Consider Sandy Fry of the Capital Region Council of Governments the midwife for this start-up not-for-profit. Since the summer of 2000, Sandy has been spearheading the Bike To Work effort in Hartford.

This upcoming Friday, May 27, Bike to Work will celebrate National Bike Month with Gina McCarthy, the commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Protection. Commissioner McCarthy plans to ride her bike to the traditional Bike to Work location - the rear steps of the Old State House and then she will speak at 8 a.m. to the assembled cyclists.

Now in its sixth year, Bike to Work - the convergence on the last Friday of every month from April through October - is ready to drop its training wheels.

"We have such a great thing going with Bike to Work," Fry says. "It needed to be sustained and grow, and it really didnât make sense for it to be part of a planning agencyâs long term role."

About two dozen cyclists showed up to the first Bike to Work. This April, Fry said that 90 riders participated. She said 75 cycled to Hartford, and about 15 pedaled to the Farmington Bike To Work location. This Friday, there will be meet ups in Granby and Windsor, as well. For more info, check out the website at www.wecyclect.org.

At the inaugural Bike to Work, CRCOG brought the donuts, and partnering agencies like the DEP, the Department of Transportation, the Department of Public Health, All Aboard and the American Lung Association rallied the riders.

As Bike To Work evolved, local bike shops donated time and prizes for every rider. Coffee and bagels were added to the menu. And as a way to attract more riders, they agreed on giving a door prize. Every time you show up at Bike to Work, your name is added to a raffle, and come October, the winner chooses from one of three Breezer ready to ride lifestyle bikes.

Joe Breezer, by the way, basically invented mountain biking and is now focusing on creating bicycles thay people can add to their daily routine with no adjustments.

As Bike to Work grew, the diversity of people and the swath of organizations involved made it clear that CRCOG couldnât do it all anymore, Fry said.

"Bike to Work has been a committee effort," Fry said. "We said that we have a strong group who meet on a montlhy basis to plan these things, we can form a more formal group. Also, being an association of agencies, we couldnât apply for grants. Who would money be coming to? We felt there was a need to seek out those funders."

Plus, with the demise of the Connecticut Bicycle Coalition (a former Bike to Work partner which I was once president of the board of directors of), Fry said every month, eager riders seeking a place to volunteer to advocate for bicycles have no home.

"Thru Bike to Work, we came across so many people who wanted to be directed," Fry said. "They asked how can we move forward? How can we advocate for improvements in bike conditions? How can we get more people riding? It just seemed to come together."

I was thrilled when Sandy called me and invited me to join the board of this new organization. I have spent many miles rides open roads wondering how to apply the lessons I learned while volunteering with CBC. Hearing Sandy describe how CCBA wants to "really promote bicycling as a transportation option and also as something enjoyable to do for recreation," I knew I had found a place to do so.

And with gas prices rising, we all need to start bicycling more. See you Friday morning. If not, Friday June 14, CCBA will will hold a board meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. in Room 400 of the West Hartford Town Hall.

5/25/05

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Central Connecticut Bicycle Alliance
www.wecyclect.org

Photo by Harrie Verveer. Keep up the great work Harrie.

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