Aaron Isaacs, author of “Twin Cities by Trolley: The Streetcar Era in Minneapolis and St. Paul” will lead a bike ride along the rail trails of the Twin Cities. The ride leaves at 1:30 on July 17th from St Paul’s Vento Trailhead east of downtown where Payne intersects with West 7th. David Gepner, ride coordinator, describes the ride as “More intellectual than aerobic, and more fulfilling than pure exercise with a stop for a treat and discussion at the nostalgic Dari-ette Drive In.” Isaacs book has received 6 reviews at Amazon.com, all of them 5 star. You can see the book and reviews here.

Bicycle Film Festival 2008 is in Minneapolis. The event runs for three days from Thursday, July 10 to Saturday, July 12. The festival features films from the 1979 classic Breaking Away to film clips as short as 1 minute in length, plus European road racing films and inspirational cross country tours. Film venues include the Riverview Theater, McPhail Center for Music and Theatre De La Jeune Lune. Each day finishes with an After Party including drinks, contests, music and socializing with fellow bicyclists. This promises to be a fun event that has something for everyone in the diverse world of Twin Cities Cycling. More information.

Do It Green, an organization dedicated to educating and motivating Minnesotans to live more sustainably, will host a Commuter Buddy Program on Saturday, June 7. Experienced bicycle commuters will pair up with new commuters to plan a commuter route and set a date to practice and time the route. I’ll be there to help create a custom bike route to work for new participants. Commuter Buddy Program

In a previous post, I mentioned a new route planning program through the Met Council. The program, called Bike2Benefits, asks bike commuters to commit to riding at least once a week for eight weeks before December 31. Riders receive a personalized route map, a booklet on bicycle commuting, information on safe and lawful bicycling and a reflective leg strap. Riders who complete the program get entered in a year-end prize drawing.

The program has launched and, according to program coordinator John Svigeland, it has exceeded expectations by 10-15 times. The program is going through growing pains. As of last posting, over 100 requests were waiting for custom bike routes.

The program is looking for more bike route planners. If you are an experienced bike commuter and feel comfortable laying out bike routes for new riders, please contact John Svigeland for more information. Bike route planners get paid for their work and get to choose the number of routes they wish to do from a list of route requests.

Roads around the I-35W/Hwy 62 interchange have been in constant flux as the new highway alignment continues. The good news, for now, is that Minnehaha Parkway has re-opened. It was closed during construction of the support pillars that will take I-35W over Minnehaha Creek. Nicollett Ave under Hwy 62 is slightly more open again because pillar work in that area has been completed. I checked out the new Diamond Lake Rd bridge. It isn’t any worse than the old bridge, but it isn’t better, either. The approach lanes on both sides of the bridge are wide enough for shoulder/bike lane striping, but no paint had been added on my last visit. Shoulder stiping is still visible on the old “unimporved” part of Diamond Lake Rd to the east of the bridge. the 58th street bike bridge ws removed and still hasn’t been rebuilt.

Minnehaha Park has gone through a multi-year renovation to become one of the premier parks in Minneapolis. The latest improvements include new picnic shelters near the Veterans Home and bike paths that connect the Veterans Bridge to the road down to Lock and Dam #1. A spur trail also connects the upgraded picnic area to the trail near the falls. The trails were paved within the last week and are ready for your enjoyment.

Minneapolis bicyclists looking for a bike route across Minnehaha Creek no longer have the option to cross on the Bryant Ave. Pedestrian Bridge. The bridge was closed a couple of days ago for safety reasons.

After reports that the bridge swayed as much as 12 inches when people crossed it, Minneapolis Parks & Rec inspected the bridge and closed it immediately after the inspection report.

At this point there is no information available about when, or even if, the bridge will open again. The parks and Rec does not have engineers on staff, so a consultant has to be hired to evaluate whether the bridge can be repaired or has to be replaced. Hiring a consultant requires a bid process that could take several months.

If the bridge can be repaired, Parks & Rec may do the work themselves. If it has to be replaced, a contractor will be hired, requiring another bid process. Reconstruction could take even longer if Minneapolis parks & Rec has to find additional funds in its budget.

Local residents reported that kids intentionally rocked the bridge back and forth for entertainment prior to the bridge closing.

Cyclists can cross Minnehaha Creek at Lyndale Ave or Pleasant Ave downstream or on the creek level bike bridge upstream.

One On One Bikes continues its unique blend of bikes, coffee and art gallery with a new show starting Saturday night, April 5. ARTCRANK, a poster party for bike people, will feature bike related posters from 34 artists, music by Keston Westdal, Beer by Rush River Brewing Company and a photo booth by Scott Haraldson. One on One always puts on a good party and it’s readily accessible by bike. The show runs through May 3.

The Metro Council will offer an expanded Bike-2-Benefits program this year to cyclists interested in trying bike commuting. The program, still in the planning stages, will include custom route planning between your home and job, a copy of the 2005 Twin Cities Bike Map and incentives for cyclists who commit to ride at least 8 times during the 2008 season. In 2007, the 494 Corridor Services offered a similar program to employees who worked along the I-494 corridor. Doug Shidell, of Bikeverywhere, did the custom route planning. This year he will teach bike route planners throughout the Twin Cities how to plan a custom bike route for Bike-2-Benefits participants.

The 2008 Twin Cities Bike Map is hot off the press. The newest edition, number 9, is printed on tear and water resistant paper so it will hold up to sweaty jersey pockets, endless folding and the wear and tear of carrying it in your panniers. Stop by your local bike shop to pick up a copy or order it here. For more information check the Twin Cities page.