ESTABLISHED 1997 BICYCLE ASSOCIATION Messenger www.oridabicycle.org Building a Bicycle-Friendly Florida Vol. 22, No. 1 • Winter 2019 OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE FLORIDA BICYCLE ASSOCIATION, INC. Fast Track to... Titusville Mayor Walt Johnson (holding sign) with city staff, OGT staff, and Greenways and Trails Council members at Titusville event. SPECIAL Vilano Beach public pier. 20PAGE Four New Trail Towns Photo by Doug Alderson TRAILS ISSUE Designated By Doug Alderson, Office of Greenways Membership 2 Titusville Bicycling Off-Road 8 he space industry has long been TTitusville’s primary source of revenue, Trail Connectors 10–11 but after the space shuttle program was discontinued, town leaders decided to diversify and embrace eco-tourism. FL’s New Bike Vision 12 Besides having a wealth of opportunities for fishing, kayaking and birdwatching, it Ask Geo 15 became apparent that Titusville also sat at the crossroads of three long-distance paved Legacy Trail Win 16 multi-use trails – Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail, East Coast Greenway and the St. Johns River-to-Sea Loop. In 2013, Titusville began taking earnest steps to provide amenities and safe passage for bicyclists by forming a trails committee, Malabar’s volunteer-built trail shelter. Photo by Doug Alderson spearheading efforts to build a bicycle/ PAID Tampa, FL Tampa, Our downtown merchants are excited trail system to neighboring towns and they U.S. Postage U.S. Permit #2899 Permit pedestrian bridge over their busiest and beginning to see the increase in their came together to build an impressive trail NON-PROFIT ORG. thoroughfare (Garden Street), revamping businesses by those trail users who eat, shelter, an ideal spot for a rest break or downtown streets to be more bicyclist/ shop and enjoy our unique offerings.” An picnic or to take refuge from a storm. pedestrian friendly, and opening a new eight-minute video produced by the town visitor center in 2017 that includes a bike Vilano Beach shows their Trail Town evolution. shop inside! ilano Beach, located just north Titusville celebrated their new trail To fine-tune their efforts, town planners of St. Augustine along Highway town designation September 14 as part V also took a field trip to Dunedin, long A1A, has developed a wide range of of their downtown street party. Earlier recognized as being bicycle and pedestrian amenities for bicyclists on the East Coast that same day, the Florida Greenways and friendly and crowned Florida’s first trail Greenway and paddlers on the Florida Trails Council met in the Titusville City town last spring. As a result of their efforts, Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Chambers and designated three more Titusville was voted as Florida’s second Trail. The town has wide paved trails on trail towns—Malabar, Vilano Beach and official trail town by the Florida Greenways both sides of their main boulevard along Clermont. and Trails Council at their June meeting. with directional signage on every block. “We could not be more proud and Malabar Clermont excited about being designated Florida’s alabar, a small town located at the lermont, located at the halfway point P.O. Box 2452, Oldsmar, FL 34677 Box 2452, Oldsmar, P.O. second Trail Town by the Department of southern end of Brevard County M of the Florida Coast-to-Coast Trail, EST. 1997 EST. Environmental Protection,” said Mayor along Florida’s East Coast, was designated C provides numerous amenities for trail Walt Johnson. “The city recognizes the due to its vigorous efforts to establish users such as restrooms, benches, shade, economic impact and importance of walking, bicycling and paddling trails information kiosks, way finding signs, becoming a Trail Town. We continue to through its conservation areas. The town water fountains and showers. Plus, motels, work diligently to become the premier has an active Trails and Greenways www.oridabicycle.org www.oridabicycle.org BICYCLE ASSOCIATION BICYCLE destination and Trail Town in the state. Committee that works to connect their (continued on page 4) Page 2 Florida Bicycle Association Building a Bicycle-Friendly Florida We Love Our Members! Thanks to the Support of our Donors and Members Lifetime Members New Businesses/ Tracy & Bryan Elmore Carol & Mike Miller Duke Breitenbach Clubs/Organizations Sarah Entlich David Miller Kimberly Cooper Gulf Coast Velo Ted Fielding Bill & Mary Nesper David Henderson Key West Bicycle Association Jon Freeman & Michelle Milita Jeff Orner BICYCLE ASSOCIATION Patricia Huff St Johns River-to-Sea Loop Alliance Richard Garrett Michael Pettinato www.oridabicycle.org EST. 1997 William R. Hough VeloSports Events Patrick & Lori Gillis Diane Queller Walter Long Robert Guatelli Miranda Ray Dan Moser New Members Levi Hermann Deanna Rhodes-Tanner James Nash Grace Andry-Lee David Joy Rafael Rivera Mr. & Mrs. H. Middleton Christine Arbogast Steven Kelly Samuel Rose Join FBA Today! Raynal Anthony T Arculeo David Kennedy Tina Russell Earle & Laura Reynolds Patty Boatman Laszlo Kosa Stephen Salvo Your membership makes a difference Dr. Joe Warren