Bike Freedom Valley 2009

Thank You Bike Freedom Valley Volunteers

2009-07-06T12:42:00.000-07:00

Thank You Freedom Valley Volunteers!

Although the sky was dreary and drizzly our Freedom Valley Volunteers make sunshine with their smiles and their efforts to make this Freedom Valley great. We couldn’t have Bike Freedom Valley without all our great volunteers.

Before the day event started we had volunteers preparing everything ahead of time.; Thanks to: Matt Anastasi, David Bennett, Paul Minick, Al Porter, Barry Wolff, and the Bicycle Coalition staff. Thanks to the Bicycle Ambassadors who did a myriad of tasks, from: setup and teardown, route direction and signage, hospitality and even mechanical support. The newest team at the Bicycle Coalition was a well oiled machine.

Our route markers persevered through endless days of rainy weather and numerous trips to finish because of the weather. There intrepid volunteers were: Charles Carmalt, Jeffrey Kochanowicz, Dominic Zuppo, Michael Broennle and Susan Dannenberg.

Our set up volunteers came very early and our cleanup volunteers stayed very late. Thank You: Noel Abejo, Jim Laurino, John Siemiarowski, Kimberly Murphy, Omar Sinanan, and Thomas Taggart.

Our registration volunteers were cheerful, accurate and speedy. Thanks to: Carol Nitzburg, Sue Shubert, Sarah Clark Stuart, Tom Benson, Patrick O’Bannon, Pat Perry, Barry Wolff, and Jeff Bakely.

Our rest stop and Finish Line Volunteers had really long days and served our riders welll and with good cheer. They are: David Bennett, Claudia Crane, Paul Droesch, Terry Myers, Dave Ryan, Donna Brown, Jerrilynn Donaldson, Nick Manta, Maureen Gartland, Pat Perry, Ron Stern, Jeff Hartman, Stacy Plattenberger.

Our traffic directors who were not limited to the Bicycle Ambassadors helped our riders go the right way: Mary Texidor, Dan Gold, D. Mike Smith, Ed Henckels, Christine Martha, Charlotte Chatfield.

Thanks to all the Stationary SAG, SAG Drivers, and SAG Bicyclists. In addition to Philly Car Share, Keswick Cycle, REI, Danzeisen and Quigley (D&Q), Guy’s Bicycles, Chariots of Philly, Neighborhood Bikeworks, and the Exton and West Chester Bicycle Center, we had volunteers: James Smith, Terry Myers, Paul Des Rocher, Barry Wolff, Jeffrey Kochanowicz, Frank Jackson, Paul Minick, and Woody Kotch.

You were all wonderful and if I missed anyone please let me know so I can thank you personally.

Jill Minick
jill@bicyclecoalition.org

Unclaimed Bike Freedom Valley Tees

2009-07-06T12:41:00.000-07:00

Bike Freedom Valley T-Shirts

Thanks to all of you who pre-registered for Bike Freedom Valley. Pre-registration helps us plan better for you. We appreciate your faith and loyalty. However, we know the weather kept a number of you from riding this year.

So, in return for your good faith in pre-registering, we’re offering those of you who didn’t get your t-shirt a chance to pick it up next week.

Come to our new office, 1500 Walnut St, suite 1107, Philadelphia, PA 19102, between 10 AM and 4 PM Monday through Friday the week of July 13 or come to the open house on Wednesday July 15 from 5-7PM.

New Sponsor

2009-06-23T09:10:00.000-07:00

Thank you Sabrina's and Sabrina's and Spencer's Too!

They donated all the water at Valley Forge and Spring Mill.

Stop in to one of their 2 locations: 1802 Callowhill or 910 Chestnut St, in Philadelphia, for some great food and thank the owner, Robert.

Thank You!

2009-06-23T09:05:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all our great riders, volunteers and staff. There are too many of you to name you personally in this post. All of you made this a great event.

Despite the weather many people went out and rode and enjoyed a cool wonderful ride.

Now that you have this ride under your belt think about joining us for TDBank Bike Philly on September 13. Remember this a ride geared to all abilities so you can ride with those folks who may be faster or slower than you are. 20 miles of streets with only bicycles. Join us for a party on 2 wheels.

