Email from Bill Weller, Advocacy Director June 16,2023 Hi All, There is a lot of bikeway & trails news to share. Here is my summary from the two DelDOT meetings I attended this week that related to our trails and my subsequent discussions. The two meetings were the Five Points Working Group Annual Report meeting and the joint Lewes Bike Plan and Georgetown Lewes Trail update. The highlights are: Georgetown Lewes Trail Georgetown LewesTrail completion (GLT) - DelDOT is designing the remaining segment from Fisher Rd to Airport Rd (Georgetown). They have applied to the US DOT for a RAISE grant to finish the trail. The US DOT announcement is scheduled for June 28. Yes, this month!  The trail extension design for major roadway crossings includes an island and flashing lights similar to that installed at the GLT intersection with Sweetbriar Rd. However, the new crossings will have push buttons to activate the flashers. The buttons will be used vs the automatic sensors used at Sweetbriar Rd to help insure the cyclist stops before crossing, and because there have been complaints about the lights at Sweetbriar coming un or staying on when no one is present.  The intersections targeted are the busy, major roads like Harbeson Rd, Gravel Hill Rd, etc.  DelDOT details on the GLT completion project can be found at, with the charts from this week's meetings to be posted in a few days: https://www.deldot.gov/projects/index.shtml?dc=details&projectNumber=T202230001#project-details1 The trailhead planned for Hudson Park adjacent to the GLT on the corner of US-9 and Coolspring Road should get an initial gravel parking lot this year. Then the implementation of the full planned trailhead could be decided after the Sussex County County Council completes the planning & zoning process for the property across US-9 from the park. The County Council decision could be a year away, then the developer's schedule would be a major factor. Details on the adjacent development: https://www.capegazette.com/article/project-planned-539-acre-parcel-west-lewes/219255 Hudson Park and current trailhead design details are at: https://www.sclandtrust.org/properties-protected-and-managed-by-the-sussex-county-land-trust/stephen-p-hudson-park/ https://www.sclandtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/HUDSON-PARK-PH-2-rendering.pdf Lewes Bike Plan It is very, very early in the process. They have formally developed goals/objectives and are looking for community input. The map charts showed the status of trail & bike accommodation projects ranging from those under construction now to those being studied. One study that caught my attention was that there is a formal study underway to design, fund and develop a preliminary cost estimate for a bike/ped bridge over the Lewes-Rehoboth Canal in the area where the train trestle was removed (GLT at Gills Neck Road). No schedule or details were available. Additional information on the LBP, the charts from the meeting, and how to submit your own comments can be found at: https://publicinput.com/lewesbikeplan  Several Sussex Cyclists attended the LBP & GLT meeting, including George & Michelle (apologies to the other attendees as I didn't get a chance to get your names.)  Michelle's quick video of the meeting can be found on Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/SussexCyclists/videos/219736944221347 Separate from these meetings I've learned that the start of construction for the expansion of the Junction & Breakwater Trail around the Wolfe Neck Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility has been delayed for at least another 18 months due to complications at the site.  A little bit of the history can be found in this article in the Cape Gazette: https://www.capegazette.com/article/dnrec-completes-design-new-trail-wolfe-neck-area-trail/200625 Last, the bike detour on SR-1 around the SR-16 intersection overpass construction won’t come down until the overpass construction is complete (~1.5 to 2 more years). This is part of Bicycle Route 1 and makes it a longer ride from the south to get to places like Prime Hook National Refuge, Slaughter Beach, etc.  I'll miss the DelDOT meeting next week on the SR-1 Low Stress Bikeway Study on Tuesday, June 20 as I'll be out of town.  I hope many of you can still attend and provide input from the perspective of cyclists!  The details are at: https://deldot.gov/About/publicevents/workshops/index.shtml?dc=workshop&id=17083 Remember the sunblock and/or sun sleeves.  Safe riding everyone! Bill W

Thank You to All Who Rode or Volunteered for Wheels For Meals on Saturday, June 3, 2023

Our second annual joint fundraising event ride co-sponsored with Meals On Wheels Lewes-Rehoboth was an another success with 115 registrants participating without incident in a safe and enjoyable ride that included five routes 10 mile "family friendly", 15 mile, 40 mile and the Sussex Metric and Sussex Century distances. 

Thank you to the 37 Sussex Cyclists Riders and 33 Club Volunteers (flyer distribution, route marking, truck loading and unloading and “day of” support) whose participation made it a success

Mike Savage

Captain, Team Sussex Cyclists

Bill Gorodetzer 

Chair, Wheels For Meals 2023

The newly formed SUSSEX CYCLISTS SOCIAL COMMITTEE met on May 16 and June 7.  The committee includes John Kurpjuweit, Allen Segal, Diane Daly, Heidi Lerch, and Denny Shook.

