Tempe Bicycle Action Group

While most parts of the country celebrate Bike Month in May, we like to get the wheels rolling early, while the weather is still spectacular. This year, TBAG is involved in a whole host of Bike Month activities. The events are summarized over on our Bike Month 2010 page. Check Tempe in Motion’s page and Valley Metro’s page as well. This week:

Friday, April 2: Ride your bike over to Phoenix First Fridays, then check in at the Bike Valet. I will lead the nine-mile ride from Tempe Beach Park (corner of Mill and Rio Salado) to Phoenix. We’ll roll out by 6 for a leisurely ride there. Be sure to bring lights or plan on taking the light rail back to Tempe. Grab dinner on Mill Ave beforehand, or find something to eat at First Fridays instead.

We’re still looking for volunteers to help run the bike valet, which will run from 5 to 10 pm. Sign up for a valet shift at the end of this post.

Saturday, April 3: Used Bike Drive! Drop off a used bicycle at either Valley REI location, in Tempe or Paradise Valley. See the previous post, below.

Monsters of Folk is the musical supergroup made up of My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, Bright Eyes’ Conor Oberst and Mike Mogis, and singer/songwriter M. Ward. They’re on the road together and will be in Phoenix on Wednesday Oct. 21st.

This Saturday, Oct. 10, TBAG is sending one lucky winner to the show! Just stop by the TBAG booth at Tour de Fat on Saturday and sign up to win a Pair of Tickets. The drawing will be held about 3 p.m., you gotta be there to win!

Why are we involved? Monsters of Folk is partnering with Air Traffic Control, a resource for musicians’ philanthropic and social change work. The band will be donating $1 from every ticket sold on the tour to local non-profits. TBAG was chosen as the beneficiary of the AZ date… How cool is that?

For more information on Monsters of Folk and other Stateside Presents concerts, visit www.statesidepresents.com

Thanks to STATESIDE Presents for supplying the tickets and to the band and ATC for their generous support of Tempe Bicycle Action Group!

I haven’t been able to source this text online just yet, but board member Jeremy came across the following in the printed version of PHOENIX Magazine in their Best of the Valley 2009 feature:

Best way to Join a Bike Gang: Tempe Bicycle Action Group
This group is serious about cycling. Created five years ago by Arizona State University graduates, the group now consists of more than one hundred bike fanatics*. The name started as a joke, but TBAG stickers now adorn frames across Tempe. From beginners to up-and-coming Lance Armstrongs, TBAG welcomes riders of all levels. Training wheelers can join them for the Cupcake Ride, a short ride to a local cupcake shop for a treat along the trail. Other events include weekend bar-hopping, bike polo, and tranquil rides around the Valley. TBAG’s six core volunteers also advocate for additional routes and rights for cyclists in Tempe. Wanna hop on? Follow TBAG’s blog for the latest. biketempe.org

*I’m not sure where they got the “more than one hundred” number from, but it’s cool nonetheless! We’ve 138 members on our Facebook Group and more than 350 members on our mailing list. Are you one of them? If not, join now! A big thank you to PHOENIX Magazine!

It’s about that time. I’m waking up earlier, slathering on the sunscreen and bringing two water bottles instead of one on short road rides. Yes folks, summer is quickly approaching.

I’m putting together a cycling in the summer tip sheet for future TBAG events and I’d certainly appreciate your thoughts! Here in Arizona, many of us have found great ways to continue bicycling through the heat of the summer. What are your best tips for cycling in the heat? Leave any ideas or suggestions in the comments.

Once I’ve compiled everyone’s tips, I’ll post the fact sheet. Thanks for your input!

BOB Trailer + PVC Pipe + 6′ tall Tour de Fat Posters (x2) = Excellent (and very sketchy in a cross-wind) TdF rolling advertisement!

This specimen of bicycle-based advertising was present at PHX First Friday this evening. Keep an eye out for it around Tempe this week.