Are unused bicycles cluttering your garage or basement? Bring them to the West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance?s bike drive for Trenton Boys & Girls Club Bike Exchange, which refurbishes donated bikes and sells them to support the Boys & Girls Club?s programs.
Bicycle donations will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10, at the West Windsor Farmers? Market, Vaughn Drive parking lot (off Alexander Road). Bicycles of all ages, style and condition are gratefully accepted. The supply of adult bikes is particularly low. All donations are tax deductible.
Bike Exchange is an all-volunteer organization that collects, conditions and sells used bicycles. It is located in the Capitol Plaza Shopping Center at 1500 N. Olden Avenue in Ewing, NJ, (near Lawrenceville and Trenton) and is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. It has donated about $200,000 to the Boys & Girls Club since starting in 2009. See www.bikeexchangenj.org for more information.
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The WWBPA had something for everyone in May. Where did you see us?
On May 7, we led our second annual walk to mark the start of the farmers’ market season. About 20 people, from grandparents to grandchildren, joined for a walk from Maurice Hawk School to the Farmers’ Market at the Vaughn Drive Parking Lot.? The first stop was at the Arts Center on Alexander Road where Greening of West Windsor (GroWW) was holding an Herb Sale to benefit the plantings at the Arts Center.? We observed the new sidewalk along Alexander Road from Scott Avenue to Wallace Road under construction, and noted that on next year’s walk we would use it.? Crossing Wallace at Alexander instead of at Scott is much safer because cars have a much greater sight line to the pedestrians.? We proceeded to the station, under the tracks, and along the pathway to the Farmers’ Market, where the WWBPA handed out maps and held a drawing for a T-shirt, a reflective vest, a set of lights, a set of ankle bands and a couple of Share the Road decals.
As part of National Bike to Work Week, we joined Greater Mercer Transportation Management Association for a chilly “bikers breakfast” at the station on May 17, offering food, drink and encouragement to cyclists and others. We hope some are ready to get back on a bike, even if not to get to work.
On May 21, we were back at the farmers’ market, teaching about 50 kids to ride bikes without training wheels, using a “balance first” method taught to us by Bike New York.
On May 28, we were at BikeFest, talking to participants about what we do and offering ideas on where to ride.
Our “Ride of Silence,” to honor cyclists killed or injured on the roads, was delayed by rain until June 1. We rode through West Windsor, led by a police car and funeral hearse. If you missed us, check out the photos.
About? 50 area kids, generally ages 5 to 7, learned to ride bicycles without training wheels at the West Windsor Farmers? Market on Saturday , May 21, as they took part in a free ?learn to bike? class with the West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance.
The class used a safe and effective method that teaches kids to first sit and ?scoot? on their bike without pedals or training wheels until they learn how to balance. Pedals are then reattached, kids are taught how to start and stop and then, with a bit more practice, they are cycling without an adult needing to clutch the back of the seat. ?The method isn?t just for kids; the WWBPA also taught one adult on Saturday.
The response from the community ? West Windsor and beyond ? was incredible and exceeded the WWBPA?s expectations. The feedback from parents who brought their children has been overwhelmingly positive, and the WWBPA will be discussing plans for a future event.
Many thanks to Bike Exchange, which supports the Boys and Girls Club of Trenton by selling good used bikes, for the use of loaner bikes. We learned that it’s much easier to learn balance on a small bike (easier to touch the ground solidly with your feet), and we swapped bikes many times.
Our rained-out Ride of Silence will now take place on Wednesday, June 1. It’s one of three events planned for the first days of June.
A Ride of Silence is a one-hour, 10-mile ride (in silence) to honor those killed or injured while cycling on the road. We are thrilled that we will have both a West Windsor police officer and a hearse from Mather-Hodge Funeral Home in our procession. Thanks!
The ride leaves at 7 p.m. from the Municipal Center parking lot, so please arrive by 6:45 p.m. so we can start pedaling on time. Bring lights, reflective vest if you have one — anything to help make us even more visible!? We of course will be obeying all traffic rules. This ride is about promoting safe riding practices, courtesy and sharing the road.
In addition, we are holding a “yoga for cyclists” class with instructor Nancy Sheehan at the Cranbury Library off Main Street on Thursday, June 2. The session starts at 7 p.m. We’ll talk first about fun places to ride in the area (what’s your tip?) and then get into our deep stretch. The May session was great; join us this time!
On Sunday, June 5, we’ll be visiting the Metz Bicycle Museum in Freehold. The museum houses one of the world’s finest collections of antique bicycles,? dating from the 1850’s to the 1950’s.? Hundreds of bicycles are artfully displayed. Boneshakers, highwheelers, quadricycles, tricycles, ordinaries, safeties, children’s bikes, trick bikes, and many more unusual and one-of-a kind cycles make up this fascinating collection. See a lamplighter bicycle that is over eight feet high as well as miniatures made by a prisoner of war in Belgium in the early 1940s.
