Category: Blog posts

March 26, 2026 Dillard F. Gravely of Collinsville, Virginia, began cycling the two mile commute to his office after he was given a ten speed bicycle by his wife. Gravelly was one of the organizers of the Martinsville Henry County Bicycle Association in the early 1970s which sponsored events and promoted bicycle lanes. A profile…

March 19, 2026 By Tom Ewing One of the first Bikecentennial stage rides to finish was the group that left Yorktown on May 15, as part of the ceremonial departure, and arrived in Radford ten days later, on June 24. An article published in the Roanoke Times several days later provided numerous summaries of the…

March 12, 2026 by Tom Ewing The 1970s are often associated with “energy crises” which drove up gasoline prices, called attention to dependency on Middle Eastern oil, and demonstrated the connection between foreign policy and domestic economics. The shock of rising prices in the early 1970s led many Americans to look to bicycles as an…

March 5, 2026 by Tom Ewing The death of singer and songwriter Neil Sedaka on February 27, 2026 brought attention to his remarkable catalog of hits and performances over many decades. In 1976, the year of the Bikecentennial, Sedaka already had numerous hit songs spanning more than fifteen years. In 1975, Sedaka released “The Immigrant,”…

February 12, 2026 by Tom Ewing In late winter 1976, California cyclist Karla Jones was training for her planned ride across the country as part of the Bikecentennial. An article published first in the Napa Valley Register, on February 12, 1976. and then republished in other regional newspapers, including the Fresno Bee, March 15, 1976,…

February 5, 2026 by Tom Ewing Two days after the ceremonial departure from Jamestown, Virginia, on May 15, 1976, the Washington Post ran a feature story about the riders as they made their way through central Virginia. The article was written by Paul Hodge, with a location and date stamp of Mineral, VA., May 16…

January 29, 2026 by Tom Ewing Recent attention to the Kennedy Center has brought visual reminders of the bicycle lane that runs directly in front of the building along the Potomoc River. The Rock Creek Trail provides cyclists, as well as walkers and runners, with a safe route from the south end of Rock Creek…

January 15, 2026 by Tom Ewing The publication of “Common Sense” by Thomas Paine in January 1776 has long been recognized as a pivotal step towards American independence, as this pamphlet articulated the reasons for the new colonial leaders to make a decisive break with the English crown and establish an independent United States. Fifty…

January 8, 2026 by Tom Ewing Fifty years ago, Virginia newspapers welcomed the start of 1976 with references to the importance of thinking about lessons from 200 years of American history. The front page of Richmond Times-Dispatch featured the headline, “Bicentennial Brings Red, White, Blue Year” and the official logo. The Culpeper News, in a…

December 31, 2025 by Tom Ewing The Portland Bicycle Club was formed in 1880, when the city had “quite a number of enthusiastic riders of the silent steel steed,” according to a May 22, 1880 article in the Portland Press Herald. In the years that followed, the renamed Portland Wheel Club organized a holiday ball…