If you're not a member think about joining now so you get a discount on TDBank Bike Philly and conintue to make your ride better by contributing our advocacy work.

Keep the rubber side down.

Cue Sheets Now Available online

2009-06-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

You can print your cue sheets in advance. They reside below the rotating sponsors window on the right hand side.

All cue sheets are on 8 1/2 by 11 inch paper this year.

Enjoy your ride!

Plan Your Ride with rest stop times

2009-06-11T07:37:00.000-07:00

When you get to a decision point, Villanova, Wayne's Woods at Valley Forge or Spring Mill on the trail, look at the rest stop closing times. Make sure you have enough time to get there before you continue on a longer segment.

Rest stops have firm closing times so our volunteers will want to come back and serve you next year so please respect that.

The closing times are below:

Lloyd Hall 7AM - 3PM
Spring Mill 8AM - 1:30 PM
Villanova 8:30 AM - 10:30 PM
Valley Forge 8:30 AM - 3 PM

Enjoy your ride and plan so you have rest stops available.

T-Shirt Pickup

2009-06-10T19:16:00.000-07:00

All t-shirts, except for volunteers, can be picked up at the end of the ride. We will also have a limited number of shirts for sale for a $10 donation to the Bicycle Coalition.

E-Mail Confirmations

2009-06-10T19:15:00.000-07:00

E-mail confirmations should be in your mailbox during the week before the ride in the meantime if you registered online you will have a receipt from signmeup.com . Don't forget to print your email confrimation from us to speed up your check-in at the event.

Time is Running Out...

2009-06-10T14:24:00.000-07:00

And so are the numbers of complimentary t-shirts. Register Now! Visit:

https://www.signmeup.com/site/reg/register.aspx?fid=HC2V6K7&Source=Calendar29

Don't delay, our t-shirts are a hot item and this is our best design yet.

Where do I sign in on June 21

2009-06-10T07:35:00.000-07:00

If you are familiar with the are we will be on the East side of Lloyd Hall, behind the Philadelphia Museum or Art.

If you're not familiar with the area search for 1 Boathouse Row, Philadlephia, PA on your favorite map program.

Registration Confirmations

2009-06-02T11:26:00.000-07:00

When you registered online you should have gotten an email confirmation. If you didn't or you missed it you can get a copy at this link:

http://www.signmeup.com/confirmation/64346

Everyone will get an email confirmation from us just before the ride. Either one will work at registration but the one from us will contain addtional helpful information.

Look for it on Bike Freedom Valley Weekend.

Final Route Distances

2009-06-01T14:09:00.000-07:00

Now that the cue sheets are finalized and the detours accounted for the final route distances are:

Trail: 8, 22, and 44 miles. There are no changes here.

Shared Roads: 32, 45, and 72 miles.

Both the 45 and 73 mile routes are using park road and not the trail to arrive at Wayne's Woods and to exit Wayne's Woods for the final leg returning to the Finish at Lloyd Hall.

You asked for longer distances so when we rerouted the longest ride to account for the missing 252 Bridge we really extended it. It is a beautiful loop in Chester County. There is a stretch of 5.4 miles on Yellow Spring Rd with no turns at all and of course the beautiful covered bridge.

Check out our sponsors

2009-05-28T10:15:00.000-07:00

Check out the new slide show with pictures from last year's Bike Freedom Valley and the logos of our current sponsors.

Expanded Valley Forge Loop Map

2009-05-28T07:14:00.000-07:00

The map for the New Valley Forge loop will be posted soon. Check back in the FAQ's in a few days for the new map

Pre-Registration for Freedom Valley closes May 30th!

2009-05-19T14:16:00.000-07:00

If you want to receive a Freedom Valley T-shirt and receive a discount on registration, please sign up before May 30th. Children age 12 and under can still register for only $5 and we have a special Student Registration fee of $15 with Valid ID, but will not receive a T-Shirt after the May 30 cutoff.

You can register online by going to signmeup.

You may also download the registration form here.

See you at the start!

Got a Question we haven't answered?

2009-05-19T13:33:00.000-07:00

For answers to more specific questions contact:

jill@bicyclecoaltion.org

or

215 BICYCLE ext 3#

New from Valley Forge

2009-05-19T12:47:00.000-07:00

You asked for it and we were able to make it happen this year!

