As of noon today, the Team Rubicon – Central Arkansas LIVESTRONG Ride is still scheduled as planned. The start/finish point is the Alltel Arena parking lot located on Riverfront Drive in North Little Rock.

In the event of severe weather this evening that inhibits riding due to lighting and hail, Central Arkansas LIVESTRONG – Team Rubicon festivities will be moved to River Trail Rentals (RTR). RTR is located on the River Trail between the submarine at North Shore Landing and the boat ramp at North Shore. The address is 300 South Olive Street, see map at:

http://www.rivertrailrentals.com/RTR_map.html

RTR is located right across the street from the original starting point. Come meet and greet Team Rubicon and help support the Lance Armstrong Foundation!

If you have questions, please call Jennifer Shaw at 501.247.8443

This will be a busy week. We started out the week with a commuter challenge yesterday (May 5th). Bicyclist Donnie Van Patter raced Mayor Stodola, who was driving his vehicle, to the River Market. Donnie beat Mayor Stodola by about 45 seconds. Bicyclist Dyron Hamlin raced Mayor Hays. Mayor Hays beat Dyron by only a little over 2 minutes. Boulevard Bread Co. provided delicious bread and coffee at the finish. Once again, the commuter challenge showed that bicycle commuting is a viable alternative to the automobile.

On MAY 7th, you can join Team Rubicon in support of the Lance Armstrong Foundation. Join the ride at 5:30 p.m. at the Enclave apartment complex across from Alltel Arena) and ride the River Trail. There will be a drawing for fabulous prizes prior to the ride.

On MAY 8th, Chainwheel will present a bicycle commuter workshop from 6-7 p.m. Learn all about bicycle commuting and then go to the Arkansas Bicycle Club meeting at 7:00 p.m. at El Chico, down the road from Chainwheel On MAY 9th, there will be a 5K foot race at MacArthur Park, beginning at 7:00 p.m. The race will benefit the integration of MacArthur Park area with River Market, Riverfront Park, the Clinton Presidential Library and Park, Main Street and other Downtown areas. The master plan includes the ultimate goal for Little Rock to become a vibrant urban area linking commerce, entertainment, recreation, work and everyday life within a citywide system of parks, open spaces, and natural settings, friendly to pedestrians and cyclists. For more information, see:

http://www.macarthurpark5k.org/register.html

DON'T FORGET to stop by your local bike shop or go on line at www.bacar.org to register for Bike to Work Day, May 16th.

May is National Bike Month and we have several activities planned.
(1) Celebrate the beginning of National Bike Month by attending the May 1st BACA meeting at the Oyster Bar, 7:00 p.m. Tom Ezell will give a presentation on Complete Streets, an exciting national movement to build road networks to make streets accessible to all citizens. We will also have updates on items of interest to bicyclists. As always, there will be good company and good food.

(2) May 2nd is FIRST FRIDAY BIKE TO WORK: Bike from the first parking lot at the foot of River Mountain Road to Downtown Little Rock River Market at 6:45 a.m. or bike from the North Little Rock Trail Parking lot between the Main Street and Junction Railroad bridge to Jacksonville (LRAFB) beginning at 6:00 AM and returning at the end of the day departing Jacksonville at 5:00 PM.

BOTH FIRST FRIDAYS BIKE TO WORK

To participate in First Fridays Bike to Work you need only show up & be ready to ride. The rides are very informal. THERE IS NO POLICE ESCORT, NO TRANSPORT FOR CLOTHING, NO PLACE TO LOCK UP YOUR BIKE (at the River Market there are bike racks to which your bike could be locked), NO EXTRA SECURITY FOR CARS LEFT IN THE PARKING LOTS, ETC. In short, no services, security, or support other than the group ride itself. Of course, participation does not require that you actually bike to work downtown. Some participants bike to breakfast at the
River Market & then return.

Hope to see you there.

For details - Call : H - 225-5343; W - 324-9952; e-mail -
lanskygould@comcast.net or rrizzardi@comcast.net

(3) Join Team Rubicon in support of the Lance Armstrong Foundation on May 7th at 5:30 p.m. For more information, contact Jenn Shaw at 247-8443.

(4) Don't forget Bike to Work Day on May 16th and the Ride of Silence on May 21st. For more details, go to www.bacar.org.

Hope you will join us at these events.

Ron Rizzardi
President BACA

From "The Ride"....

FYI, there are two upcoming meetings in Conway to discuss the possibility for some new paved and unpaved bike trails running along the Old Morrilton Corridor (Hwy 64W). An open public comment period will give you the opportunity to participate in the planning process. I think we definitely could see some action on this one. If you would like to express your opinion or show your support please do one or some of the following (please at least fill out the survey):

Kick-Off introduction Event
Thursday, April 24th
6:30PM at McGee Center
3800 College Avenue
Conway, AR

Public Workshop
Saturday, April 26th
9:00AM at Ruth Doyle Int School
800 Padgett Road
Conway, AR

Take the Visual Preference Survey
April 24-May 2 on line at
www.conwayplanning.org

For more info contact....
Phone: 501-450-6105 :: Fax: 501-450-6144
City of Conway Planning & Development Department
1201 Oak Street
Conway, Arkansas 72032