Smart Commute: Friday, May 20

On your lunch break, on FRIDAY MAY 20, come to the Smart Commute '05 Festival at the NE corner of Washington and Michigan, in downtown Lansing, next to National City Bank. And bring your friends and coworkers too!

FREE FOOD! The festival is from 11:30 am - 1:30 pm, and if you show up soon enough, you can even have your lunch there. We will have a large tray of sandwiches (turkey, roast beef, and ham), provided by the League of Michigan Bicyclists. We will also have organic apples donated by the East Lansing Food Co-Op. And for anyone who, like me, has never been able to do the low-carb diet, there will be sumptous, doughy, chewy, bready Panera bagels, with rich, creamy cream cheese. (You need calories if you are doing to do all this biking... that's my excuse anyway). Also water and juice from the East Lansing Food Co-Op. For desert, cute little brownie-cupcakes, also provided by the League of Michigan Bicyclists.Other festival highlights:*

MUSIC: Local blues and folk musician, Pete Wittig will be jammin' out on the guitar and harmonica.

* PRIZES! Everyone who registered for Smart Commute '05 will be entered in the prize drawing. Prizes include $20 gift certificates to Foods For Living, a $10 certificate to the Travelers Club Restaurant, a Bike Chain "recycled art" picture frame, pedometers, cycling safety vests, and sports-style water bottles from the Michigan Department of Community Health. We will draw names for prizes at 12:45 pm.

* EXHIBITS! from health, alternative transportation, recreation &fitness, and environmental organizations.

* SMART COMMUTE INFO: We'll also be handing out Smart Commute '05 info packets to help Smart Commuters make every week Smart Commute week. Packet includes bicycling preparation tips, Mid-Michigan Trails and Greenways Map, and more.

* AND MORE: Other great cycling publications that you can pick up: What Every Michigan Bicyclists Needs to Know, Lansing Area Crosstown Bicycle Route Map, Bicycle Michigan 2005 Poster Calendar, and 2005 Shoreline Bicycle Tours.

See you at lunch tomorrow!

(And if you can't make it, stop by the Downtown YMCA Wellness Center at 119 N. Washington (at Ottawa) between 7:00 am and 8:00 am for coffee and bagels, or anytime during the day to pick up literature mentioned above).

I trust that you had many new and exciting experiences, and plenty of Smart Commuting revelations throughout the week. Feel free to share them on this blog! Comment on this post or create a new post--- tell people how it went for you!

Updates for May 19 & 20

SMART COMMUTE '05 SCHEDULE FOR THURSDAY, MAY 19:

Information table at the Downtown YMCA Wellness Center, 119 N. Washington- corner of Washington and Ottawa, all day.

11:00 am - 12:00 pm: Bike parade from the corner of Kalamazoo and Harrisson to the Capitol. This is a tribute parade for Lucinda Means, who recently passed away. Lucinda was the Executive Director of the League of Michigan Bicyclists. More info at: http://www.lmb.org/ljm2006.htm.

There will also be a memorial reception for Lucinda at the Creole Gallery in Old Town from 3:00 pm - 9:00 pm. More info at: http://www.lmb.org/ljm2006.htm.

SMART COMMUTE '05 SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY, MAY 20:
1. Lake Lansing Park South in Haslett: 6:30 a.m. Will have route leaders, departing 6:30 am. Riders on this route can pick up refreshments and literature at Abbott & Albert in East Lansing or at the Downtown YMCA.

2. Grand Woods Park in Delta Twp: 6:30 a.m., will have route leader departing at 7:00 a.m. Riders on this route can pick up refreshments at the Downtown YMCA, corner of Washington and Ottawa, or Abbott & Albert in East Lansing.

3. Park on corner of Abbott and Albert in East Lansing (across from Beggar's Banquet): 6:30 am - 8:30 am. This point is also resting point/final destination for the Haslett-East Lansing-Lansing route, and for the Northern Okemos-East Lansing-Lansing Route, and for the Holt-East Lansing Route. COFFEE, BAGELS, FRUIT, WATER, AND JUICE HERE.

