Blog & News - Page 18 of 115 - Washington BikesWashington Bikes

Two New Willapa Hills Trail Bridges Now Open

By Guest Blogger | Published December 10, 2015

This bit of trail news comes to us from our friends at Discover Lewis County, who invite you to visit Lewis County and ride the Willapa Hills Trail. Under development by Washington State Parks, this former rail corridor meanders 56 miles through scenic countryside from Chehalis to South Bend. You can view the original post on their site.

A major milestone in construction on the Willapa Hills Trail will connect more than a dozen miles of trail to outdoor enthusiasts in West Lewis County.

Washington State Parks has officially opened two bridges along the Willapa Hills Trail, which runs along 55 miles of a former railroad grade through Lewis County and Pacific County.

The bridge over the Chehalis River between Doty and Dryad is shown in late summer 2015.

Many places on the corridor are still undergoing construction, but this will be the largest section of the trail to open in Lewis County so far.

The bridges’ completion links together sections of the trail that was previously accessible only in small segments due to two bridges over the Chehalis River having been washed out in the flood of 2007. The longest section of trail to open yet will take cyclists, joggers, walkers and equestrians from Spooner Road in Adna to the town of Pe Ell and just beyond.

The trail west of Adna is compact gravel, so cyclists are best served with wide tires. We recommend at least 700x32c tires or 27×1.25″ tires for road bikes, but a mountain bike or cyclocross bike should work better. The wider the tires, the better the navigation; please also be advised that the trail west of Doty is a bit rougher than the rest but is still passable through to Pe Ell.

This stretch of trail takes people who utilize it along the banks of the Chehalis River and through several stands of trees, creating a beautiful landscape especially in the fall and springtime.

The views of the Chehalis River open up from the bridge near Doty and Dryad.

The trail also passes near Rainbow Falls State Park, allowing users of the trail to disembark for a time and enjoy the park’s picnic shelters and see Rainbow Falls up close.

There’s still one major project ongoing before the trail between Chehalis and Pe Ell is nearly fully connected. A project to re-deck a railroad bridge (known as Bridge #5 because of its mileage on the trail) that carries the trail near Bunker Creek Road west of Adna is in the bid process. Once that project is complete, the trail will be nearly complete between Chehalis and Pe Ell, linking more than 23 miles of trail and opening up West Lewis County to another segment of tourists!

Please note that as of now the trestle at Bunker Creek is not roped off, but it is technically closed according to Washington State Parks as it is unplanked and there are openings between railroad ties. We ask that anyone using the trail respect the fact that it is closed. To access the areas linked by the new bridges on the trail, use points from Spooner Road on west to Pe Ell and vice versa.

The fall colors in November are shown from the Spooner Road bridge over the Chehalis River.

So where can you park?

Right now there are three good trailheads that allow for accessibility: Ceres Hill Road, Meskill Road and the midpoint trailhead at the intersection of West Fourth Avenue and Front Street in Pe Ell (click or tap each location name for a Google map of each). The Pe Ell trailhead has restroom facilities and horse trailer parking.

Mark your calendars now for the Willapa Hills Trail Fat Tire Ride & Festival on June 25-26, 2016. It’s a two-day, family-friendly leisure event that begins and ends in Chehalis and includes an overnight campout in Pe Ell.

Posted in Guest Blogger, Tourism, Trails | Tagged Adna, bike tourism, Chehalis, gravel, Lewis County, Pe Ell, trails, WA State Parks, Willapa Hills Trail | Comments Off

Safe Routes to School and Bikeability Webinar

By Louise McGrody | Published December 9, 2015

When: Tuesday, December 15, 2015, 10-11:30am

Many kids lack safe places to walk and ride bikes in their neighborhoods, prohibiting them from using these healthy and economical ways to get to and from school.

In early 2016, Washington State Department of Transportation will release its Safe Routes to Schools Request for Proposals, totaling $19 million. These grants, which are available to public agencies, can be used to address deficient bicycle infrastructure.

Join Cascade Bicycle Club and experts Charlotte Claybrooke, Active Transportation Program Manager at WSDOT; Peter Lagerway, Principal at Toole Design; and school officials from Walla Walla County to learn how to include bicycle facility design and engineering into your 2016 application in this webinar.

The webinar is free and is sponsored by Cascade and WSDOT. Register now.

Train the Next Generation of Bike Riders!

