What is Asheville’s greenway plan?

The City of Asheville’s greenway planning process, called the “Close the GAP” project, combines 3 plans: the City’s Greenway Plan (G), its ADA Transition Plan (A), and its Pedestrian Plan (P). The main goal of Close the GAP is to better understand who uses our community’s greenways & sidewalks and why in order to update & expand our pedestrian network. 

Why do we need your help?

Greenways and sidewalks are integral to a community’s connectivity, health, equity, and overall livability. In order to help City officials enhance Asheville’s pedestrian network, it’s important that residents are given the opportunity to provide their input. To do this, we need your help surveying Asheville’s greenway users. 

What does this volunteer position entail?

As a volunteer, you will help conduct greenway user interviews at the Wilma Dykeman Greenway in Asheville’s River Arts District and at the Reed Creek Greenway near UNC Asheville’s Botanical Gardens on August 10 and 14. In the event of bad weather, our makeup dates are August 17 and 21. You can help out by volunteering for a 2-hour shift on one or both of these days at either location. 

As a volunteer, you agree to:

• Encourage greenway users to complete the survey.
• Dress in comfortable clothes and bring the water & snacks you may need.
• Wear a mask if asked to do so. We will provide disposable masks.

How do I sign up to volunteer?

To learn more and sign up for a volunteer slot, visit https://bit.ly/GreenwayInterview or contact Linda Giltz at lindagiltz@gmail.com.

Please share this volunteer opportunity and information about Close the GAP with your friends, organizations, and others. Thank you for being a valued community member and greenway supporter!

The post Call for Volunteers—Help Update Asheville’s Greenway Plan! appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

Fortunately for kids (and adults), cycling is very conducive to social distancing! Asheville on Bikes has taken advantage of that fact and, through a partnership with Youth Transformed For Life (YTL), has been able to extend their after-school bike program for Asheville Middle School students into the summer months.

AoB instructors and volunteers meet up with YTL students at Carrier Park for pop-up bicycle programming

Even before COVID-19 hit, AoB was looking for a way to take their youth cycling program beyond the school year so they could continue teaching kids new skills and taking them on rides around their city. After the realities of COVID-19 ended our usual after-school program in early March, AoB instructors were really excited to get on their bikes again and make up for lost time with students. Their collaboration with YTL started with a pop-up program at Carrier Park.

Here’s what some our students had to say about the experience:

“We loved riding bikes and the best part was that AoB took time to teach us the gears and help us get comfortable using them. It was a ton of fun!”

• Tyron, Jamarri and Haydn, YTL students

“It was a great experience to learn how to put the chains back on the bikes.”

• Tyla, YTL student

The Beauty of Collaboration

AoB volunteers are also loving this new collaboration with YTL. While life during the pandemic creates unprecedented challenges for nearly all of us, our team is finding creative ways to push our mission forward and continue inspiring tomorrow’s cyclists today. Here’s what they had to say:

“This is the first time Asheville on Bikes has done summer programming. After the first two days, Youth Transformed For Life (YTL) wanted us to plan more afternoons with students on bikes so we did that—we are currently working on one last afternoon together. The more we collaborate, the more rewarding it is. The relationships grow stronger, the students grow more confident, and the thrill of riding bikes is longer lasting. I felt it was important to make this collaboration happen so local youth could feel the joy of just being a kid on a bike and enjoy themselves in this carefree way during COVID-19. The most impactful moment was when one of the students, Khavi, asked me what he should do if he couldn’t ride a bike—an impressive declaration for an 8th grader! On his second day, I paired him with Pisgah Rage Coach Murphy and he did two laps around the Mellowdrome on his own. He was determined, never gave up, and remains an inspiration!”

