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A Message From the President
April is upon us and so is the official HBC riding season.
First, if you haven't already, please send an email to Suffolk County Executive, Steve Bellone supporting the 3 Foot law. His email address and a short letter to cut and paste are on the Home page of our website.
Rides start on April 3 at 9:00 AM. The sign-up procedure starts with you logging in as a member, and then going to the Events tab. Follow the prompts.
Our next club meeting on Zoom will be Tuesday, April 6th at 7:00 PM. The Zoom link is published in the members’ only section.
- At this meeting, we need to vote on the changes to the By-laws. The proposed changes are posted on the Event page.
- Arne will be giving a Ride Safety presentation.
- Alex, from Bicycle Playground, will be showing new Safety items and essential gear for your rides.
- Please take advantage of our sponsored Bike Shops and products, particularly Road ID-we get a large discount with them, and those bracelets are invaluable.
- We will be starting official HBC rides on Tuesday and Thursday from Breezy Park. Sal will be the Ride Captain. Look on the Events page for those rides. Breezy Park is in Huntington Station, 19 W Rogues Path.
A couple of interesting facts to ponder:
- $4.9 Billion was spent on Bicycles in the year 2020, up 70% from 2019. Mr. Bellone should hear that as well as all of our state politicians.
- Riding a bike for 15 minutes improves your memory, as conducted in a study by the University of Geneva. File that one away, or use it when you are questioned, "Are you riding again?"
I look forward to seeing you all on the road and at the meeting next week!
The next club Zoom meeting will be Tuesday, May 11 at 7:00 PM
Karen Gellert, HBC President. | Happy Passover..........Jerry showing his riding skills
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L.I. Greenway would save lives, create jobs
Posted March 18, 2021
From an online Journal: The LIHerald.com
By Carter Strickland
During the coronavirus pandemic, many of us have needed to get outside, and have rediscovered the joy of walking or riding a bike to see friends and exercise. Should this trend continue — and record bike sales suggest that it will — then New Yorkers will be healthier, traffic will be less congested and air quality will improve. But for walking and biking to be realistic options for most people, we first need to invest in safe and adequate infrastructure, just as we have done for every other mode of transportation.
This is a critical public safety issue for Long Island. Today, our roads are too risky — Nassau and Suffolk counties were ranked second and third most dangerous in the state, as measured by the number of fatalities, personal injuries and property damage resulting from traffic crashes. In fact, in 2019, Long Island accounted for over a quarter of all bicycle fatalities in New York. Too many lives have been lost because of dangerous roads.
Safe places to bike and walk are also part of a holistic economic recovery. Civic leaders seeking to attract and retain young professionals with amenities comparable to any major city and to solidify a strong “sense of place” across the Island have already invested in revitalizing downtowns with walkable communities and affordable multi-family housing. The missing commercial part of that mix may follow even faster than expected now, as many people who have worked from home for more than a year question the value of long commutes. In fact, the large redevelopment areas proposed for Long Island are mixed use, with the intention of creating live-work-play communities — and future residents and workers will look for recreational opportunities and better connections to parks.
The good news is that both Nassau and Suffolk counties have started to invest in safe biking and walking trails. There are first-class bike paths in Eisenhower Park and Bethpage State Park, as well as several trail systems in parks and a few north-south trails. What is missing is a main artery to tie this all together, much as the Long Island Expressway did for an earlier generation that wanted to drive their cars to the post-war suburbs.
A proposed Long Island Greenway would provide this connectivity and jump-start a true network of trails for point-to-point travel across the Island. Stretching 175 miles from Manhattan to Montauk, the greenway would be a multi-purpose trail that would be mostly off-road along power lines, connecting downtown redevelopment areas such as Innovation Park and the Nassau Hub, 26 parks and 46 train stations. It would make walking and biking safe for people on Long Island and a real option for exercising, visiting friends, even picking up groceries. And it would be good for downtown business as well: Trail users spend about $250,000 per mile annually on trail-related local businesses, according to a 2012 study by the Rails to Trails Conservancy.
This project could be shovel-ready and provide jobs in the near term while setting the foundation for Long Island’s success over the long term. The state has already built the Empire State Trail from Buffalo to New York City, and has invested in preliminary engineering studies to extend it across Long Island. According to a study released recently by New Yorkers for Clean Water and Jobs, 65,000 jobs could be created by the $3 billion New York State Environmental Bond Act, which would support projects like the Long Island Greenway. We need those jobs now to help our economic recovery, and those investments would pay back health and economic dividends for years. Long Islanders should call on their elected officials to support investments in park infrastructure.
