1. Casino Night Countdown is on!  3 days left to get your tickets online!
Come dance with us this Saturday!

Don’t take chances with the future of bicycle advocacy—take chances and support the MCBC at Casino Night! There’s something for everyone: roulette, craps, blackjack, poker, beer, wine, mixed and soft drinks, appetizers, fantastic casino prizes, silent auction, the beautiful setting and views of Servino and all of your biker friends. And, we'll have a DJ for dancing starting at 9:30 PM.

Membership Status

Non-Member $60.00 Member $50.00

 

Tickets are $50 for members, $60 non-members (Join MCBC and receive a $10 per ticket discount) or $55 and $65 at the door (if we don’t sell out!).

Some of our favorite casino prizes include a Western Spirit cycling trip for two, and a 2012 Specialized Tarmac Elite Road Bike donated by Mike's Bikes. We’ll also have a silent auction featuring several fantastic items, including original "Beecycles" artwork by Matt Lively, a LifeCycle Adventures fully supported and customized cycling (etc.) trip for two in Oregon, Capo cycling gear from Studio Velo, and in-home gourmet dining experience just to name a few. More items are rolling in every day, so check our website for updates.

 

 

The 2011 Bikers Ball and Casino Night is sponsored by
Mike's Bikes, Backroads, and Fits by Paul

 

Table Sponsors:  Maikham Catering, Bolds Insurance Brokerage, and Dr. Laura Sciaroni, The Orthopaedic Group of San Francisco

2. New bike racks installed in Downtown Larkspur

A dozen bike racks were recently installed in six locations in Downtown Larkspur, on Magnolia Avenue between the Lark Theater and City Hall.  This was made possible by remarkable public-private collaboration. 

Encouraged and assisted by bicycle advocates Cindy Winter and Dwayne Price, Larkspur Department of Public Works Director Hamid Shamsapour and Engineer Phiroze Wadia identified the locations for the racks, which were paid for by a Transportation for Clean Air grant through Walk/Bike Marin.  When the City was unable to provide funds for installation, Councilmember Kathy Hartzell started looking for donors.  Installation funding was provided by the Rotary Club of Central Marin, the Larkspur Library Foundation, Larkspur business owners and private citizens. 

Thanks to the efforts of all these people, bicyclists now have several convenient places to park in Downtown Larkspur. 

3. Cranksgiving, a bicycle food drive, comes to Marin!

Calling all riders for a Marin County Bicycle Coalition event to benefit the Marin County Food Bank!

• Where: Marin Country Mart Near the Farmer’s Market
• When: Saturday, November 12
  Registration starts at 1 PM.  Ride starts at 2 PM.
• After-Party: 5 PM at the Marin Brewing Company, Larkspur

Click here to register to participate in Cranksgiving.

Cranksgiving is a charitable event that happens every year all across America.  It has become a new tradition that cyclists can be proud of.  Cranksgiving Marin is our local cycling community coming together to help the less fortunate by collecting food for the Marin County Food Bank.   It’s a fun way to use our bicycles for a great cause.  We’ll ride to different grocery stores to collect all the food on our shopping list on a scenic tour through six Marin county communities.

Riders will receive a “manifest” before the ride that they will use as a shopping list to purchase items from various grocery stores in central Marin. The route will take you through the Ross Valley and/or San Rafael and through the Cal Park Tunnel. “Bagging” rights go to the rider or team that returns first with all items on the Manifest and the rider/team that collects the most food.  In the end, the community wins.   All food is donated to the Marin County Food Bank, which efficiently redistributes food to those in need.

The event is free, but you need to bring enough money to purchase the items on the manifest ($20+).  We recommend asking people you know to help by donating to your cause.  Remember to bring your biggest panniers and strongest bike if you plan to collect a lot of food.  And don’t forget your lock, too.

Celebrate with a beer at the After-Party at the Marin County Brewing company starting at 5:00 when the winners of each category will be announced.

Cranksgiving is sponsored by the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, Yuba Bikes, The Bicycle Works, Marin Brew Co. and Marin Country Mart.

4. MCBC Member Volunteer Training
Wednesday, November 2 at 6:30 pm

Help expand Marin's bicycle network and get more people on bikes by volunteering at an MCBC Bike Locally Outpost or event!

