Austin, Texas — Yellow Bike Project with Michelle LeBlanc, M.Ed., LCI, will host a 3-day League Cycling Instructor (LCI) seminar where prospective bike safety educators will receive training on cycling instruction using the Smart Cycling curriculum presented by the League of American Bicyclists. People who successfully complete the seminar will join the nearly 7000 certified League Cycling Instructors across the nation as cycling educators. The LCI seminar will take place on June 26 through 28, 2026, in Austin, Texas. Those interested in attending should register for the seminar by June 5, 2026.


The training will prepare prospective educators to teach the League’s bike safety curriculum to people of all ages and at various levels of experience. Newly certified LCIs are empowered and equipped to teach courses that cover youth riding, how to ride confidently and legally with other traffic, how to share paths and trails, motorist education, bike handling and avoidance maneuvers, group riding, and more. 


Prerequisites for the training include completion of the Smart Cycling Complete class, individual membership with the League of American Bicyclists at $50 per year, and registration, which closes three weeks before the seminar. The LCI Seminar emphasizes teaching how to teach bicycling safety. Prospective LCIs should have experience riding on roadways and be comfortable and confident riding with others, they are expected to have a basic level of knowledge about safe cycling and bike maintenance. After the successful completion of the seminar, participants will be able to teach Smart Cycling classes to children and adults. League Cycling Instructors help people feel more secure about riding by educating cyclists and motorists and ensuring that people on bikes know how to ride safely and legally. 


Each LCI seminar is facilitated by a League Cycling Coach. Vanessa Beard, who will teach the Austin, Texas, seminar, has over 15 years of experience as an LCI and more than 10 years as a National League Cycling Coach. Bringing more certified bike educators to the Austin community is important to help empower more people to go places by bike. LCI seminars also provide the opportunity for those interested in teaching bike safety to connect with each other and learn from one another how to be better educators and motivate more people to cycle.


The last time a League Cycling Instructor Seminar was held in Texas was in 2019. There are currently 12 League Cycling Instructors in Austin and 105 in Texas (as listed on the League’s website: https://bikeleague.org/map). Besides helping the community to cycle more through teaching cycling safety and skills, benefits from taking the course include access to the League’s Smart Cycling curriculum and teaching materials, being covered under the League’s general liability insurance, and being part of a national network of bike educators.


The registration fee is $550 for the seminar and includes all course materials including the Smart Cycling Manual, Youth Manual, Group Riding Manual, and a t-shirt. To register, or for more details, see https://bikeleague.org/lci-seminar-registration/?event=a3dQl000001ZwYP or contact Michelle LeBlanc, site coordinator, at leblancme@icloud.com. Please be sure to sign up before May 29th to avoid paying a late fee. Registration will officially close one week after that on June 5th.


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Yellow Bike Project is a volunteer-powered nonprofit that refurbishes donated bikes to provide affordable transportation and education for the community. They exist to be a force for social and climate justice and community empowerment. They envision an equitable and sustainable community where all are able to experience the joy, freedom, and empowerment that bicycles can offer. For more information, go to: AustinYellowBike.org or call 512-524-5299.


Michelle LeBlanc is an educator in Austin, Texas. She began teaching by teaching music lessons in Naperville, Illinois, in 1997 at the School of Performing Arts. Soon after, she taught art classes and workshops and held many multicultural classes and events from 2005 through 2017 before moving to Austin, Texas. Michelle is also a certified yoga instructor, a Reading Specialist, and holds a Master's in Education, and regularly offers Learn To Ride and Smart Cycling classes through the LAB. For more information, go to MichelleLeBlancYoga.com. 

Announcing a new pop up seeking eco friendly vendors!

Austin, TX (June 20, 2023) The Mindful Market is partnering with Tweedy’s Bar and Counter Culture Food Truck to provide a new space for a night market. The theme is cool sustainability, giving back, and innovation in reducing waste, recycled materials, and saving the darn planet.
The Mindful Market is currently seeking makers who use nature-friendly materials in design or in purpose. Perfect for creators of jewelry, household items, packaged food, pet supplies, insect repellent, essential oils, candles, hammocks, plants, art and home decor, garden decor, pottery, yoga mats, blocks, straps, body wraps, clothing or cloth, natural fragrances, and yoga props. 
Due to the heat, the first three markets will be night markets on Tuesdays. The dates are July 25th, August 22, and September 19 from 7-11pm. If a vendor commits to all three, the first one is free. Fall and winter markets will be day markets on Saturdays starting October 21st from 1-5pm.
WHAT: Mindful Market at Tweedy’s Bar and Counter Culture Food Truck
WHEN: Tuesday, July 25 from 7-11pm
COST: Free to attend
WHERE: Tweed’s Bar, 2908 Fruth St., Austin, TX 78705
WHAT TO EXPECT: Music, dancing optional, delicious noshes, chill atmosphere, happy people, random games
Everyone is welcome to come join the party because Earth Day is everyday! The biggest earth nerds will win prizes. 
For details about vending at The Mindful Market, visit: 
​https://theyogamarket.wordpress.com/vendor-application/

Falls under the category of “Things the history books in Illinois don’t teach you about when you’re growing up”: Juneteenth is one of them.

