Hello Thursday.
April 25 2024
Picture this: you invite your out-of-town friends to Asheville, take them down the new French Broad greenway + stop at The Wedge or Plēb Urban Winery for happy hour — all on 2 wheels.
And the best part? You don't even have to break a sweat. At a national level, e-bike usage has tripled since 2020, offering people a perfect, power-assisted way to get the gang together or just get from A to B.
Two e-bikers enjoy a rainbow after a damp ride along the French Broad greenway. | Photo via @flyingbiketours
Ashevillians are also poised to see that trajectory continue at a local level. In 2019, the City of Asheville commissioned a feasibility study that recommended the city adopt an e-bike share system over the next 5 years — and the last we’ve heard the city is deliberating the details with the Bicycle Pedestrian Task Force + Multimodal Transportation Commission.
A Pedego brand commuter e-bike for sale via The Flying Bike | Photo via @flyingbiketours
While we’re waiting on a public bike share program, here are some rental spots where you can pedal in style now.
Note: The legal age to operate electric bikes is 16 years old.
- The Flying Bike Tours | 225 Coxe Ave.
- ⏰: Thurs.-Tues., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Wednesday availability via appointment
- 💵: $19.50 per hour, $75 per half day, $125 per full day
- Asheville E-Bikes | 70 Woodfin Pl.
- ⏰: Available 24 hours, book online in advance
- 💵: $59 for 4 hours, $69 for full day, $128-423 for overnight rentals that range from 2-7 days
- Asheville Custom E-bikes | 342 Depot St.
- ⏰: 8 a.m.- 10 p.m.
- 💵: $39 for 2 hours, $59 for half day, $89 for full day
Ready to purchase? We’ve got recs for local suppliers too:
Bonus: On Sat., Oct. 16, from 1-3 p.m., you can also take a test ride of Buzz Bicycles e-bikes at this Bhramari Brewery pop-up event.
Set off a chain reaction and use the buttons below to pass this story to all your wheely good pals.
Today
- Seeing Sound: A Musical Journey of Water and Light | Thurs., Oct. 14-Fri., Oct. 15 | Bardo Arts Center, 199 Centennial Dr., Cullowhee | $20+ | A sensory, multimedia production that synthesizes live music into colorful light.
- UNC Asheville’s TheatreUNCA Presents Everyone | Thurs., Oct. 14-Sun., Oct. 17 | 4 p.m. | Reynolds Green, 1 University Hts. | Free with registration | This outdoor performance explores death, isolation, resentment, forgiveness, and rebirth.
- Film Screening and Talk: “Testify, Beyond Place” | Thurs., Oct. 14 | 7:30 p.m. | Virtual + Black Mountain College Museum + Art Center, 120 College St. | Free | View and discuss the film about the Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church’s relationship with Western Carolina University. 🎥
Friday
- Love Never Dies | Fri., Oct. 15 | 7 p.m. | The Center for Art & Entertainment, 125 S. Main St., Hendersonville | $53+ | Explore love + the afterlife with mediums Anthony Mikolojeski, Jackie Korth, and Elissa Wilds.
- Stormwater Management for Homeowners Workshop | Fri., Oct. 15 | 3-4:30 p.m. | 50 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. | Free | Learn about stormwater control measures, constructed wetlands, rain barrels, rain gardens, and more.
- Bloodbath: Victoria’s Secret | Fri., Oct 15-Sat., Oct. 30 | 7:30-9:30 p.m. | The Magnetic Theatre, 375 Depot St. | $25 | Horror film actress Victoria’s dinner is interrupted by people with deadly intentions— who is the hunter and who is the prey, and who will survive? Ⓟ
Saturday
- 4th Annual Wicked Halloween 5K & Fun Run | Sat., Oct. 16 | 10 a.m.-1 p.m. | $25+ | Carrier Park, 220 Amboy Rd. | Don your Halloween costume for this race benefitting the Asheville Humane Society. 👻
- Open Streets Oakley | Sat., Oct. 16 | 12-5 p.m. | Stoner Road to Glendale Ave. | Free | Do just about anything from Zumba, roller skating, biking, and pogo sticking on this closed street.
- Walk for Freedom Asheville | Sat., Oct. 16 | 11 a.m-1 p.m. | 68 Haywood St. | Free | A day of awareness + action against human trafficking.
Plan Ahead
- Charleston Open Source Virtual Career Fair | Tues., Oct. 19 | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Virtual | Free | Meet some of Charleston’s top tech companies and learn more about available positions + how to grow your career in Charleston's tech industry. Ⓟ
We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
Photo provided by Wise Bread
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Weather
- 82º | Partly cloudy | 10% chance of rain
Civic
- The City of Asheville will accept applications for the newly formed 25-member Community Reparations Commission from Oct. 18- Nov. 15. 13 people from “historically impacted neighborhoods” will be nominated for seats, and the remainder will be “technical experts” selected by City Council and the Buncombe County Commissioners. Apply here.
- Assistant City Manager Cathy Ball has accepted a new position as the City Manager of Johnson City, TN. Her departure concludes 24 years of service with the City of Asheville, including transportation director, public works director, and interim city manager. Her last day is Wed., Nov. 10, and a search for her replacement will start soon.
Development
- The 166,000 sqft mixed-use development at 120 Charlotte St. has been approved by Asheville City Council. The project includes 186 apartment units (including 37 designated as affordable for the next 30 years), a 231-space parking structure, a new bus stop, and 7,000 sqft of commercial space. 🏗️ (Asheville Citizen-Times)
- The City of Asheville will have a groundbreaking event for the new Public Safety Station in the Five Points neighborhood on Mon., Oct. 18 at 10 a.m. The new building will include a fire station, police substation, relocated emergency operations center + small community conference room. (Mountain Xpress)
Festival
- The WNC Fermenting Festival returns to the Madison County Fair Grounds on Sun., Nov. 7, from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. At the fest, regional fermenters and creators will share demos, music + products like jun, koji, gluten-free sourdough, cider, and chocolate.
Coming Soon
- Earthling Coffee has announced 2 new locations, as well as the closure of its existing location. On Nov. 1, its Smokey Park spot will permanently close, and on Nov. 14 its first new locale will open at the Asheville Outlets. The biz will release updates about its forthcoming drive-thru later this year. ☕
Open
- Provisions Mercantile, a locally-owned modern-day general store, will have an open house today, Oct. 14 from 4-6 p.m. for its second location in Biltmore Village (14 Lodge St.). The community is invited to attend the free event, which includes craft beer, wine, snacks, door prizes, and music.
Featured
Learn
- Wild Abundance’s new online course Tiny House Academy is open for enrollment through Nov. 4. The program covers everything from tool use and construction to natural building techniques to electrical + plumbing systems. Learn more. 🛠️
Coronavirus
- Covid-19 cases in Buncombe have declined for the fourth consecutive week, with the case rate dropping from 216 to 198 in the last week. As of Oct. 12, 62% of the county’s total population has received at least 1 dose of the vaccine and 60% is fully vaccinated.
Try This
- Casting producer Blake Stelle is actively looking for Asheville and Greenville singles to participate in a new modern-day dating show that will be produced by IPC. Blake says the show seeks charismatic and diverse singles that yearn for authentic connections. Email an introduction with your worst first date story to apply.
Remember when we shared with y’all back in August about the legacy of the Cherokee Syllabary? A new piece of that story has now unfolded.
Sequoyah, the inventor of the Cherokee’s original written language, will now have his own day, thanks to a new proclamation from Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. This Friday, Oct. 15, will be known as Sequoyah Day in recognition of the 200th anniversary of the syllabary’s invention.
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