Bike Advocacy is Growing in the Southern ADKs

It’s suddenly gotten a lot easier to talk about safe and quality bicycling in the southeastern region of the Adirondacks.

That’s because the Warren County Safe & Quality Bicycling Organization (WCS&QBO), based in the Glens Falls area, has now become Adirondack Cycling Advocates (ACA) in a rebranding initiative that’s currently underway.

ACA was founded in 2009 by four local cyclists–Lloyd Mott, John Strough, Joan Jenkin, and Jack LaBombard–when they saw a need for advocacy to support the local cycling community. Since then, the organization has worked to collaborate with local government, bicycling groups, and individuals to make cycling safer and more enjoyable for everyone in Warren County.

Over the past 11 years that has included a variety of projects in advocacy and fundraising, said current chair Rich Zuccaro. The group founded the annual Harry Elkes ride in 2013 that has grown to almost a hundred cyclists who ride to commemorate Elkes, a professional cyclist from Port Henry, NY, who was killed in a velodrome cycling crash in 1903 at the age of 25. ACA also created the Warren County Cycling Challenge to help encourage riders to explore the region’s roads.

ACA members also have worked to conduct elementary school bike rodeos and currently organize annual sessions to help over 100 of the 1300 J1 visa foreign workers who come to the area each summer season. Visa holders typically don’t apply for a US driver’s license for the short time they are here, so often travel by bike.

They have also conducted fundraising to help create a variety of cycling venues in Warren County, including the Brant Lake Bike Park at The Hub, the Gurney Lane mountain bike trails, the Rush Pond Way, Hudson Pointe trails, and the Halfway Brook trails in Queensbury. They are working with the Queensbury School district to create a scholarship for a local graduating high school student in the area who is an avid cyclist.

In early 2020 the group decided a change was needed. They hired Black Dog Designs of Glens Falls to coordinate the rebrand effort that will include the new name, logo, website, and other rebranded group items. Zuccaro says that while the website is not yet converted, they expect to have the entire project completed by spring.

“We wanted a name that’s shorter, more to the point, and didn’t have to name everything we did,” said Zuccaro, who moved from New York City 40 years ago and has been exploring the area on his bike for the past 20 years.

“We want to increase our visibility because people don’t know who we are. We want to create an Adirondack cycling experience and make the area a better and safer place to bike. This is a great biking area, and we want people to want to come here. Cyclists also help to bring business to the area”

If you would like to find out more about Adirondack Cycling Advocates, join the group, or sign up for their newsletter, visit their website at www.bikewarrencounty.org.