ICYMI-2017 is The Year of the Bike

While there is some confusion around when and who invented it, 2017 marks the 200th anniversary of the first “practically used bicycle”. The German Baron Karl von Drais developed the Laufmaschine (or Running Machine” in English.) in response to a shortage of horses.

Because of our work with a number of environmental organizations, and the fact that our office sits adjacent to the Schuylkill River Trail (voted best urban trail in 2015), we thought it appropriate to celebrate it with you. As spring finally gets going here, there’s no better time to get out on a trail near you. In Southeast PA and NJ, check out The Circuit Trails, a growing network of hundreds of miles of trails, including our home on the Schuylkill River Trail.

Don’t have a bike? No problem, check out the site we did for the bike sharing program BikeSchuylkill. There you can find locations that have free bikes to ride on the trail or around town. Want to ride with others? Sign up for one of the Schuylkill River Heritage Area’s Pedal and Paddle events.

Wherever you are, make this the year you “get on your Laufmaschine and ride”!