Lots o’ news this month, folks. Clip in and start cranking…

AoB News

Corral Season Returns
And boy, are we off to a running start! We’ve got three corrals this month, and we need volunteers for all of them!

• Saturday, 4/12 – Healthy Kids Day
  Downtown in Pack Square Park
  Volunteers needed 10am-3:30pm
• Tuesday, 4/15 – Wild & Scenic Film Festival
  Downtown at Asheville Community Theatre
  Volunteers needed 5pm-9:30pm
• Saturday, 4/19 – Earth Day
  Downtown on Lexington Avenue
  Volunteers needed 12pm-11:30pm

Never corralled before? No problem! Click here for a handy primer, then hit us up at (bikecorral@ashevilleonbikes.com) to give a few hours of your time. We’ll also be reviving the Bike Corral facebook group for the season, so join now!

Bike of the Irish
This year’s Bike of the Irish was simply astonishing. We drew the lucky ticket in the weather lottery (no small feat this year!), and 500 (!) of you joined us to Ride Your City in the fine March sunshine. You can find photos of the ride on our facebook page, and our friends at Ashvegas.com got some great shots, too.

New facebook page
Speaking of facebook, have you “liked” our new page yet? We’ve outgrown our original personal page (a wonderful problem to have!) and have transitioned to a community page.Please “like” us at facebook.com/AVLonBikes to stay abreast of the latest & greatest.

Asheville Rides
AoB is pumped to be partnering with the Asheville Chamber of Commerce on a new series of short, social rides. They’ll take place the second Thursday of each month, starting May 8. Riders will gather at 5:30pm at the Chamber of Commerce on Montford, and will roll out at6pm. For more info, visit AshevilleRides.com.

Around Avl & WNC

Bike Lane Cleanup
The Blue Ridge Bicycle Club will host a bike lane cleanup on Saturday, April 5. You’re invited to help sweep, clip back brush, and pick up debris in the bike lanes on Riverside Drive and Lyman Street. Meet at Clingman Cafe at 8:30am and enjoy breakfast courtesy of BRBC; cleanup begins at 9am and runs until noon. Wear work clothes; gloves will be provided. For more info, contact Michael Racine at 828-702-6375.

Volunteers, Interns, and Donations Needed
Trips for Kids seeks volunteers to help out with their after school bike clubs at Eblen and Erwin Middle Schools (Tuesday & Wednesday afternoons, 3pm-5pm) and with Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day (April 20, 1pm-4pm). They are also seeking summer interns to help out in The Bicycle Thrift Shop and with their ride program (great for older high school or college students!).  And, as always, they welcome donations of bikes or gear to help raise funds–anything “dusty but not rusty” is fine. Contact Stephen Janes atstephen@tripsforkidswnc.com.

reCyclery Bike Drive
The reCyclery is holding a bike drive during the entire month of April. They welcome donations of bikes, bike parts, and biking accessories for adults and kids. Please drop off donations during regular hours, Tuesday through Thursday 4pm-8pm and Saturday 1pm-5pm. Donations are tax-deductible; receipts available.

Mars Hill wheel raffle
Mars Hill Cycling is raffling off a pair of Industry Nine wheels. Tickets start at $20 for one, with discounts for purchasing multiples. Click here to get yours; deadline to enter is May 1. The winner will be announced via facebook during the Collegiate Road Nationals (May 2-4).

Around Town

• Asheville City Council and Buncombe County Commission passed a joint resolution last week to encourage the state to move forward with the I-26 connector plandubbed Alternative 3C. Asheville On Bikes has formally endorsed the statement from the I-26 ConnectUs Project opposing such a move, citing the lack of a completed Environmental Impact Statement, the fact that Alternative 3C does not currently meet the City’s long range plans, and other concerns. Visit I-26 ConnectUs for more, and like AoB on facebook to get the latest developments as they happen.
• Friends of Hominy Creek Greenway (FOHCG) and the City of Asheville have adopted a master plan for the Hominy Creek Greenway. Currently, the FOHCG is seeking volunteers to get started on several important projects that include: trail erosion projects; an outdoor classroom; a work shed; trail and information kiosks; and invasive removal and planting projects. Also, save the date for the Greenway Get Down, a celebration of the Hominy Creek Greenway, on Tuesday, May 20. More info coming soon. Connect with FOHCG on facebook to get the latest!
• The Haywood Road Form-Based Code draft was presented to the public last week, and is now available for review. Click here to view the entire document.
• Word from the City is that car share is coming to Asheville. Starting in April, there will be three cars parked downtown and at least one on the UNCA campus available to car share members. Members reserve their car online, and pay only for the time and miles used. The program does not yet have a website, but for more information, contact Marsha Stickford at 828-259-5506.
• Buncome Bike Ed Network offers Traffic Skills 101 class Saturday, April 12. Recommended for adults and children over the age of 14, this fast-paced course teaches what you need to know to ride comfortably in traffic, and is also a prerequisite to becoming an LCI Instructor. Registration is $20; scholarships available. For more, or to sign up, contact BuncombeBikeEd@gmail.com.

Bike Ped Safety Act
From the League of American Bicyclists: “The DOT just issued a proposed national traffic safety goal that doesn’t include a specific target or goal for reducing the number of bicyclists and pedestrians killed on our roadways… We know that without a specific target to focus the attention of state DOTs and USDOT on reducing bicyclist and pedestrian deaths within the overall number — we get lost in the shuffle. Please ask your members of Congress to sign on to the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Act: HR 3494 / S 1708.”

MassBike has a great post on how to make your voice heard, whether by phone, mail, email, or social media. Click here to find out who your representatives are.

30 Days of Biking
Need another reason to ride? Visit 30daysofbiking.com and pledge to ride every day in April. For every 30 people who pledge, they’ll donate a free bike to a kid in need via Free Bikes 4 Kidz.

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