May is National Bike Month

May is a beautiful time for biking in Henrico! Whether it’s just around the corner, or throughout the region, Henrico County has several trails and bike lanes available. You can even take your bike on the GRTC bus! Read on to learn more about local, regional and statewide trails as well as Library resources to help you plan your next ride.

Hit the Virginia Capital Trail, a 51.7 mile multi-use trail that spans from downtown Richmond to Williamsburg, Virginia, to visit a variety of attractions. The trail runs right by Varina Library, so be sure to stop in to say hello and fill up your water bottles! For more local trails, visit the RVA Bikeways interactive map.

In addition to the Virginia Capital Trail, Henrico is currently developing the Fall Line Trail in the Fairfield District. This trail will pass through the County and connect Ashland to Petersburg.

If you want to explore beyond the Central Virginia region, visit Virginia.org and this interactive map from VDOT to learn more about the state’s many great bike trails. And for those who love mountain biking, we also recommend checking out Mountain Biking Virginia: An Atlas of Virginia's Greatest Off-Road Bicycle Rides by Martin Fernandez.

COLLECTION

If you are looking to get back into cycling, or would like to read more about it, check out these books:

• The Bicycling Big Book of Cycling For Beginners: Everything a New Cyclist Needs to Know to Gear Up and Start Riding by Tori Bortman
• Bicycling, a Reintroduction: A Visual Guide to Choosing, Repairing, Maintaining & Operating a Bicycle by Karen Ruth
• Bicycle Repair Manual by Chris Sidwells
• Family Biking: The Parent's Guide to Safe Cycling by Robert Hurst
• Just Ride: A Radically Practical Guide to Riding Your Bike by Grant Petersen
• The Pain-Free Cyclist: Conquer Injury & Find Your Cycling Nirvana by Matt Rabin
• The Urban Cycling Survival Guide: Need-To-Know Skills and Strategies for Biking in the City by Yvonne Bambrick
• The Young Cyclist's Companion by Pete Drinkell

Get inspired to ride with these great memoirs, biographies, and fiction about bike riding!

• Across America by Bicycle: Alice and Bobbi's Summer on Wheels by Alice Honeywell
• The Adventures of a Girl Called Bicycle by Christina Uss
• Bicycling With Butterflies: My 10,201-Mile Journey Following the Monarch Migration by Sara Dykman
• The Black Jersey by Jorge Zapeda Patterson 
• Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story Of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson
• Legends of the Tour by Jan Cleijne
• The Secret to Superhuman Strength by Alison Bechdel
• Trans-Galactic Bike Ride: Feminist Bicycle Science Fiction Stories of Transgender and Nonbinary Adventurers edited by Elly Blue
• The World's Fastest Man: The Extraordinary Life of Cyclist Major Taylor, America's First Black Sports Hero by Michael Kranish
• You & a Bike & a Road by Eleanor Davis

PROGRAMMING

Exploring Virginia State Parks

Sat., May 14, 11AM – 12PM at Twin Hickory Library

Sat., May 14, 2 – 3PM at Fairfield Library

Virginia State Parks are a wonderful way to explore the rich, natural wonder of our beautiful state. From a quiet hike to a bluegrass festival, state parks offer programs and activities for the enjoyment of all ages and abilities. Join Christen Miller, Visitor Experiences Director of Virginia State Parks, as she shares an overview of parks located in close proximity to Henrico County and highlights the types of park programming available statewide.

Get to Know the Capital Trail!

Sat., June 4, 11AM – 12PM at Glen Allen Library

The United Nations designated June 3rd as World Bike Day. Celebrate by joining Matt from the Virginia Capital Trail Foundation to learn about the 51.7 mile long Capital Trail! This paved, accessible, multi-use path runs from Williamsburg to Richmond with dozens of attractions along the way. Come ready with any trail questions, and hear about all the Trail has to offer to walkers, runners, cyclists, skaters, and more!

We hope you get a chance to get out and bike this month! Find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@HenricoLibrary) and tag us while you’re out on your next adventure. Share a selfie, tell us about your favorite route or let us know why you love to bike!