• Rachel Reeser, After School Bike Program Coordinator

“AoB has the staff, the volunteers, and the equipment so we decided to put all of them to use to welcome more young students to cycling this summer. While many activities aren’t an option with the current COVID restrictions, cycling has social distancing built-in! Beyond getting more kids on bikes, we’re excited about the cross-section of community partnerships that we’ve built to support youth cycling including with Industry Nine, the local NICA Pisgah Rage Team as well as YTL. The current restrictions have inspired us to be creative and give us the opportunity to pivot and collaborate in new ways. We’re building new relationships that will foster new youth programming. I’m excited, for sure.”

• Mike Sule, Executive Director, Asheville on Bikes

“AoB’s youth cycling program is beyond inspiring. We’ve been teaching some kids how to ride a bike for the first time. What a treat to be a part of that and to watch them overcome their fears and celebrate their accomplishment with them. I hope AoB can continue their relationship with organizations like YTL and give kids even more opportunities to ride bikes.”

• Abby Walker, AoB Board member

“We are beyond grateful to AoB for providing physical activity for the kids (which is especially therapeutic during the time we’re living in). I feel genuine support and togetherness. The moment when a pre-teen learns to ride is triumphant. That accomplishment raised self-esteem, self-worth, and can counteract life trauma— truly a blessing! Like Maya Angelou said, ‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

– Youth Transformed for Life Director, Thomas Priester

Get involved!

If you would like to be part of AoB’s Youth Program we are always looking for enthusiastic instructors who have prior experience working with youth, strong cycling skills, and a commitment to safe riding habits. Asheville on Bikes also welcomes volunteers, as well as tax-deductible donations to help cover our expenses for research, events, and lobbying for a more bike-friendly Asheville

The post Asheville on Bike’s Youth Programming Update appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

The Haute Route, a world-renowned amateur stage race (think Tour de France but way more chill), is coming to Asheville, and they still have a few paid and volunteer positions to fill. This year’s event spans 4 days (Thursday, May 17th through Sunday, May 20th), with one day of prep and registration and three days of cycling events. This is a high-profile event that’s sure to be a blast for all involved. Read more about Haute Route Asheville here.

The following positions are available. If you are interested, please contact Todd Hageman, Technical Director at Medalist Sports, directly at (435) 901-9119 or toddhageman.medalistsports@gmail.com.

SAG Driver 01/Coordinator 5/17-5/20 $150/day ($600 total)

SAG Driver 02 5/18-5/20 Volunteer

SAG Driver 03 5/18-5/20 Volunteer

SAG Driver 04 5/18-5/20 Volunteer

SAG Driver 05 5/18-5/20 Volunteer

Routing and Signs Captain 1 5/17-5/20 Filled

Routing and Signs Captain 2 5/17-5/20 $150/day ($600 total)

Routing and Signs Captain 3 5/17-5/20 $150/day ($600 total)

Routing and Signs Staff 1 5/17/5/20 $75/day ($300 total)

Routing and Signs Staff 2 5/17/5/20 $75/day ($300 total)

Routing and Signs Staff 3 5/17/5/20 $75/day ($300 total)

Course Marshall Captain 1 5/17-5/20 $300

Course Marshall Captain 2 5/17-5/20 $300

Course Marshall Captain 3 5/17-5/20 $300

12 Volunteer Course Marshals 5/18-5/20

The post Earn up to $600 Helping with the Asheville Haute Route May 17-20, 2018 appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

Saturday, May 13th: Bright Light Biker @ Walkable Wall St

AoB is rolling out the red blinky lights for the kick-off of Strive Not to Drive Week with Walkable Wall St and the return of Bright Light Biker. Enjoy Wall Street’s pedestrian district before hopping on the bike and participating in Bright Light Biker. We need both rolling and posted pedal patrol volunteers to help support safe riding. If you’re interested in volunteering, click here.  

Timeline:
8:30pm – Gather on Wall St
9:00pm – Pedal the Route

Click Here to Volunteer for Bright Light Biker

Friday, May 19th: Roll Outta Work

Is there a better way to celebrate the end of the week than riding a bike? AoB doesn’t think so and we’re excited to launch our newest addition to our community rides as part of Strive Not to Drive Week. This ride gathers at Pack’s Park and meanders its way to New Belgium Brewing. We need both rolling and posted pedal patrol volunteers along the route to help support safe riding. If you’re interested in volunteering, click here.

