As spring approaches, the cyclists of the Greenbrier Valley Bicycle Club (GVBC) will soon be out on the roadways along with area motorists and we would like our community to know a little bit about us. First, who are we? We are your fellow neighbors, friends, business owners, coworkers, and overall contributing members of our community at-large. We are of all shapes, sizes, fitness levels, and range in age from 20 to 70 years young.
Why are we out there cycling on the roads? There are many reasons for cycling: health benefits from cardiovascular exercise, improved overall physical fitness, stress reduction, experiencing the scenic beauty of the Greenbrier Valley by bike and, last but not least, the wonderful camaraderie of sharing the joy of cycling with others.
What else do we do as a bike club? The GVBC has been in existence for 13 years. In addition to sharing our passion for cycling, we hold occasional bike fairs for youth to teach bike safety and bike skills, give out helmets, and award a few bicycles to those in attendance. Every December, club members donate a dozen or more bikes and helmets to our local Toys for Tots via the Greenbrier Valley Fitness Center which are then distributed to area youth. Our organized cycling event held for ten consecutive years – The Wheels of Hope – which attracted cyclists from several other states, generated funds used to support community members with cancer survivorship. Other club projects include placing an artistic bike rack in front of the Greenbrier Valley Visitor Center in Lewisburg several years ago and, in the near future, we will be erecting a bike station on the Greenbrier River Trail.
Riding a bicycle is not without risks and we do all that we can to minimize these risks such as wearing brightly colored clothing and putting lights on our bikes to enhance visibility to motorists while out on the roadways. We do our best to stay close to the right edge of the roadway as much as possible yet poor road surfaces such as ruts, potholes, and other road hazards sometimes prevent us from doing so. In general, the safety rule for passing a cyclist on the road is to allow for three feet of space between your vehicle and the bike. It’s not only WV law, it’s also the neighborly thing to do. Please know that we do appreciate your patience and consideration in sharing the road when you come by us.
So, as cycle season gets underway and we are out and about on our area roads, give us a wave and we’ll wave back with a friendly smile as we celebrate with you the joy and privilege of living in this most beautiful place we call home!