Comments about Bicycling Monterey, 2009-2024

A. Comments from visitors to Monterey County, and from other people who reside outside the county

1. “Your site is really useful…It is, by far, the most comprehensive bicycle site for Monterey County…and regularly updated, which is rare.”—Anneke Prins, visitor from the United Kingdom
2. “Wow! Thank you very much for that very extensive and useful reply! I don’t know what made me think of Monterey as a bicycle friendly place, but it seems my instinct was right!”—Asa Widmark, visitor from Sweden
3. “Thanks for sharing your well written bike law and safety guide.”—Christopher B. Dolan, Esq., San Francisco, California
4. “Thanks to @BikeMonterey…for great tips that helped make this bike touring trip a big success.”—Stephen Zavestoskid
5. “I love the site! I’m a bicycling fan from Australia.”—Steve Matheson
6. “A tireless advocate and promoter of two things I love—bikes and Monterey. Thanks for all you do for Monterey biking. My tourist dollars will be happy to land in Monterey.”—Kathleen Jones, park ranger from Mountain View, California
7. “Bike Monterey is doing great work!”…“Thanks for your selfless efforts keeping the website going and your intelligent advocacy.”... “Thank you for all your hard work for a noble cause.” —Jack Holmgren, San Francisco Bay Area, California
8. “Great website full of useful information and tips on safe bicycling.”—Paula Ross, Sonoma, California
9. “As a regular visitor to Pacific Grove since 1963 I can attest that there is no finer way to see the peninsula than by bike. You have captured the essence of how and why cycling is so enjoyable for both transportation and recreation. Thanks for providing your site.”—Rob Swain
10. “We will be visiting Carmel and staying near the Hatton Canyon trail…and are cheered to see your efforts in promoting bicycle safety and riding opportunities off-road in the same area.” – Steve Cutcomb, California
11. “What an awesome story! Inspiring on so many levels.”—Lindsey O’Neill, Vancouver, British Columbia
12. “Your writing is poignant.”—Angela Parkins, Boulder, Colorado
13. “Your tenacious spirit & wisdom, full of soul for Monterey County & beyond, are greatly admired!…CONGRATULATIONS MARI & MONTEREY COMMUNITY LEADERS et al. on this awesome support for your biking smart residents and guests!”—Floann Younker, Dawson City, Illinois
14. “I’m an avid cyclist relocating to Monterey soon. Great site! Thanks for all the news and resources.”—Mark Daniels
15. “You are amazing for starting the HER Helmet Thursdays program. Thank you!”—Karen Woodson
16. “Great write up of a great program!” Erik O/”Fenriq,” Santa Cruz, California
17. “You are a talented writer!”—Captain Jerrod Adams, U.S. Army
18. “I haven’t owned a car in over a half decade and have biked in Monterey and all over the world.  I appreciate and visit frequently your website.  Keep up the great work.”—David Reichbaum, San Mateo, California
19. “You make it look easy! Bilingual resources…pretty terrific! Family centered bicycling…pretty wonderful!”—Maureen Byrnes, CNM from New Jersey
20. “Thanks for putting up a helpful resource.” —Hans Ongchua, park ranger from Northern California
21. “I have gone to businesses on HER Helmet Thursdays, and they are always gracious. Thank you for making such a great program work!”–Sam Poteete
22. “I especially appreciate your volunteerism to be the energy behind this initiative. Thank you!” —Alivia Moore
23. “For a wonderfully in-depth collection of resources and tips for bicycling in Monterey County during your visit, check out Bicycling Monterey!”—Passport Voyager, New York City
24. “Mari Lynch, whom I greatly admire, has VOLUNTEERED her time to create, manage and update the amazing resource for Monterey County and beyond. And it’s not just a website; Mari is a hands-on advocate and launched community bike programs as well.”—Karen Kefauver, Santa Cruz, California (“Spin City” columnist for the Santa Cruz Sentinel)
25. “A good friend doing amazing things to make the world a better place.” —Tracey Tucker Levine, Nashville, Tennessee
26. “A great project worth supporting, with a great person behind it.”—Misty Ojure, Cambridge, Massachusetts
27. “The creation of Bicycling Monterey and ongoing upkeep of this web site and bicycling projects by Mari is so inspiring!”—Sandi Laney, Spokane, Washington
28. “Mari is doing amazing community outreach in Monterey County and beyond, and her work is diverse and inclusive.”— Laurel Thomsen, Bonny Doon, California
29. “Thanks again @bikemonterey for all your help with [tips about] @seaotterclassic.”—Hunter Weeks, Seattle, Washington
30. “Good tips. Thanks, Mari Lynch.” — Jeff Frost (aka Frosty) of Arizona (longtime athletic director for the Sea Otter Classic)