We will be riding there from Marlboro High School on Route 79 (NOTE CHANGE from the Bicycle Hub in Marlboro, NJ), starting at 11 a.m., and using the off-road Henry Hudson Trail for most of the 6-mile route. This leisurely ride is free, but museum admission is $10. You must RSVP for this ride because of the museum’s capacity; email wwbikeped@gmail.com.
We’ll also be at the West Windsors Farmers Market on June 4; see you there?
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Remember how you learned to bike without training wheels? One of your parents was probably clutching the back of the seat and eventually let go.
The WWBPA is doing it differently: At our free class at the WW Farmers’ Market this Saturday, we’ll take off the training wheels and the pedals, and then lower the seat so the child can touch the ground while seated. Kids will learn to balance by scooting while seated and lifting their feet off the ground. Only then will we put the pedals back on and make sure they know how to start and stop before letting them try to ride.
We’ll be teaching from 9 a.m. til the market closes at 1 p.m. Stop by!
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Did you know that a mere?30-minute ride to and from work?at a leisurely pace burns?500 calories?!
You can find the WWBPA at three events:
A bikers’ breakfast at the Princeton Junction train station on Tuesday, co-hosted with Greater Mercer Transportation Management Association. Stop by between 6:30 a.m. (we’ll aim to be there closer to 6) and 8:30 a.m. for a cup of coffee and some food. It’s our way of saying thanks for biking! You’ll find us on the southbound side. We’ll be happy to chat even if you’re not on your bike.
A Ride of Silence at 7 p.m. on Wednesday that leaves from the Municipal Center parking lot. This is a one-hour, 10-mile ride to honor those injured or killed on the road. Many thanks to Mather-Hodge Funeral Home and Peter Hodge for providing a funeral hearse for our procession of riders! You can read more about it in this Princeton Packet article. The ride will be cancelled if it’s raining. If the weather looks questionable, check the website and Facebook page for updates.
A “Learn to Bike” class aimed at kids 5 years old and older on Saturday at the West Windsor Farmers’ Market on Vaughn Drive. This uses a safe and effective method that doesn’t involve clutching the back of a bike. The class is free but space is limited, so we suggest pre-registering via wwbikeped@gmail.com. Please bring a working bike. A helmet is required (the WWBPA will be selling them for $10). Sessions will run continuously during farmers’ market hours; please arrive between 9 a.m. and noon.
In addition, GMTMA is hosting a bikers breakfast at the Trenton train station from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. on Monday and? a “lunch and learn” session at the Princeton library on Friday to spotlight what Hoboken is doing to promote walking and biking. The session runs from 12:15 p.m. to 2 p.m. and includes lunch refreshments. Space is limited, so pre-register by emailing rhersh@gmtma.org.
Through a variety of innovative planning, transportation, and parking strategies, Hoboken, New Jersey is rapidly transforming itself into one of the most bikeable and pedestrian-friendly municipalities in New Jersey. The consulting firm Civic Eye Collaborative recently produced a film that documents some of the strategies that have been implemented to reduce the need for automobile ownership, and to enhance and promote access to transit and other non-motorized transportation modes. The film shows how fundamental smart urban planning is to the quality of life of citizens, and how important these issues are to a town’s vitality and sustainability. After the movie, Ranjit Walia from Civic Eye Collaborative and Hoboken?s Transportation and Parking Director Ian Sacs will speak about the importance of community outreach and sustainable transportation, and help guide the audience through a “visual preference survey” to engage in a discussion about where, how, and if similar transportation strategies could work in our communities. Lunch refreshments will be served, and attendees will be eligible to participate in a free raffle!
Join the WWBPA for its second annual walk to the West Windsor Farmers’ Market on opening day, May 7.
We’ll gather in the parking lot of Maurice Hawk Elementary School on Clarksville Road by 9:30 a.m. and take a leisurely walk of just over a mile to the market. We’ll stop at the GroWW Herb Sale at the Arts Center and see where some gaps in the sidewalk network will be filled, making it safer to walk between the Arts Center and the train station.
All participants get a WWBPA walking and biking map of West Windsor, and there will be some other goodies to win.
Bring your friends and chat away as you walk along. A group walk back to Hawk will be provided if desired.
Armed with some great training from Bike New York (a wonderful nonprofit group out of NYC), the WWBPA will hold a “learn to ride” class at the West Windsor Farmers’ Market (Vaughn Drive parking lot, off Alexander Road) on May 21 as part of our National Bike Month festivities. This class is aimed at children, but the same techniques work for adults.
Step two: Learn to balance
We will teach your child how to balance on a bike without pedals or training wheels. Then the pedals go back on and we demonstrate how to start and stop.
Step three: Start pedaling
Not all children will learn right away, but parents will go away with skills to teach their child — without breaking their back holding on to the back of the seat. We had great success using this method on our “test cases” during training. Some learned that day, and just about all were cycling within two days. See the approach in action on this Bike New York video.
