Bike Buzz: Summer 2024 News from Bicycling Monterey

This issue of Bike Buzz has items of interest locally (Monterey County), statewide (including a new survey), and nationwide. It’s updated occasionally, with new event dates through end of summer (Sept 22)—plus some “save-the-dates” for autumn. Missing buzz? To subscribe to Bicycling Monterey, click here.

For tips on Monterey County beaches, see Bike to the Beach – and Care for What You Love.

A grandmother of a teen cited by Salinas Police wrote to us recently: “Thank you for helping us. We appreciate your amazing work teaching how to be safer in the streets.” For the project she’s talking about, and more 2024 comments about it, see “Youth bike—and sometimes receive citations.“

Help others find Bicycling Monterey resources. Share a poster, flier, or social media image from our Tool Kit—as some local bike shops, public libraries, and others do. The Tool Kit also includes bilingual (Spanish and English) bike law summaries, guidelines for participants of group social rides, and more.

The teen in Marina below was showing us his familiarity with hand signals, required by law (see part 7, “Use hand signals” here). On the same day, he had successfully completed a Smart Cycling class in Marina, taught by Frank Henderson.

Since 2005 Frank Henderson is certified as a League of American Bicyclists cycling instructor (LCI). Bicycling Monterey considers Frank a true bike hero, for multiple reasons. Among those is that Frank is a repair and maintenance instructor—and has been from the start!—at the first high school bike tech class in Monterey County, launched by Bicycling Monterey in April 2012.

Are you biking near Del Monte Shopping Center in the city of Monterey, as this local man was, or near downtown Monterey? Enjoy a tranquil rest stop: the new Jay Bartow Memorial Garden.

Regarding “Car Week,” retired CA Senate Majority Leader Bill Monning of Carmel suggested: “How about…a special tax on all auction sales (many of which pay no tax to Monterey County or California) to support a carbon offset?” See “Engine Roar,” Monning’s letter in the Aug 15, 2024 Monterey County Now: https://www.montereycountynow.com/opinion/letters/letters-to-the-editor-08-15-24/article_8cfaeece-5a88-11ef-a368-ef5d4fa1e3a9.html

“The many variables make Car Week’s carbon footprint difficult to map.” David Schmalz, Aug 23, 2024 Monterey County Now: https://www.montereycountynow.com/opinion/mcnow_intro/the-many-variables-make-car-week-s-carbon-footprint-difficult-to-map/article_974ce772-61a6-11ef-b1ba-3f586e42b254.html

The car below is a 1957 Jaguar; the bike, a current Tern NBD P8i. (Learn more about the bike later in this post.)

Monterey County’s annual “Car Week” (ten days in August) includes Pebble Beach Automotive Week and other events, and it’s a time when there is an increased number of trucks and buses on Monterey County roads. Year-round, note the special tips about trucks and buses in our section of primary resources on riding skills, safety, and bike laws.

We’d bet—since they bring their bicycle to get around—that the driver of the auto-hauling big rig below is among the most bike-friendly drivers of large trucks and buses.

For more classic car photos, see Bicycling Monterey’s Reflecting on Car Week.

Support bike advocacy
for Monterey County and beyond

Please support the work of the various Bicycling Monterey projects by making a donation in any amount now. How? Go to https://bikemonterey.org/about/financial-donations.

You may specify how you’d like your donation to be used: for Website and Public Outreach, Education Projects, Advocacy Projects, or General Operating Expenses of the Bicycling Monterey work, now in its 16th year. For contribution FAQs, click here.

If donating via PayPal, you also have the option of setting up an automatic monthly donation. Not able to make either a one-time or monthly donation as large as you’d like to? No problem, invite some friends to join you in donating, and perhaps in becoming a Pedal Pusher! What’s that? On Bicycling Monterey’s financial contributors page, anyone making an automatic monthly donation of ten dollars ($10) or more is recognized as a Pedal Pusher.

