May 9, 2024

Today’s Forecast

87º | 50% chance of precipitation
Sunrise 6:14 a.m. | Sunset 8:09 p.m.

🚲 Getting Raleigh rolling

A group of cyclists ride through downtown Raleigh.

Got any interest in cycling? Oaks & Spokes can provide community + resources for you. | Photo by Jared Harber/Oaks & Spokes

Meet Oaks & Spokes, a Raleigh-centric nonprofit uplifting the local cycling community with a mission to get Raleigh rolling. In honor of National Bike Month, we sat down with Executive Director Jared Harber to talk biking in Oak City, upcoming events, and how to get involved.

According to Harber, the group’s mission is to foster a community of people on bikes and other active transportation modes here in Raleigh. Oaks & Spokes also advocates for improving biking infrastructure, encouraging folks like the Department of Transportation and Raleigh City Council to adopt infrastructure beyond painted bike lanes.

Harber emphasized the communal aspect of bike riding that you don’t always get when in separate vehicles and what that looks like at Oaks & Spokes.

“Everyone’s really excited about being on the bike together, talking about where they’re riding or what trip they’re going to take next,” Harber said.

Whether you consider yourself a cyclist or just someone who occasionally rides a bike, Oaks & Spokes can be for you.

“This is an open invitation to just come out and ride, to socialize,” Harber said. “Bring a friend, bring five friends, bring your family. We’ve got a lot of events for kids or families, and we have more strenuous-type rides like mountain bike rides.”

That’s not to mention the bevy of recurring weekly + monthly rides hosted by Oaks & Spokes, like The Most Medium Tuesday Social Ride — find more on the calendar.

You can join Oaks & Spokes with a $25 annual membership and get discounts by riding your bike to local spots like Morning Times and So & So Books — though all rides + events are open to the public.

Keep reading on for just four National Bike Month events thrown by Oaks & Spokes out of the dozens planned across the city.

Events

Thursday, May 9

Sum 41: Tour of the Setting Sum | Thursday, May 9 | 6:30 p.m. | Red Hat Amphitheater, 500 S. Salisbury St., Raleigh | $25-$200 | This Canadian rock band will jam in Raleigh.
NY Rangers at Carolina Hurricanes | Thursday, May 9 | 7 p.m. | PNC Arena, 1400 Edwards Mill Rd., Raleigh | $145-$700+ | Watch the 0-2 Canes take on the Rangers on home ice.

Friday, May 10

Busker Series | Friday, May 10 | 11 a.m.-1 p.m. | Moore Square, 201 S. Blount St., Raleigh | Free | Enjoy these weekly street performances in the downtown urban green space.
Prokofiev Romeo & Juliet | Friday, May 10-Saturday, May 11 | 8 p.m. | Meymandi Concert Hall, 2 E. South St., Raleigh | $38-$72 | Enjoy a trip to the symphony with a musical rendition of this tragic tale.

Saturday, May 11

World Oddities Expo | Saturday, May 11 | 12-8 p.m. | NC State Fairgrounds, 4285 Trinity Rd., Raleigh | $20-$25 | You never know what you might find at this peculiar paradise — add on more odd experiences like butterfly pinning and a diorama terrarium workshop.

Even more fun events

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Travel

⛰️ Escape the heat in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains

An overhead view of the Omni Grove Park Inn, including the resort and golf course.

Did you know? When you stay at The Omni Grove Park Inn, the resort makes a donation to Feeding America. | Photo by The Omni Grove Park Inn

There’s a cool mountain breeze — and special discount — waiting for you at the iconic Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, NC.

Escape the heat, unwind, and save up to 15% on overnight accommodations with the Cool Mountain Getaway package, available every Sunday-Thursday this summer. Psst... daily breakfast, parking, and a sweet treat from the Marketplace or Pool Cabana are included.

Choose your own adventure

The Omni Grove Park Inn’s location in the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains + abundance of curated experiences sets the perfect scene for guests to create memories that last long after check-out.

