As a community business I get lots of opportunities to donate money or products. I appreciate it when I receive a follow up thank you letter like this one. I really appreciate it when the organizers are wise and achieve the kind of success that tripling the number of elementary school students participating represents. Wow, an increase from 46 to 131 is remarkable. FANTASTIC!
Dear John,
I am writing to you to thank Bikes @ Vienna for their support of the 4th Annual Vienna Elementary Run for Fun that was held on Sunday, April 27th 2008.
Our event this year was the biggest yet, registering over 550 runners and exceeding the fundraising goals for our school. Our sponsors have greatly contributed to the success of The Run for Fun by supporting our efforts with generous donations of products, services and money. We truly appreciate our local sponsors and the individual support of people like you, whose time, generosity and community spirit go the extra mile.
This year we made a push to get more elementary students to run the race. We began in the fall with a weekly before school fitness program. Throughout the spring we offered weekly training runs and the physical education curriculum put extra emphasis on the 5K. As a result, 131 elementary students (compared to 46 last year) completed the 5K and each one received a medal for their efforts.
By sponsoring, you become a catalyst for our mission, to prioritize physical fitness and encourage kids in motion. This run, while providing motivation to adhere to a healthy lifestyle and improve general fitness, also funds many activities and improvements for our school. We appreciate your support and are grateful to live in a community that encourages fitness. We also hope that you feel it was a valuable promotion of your business and hope that you will consider sponsoring our 5th annual race next year, Sunday April 26th 2009.
Sincerely,
Laura Goyer
PTA President
Vienna Elementary School
128 Center Street, S.
Vienna, VA 22180
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Vienna Map with possible routes for travel to the W&OD
This map is part of the Fairfax County Bike Map effort. Charlie Strunk, Fairfax County Bike Co-ordinator, and I talked with the Vienna Town Council about the County's Map project last September. It was a good discussion with the Council members making suggestions which Charlie incorporated into the map shown.
In attempting Fairfax County's first bicycle map Charlie Strunk has faced a wide range of challenges. This is a huge county. The traffic congestion is daunting. There are political sensitivities to be considered and accommodated. Charlie is doing wonderful work.
I present this map to you as a map that shows how a person might wish to travel in Vienna to get to the W&OD Trail.
In attempting Fairfax County's first bicycle map Charlie Strunk has faced a wide range of challenges. This is a huge county. The traffic congestion is daunting. There are political sensitivities to be considered and accommodated. Charlie is doing wonderful work.
I present this map to you as a map that shows how a person might wish to travel in Vienna to get to the W&OD Trail.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
ViVa! Helmets! bikes@vienna's contest
bikes@vienna celebrates a 10th anniversary in May. We opened days before ViVa! Vienna! in 1998 and by golly, we're still doing business.
Now I'm a low key celebrator, but we need to do something fun to observe this anniversary. In 1978 I rode a day of RAGBRAI (Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa) from Iowa City to Maquoketa. I noted a family with three children who had decorated their helmets with colorful nerf toys shaped like cars, trains, airplanes, and ships. This distinctive headgear allowed family members to spot each other in the crowd of riders.
In recent years as I've ridden on RAGBRAI I've noticed that the decorating of helmets is the norm. In 2003 I came across the guy with the Starship Enterprise displayed atop his helmet day after day. The teams decorate not only their helmets, but they many times wear costumes especially on the last day of the ride.
Easter Sunday we went to Richmond to visit my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson. They took us to the Richmond Easter Parade on Memorial Avenue. The Easter hats were everywhere with colors, shapes, and forms. Sooooooooo these experiences resulted in the idea for this contest...... ViVa! Helmets!
Our booth (#116) at ViVa! Vienna! will be where to wear your decorated helmet to enter our 10th Anniversary Contest. We'll take a couple of photos of you and your helmet. The photos will be the basis for a panel of judges to select winners for a new folding bike, a new youth bike, weekend rental of a recumbent tandem, weekend rental of a Kidz Tandem, and several free bicycle tune-ups. Our categories will be Youth, Adult, Couples, Parent and Child, plus Pet and Owner.
Now my photo here is not a prize winner, but something to get you thinking. Yes, that is a little Chocolate Labrador dolly on top of my helmet. Java, the Chocolate Lab, is such a part of my days that it made sense.
The idea is to have fun and promote safety. The decorations need to be light weight and flexible. Entries which use wood, metal, or items which would do harm if your helmet has to do its duty will not be considered for prizes.
Have your ideas started forming yet? ViVa! Helmets!