Timeline:
5:30pm – Gather at Pack’s Park
6:00pm – Pedal the Route

Click Here to Volunteer for Roll Outta Work

Saturday, May 20th: Tour de Fat w/ Third Eye Blind at New Belgium

AoB is thrilled to announce that we’re partnering with New Belgium to host Tour de Fat on Saturday, May 20th following the annual Strive Not to Drive week. We need roughly 60 volunteers for this event! Tour de Fat is New Belgium’s festival that includes music, carnival acts, and great beer. Proceeds from the event support Asheville on Bikes. There are a variety of volunteer spots available for the day. Each shift is 3 hours in duration and includes a pass to the event.

Shifts available between 3:30pm – 10pm. Simply click Volunteer Local and select the option that works best for you.

Click Here to Volunteer for Tour de Fat

Once again, I appreciate all that you do to roll AoB forward in our community. Let’s put the mission in motion this May.

The post Calling All Volunteers: 3 Chances to Ride & Help Asheville on Bikes appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

The Pumpkin Pedaller,  presented by New Belgium Brewing Co, returns on Saturday, Oct. 29th and AoB needs plenty of volunteers to make this event roll. We anticipate record breaking participation. This year’s route is roughly ten miles and incorporates greenways, river arts district, a new section of north asheville, and Montford.  

There are a variety of ways for you to support the Pumpkin Pedaller through volunteering. Below is a brief description of the volunteer opportunities, the times, and dates. Please review and sign up to volunteer through the Pumpkin Pedaller Volunteer Form.

Pumpkin Pedaller Volunteer Opportunities

Wayfinding Wheelers (Friday, Oct. 28th 5pm – 7pm) The wayfinding wheelers spray the way by heading out the night before the ride and laying down chalked stencils that point they way for our ride participants. Some wayfinders roll by bike and others opt for the car. It’s a fun gig but can be a bit messy.

Pedal Patrol (Saturday, Oct. 29th 2:30pm – 5:30pm)  The pedal patrol provides on the ground directional (and sometimes emotional support) for our ride participants. The pedal patrol supports safe habits of riding and is stationed a key locations to provide additional support. AoB participants often report how much they appreciate pedal patrols roadside presence.

Family Pedal Patrol (Saturday, Oct. 29th 2:30pm – 5:30pm) The family pedal patrol is the most recent addition to AoB community rides. This crew invites families to roll with them and is equipped to shorten the route or respond to families’ needs. AoB is committed to growing bicycle culture and supporting families is a great way to keep our city rolling.

Pumpkin Pedaller Party Volunteers (Saturday, Oct. 29th 4pm – 6pm & 6pm – 8pm) These volunteers will fill a variety of rolls during the afterparty. We need people to work the AoB tent, sell raffle tickets, and provide additional support during the party.

All volunteers will be appreciated with beer tokens following their shifts. AoB will host a volunteer meeting on Friday, Oct. 28th from 6pm – 7pm. Beverages and pizza will be supplied. While we’d love for you to participate in the volunteer meeting, if you can’t make it you’re still eligible to volunteer. Once you register to volunteer by completing the Pumpkin Pedaller Volunteer Form, an AoB agent will contact you with further details.   

The post Volunteer for Pumpkin Pedaller appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

New Belgium  Clips Beer and Film Tour  2016 return to Asheville on Friday, August 26th from 7-10pm. Clips is one of Asheville on Bikes biggest fundraisers of the year.  Help us keep AoB rolling forward; volunteer at the event or bring your friends out that night! Volunteer for Clips 2016  

Contact Rachel@ashevilleonbikes.com if you have any questions.

At the end of each summer Asheville on Bikes and New Belgium Brewery host Clips Film and Beer Tour in Pack Square Park. You will find new friends, old friends, tasty suds and a rockin’ film festival. All films are created by people just like you! Bring your blankets and sit under the stars or be a part of the evening and consider volunteering. See you at the end of August!