31. “Love the work…! Monterey is such a special place to ride!” – Catharine Pendrel of Canada
32. “Mari is an amazing longtime volunteer crusader for bicycling in this most bike friendly region of the country. Her comprehensive Bicycling Monterey site is so deserving of $ donations from everyone who benefits from all she does and has done for cyclists.” — Charlotte Rozier Manis, South Carolina
33. “Mari Lynch is an amazing person who has done so many great things for cycling in Monterey County.” — Nicholas Takashi Santana of Osaka, Japan and Fresno, California
34.”What a fantastic resource for all!”—Heynia Cooley
35. “Bicycle and alternative-transportation peeps, if you have a few bucks to spare, donate to Bicycling Monterey. Founder Mari Lynch has been doing great work!” – Tisha King Havens, Austin, Texas
36. “Bicycling Monterey is a really great project that Mari Lynch has worked so hard on, and I love it!!”—Brenna Keeler, Ben Lomond, California
37. “You have been such a champion for bicycle advocacy for so long! Thank you for the extreme benefit that you bring to the community. Even though I am now in Oakland, the work you do in Monterey County is felt far and wide.”—Nathan Pierce, Oakland, California
38. “Great tips from a local for mass-transit and bike routes.” —International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA)
39. “Everything you need to know about Bike and Ride Options.”—Capitol Corridor, Oakland, CA

40. [Info on the Bicycling Monterey website is clearly useful to active transportation enthusiasts outside Monterey County too, as Facebook shares often show—such as these from
Bike WaShoe / Truckee Meadows Bicycle Alliance, California; Kevin Süß‎ to Bike2School, Normal, Illinois; Plan Z for Miami, Florida; Healthy Planet US, San Francisco, California.

41. “Cycling is big and getting bigger in Monterey County….Do we have anything like this ‘Back to the Books and Bikes’ guide, for University of Miami, MIami-Dade College, or FIU?”—Bike SoMi, Miami, Florida
 
42. “Bicycling Monterey is an invaluable source of information about riding in the area.”—Jay Rawlins, Best Rides, Chico, California
43. “Thank you for the well rounded guide @bikemonterey!!” —Save Our Shores, Santa Cruz, California
44. “This is a wonderful site…Thank you.” —David Nakai, visitor biking Carmel and Salinas
45. “We are gonna plan tomorrow around the HER Helmet Thursdays deals. It is a very cool initiative.”—Jody Bailey, Alberta, Canada
46. “You are doing amazing work. Thank you!”—Rev Laura Everett, Boston, Massachusetts
47. “Thank you for the great resources.” Jamie Fearer, Nacotchtank Land | Trinidad, District of Columbia
48. “Thank you @bikemonterey for prof’ing on this very important topic. #BikeSchool”—Martha Boyd, El Paso, Texas
49. “Thanks, this was great, important questions. #BikeSchool”—Hugh Share, Wildwood, Missouri
50. “Thanks @bikemonterey for hosting a fun #BikeSchool!”—Rudi Riet, Washington, District of Columbia
51. “Amazing wealth of information!!!—Denise Danielle, Groveland, California
52. “Thank you for a WONDERFULLY informative site.” — Sam Ornelas, Fresno, California
53. “We live in England and will be visiting [Monterey County] in September…Thanks again for your help!”—Paul Swift, England
54. “I looked at BikeMonterey’s website. It’s a good model for what other communities could do. Very cool!”—Yvonne Caruthers (retired cellist) on Mastodon
55. “Great to hear from the inspiring @BikeMonterey about delight and toil on [Highway 1, Big Sur Coast].” —Rachel Duchak, Morning Edition host and producer of California’s Central Coast Public Radio KCBXfmaa
56. “Thanks for your kind and very thoughtful response.”—Ukulele Nipper, Taunton, United Kingdom
57. “Check out Mari Lynch’s Bicycling Monterey Site! Everything you need to know about cycling in one of the most beautiful places.”—Abe Lincoln, Morro Bay, California
58. “Thanks for the tips! You are the best!”—Michelle Riehn, Rockledge, Florida

