Want Bike Routes on Google Maps? -- Suggest It

Visit Bike Routing on Google Maps - Suggest It and vote now.

-> According to an article in the Aug. 26th Marin County Bicycle Coalition newsletter, "It has come to MCBC's attention that a request for Google to create maps for the best cycling routes in any particular area has been posted on their 'Suggest It' page. MCBC thinks this is a great idea as well -- a tool in virtually every cyclist's interest. And we're asking you to flood Google with requests for it...
"If you want to do more than click a request, you need to write to the discussion forums and hope Google staff pays attention. If you choose to take this extra step, feel free to use the above talking points. Thank for helping! An onslaught just might get Google's engineers in gear..."
For more info and tips, go to the MCBC's website: http://tinyurl.com/ksv96t

To vote, go to: http://tinyurl.com/ctuuos

*Don't forget to vote for WALKING route maps, too!

~From CenterLines, the e-newsletter of the National Center for Bicycling & Walking.

3 Berks County sites trade on natural beauty

Take a hike

Copies of the "Hike the Highlands" cards can be downloaded at www.outdoors.org/hikethehighlands.

The free cards also are available for pickup at:

• Berks County Conservancy, 25 N. 11th St.

• Nolde Forest Environmental Education Center, Cumru Township.

• Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Union Township.

• French Creek State Park, Union Township.

The cards feature 22 recreation areas in the Pennsylvania Highlands. They include trail maps, descriptions, directions and other information about the sites.

Source: Appalachian Mountain Club
3 Berks County sites trade on natural beauty

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Asthma, Air Pollution, Children -- ASTHMA FREE ZONES

WalkBikeBerks encourages parents and school staff to walk or bicycle to school to reduce emissions and improve health for themselves, their children, and the communities where they live. If you cannot walk or bicycle to school -- please remember to turn off your engines when waiting in school zones. Let's work together to create Idle Free / Asthma Free zones near schools and parks -- so that our children can breathe clean air.

The Links Between Asthma and Air Pollution

by Molly Marie Griffin
June 15, 2009
You can't catch your breath, your chest tightens, your airways constrict and suddenly you feel like you're drowning on land. Asthma, a chronic, genetic respiratory condition, currently affects more than 22 million people in the United States alone.... Click Here to Read the Full Article

The final paragraph of the article brings the whole issue into focus:

"Things aren't looking great for asthmatics today, but all is not lost. During the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta, the city closed roads downtown to private cars and allowed only public transit for 17 days. During that time, ozone levels dropped 28 percent and there were 20 percent fewer hospitalizations due to asthma. If only big cities like this, which have much higher asthma rates, will follow Atlanta's example or make permanent changes, someday we might all be able to breathe a little easier."

Here is a fantastic example of a community working to reduce harmful auto emissions near schools and playgrounds: http://www.hastebc.org/school-anti-idling-sign-order-form

Berks County Bicycle Club -- SHOOFLY Ride

Reminder the SHOOFLY ride is this Sunday, August 30.
Ride starts at 8AM.
Course closes at 4PM.
Let me know if you can volunteer or will be riding in the Shoofly.

Michele
484-638-1391

The BERKS COUNTY BICYCLE CLUB

presents the
Shoo-Fly Classic

Bike Ride
Sunday, August 30th, 2009
20, 40, & 60 Mile Ride Options
Also New This Year is an 18 Mile GPS Ride
In the Beautiful Oley Valley
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Come enjoy the fantastic scenery in the beautiful and historic Oley Valley. Take a nice gently rolling 20-mile ride through the valley out to a rustic covered bridge. Looking for more of a challenge? Then try our 60-mile ride to the Trexlertown Velodrome. This ride takes you over some of the same roads that pro riders from around the world have trained on. There is some climbing but the downhill payoff is spectacular. Need 100 miles? Then add on the beautiful 40-mile ride option out to the Daniel Boone Homestead.
Want to test your GPS navigation skills? New this year is an 18-mile GPS coordinate guided adventure ride. We’ll give point to point GPS coordinates to guide you around the course. You must have a working GPS device and a cell phone. We will provide you with a sealed map and SAG cell phone number just in case.
Snacks and drinks are provided for registered riders at our start/finish area and at mid-ride refreshment stops on the 40- and 62-mile loops. Support vehicles will patrol all routes offering assistance to riders if needed. Riders are provided with course maps and written directions. All routes are clearly marked. After the ride, relax and feast from a broad selection of goodies, pizza and our signature bite-sized SHOO-FLY pies.
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Click here to register for the Shoo-fly Classic.

Obesity Costs PA In Excess of $4 Billion Annually

In a period of time when health care is so heatedly debated, I can't help but wonder what first steps we can take towards solving the crisis ourselves. What might be the least costly, most effective means to reduce the cost of health care? Can it really be as simple as taking a 30 minute walk every day?

http://www.healthnotcosmetics.org/Website%20Files/ObesityExpenditure.pdf


"For the United States as a whole, obesity-attributable medical expenditures are estimated at $75 billion, with $17 billion financed by Medicare and $21 billion financed by Medicaid. State-level estimates range from $87 million (Wyoming) to $7.7 billion (California)." [Pennsylvania holds second place for the highest obesity-attributable medical expenditures -- $4.138 Billion annually.]

PANA SRTS Farrah Kauffman Guests on BCTV Tonight

BCTV
WalkBikeBerks
Monday, August 24 -- Creating Safe Routes to School in Your Community
Watch the archived show

Replays on: Wednesday @ 1:00 PM, Thursday @ 10:00 PM, Friday @ 9:00 AM
Web: http://walkbikeberks.org/
Email: walkbikeberks@yahoo.com
Producer: Bob Hospidor
Host: Michele Barrett

PA Grants
2009 SRTS Academy Grants! APPLY NOW!

October 16, 2009: Application deadline
November 1, 2009: Schools selected. All applicants notified

The program offers small grants in the amount of $5,000 each to schools (public or private), grades K–8 to help improve the safety of walking and bicycling to school.
In addition to the $5,000 grant, schools will be eligible to receive a FREE 2–day walkability audit, during which a team of trained experts will observe main walking routes to school and develop a comprehensive plan on how to improve the safety of those routes. This costly service will be FREE to all schools selected to receive the grant.

How do I apply?
Applying is as easy as 1–2–3! Follow these simple instructions:

1. Read the Safe Routes to School Academy Grant Program – Overview and Instructions
2. Print and complete the SAMPLE Safe Routes to School Academy grant application.
3. Go to http://www.srtsacademy.org/app/index.cfm?event=object_application/2009_srts_application to access the online application.

That’s it! The deadline to submit your online application is October 16, 2009.

If you have any questions, please contact Farah Kauffman at 717–531–1440, ext. 3

BIKE & WALK TO MONEY

I just returned home from the Safe Routes to School National Conference -- hosted in Portland, Oregon. While there is much to share about lessons learned for the Safe Routes to School movement -- today, I'd like to take a moment to reflect on an article just shared with me. The focus here is the economic benefits of reducing vehicle miles driven. Bicycling and walking play key roles in building the city's economy. Take a look!

Portland's Green Dividend (PGD FINAL.pdf)

CEOs for Cities :: Publications & Projects

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