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Ride-4-Ronald 2012
Do you enjoy cycling? Want to ride for a good cause? Well Ride-4-Ronald is for you! Ride-4-Ronald is an annual bike ride hosted by the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Florida and sponsored by McDonalds and David’s World Cycle. It is an enthusiast level biking event with 30, 60 and 100 mile bike routes. Last year, over 600 cyclists helped raise nearly $120,000 for the 1,500 families with seriously ill or critically injured children who stay at the two Ronald McDonald House Central Florida locations each year. Their goal is to raise $150,000 this year. Sign up now to participate in this fun event for a great cause! It will be on Sunday September 23, 2012.
Buy your Tickets to the Southeast Cycling Expo Now!!
 The Southeast Cycling Expo is coming up! It will take place at the Orange County Convention Center on November 17th. It has the latest and greatest in everything bicycles. The featured guest will be bike legend Bob “Bobke” Roll. You can enter for a chance to win the opportunity to ride next to him at the “Horrible Hundred” Century Ride the next morning after the Expo. Buy your tickets now through July 31 and qualify for the Early Bird pricing of two tickets for the price of one! Click here for the Southeast Cycling Expo main page.
Join us for the Ribbon-Cutting of Dinky Line Trail!
The much anticipated Dinky Line Trail will finally be opened to the public on Tuesday August 7th. This is also National Night Out, an annual national event for Neighborhood Watch communities. Join City of Orlando Police and Retro City Cycles 5:30-7:30 at Lake Highland Park at the intersection of Ferris Ave. and Lake Highland Drive! There will be music, games, treats, and free bicycle and helmet safety checks. Click here for a full list of events and more details about the event.
July First Friday Ride
Thanks to all who came out for this month’s First Friday Ride. Although it stormed, it was great fun for those who came. I hope to see you all at the August First Friday Ride on August 3rd!
Open Ride Invitation
This is an open invitation to anyone that would like to ride any Tuesday, Thursday and/or Saturday from the San Sebastian Trail Head on SR 436. The ride starts at 8AM each morning weather permitting and travels north on the Seminole Wekiva Trail and some county roads. We generally stop at Panera for coffee and a bagel and then head north towards state road 46 with a little zig zag to get extra miles. We take a second rest stop at the Sylvan Lake trail head then head home. The ride is about 35/40 miles in length and we ride at about a 14/15 mile per hour pace. This is a no drop ride and is very social; we meet as a small group without a specific ride leader. For more information, contact Jim Catlette at [email protected] or (424) 914-0398. Big Thunder Moon Ride
 Thanks to all who came out for the Big Thunder Moon Ride that Diana of Commute Orlando put together. It started off pouring with everyone racing to get to the meeting place (Cady Way Trailhead) without getting soaked. There they huddled under shelter, which unfortunately was not very effective, as the rain was pouring in from the sides. After checking radars on smartphones and fixing a flat tire, the group decided to embark on their ride, braving the threat of more inclement weather. It turned out to be a nice ride, with a frozen yogurt stop at the half-way point in Baldwin Park. The rain stopped, yet continued to keep the heat away. Click here to read the full story of the Big Thunder Moon Ride.
From our friends at Commute Orlando: Peter Martinez has created a collaborative Bike Parking map, designed to help Bicyclists plan their routes, and park their bikes on secure racks, rather than a stop sign or a tree. This can also help us advise business of the need for a rack, better placement, or even reward them for doing it right! Read more . . .
Calling all HOAs
This week marks the beginning of our community outreach campaign. Over the summer we will be contacting every homeowners association registered with Orange County and the City of Orlando to enlist their help in getting our pedestrian safety message out to their membership. Big thanks to the Grovehurst Homeowners Association in Winter Garden for being one of the first to embrace the cause. See their post here.
Next steering committee meeting, 9 a.m., July 24th
The Best Foot Forward Steering Committee will meet in the MetroPlan Orlando board room, 9 a.m., Tuesday, July 24th.
About Best Foot Forward
State law requires drivers to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, and pedestrians to yield to cars when crossing outside of a crosswalk. In Orange County, the fine for failure to yield is $164 and 3 points on your drivers license. And yet, our baseline data shows that, on average, only about five percent of drivers obey this law.
The five-year initiative is currently focused on Orange County and expand into Seminole and Osceola counties as resources permit. Five cities, two towns, and Orange County have passed resolutions supporting the initiative. Orlando Police Department has trained 24 officers. Orange County Sheriff’s office, this week trained 40 more. Police agencies in Winter Park, Maitland and Eatonville, and police chiefs from throughout Orange County, have pledged their support to the initiative, launched by Bike/Walk Central Florida and the Florida Bicycle Association, with financial support from the Winter Park Health Foundation and MetroPlan Orlando.
We have met with representatives of Orange County Public Schools. Outgoing Superintendent Ronald Blocker spoke at our kickoff. And we hope to be able to negotiate the addition of pedestrian safety curriculum grades K-5 as early as this fall.
When was the last time you saved a life? Your contributions of $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, or more, can make a big difference. Checks should be made out to the Florida Bicycle Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and mailed to: Betsy Holl at: P.O. Box 916715, Longwood, FL 32793-6715. Please specify that you are donating to Best Foot Forward.
Events
Community Calendar Link
http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/community-calendar/
Recurring Rides
(The next First Friday ride is August 3rd)
First Fridays: Take it to the streets bike ride to promote civility: 6 p.m. on the First Friday of each month. Check our Facebook Fan page for start locations.
UCF Bike Bus: Downtown Orlando to UCF, then UCF to Downtown Orlando. Follow bike bus in real time via GPS at http://commuteorlando.com/bikebus/
Ride With Steve: Beginner ride. Meet at Winter Garden Wheel Works in Downtown Winter Garden, 8 a.m., Saturdays. – Sponsored by Winter Garden Wheel Works .
See our Calendar for other family rides:
www.bikewalkcentralflorida.org
S-Cargo farmers market rides featuring utility bikes and trailers
Ice Cream Socials: night rides through Downtown Orlando
Unless specifically designated as a trail ride, our rides take place on public streets. Headlights and red rear flashers are required for night rides. Helmets are encouraged, and are required for children under 16.
We observe all traffic laws and traffic signals.
Our rides are typically 10 to 15 miles, roundtrip, and average 10 miles an hour, a comfortable pace for most adults and teens. May be too fast for younger children and adults with health issues.
These rides are social in nature.
For longer, more aggressive group rides, subscribe to Hal Downing’s group ride newsletter by emailing [email protected] .
If you have a social ride you would like us to help promote, please email me at the address below.
Brad
Brad Kuhn
Executive Director
[email protected]
Bike/Walk Central Florida Would like to thank our sponsors:
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Transforming Central Florida into a Premier Biking and Walking Community! 