Calendar Notes

• GREENFIELD: Weekly on Fridays, 3-5 p.m. Free 1-on-1 bike repair workshops at the Greenfield Community Science Workshop, 45 El Camino Real. For details, refer to the bilingual posters above; and for any updates or changes, contact GCSW.
• GREENFIELD: Weekly on Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Free 1-on-1 bike repair workshops at the Greenfield Community Science Workshop, 45 El Camino Real. For details, refer to the bilingual posters above; and for any updates or changes, contact GCSW.
• SALINAS: Wednesday, August 14 deadline to give input on City of Salinas DRAFT Active Transportation Plan: https://bikemonterey.org/advocate-for-active-transportation-bicycling-and-more-in-salinas-and-elsewhere-in-monterey-county.html. Why care? See the 12-year-old at the bottom of this post.
• PEBBLE BEACH: Saturday and Sunday, August 17-18, bicycling is temporarily restricted in Pebble Beach, because of safety concerns due to increased traffic during the Automotive Week events (https://pebblebeachconcours.net/event-calendar/). See our tips for biking Pebble Beach on other dates.
• SAND CITY: Saturday and Sunday, August 24-25. West End Celebration, a free-admission event that includes free bicycle valet parking. Monterey-Salinas Transit also offers a free shuttle to this event. For details —including about some favorite musicians performing, see our West End post; click here.
• GREENFIELD: Wednesday, August 28, 2-5 p.m. at Greenfield Library, 315 El Camino Real. Free bicycle helmet distribution organized by Monterey County Health Department. Contact MCHD with any questions and for details. https://www.countyofmonterey.gov/government/departments-a-h/health/public-health/bicycle-and-pedestrian-safety/bicycle-and-pedestrian-safety
• SOLEDAD: Friday, August 30, 3:30-6:30 p.m. at Soledad Community Center, 560 Walker Drive. Bike Repair Workshop.
• SAND CITY, or phone/Zoom: Wednesday, September 4, 6 p.m. Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) Bicycle & Pedestrian Facilities Advisory Committee (BPAC) meeting at Sand City Council Chamber, 1 Pendergrass Way, Sand City. Public welcome to attend, either in-person or via Zoom/phone.
• Update: Postponed (from originally scheduled September 13); new date TBD as of 9/25/24. CHUALAR Bike Repair Workshop.
• SEASIDE, and beyond: Friday, September 13, meetup 5:30 p.m., roll out 6 p.m. AMG Cyclery group ride, free. Meet up at their bike shop, 805 Broadway Ave, Seaside for a relaxed, no-drop ride. Stops are planned for rest and photos, so everyone can have a fun time, whatever their personal riding pace. Route will be mainly the coastal multiuse trail (aka bike path) from Seaside to Marina. (Optionally, at about 7:30-ish, riders can meet for a no-host social gathering at neighboring business Other Brother, 877 Broadway.) Questions? Contact https://www.amgcyclery.com/.
• WORLDWIDE: Friday, September 20 – Global Climate Strike. https://fridaysforfutureusa.org/sept-20/
• FORT ORD: Save the date! Saturday, October 5, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day, with Monterey Off Road Cycling Association (MORCA), an annual event.
• SEASIDE: Save the date! Saturday, October 5, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. – Seaside Bike Swap. For details, contact https://www.amgcyclery.com/.
• SALINAS:  Save the date! Sunday, October 6, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – Ciclovía Salinas. Ciclovía Salinas, launched in 2013, is normally an annual event (with exception of no event in 2021).
• KING CITY:  Save the date! Sunday, October 13, noon to 4 p.m. – Ciclovía King City. This is the second Ciclovia date for King City (the first was in 2019).
• CALIFORNIA: Monday, October 21 is the last day for Californians to register to vote for the November 5, 2024 General Election. Voting resources for Californians and other U.S. voters.
• ONLINE: #BikeNite on Mastodon, e.g., https://sfba.social/@ascentale/112934545357620700. Weekly on Fridays, 4-5 p.m.—or, as organizer Phil / https://sfba.social/@ascentale welcomes, respond “whenever at your convenience. Anyone [with a Mastodon account] can join, now or later. Reply to what you like, and boost for visibility.” Bike Nite on Mastodon is similar to Bike School on the site formerly known as Twitter.

If you have a Monterey County bicycling or bike-related activity, event, or meeting scheduled that is open to the public, contact us to have it added to this “Bike Buzz: Summer 2024” post (dates through the end of summer, September 21) and/or shared on @bikemonterey’s social media.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: We’ve too many bike to-dos! Contact us if you can round up more Monterey County bike calendar notes for Aug-Dec 2024.

The Big Sur coast is stunningly beautiful. And behavior of some travelers along that coastline is stunning too! Share with touring cyclists and others this warning re: Regent’s Slide.

California News

NEW: Streets Are For Everyone (SAFE) California Driving Laws Survey, available in English and español).

