MD Bike Symposium connections

Back to February 22 in Annapolis, the MD Bike Symposium. Among the few dozen people who'd made the trek to MD's decision center, were us two bike coop enthusiasts, Kenniss Henry of Cheverly, and some people from College Park. The other bike coop enthusiast did go on to a planning meeting the next day to support biking space be made around Capitol Heights Metro Station, particularly from Watt's Branch trail to near his garage on East Capitol Street, Maryland Park Bicycles. A good success! Anyway, Prince Georges County had a strong presence in pieces. Energy focused on rte one through College Park, I soon found, is being collected on this interesting website: http://rethinkcollegepark.net/blog/library/route-1-corridor-sector-plan/
A contributor of the blog connected me to another enthusiast of the blog who lives in Mt Rainier. Today we met and shared some time and words. We have an affinity for making the town scape one for biking, strolling, connecting and foraging.

Josh commutes from Union Station to Largo MD. He chooses a variety of difficult pg county roads to take. Friday 3.5, Josh's Commute Ride was quickly and quietly organized to quench a desire to increase in number this regular, lone venture of a MRBC rider. We met at Union Station, stopped by the coop, then continued down rte 202 going by through Cheverly and Landover. 202 was dark and wide with lanes. There were many hills, a few small a few tall. Traffic was all auto and fast. Strip malls and gas stations much of the way. Fast cars, curb debris, strip malls...

Weird art at union station. Weird is nourishing at union station. 

End point, at one among an ocean of strip malls. This one has a starbucks that is said to attract Jack Johnson and for a short time, Michael Steele.

Register

Open Shop 28th Feb 2011

Quiet night with Will Carl John & myself.

Focused on cleaning and organizing shop - ran through procedures and documentations, helped a couple of late arrivals and friends of Will's with their bike and Bill with some wheel trueing.

Mike T has fixed the lock box and I have fixed the Cable Modem/Router (again) which is now working fine, as is the printer ! Do not adjust.

-Dave C

seeclickfix

The MD Bike Symposium in Annapolis wass valued as a great meeting of mobilized cyclists and their resources.

One resource shared was the website www.seeclickfix.com  It serves as a means for peds, riders, motorists..people, to record where and what is a problem on their route. Bikehoco.org organizers used this tool. Howard County then found it so efficient, that they used the data that users entered to take action on particular road problems.The county is said to now be developing a Howard County specific software application for smart phones.

So check out seeclickfix.com  See what particular issues people have had with particular roads. And definitely share issues you have experienced!

Open Shop Mon 21st feb

Another busy Monday night with Will Carl John and myself present.

We had 2 people each donate bikes in good condition as well as work on their own. Additionally, 3 more customers came in to get assistance with their bikes, and we rec'd about $65  in cash donations (which were receipted).
Springtime is approaching and people are digging out their bikes for tune-ups !

Saturday Morning Open Shop 2.19

Takoma Park Josh was the first in with a friend to spruce up their mountain bikes. John, Chris, Elizabeth helped out with the flow this morning. A College Park couple came to satisfy their curiosity and look around. Kenniss Henry came to say hi and talk about legislative progress happening next Tuesday at the MD Bike Sysmposium and the petition we'd all like you to be aware of.

We'll be open again 6:30-8:30 Monday night.

MrBikeCoOp Rides: Full Moons

2 dozen riders met at the place to be to enjoy the full moon in Mt Rainier last night, 2/18. The snow moon, according to newly attracted, Josh, cast its soft orange brilliance at our early 7pm gathering at the CoOp. As expected, some wrenches were turning, oil lubing rusty creakings. Riders from Mt Rainier, Hyattsville to Columbia Heights elected a ride along the Anacostia Tributary Trail south to explore the trail extension that will connect with the Anacostia-centric trail through DC, then venture north to Franklins. The moon's bright wonder made our path along the dark waterside trail a divine journey. At an easy pace, the quiet chatter of growing acquaintances accompanied the sight of a long line of starry blinky biker lights snaking along our quiet night time pathway. Our soft trek ended at Bladensburg Waterfront Park, where the trail of the future waits presently in the state of gravel, soon to be completed! We made friends with the old caboose display, then started towards Franklins. Franklins was so busy that we had trouble finding space for 24 thirsty lunar-tics, so we brought it back to the hills of Mt Rainier and ended a great night.
We'll be planning fun for the future warmer days! Look out for more 7pm gatherings on nights of the Full Moon!

Open Shop - Feb 16, 2011

Open Shop with Jim E., Dave M. and Scott

Quiet night. We had 2 youths working on their own bikes for most of the shift and another adult stopped by to adjust gears.

Cleaned up the back room and moved several bikes and frames to the back yard.

FullMoonRide! Fri.Feb18th 7pm

Gather at the bike coOp -3601 Bunkerhill Road- at 7pm on Friday February 18th, a fine night for outside fun. As warmer night air teases your winter wary skin, cruise under the full moon in a pace as easy as the easiest of us.

High of 71, low of 38, according to accuweather.com. Between 7 and 10 pm, temps will drop from around 60 to around 50. Wear stuff that would seem to warm for a day of 70, because it'll be a night of 50.

We'll ride either to explore the Anacostia Trib Trails and/or explore the libations of Franklins, Reds, Margaritas and/or ride to places that have been hard to riders and/or to eachother's houses. Let's take a vote!

Meet us there for the first of hopefully many, MrBikeCoOp Rides: The Full Moon!

Open Shop - Wed 9th Feb 2011

Open shop with Allison and Elizabeth and Mike working on the finances!

Busy, busy, busy on this snowy evening with replacing spokes, wheel truing and drivetrain cleaning and derailleur adjustment. Two new youth volunteers worked on a bmx and a mountain bike.

Open Shop - Mon 7th Feb 2011

We have heat again !

Will, Carl, John and myself present.

Carl worked on the blue Schwinn and apart from handlebar wrap is ready to go.
John started work on the Yellow bike and then we both helped assist Anna who is a new resident to MtR in fixing up her bike, including wheel trueing, brake and gear adjustments.
I tidied up shop and re-organized tools on workbenches, while Will checked phone messages, email & other Admin functions.

-Dave C

New Blog for Shop reports

Hi all,

Welcome to the new MRBC blog spot.

As discussed at the volunteer meetings this space is now available to publicize events that the Co-op is planning & doing including OPEN SHOP reports & RIDES.

As we progress, we plan to expand it to be an easily accessible source for spread events & allowing access to our membership.

Feel free to try it out and provide feedback to either Dave or Bea.

thxs and keep on riding !
-Dave C