Moab Community Bike News for Spring 2013

Moab’s bicycling community is set for an active spring with activities planned for bike month, including a bike prom, new bike enhancements at the Museum, and new school programs.

Museum of Moab: The Museum of Moab invites the Moab community and visitor to celebrate Moab’s Bike History. Moab is a powerful destination for bicycling. From mountain biking to road cycling; from air time with bmx tricks to bike races and organized rides and a strong volunteer community building bike trails. The Museum is striving to enhance Moab’s bicycle section of history. Have a contribution? Contact the [email protected] or 435-259-7985.

Schools: In 2012, Grand County High School had student athletes competing with the inaugural year of High School Cross Country Mountain Bike Racing under the leadership of the National Intercollegiate Cycling Association. NICA began in California in 2009. It is NICA’s goal to have high school mountain bike chapters from coast to coast by 2020. Utah signed in to be state #6. Great, experienced adult talent guides this new athletic opportunity statewide. For the Red Devils of Grand County High School, the student athlete ability has shown remarkable skills too.

A Bike Club has been initiated at the Grand County Middle School through after school programming with Grand County’s BEACON program. Poison Spider Bicycle Shop provides bikes for the kids in winter. When the rental season commences, the need for bikes will resume. Littler kids received free bikes last year during an event headed up by Western Spirit Cycling Adventures. This year free bike pick-ups are being deployed to encourage donations of bikes to fulfill the need for sizes for Middle School children. On April 29th, 3-7 PM at the HMK Elementary school, bikes will be fixed and traded. Helmets will be fitted and safety education provided to area youth.

May 8 is National Bike to School day. Chaperones are being recruited to ride with pods of elementary school kids to and from school or in the case of living in Spanish Valley, pedaling to a bus stop. Children must have a helmet, a bike in good working order, get a permission slip signed and turn the slip in with a bottle of PowerAde, Gatorade type sport drink. Hydration stations will be scattered along routes for the afternoon rides home.

Bike Lights: Also in April, Moab locals are encouraged to purchase bike lights from local shops. Ten percent of your light purchase will go to the Museum of Moab. Warm summer evenings are great for commuter riding, but be visible, get lights.

Moonshadows: Get in on the Skinny Tire Event on May 18. The Moonshadows ride route is on Scenic Byway, Hwy 313. Moonshadows is a supported night ride. Registration starts at 6PM at Aarchway Inn. Moab locals may join it for only $35. The Money benefits the Museum of Moab. http://skinnytireevents.com

Bike Month: May 13-17 is Bike to Work Week. Plans are to have a small cup of free house coffee from participating businesses during 7:30 AM – 9 AM. Locals must be on a bike and bring their own cup. In the afternoon, a massage therapist will be located along the Millcreek Pathway for an energizing chair massage to get riders home.

National Bike Month dates culminate with May 18th’s Bike Prom. Get dressed up, bring the entire family. Festivities start at the HMK bus circle on 400 North 132 West. Departure will be at 3PM. The Promenade will be lead by the Brothers Groff. Robin, Bill and Vauna Groff will lead the way by pedicab. Bicyclists ride out 400 North to 500 West to use the traffic light to cross Hwy 191 to continue to the Grand Old Ranch House at Moab Springs Ranch. There will be music, historical ranch images, bicycle art and bike memorabilia. Some classic bikes will be present and for sale to benefit the Museum of Moab. Get tickets from the Museum, 118 E Center St.

The Groff’s are the founders of Rim Cyclery which is 30 years old July 4th 2013. Bring finger food to share. A water station will be set up to refill water bottles.  The social ends at 5:30 PM to enable riders to participate also in the Moonshadows ride.

What is National Bike Month? It is a designation by the League of American Bicyclists. In fact, this 2013, Sommer Roefaro, BLM’s public lands transportation scholar, is tackling the Bicycle Friendly Community application to submit to the League of American Bicyclists. She stood before the city and county councils, presented a power point, which resulted in both governmental bodies agreeing to support the Bicycle Friendly designation effort.

Trail Mix: Moab set the scene for Mountain Bike Meccas. The Moab Trail Mix is a valiant group of volunteers and public lands agencies collaborating to approve routes, build and maintain trails keeping Moab relevant in the fast pace of mountain bike growth. Moab Happenings has a section committed to Trail Happenings by the Trail Mix. http://www.grandcountyutah.net/trailmix/Index.htm

Submitted by Michelle Hill, Moab Travel Council