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Bike Buzz: Indian Summer 2012 News from Bicycling Monterey

For future dates, see

Master Calendar for Bicycling Monterey County, and Related Activities

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Indian Summer is an especially beautiful time in Monterey County, and bicycling activities keep on rolling.

The local bike community, made up of all types of folks on all sorts of bicycles, comes together in a variety of ways to help others and have fun!  Here’s some of what’s just taken place, and what’s ahead–a report for August through October 2012.

First sixty folks to register for this free 10/20 event get a free t-shirt. More info below.

What else is happening in Monterey County’s bike world?

Sea Otter Classic returns on April 18-21, 2003.  And this year, when SOC sent out their press releases announcing their registration opening–which happens on November 1, 2012–Sea Otter made sure that initial announcement went out to Spanish speakers too:  “Ciclocross, carreras de bicicleta de carretera, carreras de mountain bike, gran fondo, sin bicicleta, y festival, 18-21 abril 2013 el Sea Otter Classic!”  Spread the word; click here.

Before checking the list of Aug-Oct activities, consider…

What is the Monterey County bike community, really?  It’s bikers of all ages, shapes, sizes, interests, and ability levels, riding all types of bicycles.  And you’ll see it demonstrated at the new Salinas Bike Party!

Among SBP riders are volunteer Organized Guiders (OGs).  These volunteers are vital to the success of the party.  The volunteers listed below helped get SBP off to a great start by serving as OGs on 8/3 and/or 9/7.  In addition, special thanks to Alex Paredes, Glenn Jacinto, “Mr. Obey,” and other youth who returned for the second SBP and provided leadership in orienting newcomers!

Salinas Bike Party hopes to be welcoming all these helpful volunteers back to future bike parties!
SBP is also seeking more volunteer OGs for this growing event.

Do volunteers need to have particular backgrounds to serve as an Organized Guider/ OG? Not at all. Here’s a summary of what’s  required to be an OG:

  • wear any kind of reflective shirt or vest (SBP can assign you a vest if needed–email salinasbikeparty@gmail.com to reserve)
  • serve as a role model regarding Salinas Bike Party rules, including following California bike laws
  • call out directions and reminders, such as “keep right” or “red light”
  • help in directing bikers along route, especially at intersections or when merging or turning

Refer to their website for more info, then email salinasbikeparty@gmail.com with questions or to volunteer.

Beginning in November 2012, party eve is now scheduled for first Saturday of the month. Check SalinasBikeParty.com for updates!

See photos and video clip from SBP on the Bicycling Monterey website  https://bikemonterey.org/salinas-bike-party-keep-it-rolling.html, and more pics and lots of details here https://bikemonterey.org/salinas-bike-party.html.

Come be energized by the vitality of young riders, and if you’re older, add some seasoned riding to complement the mix.  And remind your friends:   Salinas Bike Party asks for more volunteer OGs of various ages to help keep this new urban ride in a very positive groove.

August through October 2012

Monterey County Bike Community News

On 8/6…

Bear Bikes of Salinas donated prizes for the August Ascent, a fixed gear/singlespeed event. See the new Salinas Valley Fixed Gear blog; click here.

On 8/12…

New students joined the Monterey County Youth Center’s bike repair and safety class, launching another new 10-week series.  Special thanks to volunteers Frank Henderson, Korey Ericson, and Luciano Rodriguez for keeping class rolling!  You didn’t know about that class? Click here. And swing by Forest Hill Bike Shop, Pacific Grove and say hello, and thanks, to volunteer and senior advisor Joseph Crabtree too.

On 8/15…

At the South County Health & Safety Fair in Greenfield, a dozen youth were fitted in new bike helmets (required by CA law for minors who bike).  Quality helmets they were, thanks to generous donations of these free raffle prizes by Ariana Green, Ellie Kincade, NPS Cycling Club, and Velo Club Monterey.  Greenfield PD teamed up with Bicycling Monterey–including Records Clerk Isabel Landeros and Officer Armando Mendoza providing translation help (my Spanish is meager).  Officer Mendoza also fit the kids properly in their helmets, so I was free to focus on sharing materials with parents. Click to learn more.

On 8/25…

Robert H. Down Elementary School will be the scene of the Robert Down PTA’s annual bicycle rodeo, 9:30-11:30 a.m.  Supporters include Winning Wheels Bicycle Shop (831-375-4322), 318 Grand Avenue, Pacific Grove.

