how booming Baltimore’s bike culture is, the 15th ANNUAL KINETIC SCULPTURE RACE is the one event not to miss.
Saturday, May 4, 2013 • All Day, Race kicks off at 10am! • FREE for Spectators!

From the American Visionary Art Museum–a race of wacky, imaginative, TOTALLY HUMAN-POWERED WORKS OF ART,  DESIGNED TO TRAVEL ON LAND, THROUGH MUD, AND OVER DEEP HARBOR WATERS, constructed out of used bicycles, gears, and parts, created by a lunatic genius who tinkers around in the garage or backyard (do you know this person?)! The machines can be simple, small crafts, piloted by only one brave soul, or they can be over 50 feet long, extremely well-engineered, sophisticated vehicles powered by a team of pilots. Pilots (“Kinetinauts”) compete for the most coveted GRAND MEDIOCRE EAST COAST CHAMPION AWARD (finishes right in the middle), and the highly prized NEXT TO THE LAST AWARD (finishes, well, next-to-last), and other serious trophies including ART, ENGINEERING, and more. Race starts at 10am at the American Visionary Art Museum (arrive early to take part in Opening Ceremony and Blessing of De Feet!). Other great spots to see the vehicles are the 1st checkpoint atop Federal Hill; the water entry at the Korean War Memorial Park in Canton; the uphill mud-pit in Patterson Park; the not-so-quick-sand pit in Patterson Park; and, of course, anywhere along the 15-mile route through Baltimore. For more information–including past race photos, inspiration, and a handy Spectator’s Guide–visit http://kineticbaltimore.com.

Check out the FACEBOOK Event page

Want to Volunteer?  Click here

Smoothest Bike Party Ever

The bike party rolls south on Patterson Park Avenue (R. Dupre)

From start to finish, April’s Bike Party was probably the smoothest to date, in more ways than one. Not only did the ride proceed (relatively) incident free and with police escort, but the apparel took the ride to a whole new level. With the “Bike Prom” theme, riders donned serious get ups from tuxedos and seersucker  to over the top tacky prom dresses.

Shots from the Bike Party are available online here and here with video below

Mayor Kicks Off Bike Rides at Montebello