On Tuesday July 8, 2008, 22-year old Alice Swanson was struck and killed by a trash truck just a few blocks from Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s national headquarters in the Dupont neighborhood of Washington, D.C. While tragedies such as this are always heart-breaking no matter where they occur, this one was a close-to-home reminder for our Washington, D.C.-staff—many of whom ride through that neighborhood daily—that the need for more and safer places to bicycle has never been greater. Bicycle safety is closely related to Climate Ride. If you consider that more and more people are turning toward bicycling for transportation in the wake of skyrocketing gas prices and climate concerns, then you know that means more people on the roads. More people on the trails. More people who need safe places to make the choice to bicycle easier. For the last 22 years, Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (RTC) has been working to provide these safer places, creating a nationwide network of trails from former rail lines and connecting corridors.(more...)

We were planning to cap the number of riders for Climate Ride at 100, and indeed, we would have been thrilled to reach that number. Our colleagues in the industry told us to consider it a victory to sign up even fifty cyclists in our first year. But climate change is an issue that weighs heavily on the minds of many Americans, and people want to make their voice heard. wo weeks ago, ninety participants had registered, showcasing incredible support and enthusiasm for Climate Ride. And so we have decided to open it up to 20 more people. That's right, we now have space for 120 riders for this unique event. So tell your friends and colleagues—there is still space to join. Word of Climate Ride has been spreading around the internet. Here are a few of the many places on the web where you can read about Climate Ride:(more...)