1. Marin County recognized by U.S. Dept of Transportation - wins award
NTPP wins 2010 Exemplary Human Environment Initiatives award

The County of Marin’s initiative, WalkBikeMarin, part of the Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot Program (NTPP), has been recognized by the United States Department of Transportation with a 2010 Exemplary Human Environment Initiatives (EHEI) award in the Education and Training Programs category for “using a range of education and encouragement activities to promote walking and bicycling”. EHEI awards recognize outstanding examples of transportation projects that either create or improve conditions for human activities while protecting the natural environment. Ten projects received EHEI recognition nationwide.

WalkBikeMarin has funded a range of outreach and training opportunities countywide, including: a program website; personalized bicycle and pedestrian travel planning; development of community walking and bicycling maps; confident cycling courses for adults and children; bicycle repair courses; bicycle and pedestrian informational booths at community events, including the Marin County Fair; safety programs targeted at vehicle drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians; a toolkit for health professionals; pedestrian and bicycle facility design seminars for local agency staff and engineering professionals; “Ciclovia/Paseos del Canal” events which promoted the health benefits of biking and walking; a Built Environment conference overseen by the Marin County Health Department; and development of a walking and bicycling toolkit for business owners, teachers, and managers. These efforts enable and encourage increased walking and bicycling throughout the county.

Judy Arnold, Marin County Board of Supervisors President, noted: “Being nationally recognized for our efforts to increase walking and bicycling through education and outreach is a great compliment to our creative approach to getting the community to try walking and bicycling and using our ever-improving facilities for everyday trips”.

WalkBikeMarin is an initiative by the County of Marin to implement the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program, a federal transportation program which provides $25 million each to Marin County and three other communities in the Midwest to evaluate whether construction of bicycle and pedestrian facilities, along with educational and outreach programs, can encourage bicycling and walking as a means to reduce automobile trips.

Further information about these outreach and training opportunities and the Nonmotorized Transportation Pilot Program is available on the WalkBikeMarin website. Details about the award are available here.

2. MCBC needs you to renew
Help MCBC reach 2,000 members by the end of the year

2010 is the year of the bicycle in Marin County. So for we’ve opened 5-miles of new bicycle facilities this year, including the Los Ranchitos bike lanes, Northgate Promenade, the Dias Ridge Trail and the Alameda del Prado bike lanes. But the best is yet to come, as we prepare to open the Lincoln Hill Pathway and Cal Park Hill Tunnel.

Now more than ever we need all MCBC members to renew their membership. Your membership dollars keeps our activities and advocacy running!

With all the continuing opportunities to expand our bicycling network and fill its gaps, we can’t afford to rest on our laurels without your support. Please renew your MCBC membership today and help us keep things rolling forward for cyclists in Marin County.

If you bike in Marin, why wouldn’t you be a member?

First time members can join for as little as $25 thanks to a matching grant to increase membership from the Dean Witter Foundation.

Join or renew today!

3. Biketoberfest is gearing up to be big
Cyclocross race, Klunkerz screening, family fun and ride with Alison Starnes

Be sure to mark Saturday, October 16, on your calendar, as the year’s biggest bicycle festival rolls into Fairfax. It’s Biketoberfest Marin and there’s something for every bicyclist!

This year we’ll have over 50 bicycle companies in our expo area, including beautiful handmade bikes from Steelman, Retrotec, Soulcraft, Rivendel and Sycip, to mention a few. The Lions of Fairfax Cyclocross race will take place during Biketoberfest as well, registration is now open. There will be lots of activities for kids, including a jump house, bicycle activities from Mt Tam Bikes Camp and Little Rollers, and a teenage rock band!

You won’t want to miss the group rides either; we’ll have a road ride with Alison Starnes. Alison is the top female pro living in the county. She's raced extensively here in the US and Europe, and has her sights set on the 2012 London Olympics. For mountain bikers we’ll be gathering the stars of KLUNKERZ for a ride on some of Marin’s best fire roads and trails!

Speaking of KLUNKERZ, we’re planning an outdoor screening of the mountain bike documentary in the evening.

For a full list of exhibitors and all the details, visit the Biketoberfest website.

