Dayton937

Things to do in Dayton | Restaurants, Theatre, Music and More

Cycling

Dayton’s Bike Share Program Turns Two

By

Today marks the second year since Link: Dayton Bike docked its first bike in 2015. Link users took more than 30,600 trips in 2016 and burned more than 1,700,000 calories. Since its launch in 2015, Link users have taken more than 65,000 trips and have attracted more than 8,000 unique users to the system.

 

Link grew from 24 stations to 27 in 2016, adding stations at Tech Town, the Montgomery County Job Center and at the Greater Dayton RTA Longworth Campus. The community also saw growth in the number of bike lanes on Warren Street and East Fifth Street, opening up new connections between Link stations.

 

New this year, Link is offering a membership type that offers hour trips – Annual Plus. Other perks of the membership include the opportunity for name recognition on a bike and a swag item from Link. “We’re excited to offer this new membership to our customers that want to chip in a little more to help us sustain and grow the program,” says Bike Miami Valley executive director Laura Estandia. “Annual Plus gives us the opportunity to recognize them and offer some perks in thanks.”

 

Birthday on Saturday, May 13th at Fifth Street Brewpub from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM. The pub is tapping a special brew in celebration of Link’s Birthday dubbed Pedal Power.
Link will celebrate its 2nd“We’ve brewed a gose beer for Link,” says Brewmaster Darren Link. “Yes, Link is my last name, so I’ve always had an affinity for the bikes. The beer we’re brewing will be brewed with hops, orange peel and coriander. The hops have a salty flavor so it will be reminiscent of drinking a Gatorade.”

 

Link is looking forward to a great first weekend of May with the launch of the River Run project downtown and the arrival of more than 600 International Trail Symposium attendees. “We’re excited to give those attending the conference an easy, convenient way to get around downtown,” says Estandia, “We’re kicking Bike Month off in a big way this year!”

 

Artists Call for Bicycle Themed Art

By

BALANCE is a juried show of bicycle-based or themed 2D and 3D work—held in conjunction with Troy, Ohio’s 2017 Sculptures on the Square public art exhibit of Mexican artist Gilberto Aceves Navarro’s Las Bicicletas—and will be on display in the Mayflower Arts Center’s Lobby Gallery, May 1-June 24, 2017.

Participation in BALANCE is open to all artists over the age of 16. Artists making 2D and 3D art based loosely or directly on bicycles, bicycle history, and bicycle culture are encouraged to submit their work.

All submissions will be juried by the Mayflower Arts Center’s exhibition committee. Along with three jury awards, there will also be a People’s Choice Award based on popular votes cast by visitors during the exhibition. The exhibition will be on display during the 2017 Troy Strawberry Festival (June 3-6, 2017), one of Ohio’s premiere and highest attended festivals.

While BALANCE is being held in conjunction with the Sculptures on the Square public display, work submitted to Balance does not have to be related to Navarro’s work, style, context, or concept.

 


