Humana Southeast Media Relations Manager Mitch Lubitz telle me that Humana, one of Florida's leading health benefits companies, and Bikes Belong, the nation's largest nonprofit bicycling advocacy group, announced last week a national bike-sharing initiative called "Freewheelin" that will provide 1,000 free bicycles to visitors, delegates, elected officials at party leaders at the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Denver and the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul.
* Freewheelin is Humana's new "bike-partisan effort," in partnership with the not-for-profit Bikes Belong. Freewheelin aims to supply individuals with free-and-easy access to bicycles, providing them with an environmentally friendly and economical alternative to cars, while, at the same time, encouraging them to get exercise and stay fit.
* Democratic and Republican convention delegates, visitors and officials will be able to check out the Freewheelin bikes during the convention week at several Freewheelin stations located close to the convention sites in Denver and the Twin Cities, and ride them to the convention center, as well as to convention-related meetings, events and activities from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and return them when they're done to any Freewheelin station.
* Biking saves on gas; burns calories; and helps the environment. Three hours of biking per week can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke by 50 percent, according to the League of American Bicyclists. Toward those goals, Humana and Bikes Belong have equipped the bikes so that they can track the miles ridden and the carbon footprint reduction.
* Humana and Bikes Belong today launched a Web site -- www.freewheelinwaytogo.com -- where convention delegates and visitors, and biking enthusiasts, can get more information about the new bike-sharing program, and register online for free use of a Freewheelin bike at the Democratic convention in Denver or the Republican convention in the Twin Cities.
* Freewheelin riders simply use a credit card as security to check out the bikes at no charge during the political conventions. Helmets will be provided to all riders and locks will be available for the Freewheelin bikes.
* Seventy of the 1,000 bikes will remain in place after the conventions, and will be donated to Denver and Minneapolis-St. Paul by Humana, as part of an ongoing bike-sharing program to support carbon emission reduction and healthy active lifestyles.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Saturday, August 2, 2008
A South Florida Visit
Last week, I spent the week visiting family in South Florida. But I still found time early in the mornings to bike around Hollywood Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach.
Fort Lauderdale has its riverwalk -- Tampa wants one, too.
Towers on the beach -- they're everywhere in South Florida.
Check out the bicycle path along the boardwalk in Hollywood Beach.
They still deliver at the Asian restaurant in Boca Raton.
All I'm asking is give pizza a chance in Boca Raton.
Your average Broward County school board candidate -- plus campaign pal.
South Beach business sign -- need a tat?
South Florida Sunset
Last Monday night, I went with the family to see the Marlins-Mets game at Dolphin Stadium. The game was fun -- and the sunset was sweet. I took this from just outside an outdoor bar off the main stadium concourse.
Seat For One
On Friday morning, I biked from Hollywood Beach to South Beach. Saw a seat on a big ol' trike that must not be too comortable.
Bicycling Before Dawn In South Florida
Last week, every day I got up early while visiting South Florida and took in the pre-dawn scenes.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Connector Trail Update
Brian Eckman, owner of SWFBUD member store Carrollwood Bicycle Emporium and a member of the Tampa/Hillsborough County Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee, sent out this message this week:
This coming Wednesday, August 6th is the final County Commission vote
concerning the possible connection of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail and the
Suncoast Trail.
The following is copied from an email from Charner Reese, Principal Planner,
Planning and Design, Hills. County:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"UTBT Phase IV is the project that would link the existing 8-mile UTB Trail
in NW Hillsborough County to the 42-mile Suncoast Trail and the Starkey
Wilderness Trail. UTBT Phase IV is the top priority for the Hillsborough
Greenways committee, because the 7-mile link would create a 57-mile long
regional trail providing trail access to many more people and providing
non-motorized travel to many more destinations than presently available to
Hillsborough County residents. This citizen-based committee, which was
established in 1995, oversees implementation of the BOCC-approved
Hillsborough Greenways Master Plan.
The Phase IV project is funded for land acquisition, which is scheduled to
be completed this year.