More roads and much less use of the multiuse paths!

You will be riding on the roads in Valley Forge National Historic Park, except where one way roads make it impossible. You can ride on North Outer Line Drive, North Inner Line Dr., Valley Creek Rd., Valley Park Rd, and Valley Forge Rd.

You will need to use the path to leave the rest stop for the Chester County Extension Loop and to return to the rest stop before leaving the park to return to Philadelphia. Both are short distances compared to what you did in past years.

When you see the folks at Valley Forge, thank them.

As always ride carefully and with courtsey, these are narrow, busy roads that we need to share well.

Make it a Weekend Hotel Deal

2009-04-30T11:38:00.000-07:00

New this year a hotel package with Embassy Suites:

Stay at Embassy Suites and ride your bike to the start/finish line. The hotel is at: 1776 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia Pa, 19103.

The room rate for a single or double is $159. To book your room, please click here.

New This Year-Team Registrations

2009-04-27T08:55:00.000-07:00

If you would like to enter as a group/team please contact jill@bicyclecoalition.org.

Early Bird Registration Extended

2009-04-15T06:43:00.000-07:00

Early Bird Registration for Bike Freedom Valley has been extended through April 30, 2009.

Take advantage of the cost savings by planning ahead and register now!

Our 30th year promises to be the best yet. Watch here for more details.

30th Annual Bike Freedom Valley

2009-03-13T10:37:00.000-07:00

Sunday June 21, 2009 is our 30th event. We hope to make it bigger and better than ever.

Keep watching this blog for updates.

You can go online to register at www.biyclecoalition.org.

Getting There By Bus Or Train

2008-06-13T17:46:00.000-07:00

If gas prices got you down, or if your bike is your vehicle then you may have the option to take public transportation.

View the Full Size Map

Here is a brief overview of Bikes on Board rules for Local Bus and Rail Systems:

SEPTA Weekend Bike Rules -

Bikes Racks on All Buses
Regional Rail - 5 bikes per space permitting.
No Bikes on Trolley Lines
Market Frankford El, Rt 100 and Broad St Subway Bikes allowed 2 bikes per car Best Bets

NJ TRANSIT

RiverLINE - Hanging Bike Racks on All Trains (6 bikes per train) Best Bet
Atlantic City Line/NE Corridor Line - 2 bikes per car.
Bike Racks on Buses
Bikes Allowed in Baggage Compartment on Motorcoach Buses

PATCO

Bikes Allowed On All Trains Lindenwold, Woodcrest, Broadway, 8th and Market and 15-16th Locust have Elevator Access to Trains Best Bet

Best Bets are services that offer the most hassle free bike on transit experience.

Be aware that space for bicycles on trains is limited and others may have the same idea as you. Leave as early as possible.

For more information about taking your bike on the bus or train go the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia bikes on transit page.

Find a bus or train route near you - http://phillymap.com

Contact Us

We can answer your questions about taking your bike on transit, please contact John Boyle, the Bicycle Coalition Advocacy Director, at john@bicyclecoalition.org or (267) 253-7958.

Bike Freedom Valley Route Markings

2008-06-12T19:40:00.000-07:00

Bike Freedom Valley Route markings are white and are the stenciled letters BFV with an arrow pointing where you need to go.

Typically there should be 2 arrows before the turn and one after to confirm that you made the correct turn.

All markings are in white EXCEPT THE EXTRA LOOP OUT OF VALLEY FORGE IN CHESTER COUNTY, which is PINK so you can tell whether you're entering the park or on the extension loop.

REMEMBER, there are no markings in Valley Forge National Park, however, you can pick up park maps at the start, Villanova, or Betzwood at the park entrance.

What's a cue sheet?

2008-06-12T19:25:00.000-07:00

A cue sheet is a list of directions cyclists use to get from one rest stop to the next around route.

For those of you new to cycling and/or organized rides here's how to use a "cue sheet" to follow your route.

