Ride To Dallas’ First Ciclovia – This Saturday
A couple of us are volunteers for the Ciclovia de Dallas – happening this Saturday, April 14 from 9:00 am until 3:00 pm., and we’re heading down there by DART and bike. Our goal is to arrive at 8:00 (an hour before it actually opens) to help set up. Click here for more information about Ciclovia de Dallas.
Anybody is welcome to join us. IF you want to volunteer, click here to sign up. OR, If you just want ride with us, then tool around downtown Dallas for an hour until it opens, you are more than welcome to do that as well.
Here are the details of the RIDE:
Date: Saturday, April 14, 2012
Time: 7:30 am (ride start)
Location: Starbucks at Mockingbird Station (in Dallas) – we decided to meet there so that we can stagger onto the train and not overcrowd it. From there, we’ll be taking the Katy Trail into downtown Dallas.
DART Train Info: According to the DART schedule for Saturday, the 7:00 am train, from the Bush Turnpike Station, will get you down to Mockingbird Station by 7:24 am. Be sure to be at your local DART station of choice by 7:00 am. $4 should cover your train ride (be sure to give yourself enough time to buy your ticket).
If you miss your train or just don’t like to get up that early, you are more than welcome to follow our route on your own. Click here to see our route.
Some Exciting News
Bike Friendly Richardson is pleased to announce that we have just submitted the application to have Richardson considered for a Bicycle Friendly Community designation!
This was an idea that we had had for a while and last November, Jenny Rilling took it on as a project. With the help of City staff, we made it happen. The Bicycle Friendly Community program is administered by the League of American Bicyclists. With all the bicycling improvements in recent years, and more to come, it was time to throw our hat in the ring. Not every application receives the Bicycle Friendly designation, however, the LAB staff generously provide feedback to each applicant to help them do better next time.
This is our first time submitting the application, so we don’t know how we’ll do, but we are proud of how far we’ve come, and we’re looking forward to getting feedback on where we can improve. Currently only three cities in Texas have received the Bicycle Friendly Community designation: Austin, San Antonio, and The Woodlands.
We’d like to recognize the following people without whom this wouldn’t be possible:
Richard Wezensky and Jenny Rilling with Bike Friendly Richardson
Dave Carter, the City’s Bicycle Coordinator and Assistant Director of the Transportation Department
Jessica Shutt and Mark Titus in the Transportation Department
Jim Lockart and Jim Dulac at the City
The Richardson City Council, Parks Department, Police Department
And of course, all the BFR friends and everyone out there who said, “Hey, we should improve biking in Richardson”, and everyone out there using the bike trails, bike lanes, and roads and having fun and trying to continually improve things for cyclists.
Thanks, everyone, for all you do. See you out there on the road!
-BFR Staff
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Plano Safe Passing Ordinance – Monday Night Vote – February 13th
Our friend Warren Casteel, with BikeDFW, sent us an email encouraging cyclist to come out and show their support at Monday night’s Plano City Council meeting. Apparently, they are voting on The – long awaited – Safe Passing Ordinance. There is hope that if we can pass this in Plano, perhaps we can pass it here in Richardson as well.
This ordinance stipulates distances motor vehicles must allow cyclists, outlaws throwing or objects or substances at cyclists, and provides legal remedy if a cyclist is hit by a motor vehicle in some situations. The ordinance can be viewed here (pdf).
Plano City Hall is about a block from the DART Station. Map.
We hope to make it out there and we hope to see you there too.
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Richardson Voted To Be The Most Bike Friendly Neighborhood
Bike Friendly Oak Cliff has announced their “Best Of” for bicycling in 2011. The city of Richardson has made it on their list for “Most Bike Friendly Neighborhood.”
It’s nice to get recognized for something we already knew: Richardson is a bike friendly area. With 11 miles of bike lanes and 24 miles of multi-purpose trails (with many more on the drawing board – and funded), the City of Richardson has made many strides at making our area one of the most bike friendly neighborhoods in the DFW Metroplex.
Congratulations, Richardson!! I think I’ll celebrate by taking a ride later.
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Way To Go, Plano!
I saw this NBC video on Facebook, talking about the city’s new bicycle signs. Click below to see the news report.
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Richardson Police Department Bike Patrol – On The Job
You know you live in a bike friendly city when the police department has a bike patrol. These guys were keeping spectators and attendees safe during last weekend’s annual Christmas parade.
Now all we need is postal delivery and meter readers done via bike.