Whether you want to hit the trails or enjoy the view, the list of things to do in and around the resort is long. Think:

Relaxing in the world-class spa
Perfecting your swing at the legendary 18-hole golf course
Splashing around in the outdoor pool
Pleasing your palate on the Sunset Terrace
And much more

Save up to 15% + book your getaway

News Notes

Civic

The City of Raleigh is launching its Unsheltered Homelessness Response Pilot Program after the city council voted in approval. Seeking to approach homelessness in a holistic way, the program will provide direct housing assistance, support systems, and a coordinated community response.

Opening

Chef Scott Crawford’s reimagining of the Atlantic Lounge will open tomorrow, May 10 under Jolie + Crawford and Son. Sous Terre will offer classic cocktails available only to keyholders or patrons of Crawford’s eateries upstairs — but don’t worry, keys will be for sale as well. (Raleigh Magazine)

Coming Soon

From the folks behind La Santa on Glenwood Avenue comes La Mala, a sister to the Durham La Mala location, in the former home of Clouds Brewing. We don’t know much, but if the Durham location is any indication, it’ll be a cocktail bar to remember and a great pairing to La Santa not too far away.

Real Estate

Now’s your chance to own a piece of sports + movie history. A house from “Bull Durham” is on the market in Durham, home to Susan Sarandon’s character. Just a mile from the historic Bulls ballpark and movie filming location, it’s going for $1.6 million. (The News & Observer)

Concert

This week is Live Nation Concert Week, and many concert tickets at Live Nation venues like Red Hat Amphitheater, The Ritz, and Coastal Credit Union at Walnut Creek are going for just $25. We’re eyeing Niall Horan, Maggie Rogers, and Maren Morris tickets.

Number

$3,000. That’s how much we’re looking to raise to support our staff and mission here at RALtoday — and our fundraising ends tomorrow. If you love the free community resource you’re reading right now (we sure do), support us today with a one-time donation. See how close we are to our goal.

Eat

Perfect for a healthy lunch on the go, these peanut butter banana protein balls make for a quick, delicious, and nutritious snack. Recipe this way.*

Biz

Some things are best left to the pros — and commercial building maintenance is firmly in that camp. Let York’s expert technicians handle inspections, electrical work, and late-night emergency calls so you don’t have to. Learn about their personalized service plans (and see how to get 10% off).*

Active

Gear up for these events

A group of people on bikes pose for a picture at night in bright neon and glow-in-the-dark accessories.

Gear up for a month of biking events around Raleigh. | Photo by Jared Harber/Oaks & Spokes

Feeling inspired to hop on your bike — or scooter, unicycle, skateboard, or anything else with wheels? Oaks & Spokes will be all over Raleigh this month with dozens of events geared toward relevant causes to connect with local cyclists.

Critical Mass, starts at Memorial Belltower | Friday, May 10 | 7-8 p.m. | Bikes will fill the street en masse during this pro-bike statement ride.

Ride of Silence, starts at NC State Capitol | Wednesday, May 15 | 5:30-7 p.m. | This ride will be 4.3 miles to honor the 43 cyclists who died on NC roads in 2023 and will be followed by a vigil at the Capitol.

Raleigh’s Bike to Work Day, various locations | Thursday, May 16 | 7-9 a.m. | Brake at 14 pit stops throughout the city offering water, snacks + treats, giveaways, bike checks, and so much more on your way to work via two wheels.

Bike-in movie: “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,” The Rialto | Tuesday, May 21 | 7-9:30 p.m. | Watch one of the most iconic bike scenes of all time and park your bike inside the theater’s orchestra pit.

Most of these events are eligible for Oaks & Spokes’ Bike It program, and attending five events gets you a free small cheese or pepperoni pizza from Trophy.

The Buy

LED signs. Are you looking for a fun way to brighten up your home? Category6 LED has iconic neon signs scaled down to a size perfect for your at-home bar or game room.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Allie

From the editor

I loved getting to talk with Jared from Oaks and Spokes, and he reminded me about the City of Raleigh’s upcoming e-bike voucher program. Ral-E-Bike will hand out vouchers ranging from $500 to $1,500 for electric-assisted bikes, and although there’s no word on when applications will be open, we’ll be sure to let you know. I know I’ll put my hat in the ring.

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