At the BikeWalk Retreat held February 24-25 in Richmond, members of the Board and general membership gathered to plan the organization's future path. Building BikeWalk Virginia's capacity to advance its mission of creating a creating a safer, healthier, cleaner and wealthier Virginia was viewed as paramount.

Small group brainstorming focused on two parallel tracks of program services and organizational health. BWV's current major educational programs - the Annual Conference and Bike Smart Virginia - will be joined by Safe Routes to School and other initiatives. Organizational health will be strengthened through growing the membership, particularly through development of additional local chapters around the state; more fundraising, especially through new sponsorships; and increasing our advocacy voice in Richmond. There was a lengthy discussion about how the integration of Virginia Trails into BikeWalk Virginia impacted its mission and how this affected priorities.

See next month's newsletter for complete details of the strategic plan's goals and objectives.

Our third chapter is on-board and ready to promote biking, walking, and trails in the Northern Neck of Virginia. The "Northern Neck" is comprised of four counties - Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland. The Northern Neck is bordered on the east by the Potomac River and the Chesapeake Bay and on the west by the Rappahannock River. The new chapter's officers are: Donald Mitchell, President; Fletcher Brown, Vice-President; Karen Doyle, Secretary; and Thomas Richardson, Treasurer.

With the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail encompassing the Northern Neck, the region is a virtual cycling paradise. This scenic trail is a part of the National Park Service and embraces the Potomac and Upper Ohio River basins from the Chesapeake Bay to the Allegheny Highlands. To introduce cyclists to the area's natural beauty, Northern Neck BikeWalk-Trails, in cooperation with BikeWalk Virginia, is organizing an inaugural biking event on Saturday, September 30.

"The Northern Neck area is excited about hosting our first bike tour this fall. This new venture will allow us to showcase our unique historical area. From Washington's birthplace to historic Christ Church, there is a plethora of sites and sounds to absorb. Located in the middle of the Atlantic flyway, the Northern Neck has over 6,500 acres of natural areas and preserves that provide bikers, hikers, and birders with an excellent opportunity to enjoy nature at its finest. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with BikeWalk Virginia," says Patty Long, Northern Neck Tourism Council Executive Director.

8th Annual Virginia Bike Walk Conference
April 30 - May 3, 2006
Lynchburg, VA

The 8th Annual Virginia Bike Walk Conference will kick off on Sunday evening, April 30, with a reception and a presentation entitled "Vision of Virginia". Given by Brian Porter, ODU Professor of Psychology, it will focus on his recent analysis of pedestrian safety in the Commonwealth. On Monday morning, there will be a plenary session with an update on the NOVA "Street Smart" Campaign, an update on the SAFETEA-LU Strategic Planning Process, and a progress report on implementation of the VDOT bicycle/pedestrian accommodations policy. Charlie Zegeer, internationally-renown transportation expert and director of the Pedestrian Bicycle Information Center, will be the keynote speaker at lunch. The afternoon will consist of breakout sessions.

Early bird registration rates and hotel discounts end on March 31 so register today!

On February 14, the House of Delegates voted to refer HB 1211, the bill intended to strengthen pedestrian safety in crosswalks, to the Committee on Courts and Justice, thereby thwarting further action this legislative session. However, this will give proponents of the bill more time to work with Committee members to review the code as it relates to pedestrian safety and craft the needed language to improve pedestrian safety.

In other action, the House of Delegates has voted to eliminate matching funds for transportation projects that do not specifically pertain to roads and highway, e.g. matching funds for trails and pedestrian and bicycle facilities. Federal money has been secured for these projects, and the Kaine budget provided the required 20% state match. Please ask the Senate- House budget conferees to restore this match. Trails are transportation projects that help eliminate congestion on the highways.

What better way to enjoy spring sunshine than to bike the wonderful, scenic and flat Mathews County back roads along the Chesapeake Bay. Join 1,000 cycling enthusiasts on Saturday, May 20th for the Tour de Chesapeake VIII, organized by BikeWalk Virginia.

