Friday, December 28, 2012

Year End Blog Wrap Up

Time to take a look back over the last year. Hittin' some of the highlights is a good way to refresh and prep for the coming year. Let's recap the posts of 2012:

In the winter, there was a post about being visible on a bike. An important safety tip, especially during these darker months of the year. There was also a post highlighting the group Upstate Sorba, a regional mountain biking organization that takes to the trails in this part of the southeast. I also wrote about the bike box idea, creating a safer space at intersections for those on bikes. A favorite winter post was the push for being an agent of change:  it only takes a few small steps to get started and to make an impact in your hometown. (Perhaps a goal for a few of you to consider for the 2013 year.)

In the spring, I took a trip to Savannah, Georgia. Though it was a vacation, the adventures resulted in a post about Tybee Island and the cool, fun bike-related things to do, a shout out to creative uses of bollards, a pizza company who delivers pizzas by bicycles and meeting Peter from the Netherlands. With national bike month in May, there was a great article highlighted from the Greenville News about the role of bikes in neighborhoods past and present, reminding us that biking isn't a short-lived fad - it's been around for decades. I also wrote about the group of kids who ride bicycles around my neighborhood.

The summer brought a few more posts about Savannah, and a thought about the Swamp Rabbit Trail. Clemson University also adopted their Master Bikeways Plan, and soon thereafter installed the first bike lane since the mid-1990's. There was a post with photos of different styles of bike racks - mostly collected by my husband on a trip out to California. In another post, I also explored a few reasons why there are less women who ride than men, a rising topic in the bike advocacy world during 2012.

The Georgia-lina Bike Summit was highlighted in fall. As well as a favorite post (with lots of photos!) about the steps necessary to create a bike lane. Who knew that it all boils down to space, pavement and paint? In October this blog recorded the highest number of hits ever. Almost 1,300 people in October alone viewed Biking in the Upstate! Thanks, y'all!

Wrapping up 2012, there was a post about the change in national transportation trends, especially by those in Generation Y. The SC DOT Multimodal Plan was highlighted as well as exploring how to be a better bicycle commuter. This blog also turned two years old, which is kind of a momentous event. I had no idea where this blog would be when I started writing in December 2010, and it's fun to celebrate the anniversary of bringing biking news, exploring bike topics and being a place to explore and exchange ideas.

To spice things up a bit, a hit counter has recently been added to the bottom of the blog. If you've got any suggestions for stories to share or ideas to explore in the coming months, let me know. I'd also welcome any guest bloggers. And, as always, I appreciate your comments.

Here's to a great 2012! Thanks! Keeping reading, and keep bike riding!

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