SUBMISSION DETAILS


– All 2D and 3D media accepted (no audio or video files will be accepted). 3D works must be free-standing. 2D works must be framed or have finished edges and be delivered ready to install. Any work not properly prepared will not be included in the exhibit.
– The Mayflower Arts Center is a family-friendly arts center. Work depicting gratuitous nudity, profanity, or obscenities cannot be accepted. If you have a question about the acceptability of your art, please contact us before submitting.
– All entries will be submitted via the exhibition submission form on the Mayflower Arts Center’s website.
– Artists/designers may submit up to 5 works for a $40 non-refundable entry fee. Artwork submitted without payment will not be considered.
– For 3D work, submit images depicting the work as best you feel are needed. We prefer at least 2 images per work (full view and detail), but if you have 5 works you are submitting, then make sure the single image of each work shows the best angle and details of the work possible.
– For safety reasons, extremely large works may not be accepted. If you have any questions about the size of your work fitting in our gallery, please contact us before submitting.
– All artwork must be original and be accompanied by title, medium, dimensions, year of completion, and retail value.
– Entries will be judged from digital files. Images should be JPEG or PNG format, 72dpi, 800 pixels at their longest side, including your name in the digital file name.
– Artwork will be juried based on artistic vision, originality, technical execution, and adherence to the theme.
– Accepted artists/designers will be required to submit a high-resolution photograph of the accepted artwork for use with online and print media for marketing purposes. The artist’s name, website, and information about the work will be displayed alongside the work.
– All artwork must be for sale. The MAYFLOWER ARTS CENTER will take a 30% commission (plus 7% sales tax) from artwork sold during the exhibition.
– You will be notified of the jurors’ decisions by email and website posting on Saturday, April 15.
– Exhibiting artists will be required to deliver artwork to the Mayflower Arts Center by no later than April 24. Work shipped must include return postage. No packing peanuts please. Any artwork received after 5:00pm on April 24 may not be included in the exhibit.
– By submitting artwork to Balance you grant the Mayflower Arts Center and the Sculptures on the Square organizations the right to use and publish images of your artwork for promotional purposes. Artist retains all other rights to the artwork.
– If you have a question about the acceptability of your art, please contact us at MayflowerArtsCenter@gmail.com before submitting.
– Recognition will be awarded to the top three works as selected by the Mayflower Arts Center Exhibition Committee.
– Recognition will be awarded for a People’s Choice Award based on votes received by exhibition visitors.
​


LAS BICICLETAS BACKGROUND:
Las Bicicletas (http://lasbicicletas.org/) is an urban art exhibit created by Mexican artist Gilberto Aceves Navarro. It comprises 250 bicycle sculptures in black, white, red and orange; colors that were used by the Mayan culture to symbolize the four cardinal points. Over 30 sculptures will be on display throughout downtown Troy for the public to view. One of the sculptures will be on display in the Lobby Gallery of the Mayflower Arts Center.

The mission of Las Bicicletas is to promote through art, the use of bicycles as an alternative mode of transportation and to procure better living conditions for all people in friendlier cities. Las Bicicletas’ objective is that bicycles are universally recognized as vehicles of happiness and health.

THE MAYFLOWER ARTS CENTER
The Mayflower Arts Center provides a community-friendly environment to create art, and enlighten and inspire a deeper appreciation of art among artists and patrons. Located prominently on the vibrant downtown square of Troy, Ohio—in the historic 1928 Mayflower Theater building—the Mayflower Arts Center offers gallery and exhibit spaces, classes and workshops, indie/art films, fine art retail, art lectures, performances and concerts. The Lobby Gallery presents work from local, regional, and national artists throughout the year.

ENTRY DEADLINE: April 10 (11:59pm EST)
Entry Fee: $40.00 (non-refundable)

Mayflower Arts Center Lobby Gallery
9 West Main Street
Troy, Ohio, 45373
Artist Reception: May 6 (6:00-8:00pm)

IMPORTANT DATES (all times reflect EST)
April 10 (11:59pm): Submission Deadline
April 15: Jurying Announcement (entrants notified by email / website)
April 24 (5:00pm): Drop-off/Delivery Deadline
April 24 – 30: Curation/Installation
May 1 – June 24: Exhibition Dates*
May 6 (6:00-8:00pm): Artist Reception
May 1 – June 4: Public Voting*
June 4 (5:00pm): Voting Closes
June 9 (7:00pm): People’s Choice Award Announcement
June 24 – July 1: Art Pick-up/Delivery*

COMPLETE SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS and ENTRY FORM are available at http://www.mayflowerartscenter.com/balance-exhibit.html.

Miami Valley Cycling Summit wheels into WSU

By

On-line registration for the 2017 Miami Valley Cycling Summit (MVCS) to be held 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Friday, May 5th at Wright State University is now available at www.CyclingSummit.com.

The event is free and open to the public.

 The first 300 people registered receiving a free bike bell provided by Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission Pedal Pals and those registering by April 21 will be guaranteed a free lunch

Using the power of cycling to drive economic development in communities throughout the region will be the focus of the 2017 MVCS.

Local, regional and national experts will detail how cycling can benefit all communities through a day of speakers, vendors and networking with the theme of “Cycling Attracts.”

