Halloween Safety

Halloween is almost here! The Cœur d’Alene Police Department is promoting Halloween safety in our community. The following are basic safety tips provided by The Inland Automobile Association (AAA) and The National Confectioners Association. These tips show youngsters and parents how to practice safe trick-or-treating and enjoy the Halloween observance.

• Wear light colored clothing; even better, wear something that is retro-reflective. Keep the clothing short enough to prevent tripping.
• Make sure children can see well through face masks, Avoid wearing masks which can block vision, or use makeup.
• Trick-or-treat during the daylight. If you must trick-or-treat at night, carry a flashlight. Adults should always accompany young children.
• Stay within the neighborhood and only visit homes you know or attend community-sponsored events.
• Travel with a parent, older sibling, or a group of children.
• Watch for traffic. Cross streets carefully, at corners, never in the middle of the block, especially between parked vehicles.
• Only give and accept wrapped or packaged candy. Never eat candy before an adult has had a chance to inspect it.
• Keep costumed children away from pets. The pet may not recognize the child and become frightened.
• Avoid hard plastic or wood props such as daggers or swords. Substitute with foam rubber, which is soft and flexible.
• Motorists need to slow down. Try driving five miles–per-hour slower than the posted speed limit. Be extra alert to children crossing the street.
• Turn your headlights on. Even in daylight, headlights will make your vehicle more visible.

The community is reminded posted speed limits will be strictly enforced. Safety is a major concern during Halloween, as youngsters share streets with vehicles while trick-or-treating. Drivers are asked to be mindful of the many children out in the community during the evening. Parents can access the police department website at www.cdapolice.com and research the sex offender data base in order to make informed decisions about where your child will trick or treat.

From: Sergeant Christie Wood, Public Information Officer, Coeur d’Alene Police Department

No Rediculous Car Trips

This video highlights a great encouragement campaign. I really like their ideas for getting people to replace their car trips with bicycle trips.

No ridiculous car trips from Martin Lang on Vimeo.

Women's Liberation and the Bicycle

A while back I made reference to the bicycle being credited for its role in the women's liberation movement. Here is an excerpt from a documentary about just that, entitled Victorian Cycles Wheels of Change. I would like to see the entire film some day.

Thinking of building a fence AND need to get rid of some excess bike parts? Here's the perfect solution...

What will they think of next?

An airbag for your head.

I think the video explains it best.



Pre-order here http://www.hovding.se/how.php for only $375.

Feeling the Love

Doesn't it make you feel good to see letters like this?

From today's Coeur 'd Alene Press:

BIKE PATH: A sign of progress

Thanks to whoever was responsible for
extending the Atlas Road Bike Path from the unbuilt subdivision to the south
side of I-90. Doing so removed a very dangerous section of travel on Atlas Road
when heading to the Centennial Trail.

The marked cross walk from the
west side of Atlas over to the east side is also a plus.

This was a much
needed improvement to our fantastic trail system we have in Coeur d'Alene.

RON ORCUTT

Coeur d'Alene

A Lot More People Bike to Work

The recent census shows an increase in biking to work.

Read the full story at Wired.

Another Saddle, Soup-Skedaddle

Saddle, Soup-Skedaddle
Saturday, October 16th, 2010-11:00 am – 2:30pm

Bicycle Sales and Service and Fort Ground Grill are joining together AGAIN for a fun bike ride on the Prairie Trail AND finish with soup, sandwich, and a beverage.

One last bike ride before the snow comes and we get the skis and snowboards out, and get a great meal all at the same time helping our Centennial Trail System and Lakes Magnet Middle School.

Here’s the deal: Start riding your bicycle between 11:00am and 11:30am from the Fort Ground Grill (705 River Ave. Coeur d’Alene, ID) and go north up the Prairie Trail portion of the Centennial Trail and then return to the Fort Ground Grill and enjoy a soup and sandwich and beverage. Or you can ride your bike from anywhere you like and still join them at the Fort Ground Grill between 12noon and 2:30pm for a great lunch for $15.00.

This is a non-race event sponsored by 4th Street Cycling Club, along with Ft. Ground Grill, Bicycle Sales and Service and Panhandle Bank to encourage healthy life styles for families. Proceeds from this fall event will go to the Centennial Trail Foundation and the Lakes Magnet Middle School. The Fort Ground Grill’s location where the trail turns north from the Fort Ground area along the river to the Prairie Trail is the perfect launch and landing area for the Fall Trail “fund” Ride. $15.00 covers soup, sandwich and one non-alcohol drink. Families will pay no more than $45.00 for all to participate. Your $15.00($45.00 families) makes you eligible for door prizes. They’ll start calling names at noon and stop at 2:30pm. (All names will be nice ones).

More info: Contact Bicycle Sales and Service (208) 667-8969 or check on line at www.bicycleservice.com or stop in at the Fort Ground Grill and pick up a flier.

Rails to Trails Conservancy Honors Two Local Trails

Article and photo from the Coeur d'Alene Press.

Two popular biking trails in North Idaho have been named to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's Rail-Trail Hall of Fame.

The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes and the Route of the Hiawatha were both honored recently.
"We've had some rigorous debates here in the national office to narrow down our choices to the first 25 Hall of Fame inductees," said Karl Wirsing, director of Communications with the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy. "It's no easy task because there are countless deserving trails around the country."

