Local Motion

Join us in our continued celebration of Local Motion's 25th anniversary!

On September 4th, we will be gathering at the Community Sailing Center in Burlington. We'll have appetizers & nonalcoholic drinks, ice cream from Ben & Jerry's, and a cash bar for wine & beer.

Find more details at the ticket link: localmotion.org/25

🖌️ Watercolor by Montstream Studio

Do you love working on bikes? Do you need to fulfill your City Market member-worker hours? Or just love to volunteer?

Well then I have good news. We're in need of a few folks (with some basic mechanic skills at a minimum) to help us tune-up our Bike Smart fleet.

These bikes are sent out in trailers to schools state-wide, for free! Throughout the school year, thousands of Vermont kids will receive an extensive bike safety course on our well-maintained fleet of bikes.

Sign up to help us tune these bikes for the season at signup.com/go/CAaNWqW

Thank you to all who joined us at The Quarter Century!

We had a total blast on Sunday, some of us dodging storms, others getting briefly soaked. It was all smiles up and down the Island Line Trail as we celebrated. We sang Happy Birthday to the Winooski Bridge (which turned 20 on the 1st), we looked for critters, and reveled in the natural space available to us from Burlington to South Hero.

A big THANK YOU! to Snow Farm Vineyard & Winery for hosting us in their beautiful space. If you haven't visited yet, make sure you stop on your next ride up the Island Line Trail. They have one of the best views of the Green Mountains!

PS. Stay tuned for the next part of our 25th anniversary celebration...

📷 Nic Anderson

We are seeking friendly, bike-loving folks to join our Trailside Center team.

For late August-October: especially seeking people with availability Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, ~15-18+ hours/week, additional hours possible.

Find a full job description including how to apply at the link in our bio.

There's still time to register for The Quarter Century! But don't fret, if you miss the deadline for online preregistration, we will have day-of registration open at both starts.

Ride, walk, or roll with us Sunday, August 11. Start from Burlington, South Hero, or your own home. Take on the Full Quarter - a 25(ish) mile route between Snow Farm Vineyards and Local Motion. Enjoy the Two Point Five - between 1.5-8 mile routes around either starting point.

All are welcome to join the Party at Snow Farm Vineyard & Winery after, at 1 pm. Learn more at www.bikereg.com/local-motion

This month, Peter Burns reflects on his personal history of riding around Burlington and the changes that have unfolded around the city. He is one of the original year-round bike riders in the area.

Peter's evolution as a bike rider, as well as the expansion of the riding community, has been interwoven with many of the bike developments in Burlington.

"Up until my involvement with Local Motion I was mostly a solitary rider. Now I feel that I am part of a community."

Read more of Peter's thoughts at www.localmotion.org/biking_in_burlington

The Bike Ferry will be closed today and tomorrow, August 5 & 6, due to mechanical issues. For those still wishing to ride to/from South Hero, we have an alternate on-road route available.

Keep up to date on the Bike Ferry at www.localmotion.org/bike_ferry

Thank you to Community National Bank, VT for sponsoring The Quarter Century!

Ride, walk, or roll with us Sunday, August 11. Start from Burlington, South Hero, or your own home. Take on the Full Quarter - a 25(ish) mile route between Snow Farm Vineyards and Local Motion. Enjoy the Two Point Five - between 1.5-8 mile routes around either starting point.

All are welcome to join the Party at Snow Farm Vineyard & Winery after, at 1 pm. Learn more at www.bikereg.com/local-motion

Smiling faces at todays e-bike demo with Burlington Electric Department

Have you tried an e-bike?

Change the way you ride with the power of electricity! E-bikes take you farther, help you up hills, tow heavy loads, and can replace your car for many trips.

Rebates are available in VT to help make them more affordable. Learn more about e-bikes and available rebates at localmotion.org/ebikes

Another great way to support our Vermont cycling community! Swing by the Terry Warehouse on July 31st and August 1st for our only in-person sales extravaganza, the Terry Tent Sale. These are our best prices of the year (up to 80% off) and an amazing opportunity to connect with the Terry community 🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️ A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Local Motion, Vermont's only statewide nonprofit advocate for walkable and bikeable communities.