B. Comments from Monterey County residents/locals

1. “Yaaaas! @BikeMonterey is a fabulous resource for biking in Monterey County. Thank you for the shoutout @CalBike.”—Wendy Root Askew, Monterey County Supervisor, District 4
2. “Thank you for all your efforts to support our mission. You are a great asset for the bicycling community, and that is an understatement!”—Mike Novo, chair, Transportation Agency for Monterey County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
3. “Please consider contributing to Mari Lynch’s tireless effort to make Monterey County’s air cleaner, residents healthier and streets safer through biking.” – Kera Abraham Panni, Seaside
4. “Wow. I just perused the whole list [contributors of project supplies]. You guys keep immaculate records of gifts!”—Greg Hamer, Carmel
5. “Thank you for being such a positive representative of the bicycle community and for all your hard work….No contributor reward is necessary. Having the bikemonterey.org website is reward enough. ” — Jack Long and Janet Beaty
6. “Mari Lynch has created an awesome resource and is so deserving of financial support!” — Renee Hardenstein
7. “I thought I was a bicycle promoter until I met you. Thank you, Mari!” – Jim Warwick, Salinas High School teacher and SHS Cowboys MTB team advisor
8. “Comprehensive guide to biking in Monterey…Filled a gap in our tour guide info.”—Ellen Tucker, Monterey
9. “You left out BEST BICYCLE ADVOCATE/WRITER/WEBSITE: Mari Lynch!!!! No doubt about it!!!! Bravo, Bravissimo!!!!…Mari, you astound us all for how you embrace our community with ALL THINGS BICYCLE. You make our cycling world go round and we thank you for that!” —Cath Tendler-Valencia, Seaside
10. “Mari, you are to be commended for your tireless work and dedication to encourage more use of bikes.” —Elvira Robinson, Carmel
11. “Your presentation was very informative and generated lots of interest in our audience….Your enthusiasm for more biking is truly inspirational. I, for one, came out of Tuesday’s program more determined than ever to do more biking and walking.”—Denyse Frischmuth, Sustainable Pacific Grove
12. “…I have decided to change exclusively to bicycle riding….Thank you for giving bicycle information to our residents.”—John William Coffman
13. “You have done an absolutely outstanding job of making this site a reality that anyone with two wheels appreciates.”—Mary Davis, Marina
14. “I read your article this morning, and was SO HAPPY to have been included. Thank you so very, very much. We are thrilled to be included on such a list.”—Susie Brusa, Executive Director, Rancho Cielo Youth Campus
15. “It’s called Bicycling Monterey but it’s Bicycle Monterey County. She [Mari Lynch] has some of the best write-ups of the East Side [East Salinas/the Alisal]….She’s very bicycle centric,  everything she says is the bicycle side, but she’s great about being like, ‘from this block to this block.’ Mari Lynch does an excellent job, excellent job. She’s always reaching out to us….” [from Salinas Underground Pot in their 1/21/16 podcast,  at 49:00+). And “if there is a website with more info on biking and local businesses we have not found it. Keep up the great work!!” —Salinas Underground Podcast / @SalinasPodcast on Twitter
16. “If you bike in Salinas.” —Angeles Jimenez


