Feb. 5, 2014. Boone Area Cyclists will gather for its annual members’ meeting Tuesday, February 18 at the Watauga Medical Center’s Councill Auditorium from 6 to 7:30 p.m.Folks who wish to join or renew their memberships may do so online at booneareacyclists.com or in person at the meeting. Those who join or renew for 2014 by February 18 will get a new BAC t-shirt. Basil’s Fresh Pasta and Deli will cater the event.
This year’s featured speaker is Lauren Blackburn, the NCDOT Bike and Pedestrian Division Director. She will discuss the newly adopted statewide bike/pedestrian plan called Walk Bike NC, and the state’s new safety campaign, Watch for Me NC. She will also explain the new rules for funding bike and pedestrian projects, and there will be time for questions at the end.
The meeting will also be a time to review the group’s accomplishments for 2013 and look ahead to initiatives for 2014. Boone Area Cyclists is a bicycling club for all ages, abilities and styles of riding–commuters, mountain bikers, road cyclists, leisure riders and anyone else who just likes to ride bikes. The club’s mission is to develop, coordinate and promote safe and accessible bicycling opportunities in the geographic area of Boone. To that end, the club sponsors a variety of events and activities to reach out to all kinds of cyclists as well as working on longer term projects.
One such project over the past few years has been the partnership with Watauga County to develop Rocky Knob Park, a mountain biking and hiking area in Boone. BAC volunteers have contributed thousands of hours of labor to build the trails at the park, and work continues on trail development. In 2013, BAC helped with the construction of a pump track where riders can work on their skills, and every year BAC helps sponsor Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day in October. Last year, the group also signed an agreement with Kids in Parks to install interpretive signs at the pump track to help users appreciate the natural features of Rocky Knob.
In 2013, BAC also sponsored the fourth annual Boone Cyclo.Via, an open streets festival where citizens can enjoy car-free streets for a few hours in lovely downtown Boone. The event featured a BMX show, dancing, yoga, tricycle races, bike decorating, jump roping, a kids skills area, and many examples of spontaneous fun. Other BAC activities included a fall social at Appalachian Mountain Brewery in Boone and the annual holiday party at Bistro Roca in Blowing Rock.
BAC has also started a racing team which is open to riders of all ages and abilities. Participants must be members in good standing, be willing to participate in five races, and agree to contribute five hours of service towards a BAC cause or event. More information is available at booneareacyclists.com.
In the area of advocacy, BAC board members continue to sit on several town committees to advocate for cyclists of all types as well as attending conferences and meetings across the state. Members who are interested in advocacy or any of BAC’s social and recreational activities will have a chance to learn more about volunteer opportunities at the meeting.
To find out more, visit booneareacyclists.com.
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