In April of 2021 the Winooski Parks and Recreation Department sent out a call for volunteers to lead a weekly bike ride.  I was one of three people to volunteer.   Astin and Kristine also responded.  Astin is a social worker and Kristine teaches high school math.  We were given the title of ‘Bike Ambassadors.’ We decided to meet every Wednesday at 5:30 in  front of Monkey House which is on the Winooski traffic circle.  That first year we averaged about 10 riders per week.  Kristine gradually expanded out online presence and started posting our bike routes.  Astin was very good at welcoming new riders into the fold.  

Monday

My day started like most, with a walk down the hill from my house in the Old North End in Burlington down to Local Motion’s office on the waterfront. However, this time I was lugging a suitcase and had that nervous pre-trip excitement. Instead of a typical office day, I boarded the Amtrak train to New York City before continuing on to Washington, DC to attend the League of American Bicyclists' National Bike Summit.

In This Newsletter:

• Spring Walk and Roll to School Months

• Final reminder: Crossing Guard Survey

• Reminder: Free Helmets if you fill out Travel Tallies & Parent Surveys!

• Bike Smart update

• Winter Walk School Spotlights!

• A Strategy to Reduce Drop-off Congestion

A bill in the Vermont House would make important legal changes to support and protect people walking, biking, and rolling.

We need you to ask legislators to make these changes into law!

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About the Author: Peter Burns is a long-time bike enthusiast, and one of the original year-round bike riders in the greater Burlington area. In addition to writing about walking and biking, Peter teaches a variety of bike workshops. He also works at a group home for people with psychiatric disabilities, teaches classes for the Vermont Humanities Council, teaches swimming at the Burlington YMCA, and is a regular host of Storytelling VT.  

10-6-23 Ride

On Friday October 6th I started getting ready to ride at 1:30 PM.  I was going to Shelburne Farms and calculated that it would take me half an hour to get ready and an hour for the ride.  I was meeting someone for a walk at 3 PM.  Within a ten mile radius of Winooski I have a pretty good sense of how long it will take me to get to any destination.   I try to be on time. 

We were recently selected to promote the Vermont sections of the Western New England Greenway (WNEG).

2023 was a fantastic year here at Local Motion. Check out our Impact Report for a by-the-numbers summary of all of our services and programs.

Local Motion, the Burlington Walk/Bike Council, and Old Spokes Home are excited to provide the Burlington community with insight into 2024 mayoral and city council candidates' positions on key issues. 

The second half of the 2023/2024 legislative biennium is upon us, and we're excited to return to the Statehouse and advocate for better walking, biking, and rolling in Vermont. Here's what we're focused on this year.

9-22-23 Ride

On Thursday September 21st I used Ride with GPS to plan a route in Franklin County. I was going to take my road bike but in the event I chose to use my gravel bike instead. My route included a stretch of the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail. I did more or less the same ride last year in late September and I remembered that the rail trail was not well maintained. My road bike has narrow tires and is not happy on rough ground.