Following the recent films Bikes of Wrath and Triplets of Belleville, the latest bike film is the stunningly cinematographic Blood Road on Tues., Dec. 10 at 7pm at Cinemapolis. We're co-hosting this very special Ithaca premiere with Cycle-CNY. They're even doing a raffle drawing and a pre-show meetup at the Bike Bar at 5:30pm. Everyone is welcome to join!

Blood Road follows the journey of ultra-endurance mountain bike athlete Rebecca Rusch and her Vietnamese riding partner, Huyen Nguyen, as they pedal 1,200 miles along the infamous Ho Chi Minh Trail through the dense jungles of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Their goal: to reach the crash site and final resting place of Rebecca’s father, a U.S. Air Force pilot shot down over Laos some 40 years earlier. During this poignant voyage of self discovery, the women push their bodies to the limit while learning more about the historic ‘Blood Road’ they’re pedaling and how the Vietnam War shaped their lives in different ways. Read more and watch the trailer now!

The City of Ithaca is seeking public input on a major Complete Streets project on Hector St (Rte 79 just west of downtown). Complete Streets are designed and operated to enable safe use and support mobility for all users. The current road design fails to safely and adequately accommodate cyclists, and the sidewalk is in poor condition for pedestrians. Hector St is one of only two main routes that crosses the Cayuga Inlet Flood-Control Channel, and as such experiences heavy use. Most of the project cost ($1.4M out of $1.7M) will come from New York State.

During a significant portion of the construction, a detour around Hector St will be necessary. Some road users may understandably object to the inconvenience--which is all the more reason why those who appreciate the long-term benefits must speak up! Please send a message of support to project manager Johnathan Licitra.

For more, please see the City of Ithaca's full design report. Bike Walk Tompkins submitted a letter of support for the project in April 2016.

As Bike Walk Tompkins continues to make walking and biking safe and convenient for people of all ages and abilities in our community, we need your support!  Please contribute to bolster our growth and deeper dive into this work... we will be forever grateful for any donation, big or small!