MARIN COUNTY BICYCLE COALITION (MCBC)
WEEKLY BULLETIN
 May 3, 2006

1. CYCLING WORKSHOPS TEACH SAFE CYCLING
 THIS Saturday, May 6: ’How to Ride with Youth’ and ‘Bicycle Commuting 101’

2. NORTH-SOUTH GREENWAY BICYCLE RIDE AND PARTY
 Saturday, May 20th: Volunteers needed to help with the ride and party

3. GET YOUR BIKE SAFETY CHECKED WITH THIS SPECIAL OFFER
Local bike shops will inspect your bike for only $10!

4. BRUSH UP ON YOUR TRAFFIC-CYCLING SKILLS
Sign up now for our Basic Street Skills class, Tuesday, May 23, 6:30-8:30 PM

5. MCBC NEEDS A TIDY PERSON
Volunteer to help to keep our office clean!

6. LEAD INSTRUCTOR SOUGHT BY SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS
Position starts Fall 2006; training in Spring 2006

7. FREE VALET BICYCLE PARKING AT THE SPRING FAIRE
Sat and Sun, May 6 and 7, in downtown Sausalito

8. MAY IS BIKE MONTH IN BERKELEY
Workshops, rides, and a Bike Rodeo are planned

9. BIKE TO THE HARMONY FESTIVAL
Thurs and Fri, June 8 and 9, ride from San Francisco to festival in Santa Rosa

1. CYCLING WORKSHOPS TEACH SAFE CYCLING
 THIS Saturday, May 6: ’How to Ride with Youth’ and ‘Bicycle Commuting 101’

Time to dust off your bike for spring and summer riding?
Want your kids to confidently ride their bikes?
Transform your cycling experience at one of our workshops on Saturday, May 6.

How to Ride with Youth Workshop

Learn fun ways to teach your children how to ride safely near traffic.
9AM to noon in the parking lot across the street from the Fairfax Post Office.
Age range is 9 to adult.
Cost is $15/adult or $30/family.
Bring a bicycle, water and snacks.

Bicycle Commuting 101 Workshop:

Get yourself prepared for riding on Bike to Work Day.
This hands-on adult-oriented workshop will demonstrate bike-commuting accessories, route planning and safety tips.
1:30 to 3:00 PM in the plaza area of the Fair-Anselm Plaza in Fairfax.
Age range is 15 to adult.
Cost is $20/person.

You don’t have to bring your bicycle.

SPACE IS LIMITED, so sign up now! Advance registration is necessary. Regristration closes at 4 PM on Friday, May 5.

For more information about the workshops and to register, visit www.marinbike.org.

2. NORTH-SOUTH GREENWAY BICYCLE RIDE AND PARTY
 Saturday, May 20 th: Volunteers needed to help with the ride and party

On Saturday, May 20th, the public is invited to a special MCBC-led bicycle tour and party, wrapping up Bike to Work Week in style.  The ride will showcase plans and progress for Marin’s North-South Greenway, a multi-use pathway that will parallel Highway 101 along the former Northwestern Pacific (NWP) railroad right-of-way.

This free bicycle ride begins at 12 noon at the corner of A St. and Andersen behind Safeway Store in San Rafael.  The ride will end with a party at approximately 4 PM in downtown in Mill Valley at the WTB (Wilderness Trail Bikes) headquarters at 475 Miller Avenue.  The party will include food and drinks and last until 6 PM.  Visit the MCBC website (http://www.marinbike.org/Events/NS-Greenway-2006/) for details about timing, pre-rides to San Rafael, and the locations of stops along the North-South Greenway Tour.  All riders must wear a helmet.

Volunteers are needed for many tasks to help MCBC with the bike ride and party. Volunteer tasks include: making phone calls, picking up supplies for the party, running the sound system, helping with food, bike parking, getting waivers signed, etc.  Some volunteer jobs will only take less than an hour!  Please call or email Andy at 456-3469 x 8#  (andy@marinbike.org) if you can help.  For more information about the event (including the ride route), please see our website at http://www.marinbike.org/Events/NS-Greenway-2006/.

3. GET YOUR BIKE SAFETY CHECKED WITH THIS SPECIAL OFFER
Local bike shops will inspect your bike for only $10!

Get your bike checked out with the Safety Check special offer from our local bike shops. From May 1-17, participating bike shops are offering a $10, 10-minute Bicycle Safety Check to help cyclists prepare for Bike to Work Day. For $10, you get: tire inflation, chain lubrication, plus a bike safety assessment and recommendations.

Set up an appointment at a participating bike shop today. Mention this special offer when calling for the appointment.

For a list of participating bike shops, visit our website at http://www.marinbike.org/Events/BTWD2006/SafetyCheck.shtml.

4. BRUSH UP ON YOUR TRAFFIC-CYCLING SKILLS
Sign up now for our Basic Street Skills class, Tuesday, May 23, 6:30-8:30 PM

Empower yourself to be an independent and safe non-motorized traveler. Learn to increase your visibility on the roads. Reduce the fine for any bicycle traffic infraction to $50. You can do all these things by attending the next BASIC STREET SKILLS class on May 23.