Carter Strickland is the New York state director for the Trust for Public Land.
| They are Crankin! Art and Terry are as well!
| A NOTE FROM COACH DAVID
of Bicycling Magazine
Ah, the many pleasures of outdoor riding are even more enjoyable when you’re empowered to create your own training routes. With today’s technology, including apps synced with your cycling head unit or device, the next adventure is just a click away from paradise.
But how do you design the perfect route? As one Bicycling member asks, “I am curious to know your opinion: What makes an ideal cycling route? Is it the scenery? The mix of hills and flats? As I search for a good training loop near my house, what should I consider?”
My number one tip for making the perfect route is to do your research. Don't ride the roads you drive! More than likely, there will be road traffic, which creates a whole host of challenges.
I can remember the days of planning training rides with the aid of paper road maps; now, with technology, the ability to design a safe route with minimum road traffic couldn’t be any easier.
Online route planning apps enable you to choose courses based on details such as road conditions, elevation profile, and distance. In turn, you can download the route directly to your GPS or phone and receive turn-by-turn navigation.
Recommended Route Options
Here are course options for beginner riders, intermediate cyclists, and advanced-level athletes, using your route-planning app of choice.
Beginner Riders: Design a low-intensity 15- to 25-mile course with minimal elevation gain—ideal for managing heart rate and cadence control during the ride.
Intermediate Cyclists: Plan a 35- to 50-mile out-and-back route, including a mix of rolling terrain with short to medium hill climbs, during which cadence control and proper gear selection are critical for maintaining momentum.
Advanced-Level Athletes: Map out a 50-mile loop that includes long valley roads, rolling terrain, and at least two 30-minute climbs with various pitch elevations to work on in- and out-of-the-saddle climbing technique.
When it is all said and done, plan it, ride it, crush it!
| Ocean Parkway Coastal Bike Path Extension is Complete
By Robert Brodsky
robert.brodsky@newsday.com @BrodskyRobertUpdated March 4, 2021 6:43 PM
An extension of the bike path that runs along the shore of Jones Beach Barrier Island opened to pedestrians on Wednesday, state officials said.
The shared use path, Ocean Parkway Coastal Greenway, had run 3.6 miles from Jones Beach State Park to Tobay Beach. In 2019, state officials announced plans to finish the final leg of the project and extend it about 10 miles east to Captree State Park by summer 2021. The $16.2 million project is now complete a few months ahead of schedule.
“The addition of this new ocean front, outdoor attraction that spans Ocean Parkway, connects to additional trails and boasts stunning views of the Manhattan skyline and Jones Beach is certain to be a new favorite for both residents and visitors alike,” Discover Long Island CEO and president Kristen Jarnagin said in a statement.
The path allows for walkers, runners, joggers, skaters, and cyclists to exercise along the shore. It also connects to another shared use trail, the Jones Beach Shared Use Leisure Path, on the West End. The path includes new bicycle parking areas at Gilgo Beach, Cedar Beach Marina, and Captree State Park.
Safety measures have also been put into place along the new path, including curved sections of the path, green-painted crosswalks, reflective cable guardrails between the path and Ocean Parkway, and an overall design that is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
“Exploring Long Island’s coastline ranks among New York’s most awe-inspiring outdoor experiences,” State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said in a statement. “I’m thankful to Governor Cuomo and the Department of Transportation for the early completion of Ocean Parkway Coastal Greenway Shared Use Path, providing a safe and scenic path for cyclists, runners and walkers to enjoy this landscape, and building on New York State’s work to revitalize Jones Beach State Park.”
| Uneasy riders: Cyclists press for more bike paths in Smithtown
By Nicholas Spanglernicholas.spangler@newsday.com @spanglernewsdayUpdated March 7, 2021 8:25 AM
Cyclists are watching with interest as Smithtown officials finalize a plan that will guide town development for decades.
The comprehensive plan draft posted on the town website envisions a future less car-centric than the present where bikeways are part of a "multi-modal transportation network" connecting residents to the town’s parks and shopping areas. Planners recommended building out a network of bike paths and lanes and installing bike racks at transit nodes and other destinations, making cycling easier and safer but also removing motor vehicles from clogged roads that are on pace to carry 55% more average daily traffic over the next 20 years.
Much of that work will follow Suffolk County’s 2020 Hike and Bike Master plan, which identifies locations for bike lanes and mixed-use paths in Smithtown, part of a robust countywide system to be built out over more than a decade.
