Momentum for Cycling Savvy in Maine is building slowly but steadily. We’re gaining Facebook fans, and I’m building a mailing list. I have heard from a number of you that you are interested, but could not make our June class. Therefore, I have rescheduled another Train Your Bike session in July, and have added the classroom and on-bike tour session to it, so you may now take the entire package in one weekend.
For those who want the full package, we start on Friday evening, July 8, with the Truth & Techniques of Traffic Cycling classroom session. This class uses guided discussion with video and animation, to familiarize students with bicycle-specific laws, traffic dynamics and problem-solving strategies. Students discover that bicycle drivers are equal road users, with the right and ability to control their space. This class will be held at the Portland Public Services office at 55 Portland Street (map), starting at 6 PM sharp and ending on time at 9 PM. A bike is not required for this class.
Next up is the Train Your Bike skills session on Sunday morning, July 10. This session may be taken standalone as well as with the other two classes. As before, it will take place at the Maine Mall parking lot, across from the Cornerbrook Shopping Center at the corner of Gorham and Fodon Roads (map), from 9 AM to Noon. It is designed to help you to become more comfortable on your bike, from the basics of starting and stopping through using your brakes and gears, to help you gain confidence for trails or roads.
Between Train Your Bike and the afternoon Tour of Portland, students are encouraged to join us for an optional short social ride from Noon to 1 PM. We will ride in a group at a relaxing pace, buy our own lunches at a local convenience store, and eat them in a pleasant shady park in the Red Brick neighborhood. You are welcome to participate in the lunch ride whether or not you intend to stay with us in the afternoon.
Sunday at 1:30 PM, we begin the Tour of Portland section of the full course. Leaving on our bikes from the Mall area, we will spend the next 3.5 hours visiting areas all around Portland, learning how to get through them safely and confidently as drivers of human-powered vehicles. This session is designed to give you the confidence and skills to handle any situation you might encounter. We will end up back at the Mall by 5 PM.
The classroom and parking lot sessions may be taken รก la carte for $30 each, or you may buy the full package for $75.
at 10:04 am
This sounds great! I won’t be able to make the July courses but I hope that it’s a success and that I’ll be able to attend in the future.