⏰WHEN:
Wednesday, July 31st from 10am – 6pm
Thursday, August 1st, 2024, from 9am – 5pm

📍WHERE:
Terry Warehouse
7 Ambrose Place, Burlington VT 05401

A simple motto, written on a receipt paper: Believe in Bikes! These words have stuck with us since they were jotted down last summer by one of our Trailside Center team members.

We believe in the power of bikes, to take us on far adventures, to bring together community, to help us get to work, to tow all of our groceries!

Thanks to Amalgamated Culture Works for the amazing tees, hats, and patches. Come check them out at our Trailside Center!

Our community cares - thanks for the highlight from Strong Towns

Benches have been popping up around Chittenden county, built by members of our community. Many bus stops have nowhere to sit and the folks of VPOP took it into their own hands to make the wait a little more comfortable.

VPOP (Vermonters for People-Oriented-Places) is a grassroots organization advocating for more livable, lively, and resilient cities in Vermont. Check them out if you're ready to start working with your neighbors to build the better cities of tomorrow! www.verpop.org

Starting next week, a new EZ Breezy series takes on the streets!

The sweet song of deep summer has begun: the cicada scream. Ride with us this series as we head out of Burlington into some hidden gems of South Burlington.

See you at Local Motion's Trailside Center on the last Tuesday of every month (year round!) at 6pm.

Find the route at https://www.localmotion.org/ez_breezy_0730

This ride can't roll without you - visit https://www.localmotion.org/volunteer to see how you can help!

News from across the lake

Silver Birch Cycles in Saranac Lake, newly opened this June, is working to promote bike adventure and education. With a 300% increase in cyclists in the park, it is clear that the bike community is thriving in the Adirondacks!

Owner Justin Oliver states that “cycling is for everyone. One of my biggest things is if cycling’s financially out of reach, if you’ve just been part of the cycling community in the past, I want this shop to be for those folks.”

Read more at https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/stories/bike-store-owner-adirondacks-climate-change or give their shop a visit!

We're taking you to some of our favorite routes in the state!

The first route is a long time favorite, though it has gotten a little longer recently: the Triple Ferry Loop

Ok, we admit that this one feels a little bit like cheating: half the route is in NY. But where else can you get such stunning views of the Green Mountains?

Starting from Burlington, you'll head up the Greenway to the first boat: the Island Line Ferry. A quick trip across the Cut takes you into South Hero.

Smooth sailing on paved roads, passing farm stands to fuel up. Hop on the second ferry, from Grand Isle to Plattsburgh NY.

You're in NY, you know what that means: stop at a Stewart's for a milkshake! The next 40 miles follow Rte 9, often on separate paths that parallel the road, or quiet secondary roads.

The third and final ferry takes you from one quiet town to another: Essex NY to Charlotte. Follow quiet roads, a few dirt paths, before hopping back on the Burlington Greenway to finish it off!

Stay at one of the Vermont State Parks or NY State Parks & Historic Sites along the route to make this a multi-day adventure!

Find this route and others at https://www.localmotion.org/routemaps

Here's to a fun and action-packed season on the green with Vermont Green FC

Our Valet Bike Parking service has been on hand all season long, encouraging fans to minimize their environmental impact and to choose active transport. We're grateful to be a part of their sustainable mission!

Learn more about Vermont Green FC at https://ow.ly/kfCT50SzGKr

The annual Missisquoi Paddle-Pedal is set for Saturday, July 13!

This annual family-friendly event, hosted by the Northern Forest Canoe Trail (NFCT), the Upper Missisquoi and Trout River Wild & Scenic Committee (UMATR) and the town of Richford, combines a 6.5 mile paddle down a Wild and Scenic section of the Missisquoi River and 5 miles of cycling on the adjacent Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail.

Head to Northern Forest Canoe Trail to learn more & register!