17. “Mari, yours is a very accessible, attractive and most important, informative website. You’re a very good reporter and seem to be everywhere, catching, interviewing and photographing touring cyclists like Wonder Woman, in addition to local cycling stories. Ride ON, girl!”—Dennis Renault, the Biking Viking
18 “Beautiful article Mari, and you did an exceptional job portraying the essence of Devian Gilbert.” —Donna, Carmel
19.”Thanks for your flyers. They were a big hit with the parents at our Cub Scouts bike rodeo!” —Lt. Angela Leffler, Naval Postgraduate School Cycling Club member
20. “Mari, I do so enjoy and appreciate your writing. This personal touch…brightened my day.” —Bettina Hotelling, Pebble Beach
21. “Thank you for posting an article on my brother! I am so proud of him, and I had tears reading this article! I love reading articles in regards to Youth doing positive things in our community!”—Dawn Allen
22. “Great post about biking in Castroville. Thank you! We just moved here, and walk on that path everyday, but now I definitely want to dust off the bike and get out further on the trail!”—Terry of Castroville
23. “Great resource for Monterey County bicycling information.”—Fort Ord Reuse Authority
24. “We cannot thank you enough for all your help and support.”—Richard Gray, director, Monterey County Probation Department Youth Center
25. “The Monterey County Probation Department Youth Center bike repair and safety class [founded by Bicycling Monterey] is a wonderful project.” —Catherine Crockett, Sustainable Monterey County
26. “This is a great program [Monterey County Probation Department Youth Center bike education program founded by Bicycling Monterey].”—Beverly Fabrics, Monterey
27. “Thank you so much for taking the time to recognize our Probation Aide, Sandy Degnan. Sandy is a key member of our YC team and a huge reason we are able to provide our assigned youth such a diverse and worthwhile array of prosocial programming such as the Bicycle Program provided by your team!” —Ryan Bone, Probation Services Manager, Monterey County Probation Department – Youth Center
28. “Thank you for spending all your precious time volunteering to get the Youth Center bike class established; I’m sure it takes a minute (times a million)!”—Luciano Rodriguez, Salinas

29. “Thanks Bicycling Monterey for organizing such a fun ride [Intergenerational Ride for Bike Month]!”—Ciclovia Salinas
30. “Thank you once again for all your help with the launch of Ciclovia Salinas. You have been an important piece in this accomplishment!” – Andrea Manzo, Building Healthy Communities-East Salinas

31. “Thanks for all you do for the bicycling community.”—Henrietta Stern, Monterey Off Road Cycling Association
32. “I greatly admire and respect all that you do for the local bike community!”—Dave Holodiloff, Musician
33. “Thank you for all your help and support.”—Rob Garcia, Salinas social cycling advocate, member of Salinas Lions Club and Knights of Columbus
34. “We appreciate all your help. Thank you for your support of NPSCC!” —Giovanna Kha Marino, Naval Postgraduate School Foundation
35. “Thank you for all your work, and always considering Salinas in it too.” —Jacky Luna, founder of the Salinas Urban Art Project
36. “I learned about HER Helmet Thursdays by attending the Tuesday Salinas City Council meeting. WOW!! Great going, and please tell the participants my family is definitely going to give them business.”—Lane Davis, Salinas
37. “Mari I love your HER Helmet Thursdays idea….It brings people out on their bikes and lets cyclists know which businesses support cycling. Thank you for everything that you do for Monterey County cycling.”—Mike
38. “Wow…really great information on your site…so very useful….”—Laura Vidaurri, Fort Ord Reuse Authority ESCA Program Coordinator, Marina
39. “I wholeheartedly support the work Mari Lynch is doing for the biking community, which benefits our way of life here on the Monterey Peninsula.”—Jacquelyn Woodward, Carmel
40. “Thanks for your tireless work, Mari! You make it seem so effortless!”—Heidi Hall, Light & Motion