Click here for additional details and related info.

On 8/25…

It’ll be riders coming together on Saturday for B2B – Bridge to Bridge bike ride to benefit men in recovery.  Whether you ride 20, 50, or 100 miles of the Bridge Restoration Ministry’s benefit ride or instead support the effort of another cyclist,  your help is needed. All are welcome to the gourmet meal afterward, whether riding or not (meal ticket for non-riders, $10).   Tell your friends!  http://www.bit.ly/B2BRide
Event sponsors include Bobcat Bicycles of Salinas, Bridge Restoration Ministry,  California Giant Berry Farms,  Calvary Monterey, Fine Wordworking, HER Helmet Thursdays, Keller Williams Realty, Organic Girl, Road ID.

8/29-9/3…

For the first time, the Monterey County Fair will have bicycle valet parking.  Better yet, it is provided all six days of the fair, and all hours of the fair!  Sweetening the deal:  It’s a free service, coordinated by Michael Baroni of Green Pedal Couriers. Contact Michael to volunteer for a shift to make this new feature of the fair a great success! 

On 9/1…

Grand opening of Peninsula Bike Works, 1271 10th Street, Suite C, Monterey,
831.643.BIKE (2453).  On 9/1, enjoy snacks in the morning, food and drinks around lunchtime.  Pedal on over and celebrate!

Shop is conveniently located near the Naval Postgraduate School and Monterey Peninsula College, and is a very short ride  from the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail.  For visitors coming off the freeway with bikes on a vehicle, it can’t get more convenient than this:  Take the NPS/MPC exit, make a right at the first signal, onto Camino Aguajito, and an immediate right onto 10th. Head on up 10th; Peninsula Bike Works will be on your left. Swing by for  accessories, maintenance, local tips, or a new bike!

Micah Mozal and Sean Rigmaiden, longtime veterans of Joselyns Bicycles (which closed 1/15/12) opened this new shop. Welcome back, guys!

Among the October activities on the bulleted list below is a Peninsula Bike Works-hosted swap meet.

On 9/2…

Rancho Cielo Family Play Day includes new mountain bike trails–-the work of Luciano Rodriguez, supporters from Salinas High Cowboys Racing Mountain Bike Team, and others.  See poster below, and go to http://www.ranchocieloyc.org/ – And if you can help Luciano make this very special day more successful with regard to the MTB component, please contact him. (Don’t know Luciano yet? Read his bio in http://www.bit.ly/bikesNOTgangs – And feel free to phone me, 831-375-6278, if you don’t have his contact info.)

To see how the trails began, watch this Youtube about the Rancho Cielo trails from Luciano AKA Mr. Singlespeed.

On 9/4 through 10/15…

It’s that time of year! September and October are especially beautiful in Monterey County, and that inspires my annual tech break from this public service project.  You may still reach me by phone (831/375-6278) or postal mail.  I’ll return to email and the twittersphere after 10/15/12.

On 9/6…

Monthly Twilight Ride at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca will be hosted by Velo Club Monterey.

On 9/7…

The second Salinas Bike Party, anticipated to be a monthly event.  They’ve bumped up their gathering time to 7:30 p.m. and their ride time to 8 p.m.  This makes doing both events more convenient for folks attending First Friday Art Walk, which starts at 5 p.m. and continues til 8 p.m., also in Salinas.

For SBP’s next meeting place and route, visit their website or Facebook page. Not on FB? Email salinasbikeparty@gmail.com for that info, or to volunteer as an OG.   Click here for 7 hot tips to help keep SBP rolling!

On 9/8…

F.N.B. group ride.  Meeting on the trail across from Bay View Charter School, corner of Casa Verde and Del Monte Avenue, Monterey @ 9:15 a.m.

Contact Jess Martinez to confirm and for any updates: green8661@gmail.com

Follow F.N.B. on Twitter @green8661 – http://twitter.com/green8661

On 9/21-23…

Nathan Pierce of Monterey Green Action is coordinating bike valet volunteers for the 55th Annual Monterey Jazz Festival.

On 10/20… (and see more October activities on bulleted list below)

South County will be where the hot biking action is on October 20, when Fort Hunter Liggett hosts the Third Annual Mountain Bike Race to “Ride Out Domestic Violence.”

