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Celebrate National Bike Month in C-U

Champaign County bikes has some special events to help you celebrate National Bike Month in town and a chance to help fund a new bike trail. See the press release below for details.

Help Us Celebrate National Bike Month during May

Champaign/Urbana, IL—With spring in the air, Champaign County Bikes (CCB) and the League of American Bicyclists (LAB), the national organization of bicyclists, announce May as National Bike Month, Locally, Wednesday, May 6 is Bike to School and Campus Day, Thursday, May 14 is Bike to Work Day, and every Saturday in May is Bike to Market Day at Urbana’s Market at the Square.

A complete calendar of bicycle events happening locally in May is at www.CUBike.org. Along with the Bike to Market, School, Campus, and Work Days, are several additional events. The Community Used Bicycle Sale and a Moonlight / Ice Cream ride are planned for Saturday, May 2. The Urbana Gran Prix Criterium Bicycle Race will be held Sunday May 3rd in Crystal Lake Park, and a day­long bike education and riding skills class is offered Saturday, May 9th.

“I helped kickstart the Kickapoo Rail Trail!”​ is the tagline and theme of 2015’s CU Bike Month. All area bicyclists and supporters are being encouraged to make a contribution to the Kickapoo Rail Trail’s (KRT) matching grant fund to speed up the construction date for phase one of the trail between Urbana and St. Joseph. A suggested donation of $24.50 is being encouraged ($1/mile of the 24.5 mile Kickapoo Rail Trail),and all who donate will receive a Kickapoo Rail Trail inspired, Bike Month 2015 t­shirt. Donations are accepted online or at many of the Bike Month events during May.

Every Saturday in May is Bike to Market Day ​at Urbana’s Market at the Square. CCB’s tent is on Walnut Street, near the Market on the Square’s Big Orange tent (May 2,9,16,23,30). Stop by for CCB’s local bike
map, information about local bike rides, and to learn more about the Kickapoo Rail Trail. Additionally,members of Prairie Cycle Club will be leading an easy ride leaving from Meadowbrook Park’s Race Street
parking lot at 9am that will optionally end at the Market (http://www.prairiecycleclub.org/2001­weekly­rides/)

May 6 is Bike to School Day​­ CU Safe Routes to School will have a booth at Urbana Middle School from 8-8:45am (http://www.cu­srtsproject.com 3rd item down from top of page.)

May 6 is Bikes on Campus Day ​(U of I and Parkland)

May 14 is Bike to Work Day ​­additional Press Release will be sent out closer to the day of the event

Participating bicyclists can register at CUBike.org. Parents can register their children for Bike to School Day.

For Bike to Work Day, nine Welcome Stations scattered around C/U will celebrate bike commuting with free coffee, juice, and breakfast items like scones, bagels, and fruit for bicyclists who stop by between 7:­10 am.
Andy Clarke, President of the League of American Bicyclists, said, “Biking to work is an efficient and fun wato get the exercise you need, without having to find extra time to work out.” CCB encourages everyone to “use your bicycle for one errand a day” and to log your miles in the NationalBike Challenge for a chance to win prizes (http://nationalbikechallenge.org/).
Resources

Champaign County Bikes (CCB) is our area’s local bicycle advocacy and education organization. CCB coordinates CU­Bike Month 2015 and is accepting online donations for the Kickapoo Rail Trail.

www.champaigncountybikes.org

CU­Bike Month 2015 website: www.CUBike.org

League of American Bicyclists ­ http://bikeleague.org/content/promotional­materials­0

League of Illinois Bicyclists Bike Safety Quiz http://www.bikesafetyquiz.com

Kickapoo Rail Trail ­ www.KickapooRailTrail.org

Urbana Grand Prix ­ http://www.scarletfireracing.com/images/2015_URBANA_GRAND_PRIX_flyer.pdf

Community Used Bicycle Sale:

http://champaigncycle.com/about/2015­community­used­bike­sale­5­2­2015­pg386.htm

CU Safe Routes to School Project ­ http://www.cu­srtsproject.com

Prairie Cycle Club ­ http://www.PrairieCycleClub.org

National Bike Challenge ­ http://nationalbikechallenge.org/

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