Category: Posts

A touch of fall has begun creeping onto campus over the past few days. In stark contrast to the oppressive summer heat, everyone has been enjoying cool, crisp evenings and lovely gusting winds blowing through the trees on the academic quad. As a few stray leaves begin dotting Dwalk, it is hard to focus in class as your mind wanders off, dreaming of pedaling down the open road. For bicyclists, there is no better time of year to be out on your bike, counting the miles and breathing in the fresh air. Here at Dickinson, Fall also means the biannual Bike to Farm Potluck, a true treasure of an event for bikers of all levels.

This semester, the Bike to Farm Potluck will be on Saturday, October 8th. Riders will meet in the Kaufman parking lot at 10:30 am, where they will depart in small groups (organized by riding ability) to the College Farm. Vans will accompany the riders and carry everyone’s potluck dishes, as well as first aid supplies in case of emergency.

As any past participant will attest, the Bike to Farm is an incredibly enjoyable day of riding, picnicking, and playing lawn games in the barn yard. Faculty, staff, and student riders of all backgrounds are invited to participate in this event hosted by CSE, the Handlebar, and the College Farm. Pre-registration is required and can be found at dickinson.edu/biketofarm. We ask that everyone bring a reusable plate, cup, and silverware to accompany their potluck dish. For more information visit the registration link or email biking@dickinson.edu.

Unless every class you’re in assigned a midterm, paper, and presentation this week, chances are you’ve been outside and felt the unseasonably warm weather. Britton plazza is full of students eating their lunches, Morgan field is a hub of frisbee throwing, and all across campus bikes are zipping by. Spring in Carlisle is one of the best times to be a biker and this semester is proving that. A highlight of every biker’s semester is the Bike to the Farm Potluck ride (B2F). This year B2F will be on Saturday April 2nd. Riders will meet in the Kaufman parking lot at 10:30 AM and depart the farm at 2:15 PM. The riders will be broken up into five groups of varying speeds, so everyone can enjoy the biking at whatever pace they are most comfortable with. Vans will accompany the riders and carry everyone’s potluck dish, as well as have first aid supplies on hand. After arriving at the farm we will indulge in homecooked dishes, throw frisbees, and play with the assorted animals.

Ask anyone who has been before and you will find that B2F is a amazing experience. This event connects two of the most vibrant sustainability initiatives at Dickinson in an interactive healthy way. Faculty, staff, and student riders of all backgrounds and experience levels are invited to come. There are a limited number of red bikes available for anyone who needs a bike, these are an option when you register online. Pre-registration is required and is found at dickinson.edu/biketofarm. We ask that everyone going bring a reusable plate, cup, and silverware to go with their dish. For more information check out the registration link or email biking@dickinson.edu.

 

 

 

Does your bike need a home this winter? Ice, rain, salt, and sand can destroy a bike. Bring your bike to the CSE office in Kaufman and we’ll store it free of charge. See you there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanksgiving is a time for stressed college students to return home, stuff their faces, do their laundry, and hug their dogs. It also marks a turning point before the snow begins to fall and down jackets are required for a walk to the mailbox. An iconic Thanksgiving event are Turkey Trots, short road races meant to bring together family and the community. However there are also plenty of Thanksgiving day bike rides, which can be a great way to reconnect with your lonely bike and your family.

For the many students in the DC Baltimore area, there is a fun ride in Reston, VA that is open and free for all. https://www.restonnow.com/2015/11/16/family-fun-annual-thanksgiving-day-bike-ride/

The bicycle club of Philadelphia also hosts a longer ride for biking families. Scroll down to November 26th for the details. http://phillybikeclub.org/newbcp/rides/calendar

For mountain bikers there is a Thanksgiving day ride planned at Jacobsburg State Park in Easton PA. Check it out http://www.bikevmb.com/event/thanksgiving-day-ride

For Dickinsonians heading home to the West coast, Bikecal has many rides being sponsored Thanksgiving day. Most are in Southern CA and a pretty advanced level. http://www.bikecal.com/asp/cal-result.asp?ddate=2015-11-26

There are many more group  rides out there, and if you can’t find one near where you live, go with your friends and family! Through exercise you can justify any amount of food you will stuff into your face later.

Biking Narratives: The Schwartz Interview

Sitting down and interviewing a stranger can be an extremely nerve wracking experience. What if my questions stink? What if they give me one word answers? Should I have dressed better? Luckily this was not the case. I would be interviewing one of my closest friends on the shared passion that made us become friends. Freshman year, I brought my bike to Dickinson seeing it merely as an easy way to get to Frisbee practices. Within a month however I was going on 30 mile rides exploring the good, the bad, and the ugly of what rural Pennsylvania can offer. What brought about this change? Almost entirely the zany kid down the hall, Alec Schwartz. He had also brought his road bike to school, and coincidently his roommate had too.

The three of us started biking on the weekends to find creepy dilapidated barns, or a cool spot down by the great Carlilian rivers. Soon we were constantly going on night bike rides in lieu of the usual freshman rite of going to parties whenever possible. It’s three years later and not much has changed. In order to catalogue our biking adventures, I thought it would be a good to ask Alec about why he had brought his bike to school Freshman year and the journey that led up to that. As a note this interview is mostly paraphrased with Alec’s approval. Who has time to transcribe audio anyway?

MR: Tell me a little about how you first got into biking?

AS: My first memories on a bike were when I was seven years old. My dad was riding for a competitive club mountain bike team and he would convince me to come with them sometimes. Essentially I was pulled in the woods by people more confident than me.

MR: Did you have any special attachments to your bikes growing up?

AS: My first bike was a bright red Specialized Big Hit which was pretty expensive for kids, but it was the only bike my dad had that fit me. It was way too heavy for me and as a result going uphill in that thing was awful. It had a full suspension, which meant uphill’s and flats were brutal. It was a champ at the downhills though.

MR: What is your favorite place to ride at home?

AS: My family recently moved to Burlington Vermont, so I’m still discovering new routes whenever I’m home. So far my favorite has been the Mt. Philo loop. My dad showed me this ride and it’s pretty beautiful. It goes past Lake Champlain and the terrain is almost all rolling hills with farms and cows to the side. Biking around Vermont has been a great way for me to learn more about my new home.

MR: Sounds similar to our trips around Carlisle Freshman year.

AS: Yup.

 

 

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