The post Clips – New Belgium Beer & Film Tour Returns appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

Sunday, June 26th 2:30pm – 8pm

The Summer Cycle is AoB’s annual summer social ride. This year, we’re changing up the program, route, and rolling in a new direction. Come join us and let us know what you think.

Summer Cycle Details:

• 2:30pm – Ride gathers at Second Gear
• 3:00pm – Ride rolls out
• 5:00pm – Ride culminates at Kolo Bike Park
• 8:00pm – Parting is such sweet sorrow

The route is 13.7 miles and includes 683 ft of climbing.  The ride includes wayfinding markers and pedal patrol. We’ve added a family specific pedal patrol so that families can ride safely in a group with support from AoB volunteers.

We need plenty of volunteers for the Summer Cycle, so review the volunteers options and pick a time and place that works for you. Sign up to volunteer.

The Summer Cycle gathers at Second Gear (444 Haywood Rd, 28806) in West Asheville and rolls through a variety of neighborhood streets and greenways, before culminating at Kolo Bike Park (1 Resort Dr, 28806) on the Crowne Plaza Campus. Once there, participants can enjoy Oskar Blues Brewing, food trucks, mountain bike riding, and socializing. 100% of all Oskar Blues Brewing products sold support AoB.

Asheville on Bikes appreciates our sponsors: Oskar Blues Brewing Company, Second Gear, Skylanes, Sarver Realty Group, Kolo Bike Park, and Crowne Plaza Resort.

The post Summer Cycle ’16 presented by Oskar Blues appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

Volunteer with AoB at the Mountain Sports Festival’s bicycle corral May 27th – Sunday, May 29th. AoB hosts a bicycle corral, to encourage bicycle participation by providing people a safe spot to store their bicycles while they enjoy the festival.

AoB will be parking bikes from Friday through Sunday with a variety of time options that suite your schedule. There is a time slot for the  early birds, afternooners, and night owls. Simply, review the times and dates on the AoB volunteer form and select the ones that work best for you. An AoB representative will follow up with you to confirm the details.

Thank you for volunteer with Asheville on Bikes. When you show, we grow.

The post Volunteer at Mtn Sports Festival Bike Corral appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

We need you to get out there and count the pedestrians and cyclist in our city the week of Sept. 14th. Let’s continue to inform transportation policy with data. Currently, NCDOT does not conduct bike / ped counts as part of their design phase. It’s up to us to provide those numbers. And without you out there counting, we won’t have the data we need to expand active transportation.

Register for the annual here.

Bike counts will be conducted on Tuesday through Saturday morning beginning on Sept. 15th.

Volunteer training sessions will be held at UNCA on the following days and times:
9/10 noon — Sherrill Center, room 402
9/10 5pm — Sherrill Center, room 402
9/14 noon — Sherrill Center, NCCHW conference room (in the NCCHW office area, not the classroom/arena side)
9/14 5pm — Sherrill Center, room 407

Be sure to post the AVL Bike / Ped Invite on your facebook page and share with friends.

The post Volunteer in AVL’s Annual Bike / Ped Counts appeared first on Asheville On Bikes.

Love greenways, do you? Ask and ye shall receive.

You show, we grow! Fresh from the bike-loving camaraderie of today’s Bike of the Irish ride, head on over to this drop-in event tomorrow from 4-6 pm.

“Buncombe County, N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT), and HNTB (a consultant for the NCDOT) will host a drop-in public meeting regarding potential options for the possible addition of a greenway in the vicinity of I-26, Brevard Road and Long Shoals Road in Buncombe County. The meeting will be held from 4pm to 6pm on Monday, March 23, 2015 in the auditorium of the N.C. Arboretum, 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville, North Carolina.”

(Not that you need ANY other reason to attend, but can you IMAGINE how spectacular the arboretum is this time of year?)

Here’s the event RSVP.

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