The Greenways Committee has asked the BOCC to use Community Investment Tax
funds (a portion of the available $40 million) to fund design and
construction of Phase IV (7-mile trail segment from Peterson Road Park to
the Suncoast Trail on Lutz-Lake Fern Road, with 2 trailheads - one on
Lutz-Lake Fern Road to replace the existing temporary Suncoast Trailhead
that will be eliminated by the new Suncoast Parkway interchange on LLFR; and
another trailhead to be located on Gunn Hwy across from Keystone Park)."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I've attached some info concerning this connector, including a fact sheet
regarding the project, a proposed mapping of where the trail connector would
be located, and a letter from the Greenways Committee to the Commission.
There will be a final CIT public hearing during the regularly scheduled BOCC
meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 6 at 2 p.m. to consider modifications to the
Phase 1, 2 and 3 CIT projects which includes the appropriation of the $40
million. You are welcome to attend the public hearing to present your
views. The Board meets at County Center, 2nd FL, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. in
downtown Tampa. The public can attend as early as 9:00AM to voice opinions
on the subject.
MY REQUEST IS THIS: IF YOU WANT THIS TRAIL EXTENSION TO HAPPEN, GO TO THE
HEARING ON THE 6TH, AND/OR SEND AN EMAIL TO THE COMMISSIONERS ASAP TO VOICE
YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT!
http://hillsboroughcounty.org/bocc/about/contactus.cfm
Even if this project doesn't happen immediately, we need to keep our voices
heard so that it stays on the priority list!
Thanks for reading all of this. Please forward to friends or anyone else who
uses these trails.
Brian Eckman
Owner
Carrollwood Bicycle Emporium
www.cbebikes.com
(813) 963-5765
14407-B North Dale Mabry
Tampa, FL 33618
This coming Wednesday, August 6th is the final County Commission vote
concerning the possible connection of the Upper Tampa Bay Trail and the
Suncoast Trail.
The following is copied from an email from Charner Reese, Principal Planner,
Planning and Design, Hills. County:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"UTBT Phase IV is the project that would link the existing 8-mile UTB Trail
in NW Hillsborough County to the 42-mile Suncoast Trail and the Starkey
Wilderness Trail. UTBT Phase IV is the top priority for the Hillsborough
Greenways committee, because the 7-mile link would create a 57-mile long
regional trail providing trail access to many more people and providing
non-motorized travel to many more destinations than presently available to
Hillsborough County residents. This citizen-based committee, which was
established in 1995, oversees implementation of the BOCC-approved
Hillsborough Greenways Master Plan.
The Phase IV project is funded for land acquisition, which is scheduled to
be completed this year.
The Greenways Committee has asked the BOCC to use Community Investment Tax
funds (a portion of the available $40 million) to fund design and
construction of Phase IV (7-mile trail segment from Peterson Road Park to
the Suncoast Trail on Lutz-Lake Fern Road, with 2 trailheads - one on
Lutz-Lake Fern Road to replace the existing temporary Suncoast Trailhead
that will be eliminated by the new Suncoast Parkway interchange on LLFR; and
another trailhead to be located on Gunn Hwy across from Keystone Park)."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
I've attached some info concerning this connector, including a fact sheet
regarding the project, a proposed mapping of where the trail connector would
be located, and a letter from the Greenways Committee to the Commission.
There will be a final CIT public hearing during the regularly scheduled BOCC
meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 6 at 2 p.m. to consider modifications to the
Phase 1, 2 and 3 CIT projects which includes the appropriation of the $40
million. You are welcome to attend the public hearing to present your
views. The Board meets at County Center, 2nd FL, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd. in
downtown Tampa. The public can attend as early as 9:00AM to voice opinions
on the subject.
MY REQUEST IS THIS: IF YOU WANT THIS TRAIL EXTENSION TO HAPPEN, GO TO THE
HEARING ON THE 6TH, AND/OR SEND AN EMAIL TO THE COMMISSIONERS ASAP TO VOICE
YOUR SUPPORT FOR THE PROJECT!
http://hillsboroughcounty.org/bocc/about/contactus.cfm
Even if this project doesn't happen immediately, we need to keep our voices
heard so that it stays on the priority list!
Thanks for reading all of this. Please forward to friends or anyone else who
uses these trails.
Brian Eckman
Owner
Carrollwood Bicycle Emporium
www.cbebikes.com
(813) 963-5765
14407-B North Dale Mabry
Tampa, FL 33618
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