About Bicycling Monterey’s founder

Bicycling Monterey, a grassroots community collaboration, was founded May 2009 by Monterey County resident Mari Lynch. Since founded, and still the case as Bicycling Monterey’s 15th year was completed, all her work on this website and on all other Bicycling Monterey projects has been done as an unpaid volunteer.

April 2009, the month before founding Bicycling Monterey.

From the founder…

Local resident

Many people know me as Mari Lynch Dehmler. Since 1981 I am a full-time resident of rural unincorporated Monterey County. I have a beloved son and daughter, both born and raised here.

Birthplace

I had the good fortune to be born into a loving family. When I was born, my parents farmed along Salt Creek, a few miles from the town of Chestnut, Illinois, population then 450. Later we moved to the nearby town of Mt. Pulaski, then pop. 1700, where I lived until age 17, when I left to attend university.

I had the good fortune to be born into a loving family. When I was born, my parents farmed along Salt Creek, a few miles from the town of Chestnut, Illinois, population then 450. Later we moved to the nearby town of Mt. Pulaski, then pop. 1700, where I lived until age 17, when I left to attend university.

Summer skies of my birthplace, rural Chestnut

History on the Monterey Bay

In 1976 I moved to the Monterey Bay area, residing in Santa Cruz. In 1981 I moved to my present address in rural unincorporated Monterey County.

View from my home, rural Monterey County

Professional work

I am the owner of Mari Lynch, Fine Wordworking, established in Monterey County in 1981. Fine Wordworking is on the web at https://marilynch.com (a.k.a. finewordworking.com).

Why was the original domain name for the Bicycling Monterey website marilynch.com/blog? Click here. 

Volunteer work

Although I occasionally do additional volunteer work too, it is bicycling advocacy that has been my primary volunteer work since founding Bicycling Monterey in 2009. As reported by Kera Abraham in “The Change Agent” in the Monterey County Weekly’s first special bike issue, in 2011: “What started as Dehmler’s personal blog two years ago quickly evolved into an umbrella website for all things two-wheeled in Monterey County.” Even without aspiring to the meticulous guidelines of my professional work, creating and maintaining the Bicycling Monterey site and projects have required well over 22,000 hours of my volunteer time May 2009-May 2024.

Why do I do it? Serving as a resource for visitors and locals who like to bike is one of my pleasures. That led to the creation of this website. I was further motivated to create Bicycling Monterey’s numerous projects because of the multiple benefits of bicycling—for the environment, community relationships, public health, economy, and more!

It’s truly heartening to receive words of appreciation. And I am especially grateful for the people who are financial contributors, or contributors of project supplies or volunteer time.

Mari, speaking with reporter Ravi Kapur, January 10, 2010 for KSBW Action News 8. Kapur’s story, “Discounts Encourage Bicycling in Monterey County: Program Helps Businesses, Consumers While Preserving Environment,” was a KSBW Project Economy feature and one of the station’s Top Stories of the day. Used by permission.

Mari, photographed by Scott MacDonald, January 27, 2010, for the Salinas Californian’s February 1, 2010 page 1 story. © 2010  by the Salinas Californian. Used by permission.

To learn how my love for bicycling began, click here.

Above: Mari’s mother and Mari’s daughter in 1991, on the City of Monterey section of the Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail.

Below: Since founding Bicycling Monterey, Mari continues to expand her own knowledge of biking and of issues affecting people who bike, through in-person (example below) and other resources.