The event offers a chance to further engage in the region’s bike agenda and learn about the past, present and future of cycling in the Miami Valley.

On-site registration will open beginning at 7:30 am at the Wright State University Student Union.

Four educational tracks will be offered in morning and afternoon session.  The topics will focus on Economic Impact and Community Development; Health and Safety; Partnerships and Collaboration; as well as Policy and Funding.

The event’s keynote speaker will be Aparna Dial, Deputy Director, Department of Public Service for the City of Columbus, as well as leading the City of Columbus Smart City program.

Prior to serving at the City of Columbus, she was the Director of Energy Services and Sustainability at The Ohio State University and as the University Energy and Sustainability Engineer. She was responsible for all strategic and operational aspects of recycling and waste reduction, energy purchasing and energy conservation. Her expertise also includes strategic planning, project management, environmental compliance and enforcement.

She has an undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering from Osmania University, India, an M.S. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Utah State University and an MBA with a focus in finance from The Fisher College of Business at OSU.

All funds raised from the event will benefit Bike Miami Valley and Wright State University.

For more information, call Greene County Parks & Trails at 937.562.6440, email [email protected] or visit Miami Valley Cycling Summit.

 

Why Is Mike Building An Indoor Bike Park?

By

1654967_10152660196201124_1838755000_oWe caught Mike Bisig right before he took the stage with the Cricketbows at Jimmies Ladder 11 this week. Mike is a high school music teacher during the day, rock band guitarist at night, and he is the guy who is bringing an indoor bike park to Dayton.

Dayton deserves a place where enthusiasts can ride, no matter the weather.  Kids deserve a safe place to ride where they can increase their cycling skills without the worry of automobile traffic or crowded bike paths.  Mike’s Indoor Bike Park will provide these things while working to bring the cycling community together and bring new life into Dayton’s downtown area.

We spoke with Mike about this newest addition to Dayton. He confirmed the former manufacturing facility that is located just east of the Water Street development off of East First Street is under contract. Mike said if things continue to move on schedule, he will open doors to riders in early 2017.

14444882_1832228330397043_7188745772940588688_o

We asked Mike about the biggest hurdle to creating something like this in Dayton. Mike stated that there is no real business model for a facility of this kind.  There are less than 10 indoor bike parks of this type in the US. Even fewer that are stand alone facilities that are also profitable. Mike has been studying Ray’s Mountain Bike Park in Cleveland as the model for his park in Dayton.

Ray’s Mountain Bike park in Cleveland was the first and the most successful indoor bike park. Mike has made more than 30 trips to Cleveland to ride and study the park. Mike is using Ray’s as a template but is giving it a unique Dayton spin. Mike plans to replicate the season pass model from Ray’s, but at a lower price point. The Dayton park will also be open year round accommodating riders when the weather is too cold, too wet or trails are unusable in local parks.bikemike2_1_orig

The Dayton park is being built to be accessible to all skill levels and bikes. Most riders, according to Bisig will be coming in with a type of mountain bike. BMX bikes will also find the park fitting for their type of riding. During our conversation, Mike expressed how the design in Dayton is created to be a low barrier to entrance, meaning kids and adults can find something to do without a special or expensive bike upgrade. Bring a bike, bring a helmet and plan to ride.

Throughout our talk Mike returned time and time again to teaching. Mike is a teacher at heart and his vision is for the Bike Park to be a community centered facility where kids learn to ride and learn to ride safely. Mike hopes to partner with groups to teach bike safety for indoor riding and on the road riding. Mike is aware of Dayton’s love affair with the bicycle and he hopes to honor that with Mikes Bike Park.
14808649_1474738083-2858
Mike was pleased to report that the necessary zoning variance has been granted by the City of Dayton in recent days. That was the last major hurdle prior to finalizing the purchase. We asked Mike: What is the most surprising part of starting a business like this in Dayton?

