Started in 1956 by the League of  American Bicyclists as part of National Bike Month, Bike to Work encourages people to commute on their bikes to [...]]]> Title: Bike to Work day
Description: National Bike to Work day
Date: 2012-5-18

Can’t make the Tour and can’t call in?
Switch the 4 wheels for 2 or 3!

Started in 1956 by the League of  American Bicyclists as part of National Bike Month, Bike to Work encourages people to commute on their bikes to realize all the benefits that cyclo-commuting has to offer.  Less congestion, and reduced stress are just two positive results of commuting by bike.

A 2009 study of nearly 2,400 adults found that those who biked to work were fitter, leaner, less likely to be obese, and had better triglyceride levels, blood pressure, and insulin levels than those who didn’t actively commute to work. Gordon-Larsen, P., et al., 2009

So?

Although when the sun sets this 18th, Bike to Work week will officially end, keep a good thing going by continuing to ride your bike!  Not only will you get some miles in,  you’ll avoid  some of the nastier side effects of sedentary commuting as we outlined earlier.  The National Bike Challenge is still going strong all the way through August, so keep on pedaling and record those miles!

Here [...]]]> The evening of 5/16/2012 marked the 10th annual Ride of Silence (RoS) around the world.
Angelique Martinez, 16, of Oxnard organized a RoS in memory of her brother Anthony, 6, who was struck and killed by a pickup truck last Thanksgiving, was selected by the Ride of Silence board of directors as this years’ “champion and hero”.

Here in Orange County, it marked the 6th for Irvine organized by BCI, and a 1st for San Clemente organized by Sally Guon.

Intrigued as to how to form and organize a RoS,
your reporter contacted Sally to find out.

Perhaps her story will awaken desire and inspire others to do the same
for their cities.

Here are 2 pics of the San Clemente RoS with riders northbound on PCH
taken by OCBCs’ own, Pete Van Nuys:

Now in her own words,  the background, the process she went through to make it happen and a message for all that really want to make a difference:
“You can make it happen”.

“My husband and I moved to San Clemente 3 years ago from Plano, Tx. We were friends with Larry Schwartz, whose memory we honored in the first RIDE OF SILENCE originating in Dallas, Texas. Our friend, Chris Phelan, organized the event and over 1,000 people were there to ride silently around White Rock Lake (9.3 miles).

My husband and I are avid cyclists and have ridden many miles in several states. There is always a concern each time we ride that motor vehicles will look for us, respect that we have a right to be on the road too, and that we will be safe in our journey. I shudder each time I learn of someone being killed or injured by a motorist and think it could be me out there?

I wanted to make a difference. I am passionate about bicycle safety for both the rider and the motorist.

I reached out to Chris Phelan and he said these simple words to me, “You can make it happen”. Chris encouraged me to look through the RIDE OF SILENCE  for suggestions on flyers and video I would be able to use. When I researched the website I was impressed by how large the movement had become in 10 years time and how much aide was available to help me organize an event in my home town.

I was very surprised that in all of Orange County there was only one event and that was in Irvine. This seemed an opportunity to me in far south Orange County just because of the volume of cyclists I see in this area. I had 1000 flyers printed and posted flyers all over bicycle shops, coffee shops, bagel shops, dentists’ offices, physicians’ offices, basically anywhere I knew cyclist could be found.

I communicated on social media and face to face. I was met with an enthusiastic response and remember all of the stories that were told to me of people who know someone killed or injured while riding their bike. Pete Van Nuys was very inspirational to me here in San Clemente. He is such a bicycle advocate and is wants to get bicycle education out there, especially to our young people learning to ride. Pete met with me and was very helpful to give me suggestions on getting the word out in a bigger way publicly. Pete also suggested a bicycle safety course 101 to me whereby I can be a certified instructor and help educate at the local schools. I’ll be honest, I was not aware this existed. I assured Pete that I will follow through with this course and help educate our young people.

So, in these simple words to those wondering if you can do it. I say
“YOU CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN”!

The first ‘RIDE OF SILENCE’ in the San Clemente area started at the North Beach commuter parking lot and headed west, northwest along the PCH through Capo Beach and along Harbor Drive.

Sally Guon collecting names/emails/memorials from participants	Sally Guon talking to Fred Swegles with OCRegister as participants arrive	Mike Guon details the bike route for the RIDE OF SILENCE
Sally Guon, organizer, reading a tribute for the RIDE OF SILENCE	Cyclist making their way through Capo Beach/Doheny State Beach	Cyclist riding through Dana Point Harbor towards Kayak Beach

(photographs by Julie Springer-Anderson, San Juan Capistrano)

Our turnaround was at Kayak Beach and back again along PCH. There were fewer than 20 people in total and included people from San Clemente, Dana Point and San Juan Capistrano.

