We may be getting the first frost of the year this week — which is a great opportunity to announce the 9th edition of the Winter Bike Fashion Show! November 17 from 1-4pm at the High Noon Saloon. Admission is free; no tickets required! You can RSVP and share the Facebook event. If you haven’t heard of the WBFS: It’s an event where members of the bike community who bike year-round showcase how they manage riding in the cold. They’ll model their bikes and gear, and there will be plenty of opportunities for the winter-biking-curious to ask questions and learn. Stay tuned for more details and our call for models.
The Cap Times ran an interesting story about lack of access to safe and comfortable bike infrastructure on the South and North Sides. Baltazar De Anda-Santana, who works for the Bike Fed and is on the Madison Bikes board of directors, took a reporter on a bike ride around some underserved areas near Park Street.
Our mountain biking friends Capital City Offroad Pathfinders have just launched a big fundraising campaign. It is aimed at “returning our existing trails to the state they were designed, and in many cases much better. More sustainable, more accessible, and more fun! Our goal is to raise $80,000 to bring in professional builders who can come in and accomplish things in weeks that would take our volunteers years to achieve.” Watch the video to learn more:
This Week
Monday: If you want to get involved with organizing the Winter Bike Fashion Show mentioned above, come to the Madison Bikes events committee meeting tonight! We always appreciate having new people involved. 6pm, Barriques on Park St.
On Wednesday, the city’s Transportation Commission was supposed to meet. It appears the meeting has been canceled.
On the weekend you’ll have a whole lot of bike events to choose from. If you’re into cyclocross, ride out to Badger Prairie County Park in Verona for the Badger Prairie Cross race on Saturday. There will be food, drinks — and probably exciting ‘cross racing. First races start at 9am.
Also on Saturday, is the MadTown Unity Ride. Every month, ride celebrates the South Side’s unity and diversity and connects people in the communities. The rides are specifically aimed at Black, Brown, Indigenous people of color, LGBT+ community, the Senior community and other communities that have been affected by discrimination who live or work in a predominantly low-to moderate-income community in the Madison Southside. Unity Rides are always at a family-friendly pace and about 7-10 miles long. Meet at Villager Mall on Park St at 10am.
Your third option on Saturday: Head to Quarry Park if you want your mountain bike to catch some air. It’s the Quarry Park Jump Jam. Event starts at 10; contests start at 11:30. Rain date is Sunday. And note that the event is at Quarry Park, not Quarry Ridge.
On Sunday, bring out your lugged steel bikes, wool jerseys, and toe clips for the Bombay Bicycle Club Vintage Ride. Meet at the Vilas Park shelter at 10am and then ride down to Paoli.