Golden State Theatre Events: Race to Nowhere and Pedal-Driven

Scroll down for bike-there tips to the Golden State Theatre.

Local showing of Race to Nowhere, presented by the Monterey Bay Charter School in partnership with the Monterey County Film Commission, was at the Golden State Theatre on April 29, 2011.

A follow-up community meeting to discuss local action will be held at the Monterey Bay Charter School, 1004 David Avenue, Pacific Grove on Friday, May 13, 2011 – 6:00 p.m.

Special thanks to Melanie Gibbs Stackpole, parent and board director of the school,  for serving as organizer.

Thanks to the local panelists who participated in a Q&A with the public on 4/29.  Panel moderator was Marianne B. Rowe, a marriage and family therapist in Pacific Grove. Panelists were Scott Waltz, of  CSU Monterey Bay; Joyce Sherry of York School; Peter Gray of Everett Alvarez High School; Sophia Witting of Sherwood Elementary School; and Edmund Gross of Carmel Unified School District.

Featured in the film:

• Dr. Madeline Levine, Clinical Psychologist and author of the best-seller, The Price of Privilege
• Dr. Wendy Mogel, Clinical Psychologist and author of The Blessing of a Skinned Knee
• Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, Adolescent Medicine Specialist, The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
• Dr. Deborah Stipek, Dean of the School of Education at Stanford University
• Dr. Denise Pope, Co-Founder, Challenge Success, Stanford University
• Sara Bennett, Founder, Stop Homework

Follow the bike-there tips below to bike or bike-and-ride to the Golden State Theatre

(Tips originally provided  for Pedal-Driven premiere–reuse, recycle, love those bike hours!)

Questions? Monterey Bay Charter School,  831-655-4638

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Friday, April 15, 2011

PEDAL-DRIVEN: A BIKE-UMENTARY

This post includes:

• The Pedal-Driven world premiere
• The after-party
• Bike-there tips
• Contact info for more about Pedal-Driven
• Local resources on mountain biking and public lands
  

World premiere of Pedal-Driven

This bike documentary,  produced by Howell at the Moon, explores conflict surrounding mountain bikers on public lands.  The film will premiere at the Golden State Theatre in Monterey on Friday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m.

Tickets are available via the Golden State website, or at the International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) booth, #235, at the Sea Otter Classic.  Since this premiere showing will take place during the week of the 21st Annual Sea Otter Classic—expected to draw about 8,000 cyclists and 50,000 cycling fans and other bike enthusiasts to Monterey County—advance ticket purchase is recommended.

Monterey Off Road Cycling Association (MORCA) is pleased to be hosting, along with Specialized and Shimano, this world premiere.  There will be door prizes, including two completely equipped full-suspension bikes, courtesy of Specialized and Shimano, and lots of other top-shelf goodies from project sponsors.

If you’re on the fence about going,  check these out:  http://pedaldriven.howellatthemoon.com/videostrailers.  Soundtrack to the film includes Jimmy Eat World, Blue Scholars, The Let Go, Opiuo, Stuperhero, and many other Northwest area bands.

After-party

Bike or walk to the nearby Monterey History & Maritime Museum after the movie.  The museum is closed for renovation, but the space will be used for a Pedal-Driven after-party.   IMBA, Howell at the Moon Productions, MORCA, and other sponsors are hosting the party,  with popular local band Microtonic Harmonic playing some great tunes.

And help make it a pedal-driven crowd!  Want to bike and can’t do it for a night event all the way from your starting point?  No worries, charge up your bike light and use a bike-and-ride option.  You won’t have to search for downtown parking!  If you’re from out-of-town, refer to the following bike-there tips.

Bike-there tips

If your bike-and-ride is a Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) bus, you’ll be happy to know that the Golden State Theatre is just down the street from Monterey’s Downtown Transit Center.  Refer to the bike-loading instructions at the end of MST’s Transit Tips.  (For lots more tips about using the MST for your bike while in Monterey County, refer to this site’s bike-and-ride section.)

If your bike-and-ride is your own car’s bike rack, and you’re  hopping off Highway 1,  below are just six of many possible close-and-easy parking options.  Questions?  Give me a call, (831) 375-6278.

Most links here include photos that will help visitors find their way.  “HHT spot” refers to landmarks that are extra bike-friendly places participating in the HER Helmet Thursdays project.  Support them!  They give discounts to cyclists on Thursdays, year-round.

