Summer is in full swing! Every day we watch riders, walkers, and rollers take on the Burlington Greenway right outside our offices. Out on the Island Line, the Bike Ferry has already shuttled over 12,000 people between Colchester and South Hero.
Flooding has once again brought challenges to many towns across Vermont, and our communities have been rallying around them. Find resources or how you can help. Many trails have been affected by heavy rains, so be sure to know before you go! Check out conditions on local rail trails and mountain bike trails.
Photo courtesy of Doug Goodman.
Celebrate 25 Years of Local Motion
Join us August 11th for The Quarter Century
This year marks Local Motion’s 25th Anniversary, in other words, our Quarter Century! We invite you to join us in celebrating this momentous occasion by riding, walking, or rolling this August 11th for The Quarter Century. Learn more on BikeReg. The Party at Snow Farm Vineyards & Winery is open to everyone, participants or no!
In an effort to bring as many people together as possible, we are offering several options for this event. That means multiple size and start options, including a virtual ride for those unable to attend in person.
Support Local Motion's mission to make it safe, accessible, and fun for everyone to bike, walk, and roll in Vermont. As part of The Quarter Century celebration, we are inviting you to participate in a little friendly competition. Create a team with your friends, coworkers, teammates, or participate alone to claim all the fundraising glory. Learn more on PledgeReg.
Join us September 4th for our 25th Anniversary Party
Save the date! We will be gathering at the Burlington Community Sailing Center for a party. Spend an evening with us with drinks, light refreshments, recognitions, stories, and overall merry-making. More details to come...
Enter to win a trip for two to Tuscany
As part of our 25th Anniversary celebration, we are partnering with our friends at Vermont Bicycle Tours to raffle a cycling vacation for two. Thanks to VBT for their donation of this exciting Tuscan vacation.
For every $20 you donate to the raffle, you will receive a chance to win! Winners will be announced at our 25th Anniversary Party on September 4th.
Looking back at the Vermont Walk/Bike Summit…
On the longest day of the year, advocates, planners, researchers, and community members all gathered together for the Vermont Walk/Bike Summit. It was a hot day in St. Johnsbury, but we were all buzzing with excitement to learn, share, and connect.
We want to share a warm congratulations! to our own Jonathon Weber and Susan Grasso, who were awarded for their work making roads safer statewide through our Complete Streets program. And we as a whole want to say thank you! for the award in recognition of 25 years of bike and walk advocacy work.
Join our EZ Breezy Cicada Spins
Celebrate the joy of biking year round with our EZ Breezy Rides! Rides start at 6pm from Local Motion’s Trailside Center, the last Tuesday of every month.
We want to round out the summer by heading out for a spin to the sweetest music of all: the cicada’s call. They’re out there, screaming, cheering us on?
The route for this series will head south into some of South Burlington’s hidden infrastructure gems.
VCRD Leadership Summit
Registration has opened for the 2024 Vermont Community Leadership Summit: Forge Forward, Thrive Together! The event will take place on Tuesday, August 6th at Vermont State University in Randolph, Vermont, and is hosted by the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD).
Join hundreds of community builders from across the state to build skills, capacity, and connections - and forge forward towards a thriving and resilient future for all. This year’s event offers a range of topics tailored to support people working on all aspects of local vitality and resilience - capacity, economic vitality, emergency preparedness, youth engagement, inclusion, and more. Attendees can participate in any session, or follow optional “Participation Pathways” of Climate Resilience and Long-term Recovery; Youth Leadership and Engagement; or Understanding and Solving Our Persistent Challenges.
See the full agenda and sliding-scale registration below (including signing up for lunch and accessibility accommodations). All who are interested in supporting their community and the future of the state are welcome and encouraged to attend!
Remembering Brian Searles
Kind words by friend and board member, David R. Hutchinson
It is with great sadness that we have learned of the recent death of Brian Searles. Brian died in Tampa, Florida, on June 5 while undergoing treatment for acute leukemia.
Brian served as a central figure on the Local Motion board of directors from 2017-2023. He has been a stalwart member of the Local Motion family, and he played a key role in the development of Local Motion as Vermont’s premier walking and biking advocacy group.