We just wanted to send out a big thank you to the intrepid group of members who have joined in the past few weeks.  The inaugural Savannah Wheelie was a huge success, and our counts on the video showed over 250 riders! A special thanks to our business members:

• Quality Bike Shop, our Wheelie Gold Sponsor — thanks!
• Islands Bikes and Boards
• Seabolt Brokers
• SouthCoast Imaging Center 
• Bicycle Savannah
• Bicycle Link
• Stephen Acuff, DDS
• Recycles

Please join us for a general meeting on Monday, April 28, at 6pm at Keys Hall, 516 Abercorn (this is the old WTOC building just north of Sweetleaf).  We will be talking about the May Wheelie, bike parking downtown, adopting bylaws and electing the permanent board.  All are welcome — we hope you will join us.

The weather held out, and we all had a ball. Numerous counts have been done, but we do know this: more than 250 riders took to the streets of Savannah on Saturday, April 19 in celebration of Earth Day for the first ever Savannah Wheelie. Check out the photos below — we had families, hipsters, hippies, retirees, elected officials, and everything in between.

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Come and see us next time in Daffin Park, May 18. Stay tuned for details.

Jim Morekis of Connect Savannah provided some more coverage on our upcoming events: Dump the Pump on Friday, April 18 and the Earth Day Savannah Wheelie on Saturday, April 19. The story provides an excellent summary of these two events, both of which are intended to focus attention on the bicycle’s potential for low impact traffic and parking improvements. To that end, we will be working in the next weeks to identify high priority areas for bicycle and scooter racks for a pilot program the city is rolling out.

I also appreciate his highlighting the need for improved signage in the downtown area in particular, but also for improving facilities by initiating plans already funded. We will continue working toward these goals. Ultimately, we hope to get full buy-in for seeking the goals embodied in Bicycle Friendly Community status from the City of Savannah, Chatham County and the MPC.

One correction, though: Savannah Wheelie is a monthly event (story says annual). Stay tuned for details on the May Wheelie.

The City of Tybee Island is planning a

party on the pier Sunday night [April 20] in honor of the Tour de Georgia from 6 pm to 10 pm. The party is free and open to the public with live music. It’s a great opportunity to party and dance with your friends and family and to celebrate the new Tybrisa/Strand opening and the Tour de Georgia and the night time ocean breezes on Tybee.

Monday morning, April 21 at 9am, Tybee is unveiling the new streetscape improvements of the South Beach Business District with a ribbon cutting on Tybrisa Street.

Finally, at 10:30am, the teams will begin Stage I of Tour de Georgia, taking a spin around Tybee before heading down US-80 to Savannah.

Amid members of the cycling community, we announced the inception of Savannah Bicycle Campaign in Johnson Square yesterday. We were joined by County Commissioner Helen Stone, Alderman Larry Stuber, Tybee City Councilman Paul Wolff, bike shop owners, racers, tourers, commuters, and bicycle lifestylists in our bid to make Savannah a truly Bicycle Friendly Community.

We again highlighted the events of the Ultimate Savannah Bicycle Weekend. We invite locals and tourists alike to enjoy the two wheeled splendor all weekend:

*Friday, April 18: Dump the Pump — Leave your car at home and bike, walk, take transit or carpool to work!
*Saturday, April 19: Savannah Wheelie, 3pm — Social, family friendly ride at the close of the Earth Day festival
Post Wheelie Dealie at Blowin’ Smoke, 4pm — food and fun with door prizes, live music!
Toast de Tour, 6-9 pm — Kickoff party for Tour de Georgia with introduction of the teams, $100 with SBC membership.
*Sunday, April 20: Ride for Research, 10am — FREE, open registration for a ride including a dri-fit shirt and the chance to ride alongside current and former pros, and Lt. Governor Casey Cagle.
*Monday, April 21: Tour de Georgia Stage I, 10am-1:30pm — International pro cyclists race from Tybee to Savannah at breakneck pace. Tour de Georgia’s first visit to Savannah in 5 years.

Due to an anonymous donation, TdG’s Ride for Research, a charity ride benefitting AFLAC Children’s Cancer Center, has been changed to open registration — no cost to the next 100 riders! The route will follow the western portion of Monday’s race route and include Lt. Gov Casey Cagle, as well as former current and former pro cyclists: Mari Holden (2000 Olympic Silver Medalist Women’s Time Trial, UCI Road World Champion – Time Trial, US National Road Champion – Road Race, 5 time US National Road Champion – Time Trial), Kevin Livingston (8 Year professional Career, including Team Saturn and US National team member, Motorola, Cofidis, US Postal Service and Team Telekom), Nathan O’Neill (Pro Cyclist and 8-time Australian National Time Trial Champion). Register at active.com.

Also, the SBC’s deal on Toast de Tour is still available. Rub elbows with Georgia’s elected officials and cycling’s elite at the kickoff party Saturday, April 19 from 6-9pm, only $100 to paid members of Savannah Bicycle Campaign.

All Savannah cyclists are invited to a press conference this Monday (April 14) at 11 a.m. in Johnson Square (aka “Bank Square”). The press conference marks the official launch of the Savannah Bicycle Campaign. We are hoping to gather a diverse group of cyclists to show that citizens of all walks of life are interested in this cause. Please join us if you can.