Please join us for an hour volunteer training program on Wednesday, November 2, at our Fairfax office. We will go over our Bike Locally Outposts, which we set up at events and gathering places to provide tools and training for novice bicyclists to overcome the preserved barriers to riding a bike for local trips. You will learn about our exciting programs and our annual events. You’ll also learn how MCBC formed and how we became an 1,800 member organization with a staff of 20 full and part-time employees.

All attendees for this training will be entered into a drawing for cool bike swag and we will provide refreshments.

• What: Volunteer Training
• When: Wednesday, November 2, from 6:30 - 7:30 PM.
• Where: MCBC office, 733 Center Blvd., Fairfax. We’re upstairs on the left side of the courtyard, farthest office to the front.

Please RSVP by contacting Peggy Clark at peggy@marinbike.org or calling 415-456-3469 ext. 8#.

Hope you can make it!

5. MCBC is hiring a Dirt Director
Part time salaried position at $30K/year begins January 2012

MCBC is currently hiring a part time Dirt Director to start in January 2012 who will report to MCBC’s Executive Director.  The Dirt Director is responsible for successful management of our Trail Stewardship program that is designed to minimize user conflict and maintain the health of the trails. The position includes direct communication with land managers, elected officials, MCBC members, and the public about trail and land stewardship, user conflicts, off road bicycle needs, design issues, priorities and more.

The Dirt Director will represent MCBC’s off road positions at public and stakeholder meetings, through written submittals, media articles and interviews, and social media messaging. 

This position is currently available, and will be open until filled.  Interviews will be conducted as relevant applications are received. MCBC is an equal opportunity employer. 

Interested applicants are invited to apply by sending the following to Kim Baenisch, Executive Director, at kim@marinbike.org: cover letter, resume, three references with contact information, and two writing samples (at least one should be advocacy/technically-oriented). No phone calls, please. 

For a complete job description, click here.

6. Women on Wheels: back by popular demand
Bicycle classes just for women; taught by women

Women on Wheels is back this fall! These clinics are taught by women for women.

In these clinics you will learn the foundations of road and path cycling

• Improve your confidence and knowledge
• Learn to turn and shift
• Gain the confidence to bike around cars
• Learn to climb and descend hills

2011 Fall class dates:

• On the Bike Clinics: Gearing and Hills
  Saturday, October 22, 10 AM - Noon, in Fairfax

 

Bring your working bike and helmet

Info / Registration: For details click here, or contact peggy(at)marinbike.org, or 415.456.3469 x 8

7. Join the national model Safe Routes to Schools team.

Marin County Safe Routes to Schools is seeking a dynamic and passionate instructor to teach elementary and middle school students how to bike and walk safely. Must have teaching experience in a class setting and be a proficient bicyclist. LCI training requested but not required.  A plus to be bi-lingual in Spanish. 

Position is part time (approx 20 hours/week) with potential for growth, during the 10 months of the school year (September 2010 – June 2011).  $18-$20/hour depending on experience, Benefits include 50% medical and paid time-off according to hours.

Send Resume with cover letter to: wendi@marinbike.org

8. MCBC supports Appetite Seminar route detour

The Marin County Bicycle Coalition joins Access4Bikes, Bicycle Trails Council of Marin and Nor Cal High School Cycling League in supporting the one day closure of Repack Fire Road (Cascade Fire Road) on Thanksgiving Day to help protect steelhead trout in the Cascade Canyon and throughout the Corte Madera Creek watershed.

The Marin County Open Space District and MMWD reached out to the bicycle community earlier this month to ask for our help in addressing a concern they have over the Appetite Seminar bicycle ride on Thanksgiving Day. The final leg of the route sends over 500 bicycles through San Anselmo Creek at the bottom of Repack Fire Road. The watershed is home to one of the largest populations of steelhead trout and the ride crosses the creek four times.

After reviewing a number of options, including temporary bridges and walking bikes along a narrow creek side trail, representatives of the four Marin bicycle organizations decided that the best solution is to close Repack for the day and to suggest alternate routes off San Geronimo Ridge.

