Pedal Power
Five tips for bicycling safely on city streets . By Dana Laverty
Sometimes riding a bike is the easiest — and most enjoyable — way to get where you ’ re going . To help keep you safe on your cityside joy rides , we asked Liza Burkin , lead organizer of the Providence Streets Coalition and an avid cyclist , for some tips and tricks .
PLAN YOUR ROUTE Check Google Maps for bike directions . Burkin suggests reaching out to residents or local organizations beforehand — they ’ ll know the quiet residential roads and which ones have dedicated urban lanes ( protected bike lanes separated from automotive traffic ).
USE URBAN LANES Speaking of urban lanes , you ’ ll find them dotted throughout Providence , including on South
Water , Fountain , Olney , Broad and Dean streets . Visit providenceri . gov for a complete list .
KNOW THE LAWS Know the rules of the road before heading out . Burkin encourages riders to stay in the street whenever possible . If you must ride on the sidewalk , pedestrians always have the right of way .
BE VISIBLE Don ’ t swerve in and out of empty parking spots — it ’ s unpredictable for motorists — and use a light if you ’ re riding at night .
COMMUNICATE Use hand signals to show where you ’ re going and always try to make eye contact with drivers before a turn .
DECODE THE CITY
Diving into the mysteries of Providence with Escape Rhode Island . By Edelinda Baptista
“ Hello .” I squint at the notification on my phone before quickly swiping on it . The text is from Escape Rhode Island , describing where I will find the required materials to solve the Zachariah Conundrum , the state ’ s first outdoor escape adventure . In that moment , nothing excites me more than the thought of jaunting down the streets of downtown Providence during golden hour to assist the late scientist , inventor and Providence native Zachariah Allen with his time travel machine .
I arrive at the venue with my partner-in-crime , Bruno , around 5:30 p . m . to unlock the white and black locker outside the door ; no check-in required . Using the code listed in the text , I open the locker to reveal a black backpack , then inspect its contents : a locked metal storage clipboard , three wooden boxes and a folder with a map leading us to three locations where headscratching puzzles await .
Dashing between Memorial Park , Fleur-De-Lys Studio and the Providence Athenæum , we sidestep obstacles like skateboarders and cars and ignore the | | CONTINUED ON PAGE 103
BOOGIE NIGHTS
The BankNewport City Center brings back Roller Disco for the 2022 season .
PHOTOGRAPHY ( THIS PAGE FROM TOP ): EDELINDA BAPTISTA ; THE CITY OF PROVIDENCE / KYLE AUCLAIR PHOTOGRAPHY .
Grab your best bell-bottoms and your funkiest halter tops : Roller Disco is groovin ’ on back to the BankNewport City Center in Providence this summer .
On Thursday and Friday nights through Oct . 29 , from 5 – 10 p . m ., you ’ ll be able to jam out under flashing lights and a disco ball to the city ’ s coolest deejays and live acts . The Trinity Beer Garden will provide snacks and bevvies , as will a handful of food trucks , at adjacent Biltmore Park .
Last year , about 200 – 300 people turned out for the Roller Disco nights , says Brant Gawrys , the rink ’ s manager . The pandemic brought with it a big spike in roller-skating , he says , and he expects attendance to climb this summer . The rink is expanding roller-skating to select Saturdays as well , from noon-8 p . m . It will be more of a family-friendly atmosphere , Gawrys says , with each Saturday featuring music from a particular decade . ( The series kicks off with ’ 50s tunes .)
Admission is $ 7 ; $ 4 for ages twelve and younger and ages sixty-five and older . Inline and quad skate rentals are $ 6.54 ; helmet rental is $ 2 ; and locker rental is $ 3 . providencerink . com -D . L .
50 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l JUNE 2022