For a first event this size was quite manageable in terms of getting cyclist thru the traffic lights in one cycle. As we gathered together, I registered the riders with name, e-mail address and asked for the names of persons they were riding in memory of or those who have been injured. I gave each participant a reflective ROS sticker for their car or bicycle while my husband reviewed the course route we would be taking. I read the ROS poem and led the silent ride while my husband stayed in the back of our group. Safety was our number one concern and we did stay inside the barricades where permissible. Traffic was light on our outbound but increased as we returned home.

Motorists were very respectful and we encountered only one motorist trying to make a right hand turn in the middle of our group as we proceeded through our green light. My husband reached out and put his hand on her car to get her attention and beacon her to stop for us (also on her right).

We look forward to this being the foundation of many years to come. I personally wear a bicycle kit from TEAM CARD  which is very colorful and states the three foot law all over it. Somehow I feel I’m educating motorists while wearing it.

Most importantly we want to bring worldwide attention to motorists sharing the road with cyclists, especially as the number of cyclists increase; so should motorist alertness to us on the roadways.”

Thank you Sally, and Thanks to All Riders and Participants in the Inaugural Ride of Silence in San Clemente.

“Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.” Mahatma Gandhi

Download RideofSilenceMemorial – (6M)  any corrections? ContactUs – thanks.

Short History: On May 4 2003, Larry Schwartz was riding [...]]]> The Ride of Silence 2012
Wed May 16, 2012 – Ride of Silence

“Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.”
Mahatma Gandhi

Download RideofSilenceMemorial – (6M)  any corrections? ContactUs – thanks.

Short History:
On May 4 2003, Larry Schwartz was riding his bike and is killed by the mirror attached to a school bus.
May 8th, was his funeral and his friends came up with ideas for some sort of commemoration.
On May 11, emails were sent out, and the first Ride of Silence was held in Dallas on May 21, 2003 with 1,000 riders in attendance.

From this humble start in one place for one person, the Ride of Silence has turned into a worldwide annual commemorative event. Honoring and preserving the memory of riders lost helps the healing of those left to grieve, and provides strength and support through the bonding that occurs during the event. Community awareness of cyclists is also heightened at least for this one ride, and perhaps the memory of the sight of a silent procession of riders will linger throughout the year.

We urge cities within and without Orange County to mark this day by proclamation, and encourage clubs working with civic leaders, to schedule a local Ride of Silence.

Race, road, MTB, BMX, Cross, DH, Trike, DF, ‘Bent, Lycra, denim, or tweed – it doesn’t matter.
Whether you know it or not, you are part of a large family, and this is your call to the family reunion.

Sadly, this reunion commemorates members of the family who have been injured, or are now gone, and so we ride silently this night with our thoughts, our prayers, our memories, and our hopes that at the next family reunion we will not have to add any more names to the growing list of lives lost on the road.

As of 4/3/12, Irvine is the only city in Orange County registered as hosting a Ride of Silence.

Announcing: late word that San Clemente will also hold a Ride of Silence starting at 6:30pm in North Beach by the Urban Bicycle Outfitters at 1900 N. El Camino Real.

For a list of other locations holding a Ride of Silence in California, please go to: RideofSilence – California.

The moving Poem about the Ride of Silence.

Additional information about the Irvine Ride of Silence may be found here.

If possible, try and join others and ride to and from the events.

Safety:
It will be a dusk ride, Sun set is at 7:53; so wear your reflective & HiViz day
glow, & have plenty of reflectors & lights….

In case you don’t know, California law changed in January and lights & reflectors are required on bike-ways and sidewalks now.

Please wear an arm band; Black in solidarity – or Red if you have been injured by a motorist.
(Inexpensive head / wrist band sets or cut up tube socks work well…)

“The SHARE Mountain Bike Poker Ride is a very very fun event that has been run annually for over 15 years. The event has raised critically needed money sponsoring [...]]]> Title: SHARE MTB Poker Ride
Location: Santiago Oaks
Link out: Click here
Description: Fundraising Ride for trail maintenance and wilderness restoration
Start Time: 08:00
Date: 2012-05-19

“The SHARE Mountain Bike Poker Ride is a very very fun event that has been run annually for over 15 years. The event has raised critically needed money sponsoring trail work and wilderness restoration projects throughout Orange County.”

Basically riders collect a card at each of 7 checkpoint, and the best poker hand  wins!

Volunteers are still needed (are they ever not needed?) – so if you can help out, please e-mail SHARE and let them know because the date is approaching faster than you cab downhill The Luge.

National Bike to School Day is coordinated by the National Center for Safe Routes to School.   Details and contact info for California are here.

A  planning resource is hosted by the same group at a different site which is here.

To use our [...]]]> Title: Bike to School day
Description: Bike to School day
Date: 2012-05-09

National Bike to School Day is coordinated by the National Center for Safe Routes to School.   Details and contact info for California are here.

A  planning resource is hosted by the same group at a different site which is here.

