May is National Bike Month, and the week of May 13 is Bike to Work Week. A number of events are planned in West Windsor and neighboring communities; one (or more) is sure to be right for you. We’ve also included a few for walkers. (Note that not all events listed below are organized by the WWBPA)
May 5:West Windsor Walks to the opening day of the farmers’ market. Join us at 8:50 a.m. in the parking lot at the back of Maurice Hawk Elementary school for a leisurely stroll of just over a mile. We’ll start walking at 9 a.m. and are?excited that the route this year will take us along some stretches of sidewalk that weren’t there last year. Kids will be challenged by a game of “I Spy.” People in wheelchairs and kids in strollers are welcome.
May 6: Bring your child (up to age 10) and bike to a free bike skills class at Plainsboro’s Founders Day. Princeton’s police department is sponsoring a separate bike skills class that includes a bike obstacle course on May 19; call 921-2100, ext. 1848 for details.
May 11-12: Adults aren’t being left out. This skills class, offered through the West Windsor Recreation Department, is for those who want to boost their confidence when riding on the road. Cost is $50, but the WWBPA will reimburse $25 of the cost for members. Plus we’ll cover the other $25 for the first five members who write a review of the class that we can use on our website.
May 12: Buy a bike at Bike Exchange in Ewing and get a free helmet from Greater Mercer Transportation Management Association. Learn more about this and other GMTMA events during National Bike Month here.
May 14-18: National Bike to Work Week. Register for a free T-shirt and a raffle with GMTMA.
May 15:Bikers Breakfast at the Princeton Junction train station, sponsored by the WWBPA and Greater Mercer Transportation Management Association, starting at 6 a.m. Grab a drink and a snack on us. Want a bike locker? We’ll tell you how to get one.
May 16: The WWBPA is supporting one of three area Ride of Silence events to honor cyclists killed or injured on the roads. Meet at 6:45 p.m. in the Municipal Center parking lot; the silent one-hour ride will leave at 7 p.m. We will have a West Windsor police escort and a funeral hearse courtesy of Mather Hodge. We suggest you wear a black armband and turn on your front and rear lights. We will stick together for the entire 10-12 mile route. Last year, more than 12,000 cyclists took part in events around the world.
May 19: Tour historic Trenton with the Trenton Cycling Revolution. More information about this 15-mile ride and registration at www.trentoncycling.org.
May 26: BikeFest, West Windsor’s bicycling extravaganza, with rides for people of all abilities, from 1.5 miles to 40 miles. Register at www.westwindsorbikefest.com. Say “hi” to the WWBPA after your ride!
June 16: The WWBPA holds a free “learn to bike” class for kids who want to get off training wheels at the West Windsor Farmers’ Market. Watch the video of last year’s class.Note: This is a members-only event.
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So your child knows to how to bike but needs some extra safety skills? As part of Plainsboro?s Founders Day celebration, the township?s recreation department is sponsoring a free ?bicycling skills 123? class on Sunday, May 6 for kids up to age 10. Instructors certified by the League of American Bicyclists will teach them about cycling safety and responsible riding.
Participants will learn about and practice stopping, proper signaling, and other aspects of basic traffic safety. They will also ride in a “chaos box” to demonstrate the importance of following the rules of the road.
Come with a bike and helmet to the municipal grounds between 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.
The WWBPA is delighted to support the event.
Can’t make it? BikeFest will include a “bike rodeo” where kids can practice their skills.
Adults can take a more intensive traffic skills class through the West Windsor Recreation Department.
Claim your spot (and T-shirt) at BikeFest, West Windsor’s big one-day bike extravaganza!
The ninth annual BikeFest is set for May 26 (Saturday of Memorial Day weekend; rain date is Sunday) and includes the usual five route options, from the 1.5-mile loop within Community Park for young kids to the 40-mile route for experienced cyclists. Registration is open; just download the form and mail your check or drop it off at the West Windsor Recreation Department.