Mike said the most exciting and most surprising part has been the outpouring of support and offers of volunteer help. He reiterated that the Dayton bike community is a generous one and he is busy managing all the offers for help.

bisig-face_origAre you a bicyclist or a business owner and interested in helping? Mike says visit the park’s webpage for details on sponsorships and volunteering. The park still has room for corporate sponsorships as well. Businesses can partner in a few different ways.

Besides writing a check, material donations and professional services are also welcomed.  Building an indoor bicycle park requires an immense amount of wood and lumber.  There is a  need for standard sized lumber (2×4, 2×6, 4×4, etc.) as well as plywood, larger logs, pieces of trees, and just about any other larger pieces of wood that you can think of.  They will be painting many of the walls inside the park and can use donations of paint, rollers, brushes, sand paper, and other basic painting materials.
 If you can donate materials, please CLICK HERE .

 

There is a grassroots campaign to help pay for the cost of building the wooden structures inside of Mike’s Indoor Bike Park.  These funds will also be used to upgrade the restroom and changing facilities, install a state-of-the-art video system for watching riders throughout the park, and to help make Mike’s Indoor Bike Park as safe as possible for all riders.  Every dollar earned from this campaign will go towards creating an amazing riding experience for cyclists of all ability levels.  Every dollar helps, so if you can give, give what you can so we can all enjoy the best indoor riding experience possible!  CLICK HERE to donate today.

 

Link Celebrates Expansion and New Monthly Pricing Option

By

link-dayton-member-card

Link celebrated the installation of three new stations to its existing network. The new locations in 2016 include one at RTA’s Longworth Campus, the Montgomery County Job Center and Tech Town.

Greater Dayton RTA installed their station at their Longworth Campus in mid-April. “We started offering wellness incentives to our employees that use the Link program, but many of them wanted to be able to use the bikes between our location at Wright Stop Plaza and Longworth,” said Mark Donaghy, Executive Director of Greater Dayton RTA. “We were happy to close this gap and encourage our employees to get some fresh air and exercise.”

The two additional stations were added this August. Commissioner Debbie Lieberman express her excitement for the station at the Montgomery County Job Center. “For the County, it was about providing access to our employees and users of the Job Center. With access to the Nation’s Largest Paved Trail Network right across the street, it was a no-brainer that Link should be one of the enhancements to the new facility.”

LinkbikesExecutive Director Laura Estandia announced that Link recently launched a $10 Monthly Membership aimed at those users who responded on a feedback survey that they might prefer to pay for a membership on a monthly basis. “It’s a great low cost way for those considering an Annual Membership to try the system to see if it’s for them,” said Estandia. “We believe it will open up doors for new customers.” Link will also simplify its pricing structure with a flat rate of $3 per half hour for trips over 30 minutes in length.

“I know that Greater Dayton Area Hospital Association and all of the Tech Town tenants are thrilled to add another transportation option to help our employees connect to downtown dining options and businesses,” said GDAHA President and CEO Bryan Bucklew. “We’re thrilled to be able to be a part of a network that’s changing how people get around.”

FAST FACTS

Station Total: 27

Bike total: 225

First Year Total Trips: 33,526

First Year Total Users: 5,025

Open Date: May 5, 2015

About Link

Link is a bike sharing program run by Greater Dayton RTA and Bike Miami Valley. For more information, visit linkdayton.org

Free Bike Tour of Dayton’s Neighborhood

By

tourdedaytonThe 6th Annual Tour de Dayton bicycling event will cruise through the Southeast Dayton neighborhoods of University Park, Shroyer Park, Patterson Park, Belmont & Walnut Hills Saturday, August 6th.

This free self-paced family-friendly activity includes a 12- mile bike tour with stops at various artistic, cultural, natural, historical landmarks, & locally owned neighborhood business including: Esther Price Candies, Original 1948 Dairy Queen, Jane Newcome Park, Patterson Road Art Gallery, Belmont Unitepoint-of-interest-sign-300x225d Methodist Church, Truth & Triumph Tattoo, Angie’s Firehouse Tavern, Lohrey Rec-Center, Woodmen Fen, Kenzie;s K-9 Design, Dayton Firehouse #15 Ohmer Park House, Gar Drolma Buddhist Center, Walnut Hills Park, Woodlawn Cemetary(Opitional), a scenic ride/tour through the neighborhoods & the new Dayton-Kettering Bike Trail Corridor. (The 2016 tour features 3 women owned/founded businesses!!