The town would start virtually from scratch, though. "We don’t have a network — what we have is a few random pieces," said Hal Tarry, 67, a retired state Department of Transportation engineer who biked from his Smithtown home to a regional DOT headquarters for about 20 years and still bikes recreationally.
There are few dedicated, marked bike lanes, according to the county plan, and road shoulder width varies from ample to zero. A shared use path along Route 347 was partly covered by ice and blocked by vehicles parked outside of Pace’s Steak House last week. Planners have recommended that the town adopt a "complete streets" initiative calling for more bike lanes and traffic calming as some neighboring municipalities and the county have.
While the trails in some large parks are popular with cyclists, along with hilly side streets of Head of the Harbor and Nissequogue, cyclists are a rare sight on main roads or at destinations such as Long Island Rail Road stations and public libraries.
Brenda Silva, 54, a Village of the Branch resident who rides a standing bike after a crash 15 years ago, says a silent prayer before she leaves her house for a ride. "Sharing the road with the volume of cars, distracted drivers and narrow shoulders always pose a significant risk," she said. Vincent Lonegro, 49, a retired FDNY firefighter who rides up to 5,000 miles a year, said "some of the guys I ride with won’t come here and ride with me," preferring less trafficked roads in towns to the east. Just 8% of people who answered a planning survey said that biking in the town was "safe and easy."
Tarry has launched what he admits is a "solitary crusade" to persuade the town to adopt its own bicycle master plan, one he hopes would encourage bike lanes painted on newly resurfaced roads and cut-throughs on cul-de-sacs, letting young cyclists hop between subdivisions without using busy roads.
Allyson Murray, Smithtown environmental planner, said planners were considering recommending development of a bike plan to the town board. The town will begin marking bike lanes during resurfacing. State workers are also scheduled to extend the Route 347 path, which starts in Hauppauge and now terminates near Gibbs Pond Road, to Smith Haven Mall under the next phase of roadwork.
Smithtown is "not turning into Amsterdam" — perhaps the world’s most famously bike-friendly city — but "we are trying to make it a more bike-friendly place," she said.
Planning survey
8% of residents who answered a planning survey said that biking in Smithtown was “safe and easy”
0.1%-1.2% residents use a bike, motorcycle or taxi to commute
About 75 pedestrian or bike crash locations from 2016 to 2018
Two cyclist fatalities since 2018
Sources: Smithtown draft comprehensive plan, Suffolk County Police
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Minutes from the March 9, 2021
Meeting of the Huntington Bicycle Club
Meeting Commenced: 7:00 PM
President-Karen-Welcomes everyone back to the 1st meeting since 3/20/20, due to Covid-19
Thanks to Bill Nimmo for leading the Club through a difficult year.
All members are instructed to look at the proposed Changes to the Club By-laws, as posted on the Home page of the Website. The entire By-laws can be found on the documents tab. These changes will be voted on in April.
Need for mirrors while biking for safety (for themselves and others). (May be put into By-laws as a requirement, as are helmets). Can also be sold at the meetings or club store.
For the first ride of the season please consider front and rear lights, and check tire pressure and wear.
Vice-President/Ride Chairman-Karen is speaking for John who is not here. There is a ride leader meeting at 7pm on 3-16-21. John and Malachy will be running the meeting about ride leading and the new website. Interested Ride Leaders should look at the guidelines spelled out on the Website.
Treasurer-Gregg – income this year will be from membership only.
Membership-Sal – over 50 new members with 290 total members.
Webmaster-Malachy showed how to sign up for rides through the Website. There is user flexibility to set up your own profile, and ability to make donations.
It is important to log in first, then you gain access to: rides, Folks on Spokes, Membership directory, Bike shops that support the club, store front that will be run by Owen (socks, mirrors, jerseys), the photo album for profiles, Contact page for officers and Go to videos to find out to sign up for rides.
Speaker: Daniel Flanzig, member and Bike Lawyer/advocate
Talked about the three foot rule for cars and bike riders (vulnerable person law). It is up for a vote on 3-16-21.
Everyone should contact their legislator to encourage the passage of this law
Steve shared a report on the Gold Coast – only for club members on July 10 and 11th. No ride support. Main need will be Ride leaders. All ride levels will be included. Rides will be capped at ten. Looking for sponsorship from restaurants along the route to support riders and the club.
8:30 PM Motion to adjourn: Scott; Seconded-Steve
Next Meeting-Tuesday, April 6, 7:00 PM
Respectfully Submitted,
Patty Kalvar, HBC Secretary
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