Now I'm a low key celebrator, but we need to do something fun to observe this anniversary. In 1978 I rode a day of RAGBRAI (Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa) from Iowa City to Maquoketa. I noted a family with three children who had decorated their helmets with colorful nerf toys shaped like cars, trains, airplanes, and ships. This distinctive headgear allowed family members to spot each other in the crowd of riders.
In recent years as I've ridden on RAGBRAI I've noticed that the decorating of helmets is the norm. In 2003 I came across the guy with the Starship Enterprise displayed atop his helmet day after day. The teams decorate not only their helmets, but they many times wear costumes especially on the last day of the ride.
Easter Sunday we went to Richmond to visit my son, daughter-in-law, and grandson. They took us to the Richmond Easter Parade on Memorial Avenue. The Easter hats were everywhere with colors, shapes, and forms. Sooooooooo these experiences resulted in the idea for this contest...... ViVa! Helmets!
Our booth (#116) at ViVa! Vienna! will be where to wear your decorated helmet to enter our 10th Anniversary Contest. We'll take a couple of photos of you and your helmet. The photos will be the basis for a panel of judges to select winners for a new folding bike, a new youth bike, weekend rental of a recumbent tandem, weekend rental of a Kidz Tandem, and several free bicycle tune-ups. Our categories will be Youth, Adult, Couples, Parent and Child, plus Pet and Owner.
Now my photo here is not a prize winner, but something to get you thinking. Yes, that is a little Chocolate Labrador dolly on top of my helmet. Java, the Chocolate Lab, is such a part of my days that it made sense.
The idea is to have fun and promote safety. The decorations need to be light weight and flexible. Entries which use wood, metal, or items which would do harm if your helmet has to do its duty will not be considered for prizes.
Have your ideas started forming yet? ViVa! Helmets!
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Coming Soon! GT-1
This is a message from Mick Sims of Greenspeed.
There have been leaks and rumours for a while that Greenspeed was releasing a “cheaper” trike and we would like to squash those rumours! We don’t feel like we’ve created a cheaper trike at all, what we have created is the ultimate commuting trike. From the outset what we wanted to create was a hassle-free trike for commuters and ‘returning’ cyclists. Like the great new commuting bikes coming out with internal hubs and brakes we thought, ‘how easy would this be to incorporate into a trike’.
Appeal for this trike was two fold:
One was for your everyday commuter needs for a solid care-free machine that wouldn’t take up much of your time in maintenance. We understand that you as a commuter needs to rely on your trike day in and day out and with out getting grease on your hands. The second was for you who wanted a simpler or more integrated trike. Incorporating internal gears for the use of a single shifter, and internal brakes and single front ring, the gt1 is a very functional trike packed into a sleek looking design. But let’s face it, a reliable trike is going to appeal to all but the most touring or sports minded trike riders.
We started with the tried and true gt-series II frame; hand made from air craft grade Cromoly tubing, for light weight reliability, and a ride that isn’t going to shatter teeth. In that package you get all the gt-series II features of NSR steering for no brake steer and a smooth road feel, up-dated chain management and the alloy crank extension with adjustment markers. We stuck with the 16” wheels for their light, zippy feel and fast take off combined with high strength/weight ratio and their ability to transfer less stress to the frame under cornering loads.
As has always been our goal at Greenspeed, we feel such a worthy trike is really going to get people thinking more about human power. Oh yes, and by the way, this trike has a suggested retail of 2350USD. Although this is a new price point for Greenspeed, we feel it is more than worthy to carry our name along with its ‘derailleured’ brethren. Please take a test ride and see for yourself.
Full spec as follows:
Model gt1
Colours Deep Metallic Red w/ safety yellow seat
Frame Hand made cromoly 4130 main frame and seat
Alloy crank extension (no post, w/ light tag and adj. markers)
Folding Removable seat and folding mech.
Sizing Standard 41-49” x-seam
Small 37-45” x-seam
Steering. Linkage USS ‘NSR steering’. Bars with width and fore/aft adj.