Maps, street markings, and volunteers along the route keep participants on track. Through the generosity of numerous local businesses, & individual’s donations there will be some free raffle giveaways items, bike helmets and free healthy lunch snacks provided for participants as supplies last. Pre-register now at our website or register in person the same day of the event from 9am-11am.

tvwnkauf2081lnt3k6x8xhvs253co2a8This is a FREE community event founded by Dayton Neighborhood Leadership Institute graduates & staffed by volunteers from the community.

This bicycle-friendly, family-friendly event promotes the healthy quality of life in our city, various points of interest our neighborhoods offer accessible by bike, and is truly a Dayton Original!

Ride With Rotary!

By

850135c1c08b64b5dcd5d42b8b7624b8 The Dayton Rotary Club will host the Second Annual Dayton Rotary Ride on Saturday, June 11. Anyone is welcome to join Rotary on their ride.   They’ll be riding from the Xenia Station bike hub in Xenia, heading out into Greene and Clinton Counties. There are three excellent rides mapped out for you:

A 7 mile route to allow kids and newer riders the opportunity to participate.  You’ll ride the great bike trails that cross through Xenia Station.

A 50k for those with picnics, family gatherings, or those on their first bicycle tour.  This route is largely flat to rolling, and takes you through the Greene County countryside.

A 100k for those demanding a full day of exercise and saddle time.  It tracks the 50k in the beginning, but then breaks south into Clinton County towards the Caesar Creek Lake area. You can expect a few more hills, particularly in the later part of the ride.

Registration includes lunch and a t-shirt. The funds raised go to support the Dayton Rotary Club’s Youth Exchange Program, helping a local high school student study overseas for a year.
You can learn more on their website or by checking out their Facebook page. Ready to register? Click here to reserve your spot!

Oh, and one more thing. We’re working hard to spread the word about this great ride, but we could use your help. Could you share this  with your cycling crowd, and like and share our Facebook page? If you can, we would really appreciate it.

Check in begins at 7:00 AM; we’re aiming to have everyone rolling by 8:30 AM. See you on June 11!

Bike Miami Valley Hosting Local Challenge for Bicyclists in the Region

By

Bike Miami Valley is encouraging bicycle ridership across the region by hosting the local Advocacy Challenge of the National Bike Challenge. The National Bike challenge is a nationwide event uniting thousands of current bicyclists–and encouraging countless new riders. The challenge runs from May 1 through September 30, 2016.

Any person who rides a bike can participate to win great prizes just by registering and counting their rides each and every time. Riders are encouraged to make personal goals, compete with friends and coworkers, or just be part of the biggest group bicycle ride ever. But the National Bike Challenge is so much more than that. It is a community of people who all share a love of riding bikes. With competition possibilities on the local, state and national level, it is a free and easy way to challenge yourself and the greater community to ride a bicycle more often.

Many bicycle clubs, workplaces, and businesses will have team challenges which are a great way to set-up a small or large group challenges to get people participating. Bike Miami Valley hopes to activate more than 1,000 riders, beating last year’s goal of 546 people. To make tallying your rides easy, you can use compatible smart phone apps such as MapMyRide, Endomondo, Strava and others. Just login and start riding – it’s that easy. Bike Miami Valley will automatically count your participation in the Advocacy Challenge when you enter your local zip code during registration. Visit the National Bike Challenge website at to learn more and sign-up today.

About Bike Miami Valley 
Bike Miami Valley has deep roots in SW Ohio. It drafted one of the nation’s first regional bikeway plans in 1973. This proved instrumental in the development of much of the recreational trail system you might be familiar with today. Today Bike Miami Valley is focused on current cycling movements and the region’s growing cycling community. They are the founders of the Miami Valley Cycling Summit, an event held biennially that focuses on rallying communities around the economic development benefits of cycling. The latest accomplishment to our record is hiring full-time staff and launching Dayton’s bike share program, Link, in May of 2015. Bike Miami Valley is recognized as a Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Business by the League of American Bicyclists.