41. “This is a great link [‘Bicycling Carmel: Traveling with Fido, and Other Tips’]for biking around the area.” —Lamp Lighter Inn & Sunset Suites, Carmel
42. “Thanks for supporting our #MCGives [bike barometer] campaign… Bicycling Monterey!”—The Offset Project, Monterey 
43. “Check out what local bicycling advocate extraordinare [Bicycling Monterey] is saying about this years 2012 B2B Bike Ride…”—Jeff Ernest, Bridge Restoration’s B2B Ride
44. “Thankful for all your great support over the past few years!”—Andrew Kipsey, Bridge Restoration’s B2B Ride.
45. “Want the local’s lowdown on Monterey? Check out Mari Lynch’s HER Helmet Thursdays… tons of good intel!”—Sea Otter Classic 

46. “Great blog regarding biking in Monterey…Hats off to all of our eco-conscious travelers!…We are quite proud to have our hotel and outlets endorsing your HER Helmet Thursday project! ”—Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa
47. “Great piece [Bicycling Monterey’s ‘Bach by Bike’] on our very own Australian biking harpsichord technician.”—Carmel Bach Festival
48. “A youth without a car in rural Monterey County uses the MST bus when he can, but available bus service is very limited. Now he has a bike to get to community college and work…. Thanks go to Mari of Bicycling Monterey for connecting me with him.”—Steve Benes, Gears 4 Good
49. “Thanks, Bicycling Monterey, for your help finding bikes for our clients!”—Interim Inc., Monterey County
50. “The Andy Ausonio Library/MCFL Castroville Branch is a resource for people who bike! Many thanks to Mari Lynch of Bicycling Monterey, whose donation made it possible to add new resources on bicycling to the library’s collection.”—Friends of the Andy Ausonio Library, Castroville

51. “Planning to bike to the Artichoke Festival? Here’s a great calendar post by Mari Lynch of Bicycling Monterey.” —Artichoke Festival
52. “A valuable site run by an invaluable person.” — Kenny Trammel, Valley Bikes, Salinas
53. “Great resource and information for all. Great job!”—Jacob “Jake” Arroyo
54. “Mari Lynch offers lots of news, actions, resources, and ideas for people who like to bike – and for anyone interested in making Monterey County bike-friendlier.”—Sustainable Seaside
55. “Great review of Saturday’s Intergen ride. Thanks for coordinating the event. We had lots of fun and look forward to next year’s ride.”—Gordon Babbitt, Salinas
56. “Great blog post by Mari Lynch about biking on Lighthouse Avenue in Monterey and special discounts available for cyclists there on Thursdays.”—The Lighthouse District, Monterey / @lighthouseave on Twitter 8/28/16
57. “Our friends at #BicyclingMonterey shared some tips for biking in #PebbleBeach!”—Portola Hotel & Spa, Monterey
58. “Thanks, Mari Lynch, for this cool website [web page] about Salinas.”—Rancho Cielo Youth Campus, Salinas
59. “Thanks for helping get the word out about our amazing group of students who ride in our bike club!” —Monterey Park School, Salinas
60. “Great bike tips for tourists as well as residents.”—Middlebury Institute of International Studies
61. “Nice article on the care and feeding of Big Sur, geared toward bicyclists [https://bikemonterey.org/big-sur-bicycling-tips-for-the-big-sur-coast.html] .” And “@BikeMonterey is THE local expert on biking in or through Monterey County. @MariLynch’s advice is golden!”…And “What a great advocate – untiring, at that – for bicycling you have become in these past ten years, Mari. Your voice is important.” —Kate Novoa a.k.a. Big Sur Kate, Big Sur

62. “Thank you again so much for speaking at Carmel Valley Rotary. I am so impressed by your amazing work and commitment….Yours is such important work!”—Janie Rommel-Eichorn, Palo Colorado Canyon, Big Sur