The class will be held at Marin General Hospital Conference Center, 250 Bon Air Road in Greenbrae from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Advance registration is necessary. Register for a class by providing your name, address, email, phone, and class date in one of the following ways: on-line at www.marinbike.org, faxing to 415-456-9344, calling the Marin County Bicycle Coalition at 415-456-3469 ext. 3#, or emailing streetskills@marinbike.org

5. MCBC NEEDS A TIDY PERSON
Volunteer to help to keep our office clean!

Here at the MCBC office, everyone is busy as a bee. So we often don’t get around to the simple housekeeping chores that a for-profit would usually contract out. We’re looking for a volunteer to help out.

We are looking for someone who can volunteer to come to our office once every couple of weeks for about an hour to do cleanup: vacuuming, cleaning the kitchen, and taking out the trash. If you’ve never been here for a visit, it’s a fairly small office—about 1000 square feet—so the time involved is minimal. The work will earn you satisfaction, good karma, and tremendous gratitude from the whole staff.

If you can help us, please contact Bob Trigg at 415-456-3469 x3#, or bob@marinbike.org. Thanks!

6. LEAD INSTRUCTOR SOUGHT BY SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS
Position starts Fall 2006; training in Spring 2006

A Lead Instructor is needed for the Safe Routes to Schools program to teach students bicycle and pedestrian safety.  Applicants must be experienced teaching children in a classroom setting, have an outgoing personality, extensive bicycle expertise including mechanics, first aid, and experience riding with youth.  The ideal candidate should be able to teach youth of all ages and adults, and be a self-starter who can work independently.  Experience with outdoor leadership, LCI training and bi-lingual skills a plus.  Position starts in fall 2006, training in spring 2006. 

Send resume, cover letter and three references to Safe Routes to Schools, P.O. Box 201, Forest Knolls, CA 94933 or to wendi@marinbike.org

7. FREE VALET BICYCLE PARKING AT THE SPRING FAIRE
Sat and Sun, May 6 and 7, in downtown Sausalito

MCBC will be providing free valet bicycle parking at the 36th annual Spring Faire in downtown Sausalito on May 6 & 7.  Enjoy 100+ artists, fine food, wine, live music, theatre and activities just for kids.  Free.  10:00 to 6:00 both days.  332-0904 for more info.

MESSAGES FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

8. MAY IS BIKE MONTH IN BERKELEY
Workshops, rides, and a Bike Rodeo are planned

The Bicycle Friendly Berkeley Coalition writes:

For the fourth year Bicycle-Friendly Berkeley Coalition offers a series of events to celebrate Bike Month during May. Our schedule has something for everyone. These events include workshops to develop and improve skills for commute cycling on May 13th at the Berkeley Farmer’s Market, a Bike Rodeo for kids also on May 13th and the highlight of the month Bike to Work Day on May 18th. We have two rides scheduled - an advocacy ride along Telegraph Avenue at the end of Bike to Work Day and the fourth year of the Hidden Gems of Berkeley ride May 21st featuring a new route.

Go to BFBC.org for times locations and details regarding any of these events. Come bike with us in Berkeley.

9. BIKE TO THE HARMONY FESTIVAL
Thurs and Fri, June 8 and 9, ride from San Francisco to festival in Santa Rosa

Bradley Saul of Bike to Harmony writes:

Bicycling is blissful, especially when you're riding toward Harmony. Bike to Harmony is a fully supported bicycle ride from San Francisco to the 2006 Harmony Festival in Santa Rosa, voted by readers of the North Bay Bohemian as the "Best Festival in Sonoma County" for the past 13 years. The Harmony Festival features on site camping, educational workshops, performance artists, yummy natural food and great music. Festival headliners include: Cake, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Ozomatli, WAR, Zero, Hot Buttered Rum, New Monsoon and dozens of local favorites.

The Bike to Harmony ride begins on Thursday, June 8th with a 35 mile stretch leaving from San Francisco. Luggage will be hauled by biodiesel bus, and riders will camp out under the stars Thursday night and be treated to delicious, organic, vegan dinner and a campfire concert. On Friday, riders will complete the 40 remaining miles to Santa Rosa, arriving at their exclusive campsite at the Harmony camping grounds.

The ride includes:

  • weekend pass to the Harmony festival ($175 value)
  • exclusive campsite as part of the alternative vehicle expo
  • transportation back to San Francisco on Sunday
  • Thursday night camping and music
  • biofuel support vehicle during the ride
  • professional mechanic
  • experienced ride leaders
  • catered meals on Thursday dinner, Friday breakfast and lunch

For this event participants will need to supply:

  • bike, helmet, etc
  • camping gear for the weekend
  • food for Friday night through Sunday. We will have snacks available but riders will be on their own for meals. Food is available from Harmony Festival vendors.

For more information, a complete schedule, or to register, visit www.biketoharmony.org or call 707-360-8511. Sponsors of the ride include Sports Basement, Clif Bar , Lydia 's Organics, OrganicAthlete, and Car-Lite.

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.

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