It’s easy to feel sad and wring your hands when seeing stories such as these in our county.  It’s harder to think, “How can I help?”  There are many ways to prevent domestic violence, including such things as educating yourself and supporting others in effective parenting; working to eliminate poverty and social injustice, which–while not an excuse for violence–can contribute to the frustration that in some cases precedes it; and becoming more aware of the many ways that our society accepts bullying–and how to change this.

Domestic violence, of course, affects all income levels, all races and ages, and all levels of social status.  And it affects both the civilian and military communities.  No sector of society is immune, and we can all work together to eliminate domestic violence throughout society.

For those who love biking, Fort Hunter Liggett offers this 10/20 opportunity to hop on your bike and help raise awareness about the many forms of domestic violence and how to help prevent it.  The 3rd Annual Mountain Bike Race in support of Domestic Violence Awareness Month is a free event. Raffle prizes and giveaways are part of the day’s mix, and there will be awards for top finisher. Participants choose from either of two courses, a sport course or expert course.

This event, held Saturday, 10/20/12, begins at 9am. It is held on Training Areas 12A, B, and C on Fort Hunter Liggett in Jolon.  T-shirts will be given to the first sixty people to register in advance.  Download poster with registration form here: BikeRaceRegistration 2 (2)

More details to follow on this site.

More “what’s ahead,” for October, on the bulleted list below.

What’s mentioned above isn’t all the news.  Here’s a sample of what else you’ll find at Bicycling Monterey:

And on it goes…. To stay informed, subscribe to Bicycling Monterey.

The above isn’t even a comprehensive list of all the local biking activities! After reading this post, also check the calendars of Monterey Off Road Cycling Association, Naval Postgraduate School Cycling Club, and Velo Club Monterey to see just some of what else is happening around the county.  Then peruse the Bicycling Monterey website some more.

Be inspired  by the work of other communities!

Whazzup?  It’s our county!

It’s so easy to overlook how accepted bullying has become in the culture.  It is often not recognized as such–or is ignored or minimized–by even the most well meaning among us. And even when it is recognized, efforts to address it are often misguided or ineffective.

Bullying–or being bullied, or being a bystander–all affect the health and security of our youth and our communities.  Don’t let that overwhelm you.  Instead, know that there are many people working to stop bullying, in a variety of ways.  Together we can change this!

Perhaps you saw the Salinas Californian’s 8/17 front page interview by Jeff Mitchell with the Salinas PD chief.  As the NY Times reported last January, Salinas is fighting gang violence on a shoestring. When Monterey County has the highest youth homicide rate in the state for the second year, it’s important that everyone who feels called to help take even a small step.

Barbara Coloroso’s free public presentations on the Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander at Ft Ord 8/17-18 were excellent. Missed this? You can still share in the material:  Download “Bully” handouts from the weekend, available in Spanish and English.   https://bikemonterey.org/817-18-barbara-coloroso-for-parents-teachers-and-others-who-know-kids-are-worth-it.html Share them with teens, parents, teachers, school administrators, and others. Feel free to phone me with questions about Barbara’s local presentations–and why I’ve admired her work for over 20 years.

Sharing handouts or speaking up about bullying isn’t quite your thing right now?  Okay, how about this:  a dozen ways to help get more youth on bikes (click here, then scroll down).

Gracias!

Mari

PS: Notice the HER Helmet Thursdays detailed listings are temporarily unavailable?  Donate. Volunteer. Write guest posts. Advocate for biking!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Dedicated in loving memory
to my precious longtime friend

Margaret Anne Wolf

of Bloomington, Illinois,
who died 13 August 2012.

As mentioned on the Bicycling Monterey acknowledgements page, Margaret was a friend and supporter of this work.

Margaret Wolf –  research and support for HER Helmet Thursdays participant listings

She also enjoyed the Monterey Bay Coastal Trail on visits to Monterey County. Perhaps you saw the below in the Serious Cyclists section of the Tips for Tourists Bicycling Monterey County guide.

On the bike-pedestrian path, when I’m the one on the bike, I feel confident of the way I can zigzag safely between groups of pedestrians.  But if were walking the path with my one-year-old friend Mira, or guiding my friend Margaret in her wheelchair, I know either could be frightened by zooming cyclists darting in-and-out of pedestrian traffic.   So I remind myself, and you:  please be a courteous cyclist and slow it down near people who are walking, pushing babies in strollers, and the like.

When you’re out biking, perhaps you’ll think of Margaret as you reduce your speed and otherwise show courtesy to others. Thanks!

This post was published on 19 August 2012. One or more changes last made to this post on 19 March 2022.

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