About PeopleForBikes

PeopleForBikes is the movement to make riding better for everyone. PeopleForBikes operates the National Bike Challenge. By collaborating with millions of individual riders, businesses, community leaders, and elected officials, we’re uniting people to create a powerful, united voice for bicycling and its benefits. Our goal is to make every bike ride better, whether that ride takes you on trails, down to the grocery store, or all the way across town. Why? Because when people ride bikes, great things happen for our bodies and our minds, and our local and global communities.­­ We are casual riders, weekend warriors, and commuters. We are parents and grandparents, neighbors and friends. We are business owners and industry leaders. We are people who enjoy riding bikes, just like you.

Wheel in Wednesdays at Young’s Jersey Dairy

By

12898322_10154049282068767_816667416894715772_oDo you ride the bike trails out towards Yellow Springs?  Perhaps this news will give you some inspiration to do so.  Every Wednesday when you ride out to Young’s Jersey Dairy and let them know you’re there for Wheel in Wednesday you can  get a free extra dip of Young’s Homemade Ice Cream on any ice cream purchase at The Dairy Store or a free mini-dessert at The Golden Jersey Inn with the purchase of your meal.

Or you can use their parking lot to drive out to Yellow Springs with your bike on car rack, unload your bike and make Young’s your starting point.  One of the nation’s premier bike trails less than a mile from their location and think about wahat a reward a nice homemade ice cream cone would be at the end of your ride.2015-Bike-Ride-Logo

It’s also a great way to train for the Young’s Ice Cream Charity Bike Ride July 16 & 17.   The ride starts and ends at Young’s, with 28 mile, 56 mile, 83 mile, and 100 mile options which head up to Ada, Ohio. Two-day participants stay overnight in great accommodations at Ohio Northern University. Riders of all ages and abilities raise money for charity and have a good time riding the well-marked routes. Food and ice cream is provided to all volunteers and riders. Each charity provides volunteers to staff the rest stops along the route.

 

Intro To Bike Touring

By

belgium-bicycle-touring3Do you enjoy riding a bike? Do you enjoy camping or traveling? Put the two together! Come learn how to plan your very own self-supported road cycling adventure! Great Miami Outfitters offers this FREE class to help you get started bike touring and to introduce you to the latest apparel and equipment!

Great Miami Outfitters’ instructors will cover trip and route planning, apparel, shelters, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, food and nutrition, how to pack, and more! Join us for this great opportunity to learn more and ask questions about bike touring in a friendly, casual atmosphere.

LINK Winter Warrior Champion Revealed

By

Winter Warrior 2016 Champion Photo by Alex Grodkiewicz

Winter Warrior Champion Tom Jages. Photo by Alex Grodkiewicz.

Link’s first winter season called on all of those brave enough to battle the cold weather to become the Winter Warrior Champion. Link launched the Winter Warrior Challenge on December 4, 2015 and recruited over 50 participants to take trips during the winter months. The competition ended on Friday, February 26, 2016.

On opening day, Tom Jagles started racking up trips at 5:00 AM and kept the pace up throughout the competition. The runner-up, James Muhammad, gave Tom a run for his money racking up 180 trips in a 24-Hour period, which is the most trips taken in a 24-Hour period by not only Link riders, but also by any B-Cycle (the bike sharing supplier for Link and other systems) rider. Things heated up on the final day with both riders racing the clock. But Tom’s early lead earned him the grand prize of a brand new cruiser bike donated by New Belgium Brewing Company and a new trophy designed by Links and Kinks to back his bragging rights. Tom finished with a total of 796 trips. The runner-up totaled 616 trips. All Warriors totaled 2,674 trips.

“The Winter Warrior contest was a fun way to keep in shape during the cold winter months. The competition was fierce at the end. I had a blast!” said Tom at last night’s award ceremony at Oregon Express. New Belgium Brewing Company and Bonbright Distributors were on hand with door prizes and swag to celebrate the Warriors.