63. “I totally thank you now and always for educating our local folk and those who visit!!! You are such a wonderful outlet of information. Thank you!!!”—Nichola Swanson-Marengo on FB
64. “I am super grateful for your help for this event.”—Daniel Troia, filmmaker, about his local bike documentary screening benefiting Dorothy’s Place of Salinas
65. “A big thank you to @BikeMonterey for all the local advocacy work.”—Matt Hess, Seaside
66. “Step by step, bikes will shape a town. Thanks, Bicycling Monterey!”—Gabriel Guillén, Monterey
67. “Your dedication to personal, environmental and community health through biking is inspiring!”—Terrill and Robin Keeler, Marina
68. “I have been following your work and would love to learn what BZP can do support your efforts! Really appreciate all your great work.”—Tanja Roos, Blue Zones Project Monterey County
69. “Consider supporting this eco-friendly cause with a donation. Mari Lynch has single handedly created this amazing website, which is a vast resource for local and visiting cyclists alike. She’s also created many related projects, including founding the Monterey County Probation Department Youth Center bike class, the HER Helmet Thursdays project [a project active for more than a decade], and many more bike advocacy projects.” —Jody Emerson Quintana
70. “One woman, a vision for local community… Thanks for all your hard work Mari!!!” —Sustainable Monterey
71. “Thank you for the work you do!… I really appreciate all you do to make biking accessible.”—Jessa Rego
72. “Absolutely necessary to support alternatives to driving!…Thank you for all you do that inspires us. And thank you for all you do for so many!”–Edith Frederick, Salinas
73. “It is a wonderful cycling enterprise you are contributing to Monterey. Your site, as always, is fabulous. You do beautiful work!”—Leo Kodl
74. “Congratulations on this achievement [15th anniversary of the Bicycling Monterey site and projects]— a true labor of love!”—Sandy Larson

C. Comments from Monterey County media professionals

1. “Monterey County bicycling enthusiast extraordinaire!”—Claudia Meléndez Salinas, Monterey County Herald
2. “An umbrella website for all things two-wheeled in Monterey County….A relentless advocate for a bikeable MoCo….She does this advocacy work with an eye on diversity and social justice….Despite the enormity of the challenges she takes on, she’s unfailingly courteous, friendly and solutions-oriented.”—Kera Abraham, Monterey County Weekly
3. “No profit motive for its creator, Mari Lynch, just a vision to see more locals and tourists ride bikes.”–Ravi Kapur, KSBW

4. “The consummate ‘spokes’ woman!”—Roberto Robledo, Salinas Californian
5. “A wealth of relevant information for cyclists residing in or visiting Monterey County.”—Peter Mounteer, Cedar Street Times
6. “Tireless cycling advocate.”—Squid (9/25/14), Monterey County Weekly
7. “Sage advice for bike commuters and tourists.”—Daniel Strain, Salinas Californian
8. “Mari Lynch is doing great things re: local cycling safety and infrastructure.” —David M. Schmalz, Staff Writer, Monterey County Weekly

