While you consider Asheville, North Carolina, you possible consider the city’s booming tourism industry fueled by its craft breweries, native eating places, and vibrant artwork scene. However what you could not notice is that Asheville can also be a mecca for cyclists and mountain bikers. Our group, Asheville on Bikes, has made it our life’s work to extend bike consciousness, training, and entry to all Asheville residents and guests.
Biking by the numbers
Simply how widespread is Asheville’s biking scene? A recent economic impact study funded by the North Carolina Division of Transportation discovered that bicycle tourism generates $43.3 million in revenue yearly in western North Carolina and helps over 1,700 native jobs. On common, bicycle vacationers spend roughly $190 a day once they go to our area.
And whereas general bike commuting in North Carolina fell by 10% between 2006 and 2016, Asheville noticed a 1.6% enhance throughout that interval. In actual fact, Asheville ranks third for bike commuting amongst all U.S. cities with a inhabitants between 65,000 and 100,000.
Increasing urban-rural bike connectivity
Asheville will quickly be on the vanguard of motorbike path improvement. The proposed Hellbender Trail (named after our well-known and endangered salamander) plans to attach Asheville and its surrounding cities by way of 155 miles of greenways, shared streets, and pure floor trails. Not solely will the Hellbender Path permit a whole lot of 1000’s of western North Carolina residents to commute the huge space by bike, however its development and upkeep will generate a whole lot of jobs within the area.
The Blue Ridge Parkway, fondly often known as “America’s Favourite Drive,” runs by means of Asheville, providing cyclists entry to 469 miles of pristine ridgeline freeway, together with 6,684-foot Mount Mitchell, the best peak east of the Mississippi River. Guests love the comfort of biking the Parkway in the course of the day and hitting Asheville’s seemingly countless array of brewpubs and eating places within the night.
About Asheville on Bikes
After 13 years of encouraging city and commuter biking by means of advocacy, training, and celebration, Asheville on Bikes (AoB) has turn out to be synonymous with bicycle tradition and advocacy in western North Carolina. Our Govt Director, Mike Sule, believes that biking has a direct affect on the well being of our group—which is why AoB’s mission is to enhance Asheville’s bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure, encourage extra folks to experience bicycles for recreation and transportation, and make Asheville a protected, straightforward, and pleasant metropolis to bike in.
Educating our youth
We companion with Asheville faculties to assist children get outdoors and learn to experience in an city atmosphere. We additionally equip college students with high quality bicycles, helmets, lights, and instructors who’re skilled in city using finest practices. In the course of the pandemic, we took benefit of the bike using advantages of social distancing by extending our after-school bike program by means of the summer season months, due to a partnership with native group, Youth Transformed for Life.
We additionally conduct CycleSmart programs, taught by League of American Bicyclists-certified instructors to assist teenagers and adults learn to experience bikes safely and effectively in an city setting to allow them to store, work, and play with out a automobile (or the trouble of discovering a parking area).
Constructing consciousness by means of advocacy
Each election cycle, we host Get There AVL, a public candidate discussion board specializing in Asheville transportation programs and points. These boards permit residents and candidates to share their views on transportation points in Asheville in a relaxed city corridor setting.
We foyer for bike entry and security regionally, regionally, and nationally as a part of our dedication to seeing Asheville turn out to be the most secure place in North Carolina to experience a motorbike. We additionally create and share citizen query guides and letter templates for upcoming public conferences.
Internet hosting probably the most enjoyable occasions in Asheville
We all know that’s a daring assertion nevertheless it’s true. Right here’s a sampling of our occasions:
- Since 2018, we now have partnered with New Belgium for his or her annual Tour de Fat celebration that includes the notorious Bike Parade. This occasion is free and proceeds from beer gross sales assist AoB’s advocacy, training, and group work.
- Held every February, Bike Love is our flagship fundraiser and our largest get together of the yr. Proceeds from the tickets and silent public sale go on to supporting enhancing Asheville’s multimodal transportation infrastructure and inspiring extra folks in our group to experience a motorbike.
- This yr we partnered with the Bicycle Film Festival to have fun their twentieth anniversary and convey this worldwide occasion to Asheville for the primary time. In true COVID-19 trend, the occasion was held just about, permitting members to view the pageant’s quick movies at their comfort. Tickets had been offered on a sliding scale and all proceeds went to assist AoB.
Study extra about our group of motorbike lovers
As a 501c(3) group, AoB is supported by the beneficiant contributions and laborious work of our members and sponsors. Study extra about our work and how one can get entangled at ashevilleonbikes.com. Thanks for studying—now get on the market and experience!