BikeFest includes a “bike rodeo” to help younger cyclists learn safe riding skills.
The WWBPA isn’t the organizer of BikeFest; that is Dan Gerstenhaber and his team. But many trustees and student advisors will be there as volunteers, and we’ll also have a table with plenty of materials. So stop for a chat after your ride.
Ride into the summer season with West Windsor?s eighth annual BikeFest on Saturday May 28, at West Windsor Community Park, just off Route 571.
This is an “event” ride for all riders of levels, with routes ranging from 1.5 miles inside the park to 40 miles around West Windsor. Registration includes lunch and a post-ride party with music, moon bounce and giant slide. Riders will be given cue sheets and maps, and there will be water stops along the routes.
For those who want to brush up on their bike skills, head over to the Bike Safety Rodeo between 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m.
Register for? BikeFest online or on the day. Preregister by May 13 to receive a T-shirt and save $5.
Bicyclists of all ages and abilities attended the seventh annual?West Windsor BikeFest on Sunday, May 30 (postponed a day because of the weather) over Memorial Day weekend. The weather on Sunday couldn’t have been better! A bike rodeo helped to educate young riders about the rules of the road and safe riding practices.
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.
Take the WWBPA’s challenge for the seventh annual BikeFest on May 29: Get a group together to make the day even more fun! Let’s see how many groups we can get and how big they can be. Plus,?share your BikeFest stories and photos on the WWBPA’s Facebook page.
Get in your application and join hundreds of others cycling on West Windsor streets.
Need a warm-up ride? Bike&Walk Montclair is co-hosting the eighth annual Tour de Montclair on May 16.
The WWBPA closes out its season at the West Windsor Farmers’ Market this Saturday, October 10. Stop by to talk about your bicycle and pedestrian concerns. As usual, we will be selling reflective vests, which are an excellent way for both walkers and cyclists to ensure they are visible during these dark winter months, as well as our usual array of other bicycle safety equipment.
Our last Bike Rodeo of 2008 also takes place on Saturday as part of Hightstown Harvest Fair. Downtown will be closed off for several thousand visitors. The fair runs from 10 am to 4 pm, and the Bike Rodeo takes place from 1 pm to 4 pm in the parking lot of First Constitution Bank, 140 Mercer Street. Bring your bike and learn some new skills.
Bring your bicycle to West Windsor?s second environmental fair, GroWW, on October 3 and take part in the WWBPA?s Bike Rodeo. This is an excellent way for riders of all ages to practice skills like dodging obstacles and properly making left turns as well as to learn the ABC Quick Check.
The rodeo will run from 10 am to 2 pm in the Vaughn Drive parking lot.
The WWBPA also will hold a rodeo at Hightstown?s Harvest Fair on October 10. Find us in the First Constitution Bank parking lot, 140 Mercer Street, between 1 pm and 4 pm.
Monthly meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month via Zoom. We will eventually resume meeting in the West Windsor Municipal Building. Email us at [email protected] if you would like the Zoom code.
Find us at the West Windsor Farmers Market (Vaughn Drive parking lot) from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. every other Saturday from May through Halloween.
May is National Bike Month, and the week of May 13 is Bike to Work Week. A number of events are planned in West Windsor and neighboring communities; one (or more) is sure to be right for you. We’ve also included a few for walkers. (Note that not all events listed below are organized by the WWBPA)
May 16: The WWBPA is supporting one of three area Ride of Silence events to honor cyclists killed or injured on the roads. Meet at 6:45 p.m. in the Municipal Center parking lot; the silent one-hour ride will leave at 7 p.m. We will have a West Windsor police escort and a funeral hearse courtesy of Mather Hodge. We suggest you wear a black armband and turn on your front and rear lights. We will stick together for the entire 10-12 mile route. Last year, more than 12,000 cyclists took part in events around the world.
Funding from BikeFest
The WWBPA isn’t a sponsor of BikeFest but?thanks the BikeFest committee for its continued support for safer cycling in West Windsor.