Other participants walked away with the tiered prizes. The Second Street Market donated $50 in Market Bucks to the First Tier Prize, and UD Athletics donated four UD Men’s Basketball tickets for the 2016-2017 season to the Second Tier Prize. Third Tier Prize winner took home a free Link Annual Membership and Link swag. Link also offered mini challenges throughout the competition featuring local favorites: Ghostlight, The Neon, Confetti, and RiverScape MetroPark Ice Rink.

“We’ll definitely be bringing the competition back next year,” said Chris Buck, Business Development Manager for Link. “The program was a huge success. Watching the whole thing play out was very exciting, and we hope to inspire even more members to ride next winter.”

Gobbler Gives Bike Tour

By

jfjasd804x4twzq8kf5jwhw6lmpkab0jThis is a warm up for Saturday’s – Gobbler Gives Bike Tour 35 mile Ride.  We will be hosting a lunch time ride in downtown Dayton with Tom Foolery Outdoors to collect more food, energize downtown and get people on bikes. The ride will leave at Noon from Courthouse Square in Downtown Dayton. Riders will load their bikes with food they wish to donate to the Foodbank Dayton. Our ride will travel to Foodbank Dayton for a food drop, weigh in and refreshments. Ride back to downtown with a sense of pride that we helped feed the hungry in the Miami Valley! Day of registration only. Food and cash donations welcome.

2nd Annual Twisted Pretzel Tour

By

PowerPoint PresentationThe Twisted Pretzel Tour is a mass-start timed event through the beautiful Germantown countryside. The routes (8, 19, or 38 miles) are flat to gently rolling with the longer routes traveling over the scenic Germantown dam (and down, not up, the dam hill). A ride across the wooden planks of the historic Germantown covered bridge is a feature enjoyed on all routes. Signs and road markings clearly mark the routes. Helmets are required. Professional timing is provided by Good Times Event Services. The ride is held in conjunction with the Germantown Pretzel Festival and is sponsored by the Germantown Lions. The ride is a charity event with all proceeds benefiting local food pantries and civic organizations.  You can register online.

Packet pick up at the Germantown Senior Center, 33 N Cherry St. is from 5:30-8:00am on Sat, or 5-7 pm on Friday before the tour. Pre-ride overnight camping is available at the Shimp’s Hollow camp ground in the Germantown MetroPark.

The 3 routes will have staggered starts, beginning at 8:30 am for the Giant Pretzel, followed by the Pretzel Rod, then the Pretzel Ring. Break stops include warm fresh pretzels and dips along with the regular fare

Post tour partying includes the 36th annual Germantown Pretzel Festival which has free entertainment along with food and craft booths AND the Twisted Biergarten open from noon to 8:00pm featuring  beers from local breweries participating in this year’s Twisted Pretzel Charity Biergarten! A $2 ticket gets you a sample of one of  9 craft beers! They will also be selling a commemorative taster and pint glasses. Please view or download the Twisted Bike Tour Information and Site Map to see the event locations in Germantown.

All riders are welcome. The goal of this event is to have fun! The break stops (one at the Farmersville Community Park and the second just below the Germantown Dam) include warm pretzels with toppings along with the regular fare.

DMM Give Away:960286_756926551088208_8404221958825885162_n

We’ve got 2 Complimentary Twisted Bike Tour Registrations for a couple of lucky DMM readers.  To be entered to win just fill out the form below and leave a comment below on why we should pick you!  Of course it’s up to the winners to decide how far they are riding- 8, 19 or 38 miles.[form 55 “DMM Contest Entry – Generic”]

Register Now For The 5th Annual Tour de Dayton – It’s Free!