All routes will be clearly marked and monitored from start to finish. Free energy goodies at rest stops will help riders keep up their strength. Lunch will be at the historic Williams Wharf. SAG vehicles will patrol the routes to give a lift to tired riders and their bicycles. Sports therapists will be on hand to offer massages to relax tired muscles.

The tour is perfect for a family's first biking adventure or for a seasoned cycling veteran's spring warm-up. Routes are planned to complement every cyclist's skills and abilities. Cyclists can choose tours of 15, 18, 25, 35, 46, or 62 miles in length.

"Mathews County is a wonderful area to bike - scenic back roads through forests and salt marshes beside bay beaches - with little traffic - and it's flat!" says Allen Turnbull, Executive Director of BikeWalk Virginia.

The registration fee includes lunch, food at all rest stops, entertainment, a tour book with maps and route notes, SAG support, hot showers, free post- ride dessert and a Tour de Chesapeake t-shirt. Registration is $50.00 for adults ($40 for current BikeWalk members) with discounts for teens and children. Click on the link below or e-mail info@bikechesapeake.org.

Trail users throughout the state will be monitoring the hearing on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail that begins on March 27.

Barbara Notar is president of Save the Trails, a non- profit 501 c(3) organization focused on preserving this natural resource for cyclists, walkers, and equestrians. She is hopeful about the outcome of the hearing, noting that many people came out to speak in favor of the trail at the public hearings held in February. Barbara is also very thankful to the many members of Bike Walk Virginia from Alexandria, Arlington, Reston, Vienna as well as BikeWalk Alexandria and the Washington Area Bicyclists Association for their generous contributions and support. The many donations they received have helped to pay for their legal counsel, which is needed for the organization to participate as a party in the formal hearing.

Members of the public wishing to speak at the public hearing can contact Barbara at info@savethetrails.com. A "Save the Trail" party will be held on Sunday evening, March 12 from 3-11 pm at Ball's Bluff Tavern 2-D Loudon Street, SW in historic downtown Leesburg (tel. 703-777-7757). For only $10, payable at the door, you can join the fun and party for a good cause!

Some 5,700 acres of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests in southwest Virginia may be sold under a recent Bush administration proposal.

More than $1 billion dollars could be raised from the proposed sale of more than 300,000 acres of national forests and other public land to help pay for rural schools and roads. Environmentalists have opposed the plan, saying that forests in Virginia and across the nation should be protected. "That land has been hard to come by," said David Carr, an attorney with the Southern Environmental Law Center in Charlottesville. "It's crazy to be selling it off to meet short-term budget needs."

May is National Bike Month
Now is the time to start planning activities for Bike- to-Work Week from May 15-19 and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 19. The official website sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists provides an excellent organizer's kit that can be downloaded.

Biking A-Z: Now Available Free
The bike safety handbook, From A to Z by Bike: The comprehensive guide to safe bicycling for kids and adults is now available free of charge from BikeWalk Virginia for community events, civic meetings, bike safety rodeos, and school presentations. The booklet covers a wide range of alphabetical topics including from H for helmets, M for maintenance, N for night, and R for the rules of the road. This valuable resource been acclaimed by the United States Cycling Federation and the National Bicycle Safety Foundation. To receive free copies for events, BikeWalk Virginia members can e-mail: info@bikewalkvirginia.org or call the office.

Designing Healthy Communities, Raising Healthy Kids
National Public Health Week, April 3-9, 2006
The American Public Health Association and hundreds of partner organizations will explore ways that Americans can build healthier communities and healthier kids during NPHW. Their newsletter contains numerous ideas for promoting this event in your community.

BikesPAC Event Raises $15K for Political Action
At the recent Interbike event, the industry coalition, Bikes Belong hosted a successful fundraiser for BikesPAC, the bicycle industry's political action committee. More than 80 people attended, contributing close to $15,000 to further the bicycling agenda in Washington, D.C. Since 2003, Bikes PAC has strategically donated to the campaigns of 24 members of Congress who support cycling.