After being postponed in January because of weather, the first West Virginia Bike Summit has been rescheduled for April 17 and 18.
The event will be held at the Charleston Marriott Town Center and is hosted by West Virginia Connecting Communities, a group that advocates for in-state bike infrastructure and works to build a network between cyclists across the state.
The first day of the summit will feature a 30-mile scenic bike ride as well as a casual group ride through the city, followed by a networking reception for cycling enthusiasts.
State Tourism Commissioner Amy Shuler Goodwin will be among the speakers presenting at the reception. It also will include exhibits by groups such as Ashland Cycling Enthusiasts, WV Physical Activity Network, Try This WV and the American Lung Association.
The second day of the summit will include sessions on different topics related to biking, such as health and quality of life, tourism and economic development and government transportation policy.
The day will include speakers such as Dr. Rahul Gupta from the state Department of Health and Human Resources; U.S. Department of Transportation Analyst Jason Broehm and state Division of Highways Engineer Greg Bailey.
Connecting Communities' mission is two-fold, Executive Director Kasey Russell said.
"One is to make our communities more cycling and walking friendly ... for the physical fitness aspect," she said.
The other piece focuses more on bridging the cycling gap between smaller localities.
"We think there's a lot of reasons financially why our state needs to focus on [bike trail] connections between, say, Beckley and Summersville," she said.
Despite reports from the U.S. Census Bureau showing a 60-percent increase in Americans who bike to work over the last decade, the trend hasn't caught on to the same degree in the Mountain State.
West Virginia placed 42 out of 50 in the League of American Bicyclists' 2015 ranking of the most bike friendly states, up two places from 44th in 2014.
Guest registration for the two-day event is $75, or $20 for Sunday only.
To register, visit www.wvconnectingcommunities.com.
Reach Elaina Sauber at
elaina.sauber@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-3051 or follow
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