Cesar Borri Richard & Deena Lonzo Nancy Sanford for all bicyclists in Florida. Mighk & Carol Wilson Jeff & Anne-Marie Brooks Daniel Lynch Kim Smith Jared Carter Aleksandr Magiday Brian Soucy Visit: www.fbamembership.org Individual/Family Brian Courchesne Michael Martin Pieter Van Dien High Donors William Dawes Roger & Cindy McVeigh Frank Veit Student/Living Lightly . $15 Winchester Dermody & Chris Kiriazis Legacy: Jennifer Mendoza Tamiya Williams Snowbird . $15 Michael Dickerson Deborah Miller-Albanese & Michael Janet & Jeff Wilson Timothy & Elizabeth Whalen Richard L Eldridge Albanese Individual . $25 Larry Copp & Patricia Weaver Family . $35 Benefactor: Bicycle Club . $100 John & Pamela Appel Bicycle Shop . .. $100 Winchester Dermody & Chris Business/Organization . $100 Kiriazis Carl Gross Government Agency . $100 David Henderson Higher donations are most appreciated! Bob & Shirley Kelly Pay conveniently online or make check Court Norris payable and mail to: Edward Reid Florida Bicycle Association James Shirk P.O. Box 2452, Oldsmar FL 34677 Supporter: Jeff & Anne-Marie Brooks Individual/Family High Dick Combs Donor Memberships: Douglas & Paula Fowler Lifetime (contact FBA) Robert Guatelli Bruce LaMere Legacy ($500+) Richard & Deena Lonzo Champion ($250-$499) Roger & Cindy McVeigh Bill & Mary Nesper Benefactor ($100-$249) George & Patti Sousa Supporter ($50-$99) Club/Business Business/Organization Categories High Donors (annual donations) Premier Partners: Polk County Sports Marketing Premier Partner ($10,000+) Champion: Champion ($5,000-$9,999) Florida Freewheelers Bicycle Patron ($2,500-$4,999) Club Advocate ($500-$2,499) Patron: Member Clubs & Shops ($100) Boca Raton Bicycle Club Serving AAA Members, Highlands Pedalers Bicycle Memberships include a subscription Club to the quarterly Messenger, access to even on two wheels. online member forums and general sense Advocate: AAA - The Auto Club Group Take the worry out of your journey — even when you’re on a bike. of satisfaction for supporting bicycle Bike/Walk Central Florida education and advocacy in Florida. AAA now offers roadside assistance for bicycles. The Bond Foundation-Derek Blakeslee AAA Bicycle Service is a new benefit with every membership, that provides Stay in Touch with FBA! Jim Dodson Law transportation for you and your bicycle if it breaks down on your ride. Florida Greenways and Trails It’s one more way AAA helps members relax and enjoy the ride! Subscribe to our weekly blog from Foundation the FBA website: Friends of River of Grass www.floridabicycle.org Greenway (FROGG) Gainesville Cycling Club Not a member? Join today! Like us on Facebook: Jack the Bikeman AAA.com/Bicycle North Florida Bicycle Club www.facebook.com/ AAA Bicycle Service is available in Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, FloridaBicycleAssociation Ocala Mountain Bike Wisconsin and portions of Illinois and Indiana. Association Bicycle transportation service is counted toward your allotted roadside assistance service calls per member, per membership year. AAA will transport you and your bicycle to any point of safety within the limits of your coverage. AAA Bicycle Service is available in Follow us on Twitter: Orange Cycle Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin and portions of Illinois and Indiana. Spacecoast Freewheelers www.twitter.com/FloridaBicycle 18-PR-0975B Bicycle Club Winter 2019 Page 3 Reduce Your Odds of Being Carol & Mike Miller Hit by 50% David Miller Bill & Mary Nesper by Jim Dodson Jeff Orner n amazing study has been published Michael Pettinato on the effects of wearing a bright Whether you’re Diane Queller A Miranda Ray fluorescent jacket while riding during the cycling along Deanna Rhodes-Tanner daylight. It was conducted in Denmark, a Rafael Rivera country with a dense population of cyclists Samuel Rose and, incidentally, where cycling injury side the horses Tina Russell crashes are vastly under reported by the Stephen Salvo riders. In fact, the study suggests under and carriages Nancy Sanford reporting by cycling crash victims of 86% Kim Smith for those with serious injuries and over near Nazareth, Brian Soucy 90% by those with minor injuries. (There Pieter Van Dien must be a dearth of bicycle injury lawyers PA… Frank Veit in Denmark!) Denmark is in the EU which Tamiya Williams experienced 2000 cycling traffic deaths in Janet & Jeff Wilson 2010, about 7% of all traffic fatalities. One purpose of the study was to provide a way to reduce the “I never saw” them response from motorists after colliding with a person riding a bicycle. In Denmark, 82% of multiparty cycling crashes occur the high visibility yellow florescent jackets. during daylight. The theory behind the Their effectiveness in preventing crashes study was that increasing rider visibility with motor vehicles was even higher at a would result in fewer crashes. 55% reduction. The results were greater There were 6793 participants who in the winter (they have more hours of were randomly divided into essentially reduced day time sunlight intensity than equal numbers of people in a test group we have in Florida).