By

tourdedaytonThe 5th Annual Tour de Dayton cycling event will cruise through northwest Dayton’s neighborhoods on Saturday, August 1st. This free self-paced family-friendly activity includes a 10-mile route with stops at various Points of Interest including: Dayton View Triangle/Historic Seminary area, Roger Troutman Memorial Sound Sculpture, Rinaldo’s Bake Shoppe, Historic Fairview Park Amusement park site, Glass by James Michael & Co.(Blown Glass Shop, Classes & Gallery) Pat Antonick Heliotrope Studio(Ceramic Art, Beads, Digital Textile, Found Object Sculpture) Dayton Firehouse #14 & scenic ride/tour through Five Oaks & Old Dayton View Historic District.

This is a FREE community event founded by Dayton Neighborhood Leadership Institute graduates & staffed by volunteers from the community. Each year, the tour explores different neighborhood areas of our city and includes stops at several points of interest including educational, service, cultural, historic landmarks, & locally owned businesses.dsc01335

 

This year’s tour allows riders to experience biking through the neighborhoods of Princeton Heights, Dayton View Triangle, Fairview, Philadelphia Woods, Hillcrest, Hillview, Santa Clara, Five Oaks & University Row.

 

Maps, markings, and volunteers along the route keep participants on track. Through the generosity of numerous local businesses, & individual’s donations there will be some free raffle giveaways items, bike helmets and a healthy snack will be provided as supplies last. This FREE, bicycle-friendly, family-friendly event promotes the healthy quality of life in our city, its neighborhoods, and is truly a Dayton Original!

Pre-register now at http://tourdedayton.wordpress.com/2015-registration/, or in person the day of the event from 9am-11am. Event is Rain or Shine!!

Our website: WWW.Tourdedayton.com   Our Mail: [email protected]

So come on out and join us and experience why Dayton Loves Cycling!

Dayton Rotary Ride Launches June 20th

By

Screen Shot 2015-06-10 at 2.38.09 AM

Biking in Dayton has become all the rage, and for good reason! We have amazing trails and a new Link bike system, that makes biking easier and more enjoyable than ever. Now the Rotary Club of Dayton is taking the love of biking one step further by starting their own charity ride. The inaugural Dayton Rotary Ride will be held this Saturday June 20th, with proceeds benefiting their popular International Exchange Student program.

Phil Parks, one of the organizers of this event explains how the event will work: “The start of the ride has been carefully chosen as family friendly. We acknowledge that some members of the family may not want to ride a 50k or 100k ride. So we offer the family the opportunity to ride the first 3 ½ miles together. Then those wanting to return can turn onto a paved bike path and return to the starting point, Xenia Bike Hub. The more experienced riders can still ride together as a family for the first 14 miles. At the 14 mile mark we offer our first of 4 rest stops where the riders can take their first break. They will find food, water and toilet amenities offered by one of our many sponsors. After that, the 50k and 100k separate for their chosen scenic ride back to Xenia.”

Not only is this a great way to get some exercise and enjoy the great outdoors – this is also a fantastic way to support a great cause! The Rotary Club of Dayton has been sponsoring Dayton Public School students, as an International Exchange Student, for many years. Likewise, members of the Club always host families for an inbound exchange student. During their years of running the exchange program, they have found that both outbound and inbound students always have a trip, or various needs, that require extra funding that their families cannot afford. The Dayton City School Students parents have skin in the game, but most times need some financial support in order to offer their children this wonderful international opportunity. Walt Hibner, Heath MacApline, and Phil Parks, all avid cyclers, hatched the plan for a fundraising event to help support these student’s unexpected needs and costs during their travels.

Phil Parks explains the goal of this event: “Long-term, we hope to see Dayton Public School Students volunteering for various duties along the ride. This collaborative effort is meant to show them how people working together can provide meaningful results. We want to make a BIG SPLASH, with the community and the students. But it all starts with this first little rock being thrown into the pond. Hopefully the little wave it makes will eventually turn into the big splash!”

If you are interested in participating, here are the details:

Website: http://www.daytonrotaryride.info/home.html

When: Saturday June 20th. Registration starts at 7am. Ride ends at 2pm

Where: Xenia Station, Xenia Ohio.  The physical address is 150 N. Miami Ave, Xenia, OH 45385.

Cost: $20 – $35 (depending on the package you choose)

NOTE: Everyone must wear a helmet, no exceptions.