Open Space Superintendent Brian Sanford says “We are closing this one road to help prevent sediment from entering the creek that is home to steelhead trout. This management decision has everything to do with the environment and is not about stopping people from having fun on their bikes. Our department actually encourages outdoor physical activity through our many outdoor related programs.”

This is an opportunity for bicyclists to let the public know that we care about the environment. The closure of Repack will be the only change to the route and has the support of longtime Seminar riders Gary Fisher, Jacquie Phelan, Charlie Kelly, Otis Guy and Joe Breeze.

If you plan to ride the Pine Mountain Loop on Thanksgiving please be prepared to take an alternate route at the end of the ride. Volunteers will be stationed at key locations along the route with maps that will show the other great ways to finish your ride. And don’t forget to join MCBC at 31 Bolinas Road in Fairfax for a post ride beverage and Clif Bars.

9. GGNRA Draft General Management Plan & EIS open for comment

The Draft General Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and Muir Woods Monument is open for review and comment until Nov. 7th. The plan is intended to guide management of the park over the next 20 years.

The Preferred Alternative for Marin is described in Volume I, Part Five of the Draft GMP/EIS.

MCBC encourages you to review the GMP/EIS and let the National Park Service know how the Draft addresses your aspirations for cycling to/from and within the park.

10. Upcoming MCBC events

MCBC needs you!  Click here to see our upcoming Volunteer Opportunities

Women on Wheels On the Bike Clinic: Gearing and Hills
Saturday, October 22
10 AM – Noon;  Fairfax

Bikers Ball & Casino Night
Saturday, October 22
7 PM – 11 PM; Servino Ristorante, 9 Main Street, Tiburon

Circumnavigating the Bay Area Ridge Trail by bicycle
Wednesday, October 26
7:00 – 8:30 PM; REI Corte Madera, 213 Corte Madera Town Center

Stafford Lake CX
Sunday, November 6
Stafford Lake, 3549 Novato Boulevard, Novato, CA

Cranksgiving
Saturday, November 12
Location TBA

See an expanded list of events

MESSAGES FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

11. Bay Area Bicycle Coalition is hiring an Event Director

Andrew Casteel of the Bay Area Bicycle Coalition writes:

The Bay Area Bicycle Coalition is seeking a professional with experience in event coordination, media outreach and corporate sponsorships to coordinate regional bicycling promotions including the Bike to Work Day event for the 7 million residents of the San Francisco Bay Area and the regional bicycling website.

Resumes must be received by October 24th, 2012 to be considered for the first round of interviews. 

Click here for more information on how to apply.

Marin County Bicycle Coalition
P.O. Box 1115
Fairfax, CA 94978
Office Location: 733 Center Blvd., Fairfax, CA 94930
(415) 456-3469 – phone
(415) 456-9344 – fax
http://www.marinbike.org

The MCBC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. You donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

We are a membership-supported group. If you are not already a paying member, please join today. Printable membership forms are on our website, http://www.marinbike.org.

Thank you for being a part of the solution.

To reach the MCBC Staff:

• Kim Baenisch, Executive Director, 456-3469 x 1#, kim@marinbike.org
• Tom Boss, Membership Director, 272-2756, tom@marinbike.org
• Kristin Nute, Volunteer Coordinator, 456-3469 x 7#, kristin@marinbike.org
• Bob Trigg, Administrator, 456-3469 x 3#, bob@marinbike.org
• Andy Peri, Advocacy Director, 457-0802, andy@marinbike.org
• Alisha Oloughlin, Advocacy Coordinator, 456-3469 x 4#, alisha@marinbike.org
• Wendi Kallins, Safe Routes to Schools Program Director, 488-4101, wendi@marinbike.org
• Laura Kelly, Safe Routes to Schools Volunteer Liaison, 456-3469 x 2#, laura@marinbike.org
• Peggy Clark, Share the Road Program Manager, Safe Routes to Schools Project Coordinator, 456-3469 x 8#, peggy@marinbike.org
• Gwen Froh, Safe Routes to Schools Teen Coordinator, 456-3469 x 5#, gwen@marinbike.org
• James Sievert, Safe Routes to Schools Teen Coordinator and Instructor, 510-301-6710, james@marinbike.org

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