To use our bikeways in planning a route to school, please see the OCTA’s Bikeways Map.

updated 4/20/12 w/new link-sprocket

Crowd Scene

Frank N

OCBC Booth and Volunteers

Frank P Interview

City of HB

Recycling Jerseys

Another Look

Spinning the wheel at the JAX booth, I won a [...]]]> Traveling to Huntington Beach, your festive reporter attended the OCTA Bike Festival, and submits the following pics for your enjoyment.

Crowd Scene	Frank N	OCBC Booth and Volunteers
Frank P Interview	City of HB	Recycling Jerseys
	Another Look

Spinning the wheel at the JAX booth, I won a bottle of chain lube.  After being instructed that “wet”  and “dry” style lubes refer to riding conditions (I thought they were all “wet”), I chose the dry, and feeling lucky, also tried my hand at the wheel at the OCTA booth – and won a frisbee!  The weather was great, and after hanging around for a while, your reporter set sail southward.

Rider Down and back up in CdM

Riding  into Corona del Mar, your observant reporter spotted a rider with a slight problem to his front wheel.

A wobbly wheel

Inquiring at the local Ace Hardware about a replacement wheel (“sorry, but we have tubes”), Assistant Manager Mike sprang into action and said, “We’ll fix this mountain bike style“, and proceeded to bend the rim into some semblance of round by pressing the edges against the curb, beating on it with a rubber mallet, and adjusting the spokes until the wheel would actually turn again!

The rim is a Mavic A719 in case you were wondering, however I’m sure this one will be recycled once the rider reaches a bike shop if he even makes it that far.

Great job Mike, you certainly saved that rider’s day!

Mike the "Ace" Mechanic

According to a NPB police officer cyclists are crazy to ride through Corona del Mar on PCH,”I don’t know how you guys do this, I’d never ride through here - you should use Bayside – there’s sharrows there”.  This was the 2nd cyclist accident in less than an hour within a few blocks of each other according to another police officer.  Status of the other injured rider is unknown at this time.
Added note;  from the adventures Frank had getting to  the festival, one has to wonder, is there something in the water?

The bike festival will take place at the Huntington Beach Pier Plaza at Main Street, Huntington Beach Pier.

Ride your bike to the festival and spend a day of fun in [...]]]> Title: OCTA Bike Festival
Location: Huntington Beach
Description: Fun in the sun on 2 wheels
Start Time: 10:00
Date: 2012-4-29
End Time: 16:00

The bike festival will take place at the Huntington Beach Pier Plaza at Main Street, Huntington Beach Pier.

Ride your bike to the festival and spend a day of fun in the sun.
Learn about bike safety, receive a free inspection, win great prizes, and get your bike ready for National Bike Month.

PLEDGE TO RIDE, GET A $25 DISCOUNT COUPON AND YOU COULD WIN PRIZES!

It’s back! If riding in the Rwanda Ride isn’t for you, how about a test of your mad road skilz against 2,500 of your new best friends?

How often do you get a chance [...]]]> Title: L’Etape du California
Location: Ontario / Mount Baldy
Description: Stage 7 Tour of California amateur road ride
Date: 2012-4-28

It’s back!
If riding in the Rwanda Ride isn’t for you, how about a test of your mad road skilz against 2,500 of your new best friends?

How often do you get a chance to ride(err… race?) the same timed course the pros will be riding in the Tour of California?
Answer: Once, and this is it!

The organisers of the Tour of California have announced the return of the
amateur ride L’Etape du California. Yay!

Starting in Ontario and taking in the climb to the summit of Mt. Baldy will be a real test for all racers and riders. Like last year’s event, it will be limited to 2,500 riders and should it follow a similar parcours, riders can expect to climb around 10,000ft across almost 100 miles. Not for the faint of heart!

Best of luck to all the racers and riders!

Get dirty for a cause!

The 6th Annual 50 Mile Ride for Rwanda will be held on Saturday April 28, 2012 in Orange County California. The event pulls around [...]]]> Title: Rwanda Ride
Location: Santiago Canyon / Trabuco Canyon Areas
Link out: Click here
Description: Non-profit fundraiser
Start Time: 06:30
Date: 2012-4-28
End Time: 20:00

Get dirty for a cause!

The 6th Annual 50 Mile Ride for Rwanda will be held on Saturday April 28, 2012
in Orange County California. The event pulls around 800 mountain bikers who
raise funds for two non-profits: Project Rwanda,  and Team Rwanda Cycling.

The event offers three different route options to choose from: the epic 50 mile route,
a moderate but still challenging 25 mile route, and a new 10 mile route suitable for casual
and beginning mountain bikers.

50 mile option starts at 7:00am (check-in at 6:30am)
25 mile option starts at 9:00am (check-in at 8:30am)
10 mile option starts at 9:00am (check-in at 8:30am)
NOTE: 10 mile riders start and finish inside O’Neill Park (not at Cooks) –

For registration and full details click the icon above.

A post-ride party will be at Cook’s Corner

Roadies, please be extra careful going through Live Oak / Santiago Canyon;
or get on your mountain bike and join in the fun!