Douglas Design District businesses offering discounts to bikers on June 26

If you are looking for an excuse to ride your bike tomorrow head on down to the Douglas Design District and check out some of these great specials being offered to those who ride their bike.

Dear  “I Bike Douglas” Supporters,

“I Bike Douglas” May 22, 2010, was a great success with over 300 in attendance. Out of the registered participants, 98% said they prefer to shop local and would attend monthly “I Bike Douglas” bike-in events.

To keep the momentum going, Douglas Design District is sponsoring monthly “Biker’s Specials”. On June 26, ride in to your favorite place to eat or drink in the DDD and get a special just for YOU. Watch  the  event page at www.dddwichita.com for updates on participating businesses.

Douglas merchants providing “Biker’s Specials” :

Cero’s Candies – 1108 E. Douglas
Chocolate Covered Banana’s

College Hill Deli & Catering - 3407 E. Douglas
10% OFF any menu item!

Fresh Roast Coffee Company – 3700 E. Douglas #2
Glycogen Pit Stop (Two Shots of Espresso for $2 Bucks) $2

Harry’s Uptown – 3023 E. Douglas
Two Wheeler Special – Chicken Fajita Wrap: $6.50
Includes swiss cheese, guacamole, lettuce, tomatoes, chips
Beer Specials – Corona & Don Equis: $3.00 each

Jeanne’s Cafe – 4733 E. Douglas in Lincoln Heights
Mini Chicken Fried Steak Dinner: $6.95
Includes mash potatoes, vegetable, salad and roll

Monica’s Bundt Cake – 1328 E. Douglas
Ride in for a FREE bottle of water or a banana with purchase.
Available only during “I Bike Douglas”

Don’t forget to put out your “I Bike Douglas” yard signs if you have one! Looking forward to seeing “I Bike Douglas” bikers on Saturday, June 26th!

Sincerely,

“I Bike Douglas” Committee

Commuter Bike Ride Tuesday, May 18

Which route are you going to take? Meet at the Central YMCA at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 18. Commuter guides will take you along one of the following routes. You have the option to return with them, leave the route along the way to head off in your own direction or be picked up by a friend or family member at any point along the route.

Here are the Five Route Maps:

Route 1 Northwest: Keeper of the Plains, Riverside Park, Cowtown, Museums on the River, Twin Lakes area, Sedgwick County Zoo and Park, Warren Theatre West, New Market Square, YMCA West Branch – Led by commuter cyclist Scott Dyer, Jeff Usher and Bob Blinn

Route 2 K-96: Via Christi-St. Francis, Coleman, York, USD259, Grove Park, Chisholm Trail Park, (WSU), Koch, Pioneer Balloon, LSI, YMCA (K-96 & Woodlawn), Bel Aire – Led by commuter cyclist John Thompson

Route 3 East Central: Wesley Hospital, Wichita Clinic, Towne East, CCH, YMCA, Hawker-Beechcraft, Andover’s Central Park, Andover YMCA – Led by commuter cyclist Greg Standifer

Route 4 Southeast: Linwood Park, Cox Communication, Via Christi-St. Joseph, Cessna Park, Cessna-Pawnee, McConnell AFB, Boeing, Spirit, (return route past Towne East) – Led by commuter cyclists Dean Smythe and Rick Moss

Route 5 Southwest: Delano, Friends University, Newman University, Cessna-Wallace, Case-New Holland, (return route past YMCA) – Led by commuter cyclist Larry Bennett

Wichita Updates On-Line Bike Path Map

The City of Wichita has recently updated the on-line bike path maps. Click here to see them.

Need Commuter Routes?

Finding a commuter route from home to work or any point to point in Wichita just got easier. On Tuesday May 18th at 5:30pm, experienced commuter riders will guide five different rides from Downtown Wichita to the corners and edges of Wichita. They want to show you good routes and help you find your way.

