Tour de Pines 2016

This is a short notice to Delaware Valley Trike Riders and our other cycling friends about the upcoming 2016 Pinelands Preservation Alliance Tour de Pines bike rides scheduled for September 28 through October 2. Each day a different ride, between 45-53 miles each, is offered. These rides take you through several historic towns and through miles of beautiful pine forests. Shorter rides of 22-27 miles are offered Sep. 28th, and Oct. 1st and 2nd. All rides travel nearly flat and very bike friendly roads.

Downloadable GPS files and paper cue sheets are provided. Riders are responsible for their own transportation, food and lodging. All rides start at 9:00 AM.

A Chili & Beer post-tour celebration will be held at PPA’s headquarters. Free to all registered riders, or $10 for others.

Your registration fees, for a single, multiple or full week of rides, goes directly to supporting the important efforts of the Pinelands Preservation Alliance.

If you can’t make the cycle trip, the Pinelands Preservation Alliance offers several guided tours and hikes through various forest areas and each is lead by a very experienced guide.

For Tour de Pines information visit:
http://www.pinelandsalliance.org/exploration/ppaprograms/tourdepines/

For other PPA programs and information visit:
http://www.pinelandsalliance.org

I hope to see some of you in the pines!

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Sullivan Bridge Opening

This is a trail opening update to my fellow Delaware Valley Trike Riders… Good News to share! The Sullivan Bridge, linking the Betzwood Trail (Schuylkill River Trail, Audubon Trail, Perkiomen Trail) to Valley Forge National Park trails will be opened on Friday, August 19, at 10:30 AM.
This long awaited river crossing will provide a link across the Schuylkill River enabling trikers, bikers, walkers, runners and  others to access both river banks and many more miles of recreational travel.

An excellent map of the trailheads is available from *here*.

I hope you have an opportunity to make use of this new river crossing – it really does open up many miles of trails well suited for recumbent trike riders!

Happy Trails!
Wayne K

46 mile South Jersey Ride

Hi Everyone, I’m happy to share this ride announcement from our fellow recumbent trike rider and club member, Mike Broennle. It sounds like a great morning ride on very bike friendly roads… and the weather should be perfect! This ride is sponsored by the Delaware Valley Bicycle Club. I hope you can make it!

Here’s the message from Mike:

Hello DelValTrikers,

I would like to invite you to join me this Saturday, May 15 for a 46 mi ride in South Jersey from Newport, crossing the Maurice River, to Woodbine NJ, then return via the same flat roads. While I have not ridden this route, my friend Woody who planned it, tells me the roads are either quiet, bike friendly or have wide shoulders. This is the shortest of 3 routes offered on the Bonkers Tour, a lightly supported ride put on by the Delaware Valley Bicycle Club. The $10 fee is to cover sag support. Cue sheet may be printed out at http://dvbc.org/event/40th-annual-bonkers-tour/  Onsite registration also available at the same price.
The weather report this am calls for afternoon rain. I plan to decide whether to eat lunch in Woodbine or return immediately depending on the forecast on Saturday.
Flat roads in a quiet area of southern NJ not far from the Delaware Bay.
Ride begins at 9 am. Arrive by 8:40 am. Sag support till 3 or 4 pm. (I doubt sag service can bring you and your trike back to the start)
Please let me know if you plan to join me.
This is a road ride so bring your tail lights & flags.

Mike Broennle

Call for 2016 Rides

Delaware Valley Trike Riders have been pretty supportive of local rides for good causes and have shared good cause for local rides.
If you know of a local ride that is suitable for fellow trike riders, especially those that are rallies for good causes – please send a link or other information and I’ll see to it that it is shared here.
Thank you to those who supported such rides last year – hopefully with enough notice, more of us can add some of these rides into our schedules.

I look forward to riding with you soon!
Wayne K

2016 Service Reminder

With the delayed onset of traditional winter weather I hope that our fellow Delaware Valley Trike Riders have been able to add some extra miles to their season! Now that the colder north winds are beginning to make their presence known, in this new year of 2016, it might be a good time to consider having your machine serviced to get ready for a carefree riding experience this spring.

If you are more into the DIY scene then take a look back at a couple of archived articles on preparing mechanically and preparing safely before hitting the trails and highways this spring.

Whether you do your own tune-up or make use of one of the fine mechanics in our area – you might also consider what upgrades you might like to make. Some of those to consider might be for comfort – like adding a head rest, seat and lumbar supports or even more flexible or seasonally appropriate clothing. Safety items are often overlooked until the last minute, such as a new headlamp, clip-less pedals, a comfortable helmet or a flag.

I hope this year that more members will find opportunities to join the club rides in our area. If you have a particular favorite you would like to ride again, or you would like to share a knowledge of a ride with your fellow members – even those that are planed by others for charity or pleasure – please let us know.

Happy New Year, and I hope to ride with you soon!
Wayne K

Giving the Gift of Cycling

If you are thinking about gifting a bicycle to someone you love this holiday season, I hope that you would consider purchasing one from the New Jersey Bike Exchange where you can find some great reconditioned bikes for everyone on your list.

Location: In the Capital Plaza Shopping Center, 1500 North Olden Avenue, Ewing, NJ 08638.
Hours: Tuesday and Thursday Evenings from 5:00 to 7:45, and Saturdays from 10:00 to 3:45.

I’ve been volunteering as a bike mechanic at the Trenton Bike Exchange and right now we have one of the fullest inventories of bikes available for everyone from small children needing training wheels to adult bikes (including road bikes, hybrids, mountain bikes, even electric assist bikes) as well as a few collectible vintage bikes. All bikes are safe and in great condition – many are like new! Every bike is priced to provide an exceptional value and all of the proceeds are provided to support the fine programs at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Mercer County. Many children’s “first bikes” are priced between $5.00 and $15.00!

The New Jersey Bike Exchange has been operating with an all volunteer staff since 2009 and has sold over 12,000 bikes and provided the Boys and Girls Club over $655,000 in funding. In addition to the bike reconditioning and sales activities, the Bike Exchange also provides a program of focused mechanical training to interns from the Boys and Girls Club and provides similar volunteer opportunities to students at local schools and universities.

Bike donations are always welcome! You can drop off your bike at the Trenton Bike Exchange during business hours or at any one of 13 other partner locations in New Jersey or Pennsylvania. Bike donation drives are also a great project for students needing community service credits for school or within your faith community or neighborhood. If you are interested in starting a bike donation drive, please contact The Bike Exchange and we can help you get started.

Volunteers are always welcome and positions are available for mechanics, sales and store managers. No Experience is Necessary! If you have the desire we will provide the training. Stop in any time we are open for business and let us show you around.

For additional information:
• New Jersey Bike Exchange.
• Bike Donation or Bike Drive.
• Volunteer Opportunities contact.
• Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County.
• Partner Bike Shops for local drop off.