Join canal enthusiast Bob Barth for a leisurely bike ride on the historic Delaware & Raritan Canal towpath. We will stop at historic villages and canal structures, such as locks and swing bridges, and talk about why the D&R was one of the most successful canals in the United States.

Helmets required. Bring water and snack. The ride will last approximately three hours.
Meet at the Griggstown Causeway parking lot.
Questions? Call Bob at 201-401-3121.

For independent rides along the towpath in the Millstone Valley,
see the National Scenic Byways suggested route:
Bicycle Ramble along the D&R Canal Towpath.

Cycling Group in Quebec

Traveling the world? National Geographic lists its Top Ten Cycle Routes:

Interested in more routes in the U.S.? Click for the Top 10 American Bicycle Routes.
Want rides closer to home? Click for Regional Biking and Walking Routes.

What would make your list?

Cycling along the carriage roads in Acadia National Park

Traveling to a different part of the country? Want to bicycle when you’re there? HotelsCombined.com has released its Top Ten American Bicycle Destinations, with trails for various ability levels, throughout the country.

Or go to Trails.com and search for a trail (hiking, biking, or backpacking) where you’re heading.
Want rides closer to home? Click for Regional Biking and Walking Routes.
Interested in cycling the world? Check out National Geographic’s Top 10 Cycle Routes.

What trail would you recommend?

The most recent episodes are available at on blip.tv and older episodes (the series began in 1996) are linked from the index on pedestrians.org.

The shows are broadcast on the Princeton Public Access TV Channel (available in West Windsor on Verizon FiOS Channel 45). This summer they are shown on Tuesdays at 7 PM, Fridays at 1:30 PM, and Sundays at 11:30 AM.

The U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS) is a proposed national network of bicycle routes, spearheaded in part by Adventure Cycling, a nonprofit group that began with the idea of a cross-country ride to mark America’s Bicentennial in 1976. It’s also gotten the attention of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Work has picked up recently, and Michigan is leading the way. Route 20 is under way and Route 35 should follow. As the network develops, look for it to connect many existing trails. Still to be decided is where it will go in New Jersey. (Adventure Cycling’s Atlantic Coast route skips the state,  but the East Coast Greenway goes right past West Windsor.)

Links:
Adventure Cycling: U.S. Bicycle Route System News and Updates
U.S. Department of Transportation Blog about the USBRS

Biking Hiking with Kids: Trail information and tips on mountain biking and hiking with kids, with links to other hiking and cycling blogs.

Car-Free American: Bill Poindexter profiles people around the country who use bicycles for commuting, running errands, and recreation.

Car Free Days: Since 2007, two parents have been using cargo bicycles and setting an example for their kids by setting aside days without getting into their cars.

Free Range Kids: “Do you ever…let your kid ride a bike to the library? Walk to school? Make dinner? Or are you thinking about it? If so, you are raising a Free-Range Kid!”

Kids and Nature: Jeff Hoagland is a naturalist and Education Director of the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association.

Let’s Go Ride a Bike: Two friends bike-commute in Nashville and Chicago.

Livin’ in the Bike Lane: Ride hard, ride safe, ride on!

NJ Wild: Carolyn Edelmann blogs about nature, especially along the D&R Canal and towpath.

Pedal Around: a chronicle of  living car-free since Sept. 15, 2009 and his current adventure of bicycling cross-country. Love how he signs off with: PS: Remember, every lane is a bike lane. Share the road.

Streets Blog: The national blog network for sustainable transport, smart growth, and livable streets.

Suburban Bike Mama: Without a car for a few days, this city girl remembered her strong pedestrian roots and vowed to never “need” a car again.

A View from the Cycle Path: David Hembrow blogs about cycling in the Netherlands.

Walk Bike Jersey: The authors are advocates and professionals working to make our residents healthier, our air cleaner, our streets safer and the overall quality of life in New Jersey better.

Here are two easy ways women can keep from adding pounds: brisk walking and biking. An article in the Archives of Internal Medicine, “Bicycle Riding, Walking, and Weight Gain in Premenopausal Women,” reports that even modest amounts of exercise can be effective. A summary of the findings is in Business Week, June 28, 2010, “A Little Biking May Help Premenopausal Women Stay Slim.” The study found that biking is particularly effective for overweight or obese women. (Sorry, but that casual stroll around the neighborhood at a pace of less than three miles an hour doesn’t have that weight-control effect.)

Sunday, September 12 at 8:00 am

Would you like to bike through the heart of Philadelphia surrounded by bicyclists instead of cars?
Join others for a family-friendly bike tour celebrating the freedom of car-free Philadelphia streets. Ride through historic neighborhoods and explore hidden corners of Fairmount Park. Bicyclists of all skill levels are welcome. Bike Philly rolls rain or shine.

Early-bird Registration ends June 30th and includes a free t-shirt ($10 after).

Click here for more information and registration.

Watch a Slide Show from BIkeFest 2010.

BikeFest focuses on bringing awareness of safe cycling and enables families to experience bicycling at various skill levels. Participants discover that West Windsor has many roads that will accommodate all levels of cyclists.

BikeFest is run by a small committee led by Dan Gerstenhaber and supported by Ken Jacobs of the West Windsor Division of Recreation and Parks. Local businesses support the event and many volunteers support registration, rest stops, sweeping, and feeding the event participants. Volunteers are always welcome. For more information go to West Windsor BikeFest.

Funding from BikeFest

The BikeFest committee focuses on safe cycling in West Windsor; funds raised by the event are used to support designated community bicycling improvements. Along with the installation of bike racks in various parts of the township, the BikeFest committee has donated money to help with some of the WWBPA initiatives, most notably the printing of the WWBPA map, Share the Road signs, bicycle racks for theWest Windsor Community Farmers’ Market and the soon-to-be-completed bicycle parking facilities at the Princeton Junction Train Station.

The WWBPA isn’t a sponsor of BikeFest but thanks the BikeFest committee for its continued support for safer cycling in West Windsor.

May is National Bike Month. How are you taking part?