This class is free and will run continuously. Space is limited so we recommend pre-registering. Please arrive before noon (the farmers’ market starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 1 p.m.). Minimum age is 5.
Bring a bike in good working order. A helmet is required. Don’t have one? The WWBPA sells them for just $10.
Township Council adopted a new concept Monday night for shared streets, also called a woonerf, for the Princeton Junction Transit Village. What’s a woonerf, and how does it work?
Developed by Dutch traffic engineer Hans Monderman, a woonerf is a street where pedestrians and bicyclists share the roadway with motorists as equals.? This concept goes by a number of other names, such as Living Streets, Home Zones or shared space.
The WWBPA made several recommendations to improve the bikeability of the proposed area, including more bike parking at the Farmers Market and in residential parking structures, as well as requiring back-in diagonal parking for improved safety.
The WWBPA is confident that this plan, if built as shown in the pattern book, will be eminently walkable, and will provide those bicyclists who are comfortable in traffic with a wonderful place to stop and enjoy the amenities, like the Farmers Market. We are hopeful that motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians will embrace the new shared street and quickly learn to navigate without traditional traffic control.
The WWBPA provided a free Bike Clinic at the Farmers’ Market on Saturday, August 7. ?We offered people an opportunity to learn how to fix a flat, change a tire, check their ABC’s (air pressure, brakes, cassette/chain/crank), and fit their bike. First Vice-President Chris Scherer brought his bike for demonstrations, and he reported that one woman went home and then rode her bike back to the market. Chris and WWBPA Trustee Dave Robinson showed her how to fix a flat and change a tire, and went through the ABC’s with her, plus fit her with a helmet. She got some hands-on experience and seemed to learn a lot. Several others expressed interest in the clinic and may bring their bikes to the Farmers’ Market on August 21 for another clinic. Stop by at any time between 10.m. and noon. We’ll also do demonstrations at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon on September 4.
In addition to the Bike Clinic, we spoke with many people about bicycle and pedestrian matters. Many were interested?in connections, such as between Princeton and West Windsor or? Plainsboro and West Windsor, and finding routes to destinations, such as Whole Foods from Plainsboro or Hightstown or Mercer County Park from Cranbury Road. Washington Road and the intersection at Cranbury/Wallace and Route 571 were mentioned many times.
If you, too, are interested in attending a Bike Clinic at the Farmers’ Market, send us an e-mail or leave a comment here and we’ll do our best to accommodate you.
Saturday is opening day for the West Windsor Community Farmers? Market on Vaughn Drive. Join the WWBPA for a leisurely walk of less than 1 ? miles from Maurice Hawk Elementary School ?to the market. ?The walk starts at 10 a.m. at the playground behind the school, and the WWBPA will have giveaways for participants.
See old friends, make new ones and get the first local goodies of the season. Then make your own way home, or join the return walk at noon.
The walk is free and no advance sign-up is needed. All children must be accompanied by a parent or other adult for the walk, and all minors must have Walk Waiver, which are available in advance on the WWBPA Web site or on the day of the walk at the school. Walkers are responsible for their own safety and the WWBPA is not liable for any injuries.
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Come out to connect with friends?and to meet new people, too!
The West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance (WWBPA) invites you to participate in a Spring Community Walk on Saturday, May 1, 2010. The walk will start at 10:00 a.m. at the playground behind Maurice Hawk School on Clarksville Road and continue to the West Windsor Community Farmers? Market on Vaughn Drive, where refreshments will be served, and then return at noon to the school. The total distance is less than 3 miles.
The walk is free and no advance sign-up is needed. All children must be accompanied by a parent or other adult for the walk, and all minors must have?Walk Waiver, which are available in advance on the WWBPA Web site or on the day of the walk at the school. Walkers are responsible for their own safety and the WWBPA is not liable for any injuries.
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.
Yesterday was fun at our table at the?West Windsor Community Farmers’ Market for opening day. We set up and staffed our WWBPA table and had lots of people stop by to talk, share ideas, pick up a copy of our spring newsletter, and picked up 4 new memberships!
We’ll be back at the market in 2 weeks, and every other Saturday morning, here’s the season schedule: May 30, June 13 (with the Pedals for Progress Bike Drive), & 27, July 11 & 25, August 8 & 22, and September 12 & 26.
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Monthly meetings are held at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of the month via Zoom due to Covid. We will eventually resume meeting in the West Windsor Municipal Building. Email us at wwbikeped@gmail.com 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.
Are unused bicycles cluttering your garage or basement? Bring them to the West Windsor Bicycle and Pedestrian Alliance?s bike drive for Trenton Boys & Girls Club Bike Exchange, which refurbishes donated bikes and sells them to support the Boys & Girls Club?s programs.
Saturday, May 1, 2010 at 10 a.m.
