I know, the weather out side is frightful but the fire is so delightful . I’d been off riding while repairing vandalism to my road bike (an old Schwinn) and now some of my pants feel tight. Repairs, however, a break in the weather Saturday morning and a steady stream of emails from some favorite cycling organization have got me going again. Here are four mass rides I plan to help put on. They all cost money to go on. And they are very different. Consider coming with.

Bike New York has already opened registration for the TD Bank 5 Boro Bike Tour . This 42-mile ride brings out tens of thousands of riders because it is truly closed cell. Vehicle traffic is completely shut down along the route. As a result, parents and children turn out in huge numbers. (The kids seems always to ride faster than their parents.) On Sunday May 3, it starts at the Battery in lower Manhattan and ends at Fort Wadsworth in Staten Island. Because I ride toward the end, fixing flats, handing out water & snacks, I plan to eat dinner in SI. Any suggested places?  read more »

Through dreary rain, late Monday afternoon, I dodged jammed Madison Avenue traffic to the Municipal Art Society office in exquisite remains of the Villard Mansion. There NYC’s Transportation Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan explained her strategic plan for “Sustainable Streets.” The wine flowed, the sushi, ginger & wasabi were fresh (even without soy sauce), the tabuli tangy, the tapinade, salty.

People packed shoulder to shoulder, making dancing to the swing trio impractical. Deputy Mayor Edward Skyler was there, as was NYPC Commissioner Ray Kelly (Kelly was so freshly dressed, so creased, so unwrinkled, so calm, he glowed. I’ll bet he didn’t cycle over.) The overwhelmingly white, suited crowd had a few cycling advocates mixed in: Transportation Alternatives’ Paul Steely White in his signature vest, Straphanger Gene Russianoff in cacki chinos, Karen Overton, formerly of Recycle-A Bicycle. But, for me the big news was who was missing: I saw no elected officials at all.  read more »

It's spring, the weather has been perfect and May (which starts Thursday) is Bike Month. Middle-aged folk like me (and Room 8's Larry Littlefield ) are looking for exercise, cheap transport and global warming solutions. Bike messengers, Critical Mass riders (like my Council Member Rosie Mendez), edgy fixed-gear fanatics and teens are already out there. Join us. (For a full list of Bike Month events, click here (For Jennifer 8 Lee's NYT Bike Month Round-up, including NYC DOT plans, click here ).

It's already too late to sign up for the biggest NYC pleasure ride the Five Boro Bike Tour on Sunday May 4 which filled up at the beginning of April. The 42-mile car-free ride through NYC's streets parks and highways is an odd mob scene with a cast of tens of thousands, lots of snacks, flat tires and sweat. Because the whole ride is done with no cars, you get a little of the feeling about what a car-free-NYC might be like. Pedaling on auto-free highways is a revelation. It is definitely not for those who want to be alone. If you're going, look for me there.

Three still-open May bike rides:

The 6th Annual Brooklyn Greenway Bike Tour on Saturday May 3, 2008  read more »

Protest Saturday September 8, 10AM As part of the ongoing demands that New York and Federal authorities fund appropriate health monitoring and treatment for responders to September 11, NYC's Central Labor Council has asked people to turn out Saturday 10 AM.

HONOR, SUPPORT AND RESPECT
the contributions and sacrifices of all workers

WHEN: Saturday, September 8, 2007 at 10:00 A.M.

WHERE: West Broadway between Vesey and Barclay Streets

Sponsored by:

NYC Central Labor Council
NYS AFL-CIO
Building & Construction Trades Council

The strong positions taken by Mt. Sinai's Irving J. Selikoff Center For Occupational & Environmental Medicine on behalf on injured and ill September 11th responders has subjected them to a hail of criticism which ironically is more or less identical to that leveled at Dr. Selikoff himself when he began campaigning against reckless exposure of workers and citizens to asbestos. I've been treated by the Selikoff Center for job injuries and I've used their expertise in asbestos litigation. See you Saturday Morning.  read more »

Starting Monday, I will help put on a mass bike ride from Albany to the Battery in NYC. The Hudson Valley Pedal will go through great countryside and now more solidly Democratic Congressional districts. We'll camp out along the way, meet local elected officials, fix flats, talk politics and drink beer. (A truck brings tents, luggage, food, so we bike with minimal burdens).

In case long distance, multi-day biking feels to be too much for you, I want to alert you to two NYC opportunities:

On Sunday September 9, 2007, The NYC Century offers cycling options at every range: 100, 75, 50 , 35 & 15 mile routes. Because many fewer people go on it, than on the 5 BBC ride in the spring (6,000 vs. 42,000), the mob scene aspect of the ride is much reduced. People say the lack of crush makes the NYC Century a lot of fun. I plan to help out on the ride. Come say "hi!" The ride costs money, benefits Transportation Alternatives and fills up; register now.

On Sunday Oct 21, 2007 The Tour de Bronx (which was my first and for that reason perhaps) is still my favorite mass bike ride.  read more »