Six parking areas, and how to bike to Golden State Theatre from there

1. Park at Monterey Peninsula College:  Park at the MPC  parking lot along Fremont.  When you leave the MPC lot, cross Fremont and go to the first traffic light toward downtown; that street is Camino El Estero.  (The striking building at that  corner is the Marsh building–housing Orientations Fine Asian Antiques).  Bike on Camino El Estero (there will be buildings on your left and part of the Lake El Estero Park complex on your right), until you reach Pearl Street.  Make a left on Pearl and stay on Pearl (passing the Monterey Tennis Center and passing HHT spot East Village Coffee Lounge) until you reach Alvarado.  Make a right on Alvarado (at the 5-way intersection; you will be between the Transit Center and Ordway Pharmacy when you turn right onto Alvarado).  Continue down Alvarado until you see Golden State on your right.
2. Park off Del Monte Ave:  If you’re with friends and want a bit longer ride, you might turn left off Del Monte (shortly after HHT spot Pico del Gallo) at the Casa Verde traffic light and park on Casa Verde.  Then, bike or walk across Del Monte and you’re on the bike path.  The bike path is right there; hop on and head west into downtown.  From there, use the 8-step directions below.
3. Park on Del Monte Ave, or on nearby streets:  If you’re biking alone at night, you might park farther up Del Monte, along the street or in the metered  lot on the bay side of Del Monte that is near the intersection of Del Monte and Camino El Estero.  (Landmarks:   Trinity High School, which faces Camino El Estero and is just behind the new McDonald’s. McDonald’s is near the traffic signal at  Del Monte and Camino El Estero.)  If those parking areas are full, you could make a left off Del Monte onto Camino El Estero and park on a nearby side street.  Then, head across Del Monte and the bike path is right there.  Hop on and bike the short remaining distance into downtown.  From here, use the 8-step directions below.
4. Park in Oak Grove neighborhood, then head downtown via Pearl Ave.  If you’re biking alone at night. Park in the Oak Grove neighborhood, which is a mostly residential neighborhood bounded by Del Monte Ave on the north, Sloat Ave (which runs along the Naval Postgraduate School) on the east, Camino Aquajito (runs along El Estero Lake) on the west, and Tenth Street on the south (10th is the first street to right if you hop off Hway 1 at Monterey Peninsula College intersection).  Park in this neighborhood, then head west into downtown via Pearl.  (How to access Pearl? On Camino Aguajito,  roughly midway between Tenth and Del Monte, you’ll see a bridge that crosses El Estero Lake. That’s Pearl Street!)  Biking west on Pearl, continue all the way to downtown.  You’ll pass the Monterey Tennis Center and soon after,  HHT spot East Village Coffee Lounge); another block up and you’ll reach Alvarado.  Make a right on Alvarado (at the 5-way intersection; you will be between the Transit Center and Ordway Pharmacy when you turn right onto Alvarado).  Continue down Alvarado until you see Golden State on your right.
5. Park in Oak Grove neighborhood, then access downtown via bike path.  If you’re biking alone at night. Park in the Oak Grove neighborhood, which is a mostly residential neighborhood bounded by Del Monte Ave on the north, Sloat Ave (which runs along the Naval Postgraduate School) on the east, Camino Aquajito (runs along El Estero Lake) on the west, and Tenth Street on the south (10th is the first street to right if you hop off Hway 1 at Monterey Peninsula College intersection).  Then, take Sloat (has bike lane), or Camino Aguajito (busiest street), or any of the other neighborhood streets heading north to Del Monte Ave.  Cross Del Monte and get on the bike path.  From here, use the 8-step directions below.

If you’re using parking areas #2, 3, 4, or 5:  You will be on the bike path that parallels Del Monte Avenue.

1. Continue past HHT-unanimous Wharf #2 (landmarks: HHT spot Sapporo’s and HHT spot London Bridge) all the way until you reach the back of the Maritime Museum.
2. Cut through behind the Maritime Museum and you are by Adventures by the Sea and HHT spot Pino’s Cafe at Portola Plaza.  (Missed that?  No worries, if you reach the second wharf–which is Wharf #1– look to your left; that is the Custom House, and to its left, the Custom House Plaza.  Got kids? Take a spin around the fountain for fun, then cut through the Custom House Plaza and you’ll come out at Adventures and Pino’s on Portola Plaza.)
3. From Portola Plaza, the Golden State Theatre is straight up Alvarado Street.  However, since Alvarado is a one-way street,  as soon as you reach Del Monte Ave (in front of the Portola Hotel & Spa), cyclists are directed to the right, so they can go up Calle Principal. No worries, Calle Principal is a wider street anyway.
4. Bike up Calle Principal (you’ll pass the Marriott and Montrio Bistro) until you see Comerica Bank on your left.  Cross to Comerica.
5. At Comerica Bank, get off your bike.  As you face Comerica, to its right is a pedestrian cut-through to Alvarado called Bonifacio Plaza.  Walk the short distance through the little Bonifacio Plaza.
6. When you come out of Bonifacio Plaza, you will be on Alvarado Street (HHT spot Britannia Arms will be on your right).
7. Turn left onto Alvarado, and Golden State Theatre will soon be on your right.
8. Bike parking:  There are low-to-the-ground black iron bike racks on Alvarado.  There are new red racks on Calle Principal.  Or, feel free to use any stationery object (kindly parking your bike in such a way as not to block pedestrian walkways, etc.).

For more info about Pedal-Driven:

Visit pedaldriven.org, or contact Jamie Howell or Jeff Ostenson at Howell Moon Productions, 509-888-2212 or by email:  info [AT] howellatthemoon [DOT] com.

Local resources on mountain biking and public lands:

• For information on responsible mountain biking in Monterey County, visit the Monterey Off Road Cycling Association (MORCA) website.  On the MORCA site, you will find a link to the IMBA rules of the trail.
• For information about the Sea Otter Classic and Fort Ord Public Lands, see Sea Otter’s Course Maps and  Mission Statement.

Photo credit:  Bureau of Land Management – Hollister Field Office