Published January 5, 2006 by C.I.C.L.E.
Contributed by Sarah
Started as kind of a humorous response to Bike Summer, and as a way to encourage year-round cycling -- Bike Winter
emerged on the icy and windblown streets of Chicago
(shiver-me-timbers) in 2000 . Several members of the Chicago cycling
community had just traveled out to S.F. to check out the fun of
the inaugural Bike Summer event of 1999. Evidently Bike summer
was a hit -- because Chicago immediately decided to host Bike
Winter. (Chicago did eventually hold Bike Summer in 2000)
Bike Winter Chicago stayed true to the spirit of it’s
predecessor. A community bike winter website and calendar was
created and was immediately crammed with a diverse lineup of
activist, social, and educational events. The theme became “the
velorution will be winterized’’, and an annual tradition was born.
It didn’t take long for other cities to catch on. In the following
years Bike Winter spread to Milwaukee, Wi, Madison, WI, and
Ann Arbor, Mi.
This year Los Angeles joins in the fun with its first Bike Winter 2006.
Unlike its northern latitude brethren, cold temperatures and icy
streets are not on this Bike Winter agenda (it was 70 today in LA).
Instead, on Jan. 6, an outdoor BBQ with live hip hop sounds from Rebels
to the Grain kicks off the 10 day event -- and I think the ride to the
beach for a Surfing expedition really gives one a proper glimpse
into the Bike Winter L.A. experience. (Hey, a nippy 48 degree F evening
can feel cold to us down here -- cut us a little slack here.)
As with other Bike Winters, people are encouraged to participate, not
only by showing up, but also by hosting their own event. The Bike
Winter information,calendar, and photo gallery can be found at:
winter.bikeboom.com.
Don’t have a Bike Winter in your city or town? Start your own. A
resource guide for starting one is available, and an online calendar can be set up
for your city. Visit: www.BikeWinter.org
Would you like to contribute to C.I.C.L.E.? Do you a have bike-related article, news story, event, idea, suggestion, etc...? Check out our submissions page.
Jim Boylan (Email) - October 21 '06 - 08:19
I just sent a message requesting a copy of your cycling snowman and didn’t include my e-mail address. It is jimmyboylan@aol.comJim Boylan (Email) - October 21 '06 - 08:21
Hey Jim,Shay (Email) - October 21 '06 - 09:33