D. Comments from Monterey Bay Region transportation professionals and municipal leaders

1. “Great resource for tourists and residents alike!”—Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments
2. “Bike Monterey [bikemonterey.org] is such a rich resource!”—Inga Waite, Library and Museums Director, City of Monterey
3. “Does so much for the community, in an informative and collaborative manner.”—Debbie Hale, Executive Director, Transportation Agency for Monterey County
4. “Unyielding support for bike projects. A very positive voice.”—Rich Deal, City of Monterey Traffic Engineer
5. “Your recognition by the Alliance for Biking & Walking is so well deserved.”—Andrew Cook, former bicycle and pedestrian coordinator, Transportation Agency for Monterey County
6. “Mari is a genuine community steward. Her work with Bicycling Monterey is a huge public service to the region. She performs her work with passion and compassion, and she’s skilled at detail-oriented quality control.” And “My colleague Mari Lynch works her tail off for cycling advocacy, filling a need in Monterey Bay that our government agencies, hospitality industry and community members *should* be funding. Please support Mari’s Bicycling Monterey.”—Megan Tolbert, former transportation planner at California State University Monterey Bay, and former associate planner, sustainability for City of Monterey
7. “Thanks for all you have done to promote safe and fun cycling in Monterey County.”—Kevin Cole, Safety Director, Pebble Beach Company
8. “We appreciate all your bicycling support and effort!” Kaki Cheung, former bicycle and pedestrian coordinator, Transportation Agency for Monterey County
9. “Thanks for all you are doing!”—James Serrano, City of Salinas Transportation Planner
10. “Civic minded…very uplifting.”—Michael Ricker, City of Salinas
10. “MST appreciates all of your support today, and everyday….Thanks for continually spreading the word about MST!”—Zoe Shoats, marketing manager, Monterey-Salinas Transit
11. “We appreciate your info about climate change and bicycling in the Tri-County Region!”
—San Benito County Rideshare
12. “I appreciate your service to the community! You are amazing, such a resource!!”—Steve McShane, Council Member, City of Salinas
13. “Great source of bicycling news and events.”—City of Monterey Community Development / Transportation Alternatives webpage
14. “Thanks for help spreading the word about the benefits of cycling in Monterey County…You are very kind and a great member of our community and team. Many thanks.”—City of Monterey on Twitter
15. “Great reference info for your next group ride [Instructions for Group Social Rides aka Rideouts]. Thanks Mari!”—Rich Lopez, civilian investigator, Salinas Police

