Singletrack High in Monterey

Special thanks to Jacob and Isaac Siegel-Bottner of Pedal Born Pictures. These brothers and filmmakers donated a DVD of “Singletrack High,” to serve as inspiration and support for more Monterey County youth who may be interested in mountain biking.

Note also that Salinas High, Monterey Composite, and Palma all have high school mountain bike teams already in Monterey County. You’ll see SHS jerseys in “Singletrack High”!  Find all three teams in “Bike to School–in Monterey County and elsewhere”; click here.

Over 1,000 high school athletes raced their bikes in California alone on 3/10/13, with more in other states.  How’s that happen?

“At the age of 16, many American kids trade in two wheels for four.

“Trusty steeds that once gave them freedom to explore on weekends now collect dust in the garage. For a growing number of high school students in Northern California, however, two wheels don’t get dusty, they get dirty. Their lives continue to revolve around weekend rides, but now those rides have a finish line. These are the student athletes of the NorCal High School Cycling League. This is Singletrack High.”

Singletrack High Teaser from Pedal Born Pictures on Vimeo.

“The National Interscholastic Cycling Association is excited to partner with Pedal Born Pictures for the Sea Otter week premiere of Singletrack High. The hour-long documentary follows six student athletes through the 2012 season of the NorCal League, exploring the importance of keeping kids outdoors on bikes. This is the future of cycling!

“Co-director brothers Jacob and Isaac Seigel-Boettner will be in attendance for a post-screening Q&A. All ticket sales help support local high school teams and NICA’s Booster Club.

“Singletrack High was funded by Specialized Bicycle Components to help grow the high school mountain bike racing movement nationwide. Additional production support was provided by Sunnyvale VW and GoPro.”

Purchase tickets for 4/20/13 “Singletrack High” showing in Monterey at the Golden State Theatre; click here.

Thanks

Thank you to Mark Kintz of Monterey Composite High School Mountain Bike Team for the heads-up on this year’s  Sea Otter Classic-week special film. Photo above shows Monterey Composite team member Oliver on the box–NorCal Southern Freshman Div-2 Conference champion!

• Monterey Composite welcomes girls and boys from any public, private, or homeschool/unschool in Monterey County.
• Salinas High also has a high school mountain bike team; click here.

Hear more about the two-wheeled youth movement in the Monterey Bay region in a 5/10/12 story from Central Coast Public Radio Station KUSP.

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.  On Thursdays year-round (including Sea Otter Classic’s opening day), they give discounts to people on bikes. Please support them any day of the week!

Plaza this, plaza that…

Where in the world are these City of Monterey plazas? Click here.

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, you might park in the large, free lot on the bay/bike path side of Del Monte Avenue, across from the Naval Postgraduate School gate.   (This refers to the closed Del Monte gate, not the main gate on Sloat Ave).  The bike path is right there; hop on and head west into downtown.   From there, use the 8-step directions below.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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 6:  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 HHT spot Museum of Monterey 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 HHT spot Portola Hotel), 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.).