We’re a week past the time change and it’s surprisingly dark by five PM and I’m still surprisingly maladjusted to it. So anyway, a good chunk of this week’s news is about getting ready for winter riding, with a side dish of construction/detours.
Winter Bike Fashion Show this Sunday!
The Winter Bike Fashion Show is this Sunday, November 15, from 1-4 PM in the Evjue + Merrill Lynch room of the Goodman Community Center‘s Ironworks Building (same place as last year). It’s FREE and family friendly, so bring the kids. A dozen winter riders will strut their stuff on the catwalk in what they actually wear on the bike, and our emcees will interview them about how they keep riding through the coldest months. Whether you’re just winter-curious or you’ve got years of January commutes behind you, there’s something here for you. The big takeaway (spoiler alert): you don’t need a whole new wardrobe or a pile of money to ride in winter, and even the veterans usually pick up a trick or two. Come armed with your questions!
You can also drop off donations for the Safe Routes to School winter clothing drive. Mittens/gloves and hats are in the highest demand, but warm coats and snowpants are needed too.
Want to help out? We’re looking for volunteers to staff a few tables, including sign-in/registration, handing out swag and food, and collecting kids’ clothing donations. Shifts are one hour each, and you’re welcome to sign up for as many as you like. You can grab a slot on the volunteer sign-up form.
This Week
On Monday from 6-7 PM, log on for the Greater Madison MPO’s Pathways to 2050 Public Involvement Meeting #2 (online). Pathways to 2050 is the region’s long-range transportation plan, the document that steers transportation priorities and spending across the Greater Madison area for the next 20 to 30 years. This round, MPO staff will share what they heard from the focus groups, the public survey and community feedback, how that input is shaping the plan, and an overview of the process, timeline and goals, with time for your questions. It’s a Zoom webinar, so register here to get the link.
On Tuesday from 5-6:30 PM, brush up on your stopping power at the Brake Maintenance class at the University Bicycle Resource Center, 600 N Park St. The class covers brakes and minor brake adjustments: how to find and use your barrel adjusters, plus how to clean your braking surfaces. Bring your bike, or just show up and follow along without it. It’s free and open to the UW community, no registration required (first-come, first-served), and the first five people in the door get a free bike bell! Good timing, too, with slushy rims right around the corner.
Can’t make Tuesday? The next UBRC class is Biking Through Winter on Tuesday, December 1, from noon to 1 PM. You’ll get tips and lessons learned from a winter bicycling veteran, suggestions for clothing and gear, basic winter maintenance, and a rundown of available resources. Same deal: free, open to the UW community, no registration, and bring a brown bag lunch. Pairs nicely with Sunday’s fashion show if you’re on the fence about riding through this winter.
On Thursday from noon to 1 PM, the MPO repeats Public Involvement Meeting #2 as a lunch-hour session, same content as Monday’s. Missed Monday? Register here, bring your sandwich.
Also on Thursday, the first round of detours kicks off near Picnic Point. Site prep has started for the new Lakeshore Nature Preserve Frautschi Center, which means relocating parts of University Bay Drive, the Lakeshore Path, and the parking lot by the Picnic Point entrance. Road, bus, bike and pedestrian access will continue throughout, with intermittent road closures from November 12-16 and a daytime-only path detour (bikes and pedestrians merged behind the stone wall, so take it easy) from November 16-19. The new road and path should be done by November 30, weather permitting. UW’s closures and detours page has the full schedule and a map. If you mix bus and bike, the Picnic Point stops (#2881 and #2938) are closed until further notice, so check Metro for the latest.
On Sunday from 12-4 PM, head over to Freewheel Community Bike Shop’s monthly Open Shop at Neighborhood House. Bring your own bike or work on one of the donated ones, with experienced instructors on hand to help. All skill levels are welcome, beginner to pro — in Freewheel’s words, “Everyone’s a learner, everyone’s a teacher.” If Tuesday’s class got you poking at your barrel adjusters, this is a great place to keep going. Heads up that it overlaps with our fashion show but you can parts of both in if you schedule carefully. Shout out to Freewheel!
Finally, on Sunday from 1-4 PM, it’s the aforementioned Winter Bike Fashion Show at Goodman Community Center, 149 Waubesa St (all the details are up top). Bring the family, bring your questions, bring some kids’ mittens for the clothing drive. And if you’d like to pitch in for an hour, there are volunteer shifts too!
And all week, from Monday, November 9 through Sunday, November 15, the city’s Vision Zero initiative is recognizing the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims. Madison is joining communities around the world in honoring people who have been killed or seriously injured in traffic crashes, and standing with the families, friends and loved ones left behind. Vision Zero Madison has installed a public display to remember the lives lost on our streets and to raise awareness of what these crashes cost. This year’s display is at Burr Jones Park, 1820 E. Washington Ave, along the mixed-use path by E. Washington. From Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway’s statement:
In Madison, we get to school and work by walking, biking, bussing, or driving. Our streets need to be safe for everyone. Through Vision Zero Madison, we are working toward a future where no one has to experience the devastating loss of a loved one because of a traffic crash. One life lost is too many, and we all have a role to play in making Vision Zero a reality.
If you’re riding in the area this week, please take a minute to stop.
Other Stuff
Check out this video by Craig Weinhold riding across the new Wisconsin River recreational bridges at Sauk City. Yes, bridges, plural — there are two spans that highlight this beautiful and historic section of the Wisconsin River.
The best news coverage of the opening is in the Wisconsin State Journal (paywalled, unfortunately): the $12 million project connects the Great Sauk State Trail with the Walking Iron Trail, which is still under construction on the Dane County side. The coverage leans on tourism and recreation, and fair enough. But as Craig mentioned on Slack, the bridges also serve a very real transportation need: fast-growing neighborhoods like Blackhawk Fields on the Dane County side of the river will soon have a convenient way to reach jobs, services and schools in Sauk Prairie.
Previous weeks you might have seen mention of the Near West Area Plan kick-off meetings. Well those are all done but you can still comment on the map, including upvoting other comments, so explore a bit!
So that’s the week for now. Bust out the lobster claws, mind the detour signs, charge your lights, and we’ll see you on Sunday!
As always, you can find an overview of all bike events on our Community Bike Calendar. Email us at info@madisonbikes.org to add your events. And if you value our newsletter and other work, consider donating to Madison Bikes. For construction updates, check out the city’s Bike Madison page.
Thanks to our sponsors who make our events possible!