Planning began for the upcoming Club Picnic and Paddle on Aug 16, and a 20 Year Anniversary Dinner in October.  Several also fun events were also discussed.  They meet again at the end of June.

Thanks for your hard work.  We're all looking forward to more fun without helmets!

Group pic of the participants who rode from Sussex County and New Castle County to Dover. For additional pics taken at Legislative Mall that I received from John Fiori at DelDOT click on https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjADgHv.  

Thank you to the 14 riders who rode on May 10th and my hope that many others will join us next year for the 2024 Legislators ride on May 8th.  Kudos to co-ride leader Jim Wagner for coordinating riders starting from Milford  and sweeping on our ride to Dover.

We rode as one group - Milton and Milford riders- on the way up to Dover at an average moving speed of 15.2 mph  per my Garmin 1030 - spot on to our 15+/- mph target.

Our efforts and numbers (exceeding for the first time the North Group who rode from New Castle County to Dover) were recognized by the event organizers, in remarks from both Delaware State Senator David Sokola, President Pro Tempore (who was the Prime Sponsor of the Delaware Bicycle Friendly Act) and John Bare (a former competitive cyclist, Bicycle Friendly State Coordinator and Board Member of Bike Delaware). Both rode with the North Group.

For the return leg, we agreed to split into different ride groups, based on ride speed (20 to 14.6 mph was reported). Total distances were 73+/- miles round trip from Milton and 48+/- miles round trip from Milford. The distance was long for an early spring ride but it was another safe and enjoyable ride for all who participated!

Here’s the link to additional pics taken at Legislative Mall that I received from John Fiori at DelDOT:  https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjADgHv
 
Bill
bgorodetzer@yahoo.com

SAVE THE DATE - Wednesday, May 8, 2024 - Annual Legislators Ride

Club Members Renata Price, Eddie Gross, and David Levy participated as Team Sussex Cyclists in the five-day Israel Ride riding from Jerusalem to Eilat for a combined 874 miles and 39,794 feet of climb to raise money for two important organizations promoting environmental protection in Israel, throughout the Middle East and the United States. With the generosity of friends and family, their pedaling supporting crucial work towards a more sustainable, equitable, and peaceful world for all has raised money to support The Arava Institute for Environmental Studies located in southern Israel and Hazon, the largest faith-based environmental organization in the U.S. They raised $16,698 (exceeding their goal of $12,600),- the 12th highest among 25 teams. All 192 riders, virtual riders and fundraising participants raised a total of $1,063,716 exceeding the 2022 Israel Ride goal of $1,000,000.   Thank you for your support. Renata, Eddie, and David Interested in participating in the 2023 Israel Ride (October 24-30)? (Click here)

Check out this series of observations and photos from Sussex Cyclists member and assistant Club Ride Leader Mike Schultz.   Each weekly post usually tells a story about how he spent the days in his (way out-of-area) rides in Thailand. Read about his bike rides, cycling companions and thoughts about the food and people he's met. Mike left for Thailand in mid-January and we look forward to him collecting many safe and enjoyable miles while he's not a flatlander any more.  When he returns in early April , we look forward to him telling us "all" about his adventures in a far away land and on a commercial bicycle he wouldn't be caught riding on one of our Club Group Rides! Mike's message from Thailand: Good luck to all in Sussex and keep riding. 1/20/23 - In the Beginning Totally settled in here at a guesthouse on the beach with all amenities 300 dollars a month. Luxury for me. The second hand Richert bicycle I bought from an overweight Dutchman for 100 dollars needed work but it may serve well. [See right panel for Mike's self described opinion - "My trusty, rusty, crappy Richart junk bike. How I miss my bamboo." I've been going out on group rides with Jomtien Cycling Club 3-4 times a week. Brutal! We leave town in darkness 6:15 am sharp and make our way into the surrounding hills. The obstacles are quite surprising, packs of wandering feral dogs, water buffaloes, mendicant monks, tuk-tuks, street vendors, maybe an elephant or two.........Read More from Mike  [Editors Note: The 13th and final installment (4/3/23) of Mike's adventure is now posted - welcome home, Mike!]

Mike’s first ride on his wooden frame eBike (taken during a Monday Group Paved Trail/Road Ride from Dewey Beer-Harbeson, Summer 2022 ) Mike’s “Thai” Bike he acquired soon after arriving  in Thailand for $100   (January 2023) ["My trusty, rusty, crappy Richart junk bike. How I miss my bamboo."]

DelDot has approved Sussex Cyclists to participate in their Adopt-A-Highway Program. We will maintain a section of Cedar Creek Road north of Milton.