4. Henry Fine Park, East Lansing: 6:30 am, route leader departing at 6:30 a.m. Riders on this route can pick up refreshments at the Downtown YMCA, corner of Washington and Ottawa.

5. Colonial Village Shopping Center: corner of Mt. Hope and Boston, route leader departing at 7:00 a.m., meet near National City Bank. Riders for this route can pick up refreshments at the Downtown YMCA, corner of Washington and Ottawa, or in East Lansing at the corner of Abbott & Albert. (This is a change from Risdale Park, for the South Lansing route).

6. Downtown YMCA Wellness Center in Downtown Lansing: 7:00 am - 5:00 pm am. Ending point for all routes going to downtown Lansing. Group bike parking and showers available. COFFEE, BAGELS, FRUIT, WATER, AND JUICE HERE.
FESTIVAL: 1

1:30 am - 1:30 pm: Smart Commute Festival, at the corner of Michigan and Washington, close to National City Bank. Come check out Pete Wittig's blues and folks tunes, pick up some bike route maps, and win some raffle prizes.

From Georgia of East Lansing

This is from Georgia, of East Lansing:

Greetings! I'm not blogger-savvy, so I thought I'd just send my feedback to you directly, as you suggested. Feel free to post my comments if you wish, using my first name...

Despite the (minor) threat of rain, I went ahead & commuted via bike from my house in E.L. (north of campus) to downtown Lansing. Although my hubbie and I occasionally take a leisurely ride along the river trail during the warm months, this was my first time to bike to Lansing for work purposes. I followed Smart Commute's suggested route (stopping by the Abbott/Albert station on the way--thanks for the bagel & water!).

For the most part, this worked out great, except that the MSU campus bridge linking West Circle Drive & Red Cedar Road (on the way to Kalamazoo St) is _closed_ to both cars & pedestrians! Had to backtrack to Harrison & back around to Kalamazoo.

(Sorry about that Georgia! The folks at the check-point were supposed to mention the construction-- the best detour is to cross the Red Cedar at the MSU Libary, weaving your way from there to the street that runs between the MSU Ice Arena and the Breslin Center-- check out the note about this at www.midmeac.org/bikeroutes).

I was apprehensive about taking Kalamazoo all the way into Lansing. I thought it'd be way too busy & full of potholes. I was pleasantly surprised to find that most of the street--including the bike lanes--was smooth & spacious.

I estimate that my trip, one-way, without unforseen "detours," takes about 30 minutes. That is only _10-15 minutes_ more than commuting via car for me!! Why haven't I done this sooner??

Thank you, Smart Commute organizers, for putting on this event. Best wishes for your future endeavors.

Cheers, -Georgia

Welcome to the Smart Commute Blog!

Welcome to the Smart Commute '05 blog, or "web log" which allow people to post feedback on their Smart Commute '05 experiences.

I had a great time brewing 100 cups of coffee this morning for all the check-in points (a very special brewing experience as the Beaner's grounds were a little too fine for the percolater, and I had to keep stirring to keep the coffee dripping through! - for Wednesday and Friday, will get larger grounds).

If you didn't make it to a check-in point today, you can still stop at one on Wednesday and Friday. We have volunteers showing up at 6:00 am at each spot (except for Abbott & Albert, which is for 6:30 am, and the downtown YMCA, which is for 7:00 am).

Below is feedback from a mother of two who bicycled to work this morning:

Monday, May 16, 2005, 10:30 am: "That was so much fun. I really wouldn't have tried it without yourprogram/plan. I have two kids going to two different schools and I dropped them off and got to work with a sense of adventure. It onlytook me 30 minutes more than normal. I was surprised! Thanks!"

From Tricia

Here's an email I received from Tricia, who also bicycled to work this morning:

Hi!
I just wanted to let you know I did ride my bike to work today! This is a great event and I wish you every success. I will be in attendance for the Memorial ride for Lucinda on Thursday, rain or shine! I didn’t make it to Kinawa Middle School this morning in time for coffee, etc. but hope that they had a good turn-out! I plan on riding all week, something I do frequently but I don’t live that far from my office.

Keep up the good work!

Tricia A. Fraas
Governor's Council on Physical Fitness,
Health and Sports
Michigan Fitness Foundation