4. THIS Friday: MCBC partners with Rick Gunn on Soulcycler
MCBC membership drive will open presentation on 25,811 mile bike journey

Writer, photographer, adventurer Rick Gunn will deliver his 90-minute presentation “Soulcycler, Words and Images from a 25,811-Mile Bicycle Journey Around-The-World” in two local shows in September. Gunn will speak at the Marin Civic Center Showcase Theater, Friday, Sept 10, at 7pm.

The show will include an opening presentation by the Marin County Bicycle Coalition. MCBC has been steadily improving our county’s road and path facilities for walkers and bikers since forming in 1998. You’ve seen the impact of our advocacy efforts in each of our towns: permanent bike racks, bike lane striping, green-and-white bike route signs, road resurfacing, ‘sharrow’ road stencils, and so much more. MCBC will hold a membership drive in conjunction with the Soulcycler Show.

“Soulcycler” combines 350 breath-taking photos from 33 countries, set to music, accompanied by a selection of uniquely emotional stories from around the globe. Inspired by the loss of his mother at an early age, Gunn delivers a front-row seat to the pursuit of his lifelong dream of cycling the planet.

In 2005, after 14 years as a photojournalist for a daily newspaper, Gunn climbed atop his bike, and rode nearly 26,000 miles, through 33 countries, taking over three years to complete his journey. Ultimately transformed by scenes of war, poverty, and disease he witnessed along the way, Gunn began dedicating his journey to the greater good, expanding his definition of what it means to give and to love.

Whether reporting from an orphanage in Nepal, volunteering in an AIDS Hospice in Thailand, covering Bomb extraction and mine victim rehabilitation in Laos and Vietnam, or simply planting trees in Borneo, Soulcycler delivers a first-hand account the realization of a dream, the current state of the planet, and what it means to care.

Report author John Pucher

5. New report on public health benefits of bicycling and walking
Report reinforces the need for policies to encourage bicycling and walking

MCBC likes to keep up on the latest research on Active Transportation (bicycling and walking). A new study, "Walking and Cycling to Health: A Comparison of Recent Evidence from City, State, and International Studies," examines the relationships between Active Transportation, rates of physical activity, rates of obesity, and rates of diabetes. Not surprisingly, this report reinforces the need for policies on transportation, land use, and urban development to encourage bicycling and walking for daily travel.

The report is relatively short (7 pages), easy to read, and can be downloaded here.

6. Corte Madera Creek Pedestrian/Bike Path closure Sept 7 - Dec 15
Frequently used pathway closed for Ross Valley sanitary project

The extremely popular Corte Madera Creek bicycle and pedestrian path will be closed from September 7th through December 15th. Closure area will be from Bon Air Road to the Stadium Avenue Bridge crossing behind Kent Middle School. Detour routes will be posted. For more information, please call the Ross Valley Sanitary District at: (415) 259-2949 x212 or Marin County Parks and Open Space at: (415) 499-6394.

For a map of the detour routes for bicycles and pedestrians, click on the graphic at right.

MCBC will provide updates on pathway progress and timelines if needed.

7. Upcoming MCBC events

Riding with Youth
Saturday, September 11, 9:30 AM – 12 noon
Terra Linda Community Center, 670 Del Ganado Rd, San Rafael

Basic Street Skills
Tuesday, September 21, 6:30-8:30 PM
Marin General Hospital, Tamalpais/Magnolia Room, 250 Bon Air Road, Greenbrae

Riding with Youth
Saturday, September 25, 9:30 AM – 12 noon
Novato Youth Center, 680 Wilson Ave, Novato

Riding with Youth
Saturday, October 2, 9:30 AM – 12 noon
Community Center for the Tamalpais Community Services District, 203 Marin Ave., Mill Valley

Brookside Octoberfest with Valet Bike Parking
Saturday, October 9, 10 AM – 4 PM
Brookside Lower Campus, 116 Butterfield Road, San Anselmo

Riding with Youth
Saturday, October 16, 9:30 AM – 12 noon
Novato Youth Center, 680 Wilson Ave, Novato