Meet at the Downtown YMCA at 402 N. Market at 5:30pm and join a guide and a group on one of the following routes:

Northwest Wichita: Riverside, Zoo Blvd., West 21st St.
Northeast Wichita: College Hill, WSU, 29th & Oliver, Chisholm Creek Trail, 29th & Webb
East Wichita: 1st St. / 2nd St., Douglas & Webb, 13th & Webb
Southeast Wichita: Canal Route,  Spirit Aerospace, Derby
Southwest Wichita: Delano, Friends University, K-42 corridor, Pawnee & West, Cessna

Route guides will return to the Downtown YMCA. Riders have the option to return with them, leave the route along the way to head off in their own direction or be picked up by friends or family at any point along the route.

Join us for a nice evening ride.

Group Rides

This year Bike to Work Day is May 21st. We’re planning a way to mark and celebrate the day at lunchtime. Please share your ideas.

One thing we want to do IN ADVANCE of Bike to Work Day is conduct some rides from the Oldtown/Downtown core to different parts of the city (and even into Derby). If you are willing to lead a group or want to ride along, please contact John Thompson (558-5158, John.Thompson@Start-Thinking.com, Twitter: @thompsonline).

Here is some tentative information on the rides. Stay in tune with this website, the Facebook Group and Twitter (@BikeWichita and hashtag: #BikeWichta) to get more details on the group rides and other events as information becomes available.

TENTATIVE: On May 18th (date tentative) plan on a Commuter Bike Route Discovery Tour (name tentative) with your choice of rides on one of 5 primary routes (number tentative) led by experienced Commuter Bike Guides (title tentative). The Bike Guide(s) on your chosen route will point out route options, obstacles and solutions as we take a 30 to 45-minute ride from a common starting point at the Downtown YMCA (location tentative) to a turnaround point on the edge of town. Riders can then proceed to their homes or return to the Downtown YMCA – possibly on an alternative route that differs slightly from the outboundleg of the ride.

A lot of people have joined Facebook in the last year. It should be easy to share when and where people are riding – on all days, not just Bike to Work Day. Please tell your friends about the group and encourage them to join us.

Ride safe!

Connect with Bike Wichita

Connect with Bike Wichita on Twitter and Facebook.

On Twitter:
-Connect with others.
-See updates on upcoming events.
-Tweet your location.
-Use the hashtag #BikeWichita.

On Facebook:
-Meet up with other riders on the Discussion Board. Find a group to commute with or plan a lunch time or after work ride.
-Post pictures of your sweet bike under Photos.
-Send Event Invites to your friends.
-Tell us exactly what your thinking by posting something on The Wall.
-Get involved and help make Bike to Work day a success in Wichita.

Be sure to also check out The League of American Bicyclist page.

Overcoming Bike Commuting Excuses

1. I’m out of shape
Ride at an easy pace; in a few months you will be in great shape.
Ride your route on a weekend to find the easiest way to work.
You will improve your fitness level when you become a regular bike commuter.

Why Bike to Work?

When is the last time you smelled the honeysuckle in springtime during your morning commute? Or pulled into the parking lot with a big smile plastered across your face, pumped with endorphins and ideas? Or lost weight just by going back and forth to work every day? 

Likely never, if you slide behind the wheel of a metal box and fight the freeway each morning. But what if one day you left the car in the driveway and rode a bike instead? 

You’d actually look forward to going to work, says Larry Bennett, an underwriter for KMUW public radio. “ I arrive at work with a great attitude because I get to hear the birds sing in the morning and I get a close look at flowers in people’s yards along my bicycling route.  I arrive home in the evening with a great attitude because I get to work off the stress of the day by pedaling as hard and fast as I want.,” he says. Though he’s been making the 14 mile round trip through Wichita’s College Hill district. “ I ride a bike to work during three of the four seasons and sometimes even on a warm day in winter.  My commute is rarely boring since the same route looks and feels different with each season.  But every commute in a car is pretty much the same regardless of the time of year.” 

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