Thank you to the 19 volunteers who came out on Tuesday, October 18, 2022. The large number of participants made for a quick Adopt-A-Highway Cleanup that started with a briefing at 8:45am and was finished by 11:15am, providing plenty of time to prep for the optional after event debrief at Dogfish Head Brewery. We are maintaining a portion of Cedar Creek Road and now have a sign erected by DelDOT recognizing our participation.

(Note: Cedar Creek Road is used frequently for our club rides, and is part of the route for many organized rides in Lower Delaware. It is also part of the Delaware Bicycle Route 1.)

If you have any questions about the program or suggestions on how to keep participation high for future Adopted Highway Cleanups, please contact Mike Savage. mikesavage54@hotmail.com

Sussex Cyclists “Recycles” Proceeds from 2018 Dogfish Head IPA Event by Donating 46 Bicycles to Deserving Students at Four Area Middle Schools

Sussex Cyclists was proud and grateful to be the recipient of over $16,100 last year in connection with the 2018 inaugural Dogfish Head I.P.A. Cycling Event (partnering with Velo Amis, Inc.) and proceeds from a Beer & Benevolence night at the Dogfish Head Brewing and Eats restaurant in Rehoboth Beach for which we received a portion of the night’s sales and donation of a Dogfish Head merchandise basket that we raffled off to Club members.  

Click Here for more photos

We worked with four local bike shops to purchase and deliver a combined total of 46 bicycles fitted out with light sets, locks and helmets to deserving students that were selected by the administrators, counselors and teachers at four area Indian River School District middle schools. Here’s the breakdown:

• ·     Selbyville Middle School-16 Sun Scout 24”, 1 Speed Cruisers with light sets, locks and helmets [Sea Green (Lewes)]
• ·     Southern Delaware School of the Arts- 10 EVO Park Lane 26”, 1 Speed Cruisers with light sets, locks and helmets [Bicycle Connection (Bethany Beach)]
• ·     Georgetown Middle School- 10 Sun Revolution 26”, 1 Speed Cruisers with light sets, locks and helmets [Lifecycle (Milford)]
• ·     Millsboro Middle School- 10 EVO Palmetto 26”, 1 Speed Cruisers with light sets, locks and helmets [Pedalworks (Delmar)]

We recognize participation of the above local bike shops in our 2017-2018 Bicycle Donation Program on our Club website by designating them Patrons of Sussex Cyclists. We greatly value the availability of bike shops that support our local bicycling community and urge all cyclists riding in Lower Delaware to support them.  And we thank our local bike shop Patrons for helping us to support deserving youth in our local communities with the donations that Sussex Cyclists received in 2018.

The Club reinvested a total of $12,886 (for an average cost of $280 per bike and accessories) and covered the expenditures from the donated funds we received.  In addition, the following “hands on” Club members donated their time to affix light sets and transport bicycles: Bobbi Dunham, Brant Collins, George Hahn, John Eckenrode, Tom Kinsella, Tony Pezone and Walter Monroe. The following additional Club members participated in the steering committee meetings for the 2018-2019 Bicycle Donation Project: Betsy Collins, Bill Gorodetzer, Diane Daly, Jack Boettger, John Kurpjuweit and Mike Hudson.

In 2018 the Club also donated $1,000 to erect bicycle racks in Milford. And most recently we purchased signage at a cost of $1,525 for the Terminals on both sides of the Cape May-Lewes Ferry to promote bicycle related activities with Lewes Cycle Sports. 

We currently have over $­­­­­726 remaining (to which additional donations will be added) that we have set aside for reinvestment in Lower Delaware for future cycling related projects that will benefit our local communities. 

On June 3, 2019 over 30 Sussex Cyclists Members attended the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the completion of Georgetown to Lewes Pathway Phase II, Savannah Road to Log Cabin Road and the Unveiling of the Kiosk in Honor of Thomas H. Draper.  The Delaware Department of Transportation (DelDOT) held a ceremony for the completion of Georgetown to Lewes Pathway, Phase II. The hot-mix paved trail is 10-foot wide and approximately 4.9 miles in length. This is a new pathway for pedestrians and cyclists to and from communities and businesses. Family, friends, and staff of WBOC unveiled the new kiosk (near the Lewes Senior Center) in Honor of Thomas H. Draper. Mr. Draper was the owner of WBOC-TV for 39 years.  He celebrated 50 years in Broadcasting on September 3, 2017, just days before his tragic death from a bicycling accident. He was an avid cyclist.

   Sussex Cyclists Riders and Attendees

Our usual Monday Group Ride was re-routed to leave from the Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton to ride the length of the Georgetown-Lewes Trail and attend the Ribbon Cutting and Kiosk Unveiling Ceremony. The ride was co-led by Betsy Collins and Bob Brotschol and included 18 Club riders. They were joined at the ceremony by over a dozen additional Club members. Many wore a Club Jersey!