Biketoberfest
Saturday, October 16, 11 AM – 6 PM
FairAnselm Plaza, 765 Center Blvd., Fairfax

Basic Street Skills
Tuesday, October 19, 6:30-8:30 PM
Sausalito City Hall, Edgewater Room, 420 Litho Street, Sausalito

See an expanded list of events

8. Spare the Air YouTube video contest
Post a video to win prizes like a Mahon folding bike

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) announces:

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District is searching for Bay Area residents to share their commuting stories in its Commuter Chronicles video contest. Tell us why and how you Spare the Air during your commute -- whether you carpool, take public transit, telecommute, bike or walk to work, or get even more creative. You can help inform fellow commuters and have the chance to win one of several commuter-friendly prizes:

• Grand Prize: $579 Dahon Mu Uno Folding Bike
• First Prize: $250 FasTrack pass and $100 Starbucks gift card
• Second Prizes: One of 10 $100 Clipper passes, for use on AC Transit, BART, Caltrain, Golden Gate Transit and Ferry and all Muni vehicles

All you have to do is record a 60-second or less video that showcases how you help "Spare the Air" and submit it to the Spare the Air YouTube channel for a chance to win.

The three to four million vehicles on Bay Area roads each day are our largest source of air pollution. To help reduce ground-level ozone, or smog, the Spare the Air campaign is looking to educate Bay Area residents about ways to keep our air cleaner and encourage them to take action that helps Spare the Air every day.

Post your video to YouTube (you'll need to register for a YouTube account if you don't already have one). Click here and use the Send Message button to send us your video (as an attachment). You MUST include your video's title, your name, street address, city, state, ZIP Code, phone number and email address

Video entries for the Spare the Air Commuter Chronicles contest should:

• Explain how you Spare the Air
• Highlight interesting/fun Spare the Air experiences
• Include estimated commute time and money saved while commuting to Spare the Air
• Demonstrate why you are a savvy commuter
• Not exceed 60 seconds

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Contest starts 12:00 a.m. PT 8/11/10 and ends 11:59 p.m. PT 9/30/10. Open to legal residents of the U.S., are 18 years of age or older at date of entry, and physically residing or working in the nine counties of San Francisco Bay (Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, southwestern Solano, and southern Sonoma), Go to the Air District's Facebook page for Official Rules. Sponsor: Bay Area Air Quality Management District Void where prohibited.

9. You’re invited to the Ridge Trail Cruz
Only ten days till the Ridge Trail Cruz on September 11 - register now!

The Bay Area Ridge Trail Council announces:

You’re invited to the Ridge Trail Cruz. This fully supported event in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Palo Alto has something for everyone:

• Hike 5 to 26 miles or bring out the kids for the Family Hike with Nature Center visit.
• Trot 10 to 23 miles.
• Pedal 13 to 35 miles - including through Sanborn County Park, prior to the park's official opening to cyclists!

Visit more of the Ridge Trail. We shuttle you to the start south of Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve and provide snacks and water at rest stops, and a hearty and healthy gourmet buffet lunch. Our volunteer guides and sweeps lend support along the way.

Registration is open and complete details are available on our website.

10. Turn your exercise into $$ for Trips for Kids
…and win prizes in our challenge!

Trips for Kids announces:

Join the Plus 3 Network and translate your exercise into much-needed cash for TFK! Plus 3 Network matches worthy causes like Trips for Kids with generous sponsors - Ritchey Design and Syncros USA, in our case. Just sign up, enter the miles you ride (or other exercise miles, like running, swimming, etc.), and our sponsors will donate a matching amount to TFK.

To date, Plus 3 members have logged exercise miles and earned $9,092 for Trips for Kids!

Members can also join our "Explore Your Community" challenge and win prizes. 10 Members logging 13 biking activities before September 30th will win Planet Bike MicroPro bike pumps and will be in the running for one of three Trips For Kids "Super Advocate" Grand Prizes! All three grand prize winners will receive exclusive Trips for Kids cycling socks and one lucky Member will go home with a Plus 3 cycling jersey.

For more information, call 415.458.2986 or email info@tripsforkids.org . Or visit the Re-Cyclery Bike Thrift Shop at 610 4th St. in San Rafael.