• The California Bicycle Coalition / CalBike Complete Streets Campaign is among activities Bicycling Monterey participates in as a member of CalBike’s Policy Advisory Council.
  We urge you to check out https://www.calbike.org/our_initiatives/streets_for_everyone/complete_streets/
  Why? Roads controlled by California Department of Transportation / Caltrans often double as city or small town streets, e.g., Monterey County roads such as examples mentioned here. Yet CalBike reports such roads are often among the deadliest in California. The Complete Streets Bill of 2024 would require Caltrans to ensure safer roads for people biking, walking, and taking transit.
• Bikeway maintenance inspiration from Napa County: Pedal-Powered Bike Lane Sweeper – https://www.calbike.org/innovation-on-the-streets-napas-pedal-powered-bike-lane-sweeper/
• E-Bike Purchase Incentives FAQs – https://www.calbike.org/e-bike-purchase-incentives-faqs/. (You may also be interested in E-Bike Safety and Training Programs and E-Bike Regulations.)

The duo we met below in July, while biking the Monterey Bay coastal trail, are members of our CalBike partner San Francisco Bike Coalition.

For all CalBike partners, refer to:

https://www.calbike.org/about_us/who_we_are/local_partners/

Bike the Vote
I bike, I vote!

Bicycling Monterey extends respect to everyone who takes time to inform themselves about candidates and issues, then votes according to their own beliefs and conscience.

“Vote! “Democracy is not a spectator sport.” That’s our post provided as an introduction about voting, and to highlight some common areas of confusion. It includes some Bicycling-Specific Voter Resources.

As our post emphasizes, for the most accurate, detailed, and up-to-date information—including about voter registration deadlines, election dates, and more—visit official government websites:
United States – http://www.usa.gov/how-to-vote
California – http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/
Monterey County – http://www.montereycountyelections.us

Californians: Note that the last day to register to vote for the November 5, 2024 General Election is October 21, 2024.

ICYMI, check out our four-part series, “From around the USA: Voices of people who bike.”

SOCIAL MEDIA

SOCIAL MEDIA? Our favorite way to connect with people is IRL (in real life), whether in person or in a phone conversation (https://bikemonterey.org/contact-me). Nevertheless, since @bikemonterey left the Twittersphere in November 2022, we are still on social media, although less often. Mastodon is where @bikemonterey is currently most active: https://sfba.social/@BikeMonterey. Now and then we log in to Instagram, @bikemonterey – https://www.instagram.com/bikemonterey/.

Are you new to Mastodon? For sure, there’s a learning curve. For some tips on using that decentralized social network, refer to our Contact page. Here are some additional Mastodon tips: (1) Active transportation professional and advocate Barb Chamberlain of Spokane, WA wrote “I opened a Mastodon account [at https://toot.community/@BarbChamberlain] and entered the fediverse. It deliberately avoids global search, and hashtags are essential.” (2) #BikeTooter is among the most common hashtags on Mastodon. (3) The #BikeNite hashtag was established by Phil of Oakland, CA to facilitate his organizing “Bike Nite,” a weekly bike conversation (similar to #BikeSchool on the site formerly known as Twitter). Follow Phil at https://sfba.social/@ascentale.

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Why we do what we do: One reason is to help make biking safer for everyone, including this Salinas 12-year-old who’d been 🤕🚑injured in a hit-and-run collision earlier. Yes, bless his heart, he’s back to the joy of biking! He would love to see better infrastructure (see Salinas draft Active Transportation Plan mentioned in “Calendar Notes” above). And obvs he’d like to see only law-abiding and bike-friendly drivers! 🚔

When we spotted him biking on Lincoln Avenue on July 14th, we were impressed by his careful navigation of the bike lanes. See our Resources / Los Recursos section for tips on riding skills, bike laws, and safety, including about sidewalk riding, and the age when most children are able to safely judge vehicle speed and distance. Obviously a driver with hit-and-run mentality is another matter—and why we include law enforcement among the factors that make biking safer!

Of course, top of the list for making bicycling safer is improved infrastructure–i.e., protected bike lanes and more. Want to advocate in a hands-on way, right in your own neighborhoods, wherever you live? See the bilingual (English-Spanish) Bike Audit Tool Kit highlighted at the top of Bicycling Advocacy: What you can do. And ICYMI, also available is a helpful Bilingual Glossary of Transportation Terms / Glosario Bilingüe de Términos de Transporte.