It’s no wonder so many people dive into conspiracy theories and alternative truths when the very parent government we’re meant to trust doesn’t give us the full story. It’s an age old angry tale for another day. Right now we’re celebrating freedom!

Juneteenth is celebrated all around Austin, Texas pretty much from the beginning of June with preplanning parties and calendar invites starting in April and May.
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There are no negative vibes surrounding the celebrating of this heavy topic. It’s all about the joy of freedom and the vivaciousness of living life to the fullest.

You’ll find brass bands marching and bike rides, concerts and family friendly events. This is such a great opportunity to learn about Black History on, for example, the Black History Ride. Or take a trip out to the Carver Museum, Cultural Center and Library.
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So — What is Juneteenth anyway?

Juneteenth, a name which comes from the combining of “June” and “nineteenth”, refers to June 19, 1865 when Major General Gordon Granger gave an order proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas.

Many in Texas (and still to this day) didn’t recognize they lost the war or that Abraham Lincoln was president which is why this happened two an a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation.

Early celebrations began in 1866 in communities across Texas with it’s origins in Galveston.

But in 2021, the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act was signed into law and Juneteenth became a federal holiday.

How is your community celebrating Juneteenth? Nothing going on — Well, invite some friends and start your own celebration of freedom on this day!

What to do in Austin on Juneteenth:

• Juneteenth Celebration at Antone’s, 6/19 at 530pm
• Juneteenth Celebration: It all happened here, Eastwoods Park 6/19 at 5pm
• Miss Juneteenth, Austin Film Society Cinema, 6pm
• Soulful Sunday Brunches, 6/25 from 11–3pm
• Bikin’ Betties Juneteenth Ride, 6/19 at 4pm
• Juneteenth Celebration on the Green, 6/19 8–10pm
• A Talk with Dr. Annette Gordon-Reed, 6/19 from 1–3pm

Build your own: Visit Austin murals, picnic in the park, DJ some rocking tunes, read a book by a fave black author solo, or host a film fest at your house! How will you celebrate Juneteenth today?
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And, if you’re already planning for next year, keep an eye on Visit Austin or check in with local news for a month’s worth of Juneteenth education and activities!

You're a do it yourself-er. You've got your business going - or maybe you have that rockstar idea.
But where to start?
It is SO OVERWHELMING for most that popular accounting software programs that make the bold claim that it can do it all for you with automatic categorization, instant financial reports, and all you need to do is link your accounts! Blammo! Magic!
But anyone who has tried this knows this is the fastest route to mind numbing amounts of confusion. This mythological biggest ball of tangled twine tourist stop on the road of life is now your reality.
Well, I'm here to tell you there is hope and you CAN straighten out those books so that you will know:

• without a doubt what your balance is
• how to make projectinos
• how much monthly revenue you're bringing in
• what your owner's equity is
• if your assets are balanced with your liabilities
• what your liabilities are
• how to make your business grow or how to increase your personal savings!

Sign up for newsletters and training tools / or hire an accounting expert now for peace of mind and miles of smiles!

Essential skills like riding with one hand and getting out of the saddle are harder to start when you're an adult.

First of all, your center of gravity is completely different. A student can feel heavier or that it's farther to fall when you're taller as an adult. Developing the confidence to move through the fears and find a new sense of balance and fun takes time and practice is the key!

​See more about essential skills here in past posts and newsletters!

Many of my accounting and bookkeeping clients come to me because they've ignored their books for so long they just can't make heads or tails of it and the reports definitely aren't matching their checkbook.

Design Dog Tees initial set up was quick and clean. For me, it's such a pleasure to be able to bring someone peace of mind so they can continue doing A) What they love to do and B) What they're really good at!

Plus, Dogs!

Design Dog Tees does jobs for school fund raisers, events, families, and clubs. Like 4 Runners and Rock and Roll? Well - Design Dog has an Etsy account just for that too. Check out Design Dog Tees on Etsy.

Now, on a personal level, you will never meet a kinder human being than Joe Emerick. Joe used to ride BMX and last week when I was there I was happy to know he was doing the work for the BMX Round Up held annually here in Austin. Rad Tees for a Rad Event.

Now I know first hand this isn't how it's going to be with new clients. But keeping things simple is key. If you're having trouble with your software, ditch it. You can always come back to it later. Need to do monthly reconciliations? Use a spreadsheet - or worst case - use paper. Just make sure those bank accounts are balanced every month. 

​As my friend used to say, Done and Dusted.

Yep, it's a metaphor for life or whatever your might be working on right now.

Sometimes it's scary. And sometimes it's success!