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Black Friday Ride Number 3 – November 25, 2011
It’s that time of year again. It’s the time to AVOID all the big crowds at the shopping mall, work off that Thanksgiving dinner and have a fun ride around town.
You are invited to attend Bike Friendly Richardson‘s third annual Black Friday Ride. Started three years ago as the inaugural ride that launched Bike Friendly Richardson, the Black Friday Ride gives folks an alternative way to kick off the holiday season. This is a casual paced ride that will explore many of the different route options available to Richardson cyclists. We will ride on back-roads, side-streets, multi-purpose trails and available bike lanes.
Come on out to the Shops at Eastside, enjoy a tasty lunch at Chiloso, Russo’s Italian Kitchen, Urban Eatz or Panera Bread, then meet us at the fountain around 1:00 pm. The route will be around 10 miles and goes through Spring Creek Park, where you can enjoy the colors of fall. We’ll end the ride back at the Shops at Eastside, where you can enjoy some tasty food or grab a cold one at Twisted Root Burgers.
DATE: Friday, November 25, 2011
TIME: Arrive: 1:00 pm, Ride: 1:30 pm
START/FINISH: Shops At Eastside – 700 E. Campbell Road @ Central (meet at the fountain)
PACE: Casual
RSVP: Via Facebook
ROUTE: Click Here (subject to change)
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BFOC Hosts Dallas’ Third Tweed Ride
For the third year, Bike Friendly Oak Cliff will be hosting the Dallas Tweed Ride. Here are the details:
Date: Sunday, November 13, 2011
Time: 1:30 pm
Start: The grassy knoll in Downtown Dallas (at Dealey Plaza)
RSVP: via Facebook
“The ride will take us through historic Oak Cliff with stops at the Turner House for lawn games and merriment, the Bishop Arts District to stroll the outdoor market at CliffFest, and finally returning to Downtown Dallas. This ride has become an institution in Dallas bringing out over one hundred chaps and lasses all wearing their finest knickers and caps. Last year’s event included dancing, tug-of-wars, umbrella jousting, cucumber sandwich tosses, and beer relays. Expect all of that and more as we prepare for another rousing ride through our fare city.” More info here.
This is a fun ride. If you haven’t tried it before, we suggest that you try it. The pace is slow and the scene is an amazing spectacle of interesting bicycle attire. It may run a bit late, so don’t forget to bring your lights. Here are my pics from last year.
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Bike Friendly Oak Cliff Brings You Cyclesomatic 2011 – This October
Bike Friendly Oak Cliff is hosting it’s third annual Cyclesomatic Event next month. They’ll be celebrating with many bike events including, Tour to the Lake Ride, Bike the Oak Cliff Home Tour, iBike Rosemont Week, Bike to City Hall, Blues Bandits & BBQ featuring a Cyclesomatic Bicycle Fair, Trinity Trails Bike and Run, Cyclecross Race, Bicycle Scavenger Hunt and Bike-in movie, Lonestar Goldsprints, Alley Cat and much, much more!
Click here for the calendar of events.
Bike Friendly Richardson will be participating in a couple of these events. We have plans to do a bike ride from Richardson to Oak Cliff and take part in the Bicycle Fair on Saturday, October 22. We may also be organizing a ride on Wednesday morning, October 12 for the Bike To City Hall event. Check back for details on those events.
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NEW BFR Partner – Chiloso Mexican Bistro
I don’t know about you, but we really love a great breakfast taco. Until now, there haven’t been very many options available around town.
We’d like to introduce Bike Friendly Richardson’s newest partner, Chiloso Mexican Bistro. They are a build-your-own taco restaurant that specializes in “Austin-Style” breakfast tacos. But that’s not all they offer – check out their menu to see all their great options. I gave them a visit this morning and was completely impressed by the great flavor and freshness of their food. I’m even thinking about going back for lunch. I strongly suggest that you give them a try.
ABOUT CHILOSO MEXICAN BISTRO:
Chiloso Mexican Bistro is the newest addition to Eastside with a friendly staff and great food.
700 E. Campbell Road, Suite 190 (at Eastside – SE corner Central at Campbell Rd.)
Richardson, TX 75081
www.ChilosoMexicanBistro.com
THE OFFER:
They are offering cyclists their student discount, which is 10% off your meal. Please, you must arrive on your bike and remind them that you are there for the Bike Friendly Richardson offer. This offer may change at the owner’s discretion.
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Bike Friendly Richardson 
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