The 15-mile Hiawatha and the 72-mile Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes were the only Idaho trails to be selected by the Washington, D.C.-based organization.

"We are lucky to have two really great bike trails in such close proximity to Coeur d'Alene, Post Falls, Spokane and Missoula," said Ric Clarke, Route of the Hiawatha trail supervisor. "What's even more unique is the fact that the two trails are so close to each other. More and more people are figuring out that they can connect the two for a single, sensational riding experience."
The Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes is managed by The Tribe and the state of Idaho.

"It is one of the best kept secrets in northern Idaho," said Coeur d'Alene Tribe Chairman Chief Allan. "It showcases our homeland."

Recent trail developments are making it possible to ride between and beyond these two pathways, setting up the potential for an unprecedented trail loop across North Idaho and parts of Montana.

The paved Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes begins in Plummer at the Coeur d'Alene Tribe's Veterans Memorial Park, a few miles shy of the Washington border, and heads northeast along Lake Coeur d'Alene and the Coeur d'Alene River until Mullan, scratching at the Montana state line. Mullan used to be the end of the road, so to speak.

But the nonprofit Friends of the Coeur d'Alene Trails has helped extend the pathway from Mullan roughly 11 miles to Lookout Pass on the Idaho-Montana border, said Leo Hennessy, non-motorized trails coordinator for the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation.

The extension is known as the NorPac Trail and it uses a Northern Pacific right of way that has become an open Forest Service road. It is marked and signed as a trail, with a packed-gravel surface. People can still drive on it, often to access other nearby hiking trails in the Bitterroots.
To reach the NorPac Trail from the eastern end of the Coeur d'Alenes, users can follow signs to take a paved, low-traffic road for about three miles to detour around the Lucky Friday mine, which still operates in Mullan along the rail corridor.

At the three-mile mark, there is railroad grade, which begins with a climb of nearly 1,500 feet up to Lookout Pass, elevation 4,680 feet, at the Montana state line.

"It's a major grade," said Hennessy. "You'll be crankin' in low gear at times."

The Hiawatha was also named the No. 1 Rail to Trail in the nation earlier this year by USA Today.

IPBA Hires Executive Director

Idaho Pedestrian and Bicycle Alliance (IPBA) is pleased to announce the hiring of its first Executive Director, Whitney Rearick. Rearick has worked for many years as a policy analyst and advocacy director for nonprofits in Idaho and Utah and brings to IPBA years of experience in fundraising, community organizing and planning. She holds degrees from Lehigh and Tufts Universities and is a long-time pedestrian and bike commuter whose favorite bike, a Motobecane, originally belonged to Rearick’s mother, who commuted to work on the bike during the 1970s.

IPBA was formed after a Statewide Conference on Active Transportation held at Boise State University in 2009. Conference participants agreed that Idaho needs a unified voice to educate, connect and engage around active transportation statewide. A top priority is adopting "Complete Streets"
policies that promote streets designed to safely provide for all users.

Idaho Pedestrian and Bicycle Alliance connects and informs proponents of active transportation in communities large and small, in every part of Idaho. IPBA has received a major challenge grant from the Alliance for Biking and Walking (ABW).
It will match all funds raised by IPBA through grants, memberships and donations. Groups, organization and individuals are invited to join IPBA by signing up at www.idahopedbike.org.

Now is a great time to join or donate! Follow us on Twitter (@idahopedbike) and Facebook.

Riding in the Rain

It's the rainy season again. That doesn't mean you have to drive your car on rainy days. You just need to know how to gear up. Over at EcoVelo.com, they have some great information for bike commuters who want to ride regardless of a little water on the roads and in the sky.


http://www.ecovelo.info/2008/10/31/wet-weather-riding-tips-from-the-pnw/

You are invited to....A Ped/Bike Workshop

The Pedestrian / Bicycle Advisory Committee to the Coeur d'Alene City Counsel has designated the October meeting as a workshop for setting priorities for the up and coming year.  The Ped/Bike Committee is soliciting input from the community in creating these agenda items.  If you have any ideas that you feel would impact and improve the Pedestrian / Bicycle community in Coeur d'Alene, please feel free to come to this workshop on October 13th (2nd Wednesday) or e-mail your suggestions to Monte McCully at mmccully@cdaid.org If you would like to attend this workshop, it will be held at 5:30 pm in the old City Counsel Chambers at Coeur d'Alene City Hall (710 E Mullan Ave.)  Hope to see you there!

Speak up for transportation funding

The Governor’s Transportation Task Force meets Oct. 8 – Tell them how you think we should fund local transportation needs.

For the first time in years, Idaho communities have an opportunity to chart their own future and start solving transportation problems like mobility, traffic and safety at the local level. The Governor’s Transportation Task Force is recommending several options to the Governor, including a local option sales tax. A local option sales tax could help fund Idaho communities’ ability to keep roads and bridges safe, create reliable bus service and provide safe places to walk and bike.

They meet next on October 8, and it’s important that they hear from you now.
Take 30 seconds to let the Task Force know what you think. Go to their comment form here at http://apps.itd.idaho.gov/apps/WebCommentsTaskForce/