E. Comments from bike advocates in Monterey County and around the USA

1. “You’re definitely the role-model to follow, for anyone hoping to influence pedestrian/car/bike fairness and diplomacy and habit evolution in a community!”—Steve Cutcomb, San Francisco Bay Area advocate
2. “Monterey gets more bike friendly every year, and Mari Lynch is one of the main reasons why!” —Ray Keener, executive director of the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association
3. “Mari doesn’t wait until all conditions are right and funds are available; she just dives in and gets things done!” —Alliance for Biking & Walking
4. “You put your region’s diversity front and center in your work.” — Adonia Lugo, PhD, bicycle anthropologist, publisher of the blog Urban Adonia, and manager of the Bike Equity Network
5. “Thank you for your tireless work supporting youth mired in the legal system. So glad you can help out young people in this very important way!”—Jared Sanchez, California Bicycle Coalition
6. “Thank you for your help [regarding U.S. Bicycle Route 95 designation in the County of Monterey]. Your guidance made it happen, after 5 years of frustration….Great thanks to you, Bicycling Monterey!”—Kerry Irons, Adventure Cycling Association
7. “In 2021 Mari Lynch of the seminal local resource, Bicycling Monterey, is an accessible, impressive advocate who has spearheaded our local alternative transportation coalition movement….The site continues to be the source for local and state resources, a robust and well-established site.”—Jung Hwa Kim,AMFT, Pacific Grove Traffic Safety Commissioner
8. “Consistently advocates for bicycling. Major kudos to Mari for all her great work!”—California Bicycle Coalition.
9. “Your blog post [on a controversial Monterey County infrastructure project] is excellent. People need to be involved by supporting Bike Monterey!”—Dave Snyder, executive director, California Bicycle Coalition
10. “Outstanding site. Uplifting, informative, relevant, and fun to read and look at.”—Matthew Sundt, former president of Velo Club Monterey
11. “Bicycling Monterey…chock full of info on local family bike activities and resources, as well as ways to get involved in local bicycle advocacy efforts….Thank you so much for the lovely photos…a breath of fresh air.” —Anna Fahey, Sightline Institute, Seattle, Washington
12. “If you live or ride anywhere around Monterey, Carmel or Salinas, you owe it to yourself to support @bikemonterey.” And “Thank you for all your hard work….You really make a difference up there.”—Ted Rogers, Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition board member
13. “Mari is a tireless and passionate bicycle advocate….Really great website.”—Saskia Lucas, Open Streets Santa Cruz
14. “I’m wondering if something subliminal has happened after reading Mari Lynch Bicycling Monterey. I’ve been riding the Rock Island Greenway Trail for the last week and a half. Just a wonderful and beautiful ride! It’s not Monterey, CA, but a real gem for Peoria.”—Richard Coers, Peoria
15. “Mari Lynch, [featured] bike advocate in Monterey County, California, and founder of Bicycling Monterey.” —League of American Bicyclists
16. “Great newsletter, thank you for the roundup!”—Jeff Lindenthal, executive director, Sea Otter Classic Foundation
17. “One of the very best resources for Monterey area cyclists, both residents and visitors, is Bicycling Monterey. Hosted and run since 2009 by Mari Lynch, her site is incredibly broad in scope, but also rich in details. Mari covers all aspects of cycling in our area and it’s safe to say there’s no one who does more for cycling and cyclists in Monterey County. Bicycling Monterey is very deserving of any support you can give.”—Velo Club Monterey
18. “Always appreciate your comments and contributions.”—Martin Wegenstein, chair, Transportation Agency for Monterey County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
19. “It’s awesome that you stepped in to help on that teen’s behalf!”(responding to Bicycling Monterey’s project that provides alternatives to fines for youth who receive traffic citations while biking)—Phil Yip, Operations Coordinator, Bike East Bay (@Ascentale on Mastodon)
20. “Thank you so much for what you do.”—Frank Henderson, Monterey County Probation Department Youth Center instructor since 2012, and a League of American Bicyclists’ League Cycling Instructor
21. From a November 2010 online conversation, a Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission senior planner and a Santa Cruz Sentinel columnist wrote: “Have you seen the Bicycling Monterey site? This is a one-woman production and volunteer effort. It’s full of bike-related resources, events, news, programs, etc….Does anyone have an interest in working to pull something like this together for our area?”…“Mari, your website has started a revolution in Santa Cruz. We want to launch a site like yours – but we imagine we need 10 people at least to launch what you have done.” 
22. “Good work, Bike Monterey! You are an amazing resource for our region!”—Bike Santa Cruz County – June 13, 2022 on Twitter
23. “Keep up the good work!” —Stephen Svete, board member, Bike Santa Cruz County, 4/30/24
24.”Excellent resource for all things bikes in Monterey County.” — Richard Masoner (on his Cyclelicious blog )- And “Monterey County has no organized bike advocacy beyond the Herculean efforts of a single woman.” (@cyclelicious on Twitter, 3/16/18) And In Monterey, the most visible voice for bike advocacy has been @BikeMonterey, but she’s a single woman trying to improve things over an entire county on her own dime and her own time.” (@cyclelicious on Twitter, 4/22/19) And “Mari Lynch is a one-woman bicycle advocacy MACHINE and needs your help to continue her work in Monterey County California. She’s done amazing work all around the county and I encourage you to give what you can.” —Richard Masoner of Cyclelicious, Santa Cruz County
25. “From the colossal chain of events that Wall Street can trigger to the unraveling of local nonprofits, untangling the web of deceit is no fun. But it is exactly this contrast that makes me appreciate the toil of people committed to transparent and honest work. For this, all of our community should look with admiration and gratitude to people such as…Mari Lynch (Bicycling Monterey).” —Susan Ragsdale-Cronin, Del Rey Oaks resident, in a letter to the Monterey County Herald, “Sincere thanks for practicing the golden rule,” March 28, 2011.
26. “Your site is invaluable.” —Annalisa Carrillo-Fulk, Ecology Action

F. Comments from some participants in project Alternative to Fine for Traffic Citations

See separate post; click here.

Bicycling Monterey was founded in 2009 by volunteer Mari Lynch. To help support this work, and for FAQs, click here. Learn more about Bicycling Monterey in the About section.

Comments on this testimonials page were provided through media reports, social media shout-outs, website comments, and thank you notes via email and postal mail.