This coming Thursday, March 9, from 6-8 PM, BicycLincoln will be co-sponsoring a candidates forum, along with other outdoor- and climate oriented organizations. The venue will be the Lincoln Firefighters Reception Hall, 241 Victory Lane, Lincoln. You do not need to RSVP. The Lincoln City Primary Election will be April 4, the General Election, May 2. Topics addressed at the forum will range from the Climate Action Plan and Greenhouse gasses, to public transit, etc.
The last time I went to a forum there, I managed to lock up my bike up to something in the area; another site with no racks. I don’t know that a rack there would be used much normally, but don’t forget that last week I included the city’s call for ideas about where to place a limited number of available bike racks in the city right-of-way. As cyclists, if we stop at places along our ride, or at our destination, we often find that there’s no good place to lock up. Sometimes where there is a rack, those responsible for it’s siting are stunningly unaware about rack functionality or how a small change in location can make cyclists much more comfortable about locking up a bike there. This is becoming ever more important as increasing numbers of people are commuting on more expensive ebikes and unwilling to leave them in relatively untended/unseen areas. Facilities managers seem to think of cars as being the norm, and bikes as… messy? I don’t know. They need to be educated.
I always liked this rack. Covered, visible, easy to get a U-lock around.
The Complete Streets Committee at the city is who is making the push for more racks. If you know of some good locations, before the end of the month, follow their link, and under “Type of Submittal” select “Recommended Bike Rack Location.” You will see there are options to add an existing bike rack or report a rack that was mapped but is no longer there. If you have a photo to add of a great location, you can upload that and then finish the process by selecting the location on the map.
Another reminder, don’t forget the Crane Ride. The cranes are at high-migration now. It’s billed as “A bike ride over scenic low traffic roads during the Sandhill Crane Migration. Starting at Stuhr Museum in Grand Island to the Crane Trust Visitor Center, to Doniphan and back to Stuhr Museum, we bicycle on some of the areas best roads for viewing the migration. This ride is March 25th with a rollout at 10:30. The ride is free, but bring money for snacks, etc. along the way.” Grab some friends, or do it solo if so inclined. It will be a great day outside. If you need something more to see, go to Strava, under groups go to 2023 Sandhill Crane Ride. Scroll down, you’ll see March 25th. You can choose to join the event, or just show up. You do not need a Strava account. 23, 40 mile, and gravel options. Also, Visit Grand Island has more info on the ride.