Did you wake up this morning wishing you could put on your best seersucker suit or vintage lace outfit, hop on your bike and cruise the city?
Or maybe your dream looks more like a ride along the Capital Area Greenbelt with 50 of your closest friends. Or, if your taste is less fashion and exercise and more food and socializing, you may see yourself at 3rd in The Burg watching other people cruise by on a pedal-powered bike train.
If so, you might be one of Harrisburg’s bike people.
In May, Bike Harrisburg will host a variety of events to celebrate National Bike Month. In addition to such events as the “Seersucker and Lace Benefit Ride,” there are parties and socials and rides for good causes and rides just for the sake of riding.
Bike Harrisburg believes it has an event for you, whether you’re a serious bike-shorts-and-cycle-shoes type of person, a bicycle commuter or just a guy who takes the occasional ride around the neighborhood.
Ross Willard will gladly receive all takers. A veteran of Harrisburg biking, Willard is the founder of Recycle Bicycle and an unapologetic evangelist of all things two-wheeled.
“I promote bicycle culture by living it,” said Willard. “Harrisburg is a great to city to ride a bike in. I ride all the time, and I want to get people out to join me.”
Indeed, the city’s bicycling community has plenty to be excited about these days. Last year, artistic bike racks popped up all over downtown. This month, the state will begin the re-engineering and reconstruction of much of Front Street, which will include the city’s first dedicated bike lane.
In addition, Harrisburg Young Professionals, along with Bicycle South Central PA, is spearheading a movement to bring a bike share program to Harrisburg. Recently, the first community forum on the subject attracted a large crowd to Harrisburg University.
“We want to promote a bike-friendly community,” said Leigh Ann Urban, director of marketing and special events at the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District and a panel member at the HYP bike forum. “Improving the bicycle community through programs like bike share will help attract new renters, businesses and help drive infrastructure improvements.”
For his part, Willard, who you might call the godfather of Harrisburg biking, will be out and about throughout the spring and summer at various festivals and gatherings promoting bicycle safety and green transportation. When he’s not at events like this month’s South Allison Hill Multicultural Festival, he probably can be found at his Recycle Bicycle headquarters in Uptown Harrisburg, wrench in hand, making sure the neighborhood kids’ bikes are in safe, working order.
Kelly Sangree is another of the city’s unofficial bicycle ambassadors.
“I drive when I need to, but I bike as much as I can,” she said.
Sangree is the owner/operator of a three-wheeled bike she describes as “similar to the old Good Humor bicycles they used to sell ice cream with.” Instead of a cooler on the front, you’ll see a box with benches, and she can be seen transporting kids and groceries and running errands around town.
Sangree started cycling when money was tight and discovered how much cheaper it was to maintain a bike than a car. Since then, she has gone from two wheels to three, but still relies on the bike for transportation as much as possible. Like Willard, she is a big proponent of the bicycle lifestyle and hopes to help initiate change in the city.
“If biking is made easier, more people will get out and do it,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to the bike lane on Front Street. Right now, I take my life into my hands every time I try to cross.”
Spring is finally here, and the climate is right in Harrisburg for all of the events planned for National Bike Month. So, do Ross over at Recycle Bicycle a favor and check your bike brakes, look both ways, and pedal your way through the month of May throughout the greater Harrisburg area.
Bike Harrisburg has a long list of events planned for National Bike Month. For the full rundown, please visit www.bikeharrisburg.org.
Dauphin County Wants Your Input
Is Dauphin County, PA ready for a Bike Share Program? You can do a number of things to get involved:
1.) Like Central PA Regional Bike Share Feasibility Study’s (tag the page) Facebook page to get involved in upcoming events.
2.) Take the survey by clicking here.
3.) Visit the website and educate yourself about the program.