Seat. Cromoly/Mesh 40dg with lumbar and shoulder curves
Track width 29.5” / 750mm
Wheel base 39” / 975mm
Seat height 9.75” / 250mm
Wheels 16 x 1-1/2” 40-349 Hand built w/ Jetset rims, SS spokes and Scorcher tyres
Brakes Sturmey Archer cable act. Drum brakes w/Promax locking levers
Cranks Driveline 170mm (std) 155mm (sm) fitted with 2 chain guards
Gears Shimano Nexus 8speed 25 - 78 g”s
Fitted extras Rear mudguard and flag
Build Options Schlumpf drive. (speed drive expands range to 22-113g”s)
Accessories All Greenspeed tadpole accessories, along with a myriad of other manufacturers’ accessories
There have been leaks and rumours for a while that Greenspeed was releasing a “cheaper” trike and we would like to squash those rumours! We don’t feel like we’ve created a cheaper trike at all, what we have created is the ultimate commuting trike. From the outset what we wanted to create was a hassle-free trike for commuters and ‘returning’ cyclists. Like the great new commuting bikes coming out with internal hubs and brakes we thought, ‘how easy would this be to incorporate into a trike’.
Appeal for this trike was two fold:
One was for your everyday commuter needs for a solid care-free machine that wouldn’t take up much of your time in maintenance. We understand that you as a commuter needs to rely on your trike day in and day out and with out getting grease on your hands. The second was for you who wanted a simpler or more integrated trike. Incorporating internal gears for the use of a single shifter, and internal brakes and single front ring, the gt1 is a very functional trike packed into a sleek looking design. But let’s face it, a reliable trike is going to appeal to all but the most touring or sports minded trike riders.
We started with the tried and true gt-series II frame; hand made from air craft grade Cromoly tubing, for light weight reliability, and a ride that isn’t going to shatter teeth. In that package you get all the gt-series II features of NSR steering for no brake steer and a smooth road feel, up-dated chain management and the alloy crank extension with adjustment markers. We stuck with the 16” wheels for their light, zippy feel and fast take off combined with high strength/weight ratio and their ability to transfer less stress to the frame under cornering loads.
As has always been our goal at Greenspeed, we feel such a worthy trike is really going to get people thinking more about human power. Oh yes, and by the way, this trike has a suggested retail of 2350USD. Although this is a new price point for Greenspeed, we feel it is more than worthy to carry our name along with its ‘derailleured’ brethren. Please take a test ride and see for yourself.
Full spec as follows:
Model gt1
Colours Deep Metallic Red w/ safety yellow seat
Frame Hand made cromoly 4130 main frame and seat
Alloy crank extension (no post, w/ light tag and adj. markers)
Folding Removable seat and folding mech.
Sizing Standard 41-49” x-seam
Small 37-45” x-seam
Steering. Linkage USS ‘NSR steering’. Bars with width and fore/aft adj.
Seat. Cromoly/Mesh 40dg with lumbar and shoulder curves
Track width 29.5” / 750mm
Wheel base 39” / 975mm
Seat height 9.75” / 250mm
Wheels 16 x 1-1/2” 40-349 Hand built w/ Jetset rims, SS spokes and Scorcher tyres
Brakes Sturmey Archer cable act. Drum brakes w/Promax locking levers
Cranks Driveline 170mm (std) 155mm (sm) fitted with 2 chain guards
Gears Shimano Nexus 8speed 25 - 78 g”s
Fitted extras Rear mudguard and flag
Build Options Schlumpf drive. (speed drive expands range to 22-113g”s)
Accessories All Greenspeed tadpole accessories, along with a myriad of other manufacturers’ accessories
Sunday, April 06, 2008
W&OD Trail Patrol Seeks New Members
The W&OD Trail runs through the communities of Arlington, Falls Church, Vienna, Reston, Herndon, Sterling, Ashburn, Leesburg, Hamilton, and Purcellville. The Trail Patrol is seeking new members to be on-scene ambassadors of safety, courtesy, information, and goodwill. All adult trail users--cyclists, walker, runners, skaters, carriage pushers, dog walkers, horse riders, or wheel chair users--are eligible to apply.
Four orientation sessions are already scheduled for 2008: The first will be held on Thursday, April 17 in Alexandria from 7 to 9 pm, the second will be held on Saturday, April 26 in the Ashburn Library from 2 to 4 pm. The third will be at the Raflo Park in Leesburg on Saturday, May 3 from 2 to 4 pm and the forth will be Saturday, May 17 at the Vienna Community Center from 10 am to noon.
For further information and signup please contact John Boone at 703-726-6993 or jmboone1@verizon.net.
Four orientation sessions are already scheduled for 2008: The first will be held on Thursday, April 17 in Alexandria from 7 to 9 pm, the second will be held on Saturday, April 26 in the Ashburn Library from 2 to 4 pm. The third will be at the Raflo Park in Leesburg on Saturday, May 3 from 2 to 4 pm and the forth will be Saturday, May 17 at the Vienna Community Center from 10 am to noon.
For further information and signup please contact John Boone at 703-726-6993 or jmboone1@verizon.net.