Typically a cue sheet has:

1) the segment mileage (mileage between turns)
2) total distance
3) abbreviated direction, i.e. L =left, R=right, etc.
4) street name and other information

The cue sheet is set up in columns as seen in the short sample below:

Seg Total Way Directions
.02 2.2 R at Traffic Light, Meetinghouse Rd
0.0 2.2 QR Hudson Ln
0.8 3.0 > Maple Ln
0.3 3.3 BR TRO Maple Ln

The cue sheet should also have a Key at the begining or end listing all the abbreviations use.
The most common are:
L = Left
R = Right
BR = Bear Right
BL = Bear Left
QR = Quick Right (quick refers to the distance from the previous turn)
QL = Quick Left
TRO = To Remain On
> or Bec = Becomes

SRT = Schuykill River Trail (on our cue sheets)

FAQs

2008-05-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

Notice the section on the right, filled with your frequently asked questions. If you don't find the info you want here please feel free to email me: jill@bicyclecoaltion.org

If You don't find it here?

2008-05-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

Don't forget, for more info check the link to "Older Posts" at the bottom of the page.

If I drive where do I park/How do I get there?

2008-05-07T07:11:00.000-07:00

There is plenty of on street parking for Bike Freedom Valley.

Registration is at Lloyd Hall behind the Philadelphia Museum of Art at Kelly Drive and Waterworks Drive. Across Kelly from Waterworks Dr is Sedgely Dr. You can park anywhere on Sedgeley. There are also several lots near the Lemon Hill Mansion. For Center City Parking information go to philapark.org

Of course you could come to Bike Freedom Valley via regional rail, subway or the PATCO High Speed Line. Bikes allowed on all lines all day on Sundays or put your bike on the front of a bus. When you get close you can bike to the start. This reduces your carbon footprint and saves your legs for a great ride.

If you need transit or trip planning info go to www.septa.com and ridepatco.org.

Volunteer for Bike Freedom Valley

2008-03-19T11:49:00.001-07:00

Volunteer opportunities abound.

Choose from the following:
Rest Stop Volunteer or Captain: help feed and hydrate our riders
Registration: Day of Registration at the Ride Start, Check-In pre-registered riders
Route Marking: Ride the route in the the weeks before and mark the route for our riders
Route Vetting: Ride the marked route in the week before the ride and make any necessary corrections or additions to the markings
SAG: Drive a segment of the route in your vehicle and pick up stranded riders and take them to the next rest stop for help and/or ride the route as a sweep or help those on the Schuykill River Trail
Finish Line Festival: Serve food and drink or hand out t-shirts to our riders and volunteers
General Transport: in the days preceding the ride sort and transport supplies in preparation for the ride
Clean Up: at the end of the ride put away the items from the Finish Line Festival
Shopper: Buy supplies from our list with our cash and deliver them to the central sort point

To Volunteer: jill@bicyclecoaltion.org or 215 BICYCLE x 3#

Volunteer for Bike Freedom Valley

2008-03-19T11:49:00.000-07:00

Volunteer opportunities abound. Choose from the following:

Traffic Directors in Valley Forge (no signs are allowed in the park)
Rest Stop Volunteers at Villanova, Valley Forge and Spring Mill
Start set up
Finish Clean up
Food Service at the Start/Finish at Lloyd Hall
Route Marking
Route Checking
SAG Driver
SAG the trail on your bike
Loading and sorting on the 19th and 20th in NE Philadlephia

The Route Choices

2008-03-13T10:06:00.000-07:00

Registration is open soon.

The routes:

You can ride a mostly flat ride ride on the Schuykill River Trail. Mileage options are: 8 miles on the river drives, 22 miles on the Schuykill River Trail or 44 miles into Valley Forge National Historic Park, with a few small hills in the park.

You can ride more challenging rides on shared roads. Mileage options are: 35 miles to Villanova and Conshohocken, 50 miles to Villanova, Valley Forge National Historic Park, and Conshohocken, or 68 miles which adds an 18 mile loop in Chester County outside Valley Forge Park.

All rides return on the Schuykill River Trail. Work hard on the way out, relax on the way back. There is an option to ride a few hills in Manayunk and avoid the towpath.

Depending on your ride there will be rest stops at, Villanova, Valley Forge, and Spring Mill (Conshohocken) as well as a Finish Line . Don't foget our famous tomato pie will be at all rest stops this year.