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) is accepting grant applications from eligible school districts for its Safe Routes to School Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Education Program. Up to 20 qualifying school districts will receive grants that deliver teacher training, curriculum, bikes and educational materials, and technical assistance. Deadline to apply is January 21, 2016. Learn more.

Posted in News, Safe Routes to School | Tagged education, infrastructure, Safe Routes to School | Comments Off

Cascade Bicycle Club and Washington Bikes Merge to Form Nation’s Largest Statewide Bicycle Nonprofit

By Barb Chamberlain | Published December 8, 2015

Cascade-WA-Bikes-logos

The boards of directors of the Cascade Bicycle Club and Washington Bikes approved the merger of the two organizations which will, in effect, become the nation’s largest statewide bicycle nonprofit. The Washington Bikes and Cascade Bicycle Club boards approved the merger plan earlier today.

“We received feedback from each of our organization’s constituents and the majority was overwhelmingly supportive and excited about what opportunities and resources the merger will create,” said Catherine Hennings, board president of the Cascade Bicycle Club.

At the decision of both organization’s boards, as of Jan. 1, 2016, Cascade Bicycle Club will be the name of the 501(c)(3) tax-deductible wing, focused on education, diversity and inclusion programs, most of the signature events and advocacy work. The organization’s 501(c)(4) arm, to be called Washington Bikes, will address statewide policy and outreach, selected statewide events and activities, and candidate endorsements.

“This merger will enhance both organizations and increase the reach and effectiveness of bike advocacy and education in a state that is already #1 in the U.S. for bicycling,” said Brian Foley, board chair of Washington Bikes.

The merger will unify bicycle education curriculum and resources across the state and in the Puget Sound region. Advocacy work will also be strengthened. The merger will result in saved overhead costs and more money directly funding current work and new programs, like Cascade’s Major Taylor Project and Washington Bikes’ state bike tourism initiative. Washington Bikes’ grassroots successes across the state will also be a great partner for Cascade’s statewide tours, events and rides.

“The merger will result in more reach, effectiveness and efficiency than either organization alone, and we’ll work with all the advocacy groups and clubs in the state,” said Barb Chamberlain, executive director of Washington Bikes.

A joint board committee developed short-term transition plans and conducted due diligence to fully understand what the merger entails and how the organizational missions will continue to ensure an effective strategic merger plan is in place.

“From bicycle advocacy in Seattle and statewide, to partnerships that support local bike clubs and groups, to continuing the growth of bike tourism, this merger is a big win for people who strive to make bicycling accessible to everyone and to improve lives through bicycling,” said Cascade Executive Director Elizabeth Kiker.

About Cascade Bicycle Club

Cascade Bicycle Club, the nation’s largest locally based bicycle organization, is 15,000 members and 36 staff strong and serves bike riders of all ages and abilities throughout the Puget Sound region. Learn more at cascade.org.

About Washington Bikes

Washington Bikes advocates for bicyclists and a more bike-friendly Washington. We work for better laws and more funding to grow bicycling statewide. Learn more at wabikes.org

Posted in Advocacy, History, News | Comments Off

Congress Passes FAST Act and Representative Larsen Leads

By Blake Trask | Published December 8, 2015

On Friday, President Obama signed into law the FAST Act, a 5-year transportation reauthorization bill. Thanks to leadership from Washington state’s own Representative Rick Larsen (D-2) key improvements supporting biking and safer streets were included.

Larsen_Leads Fixing America’s Surface Transportation (FAST) Act is the first long-term reauthorization since 2005. It follows 2012’s 2-year reauthorization, MAP-21 (and several short-term stopgap extensions), which produced a number of not-so-great changes for biking and walking investments. Luckily, the FAST Act does little-to-no harm and in fact makes some notable improvements, including:

Increases Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding incrementally from $820 million in 2016, $835 million in 2017 to $850 million in the final 3 years of the bill. Over the 5-year bill Washington state should expect to receive approximately $64.3 million in Transportation Alternatives Program funding.
Improves design standards and increases the flexibility for the use of design manuals. Both of these provisions are important. The former will apply directly to increasing the application of Complete Streets principles to National Highway System roads. The latter will allow locals more flexible use of design guides like the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) Urban Bikeway Design Guide and NACTO’s Urban Streets Design Guide.
Supports a safety education program fund, but it only applies to states where over 15% of traffic deaths are comprised of those walking and biking. Currently, Washington state does not meet this threshold so will not be eligible for this safety education program fund.
Retains non-motorized eligibility across the FAST Act, which is critical because the Washington State Legislature just made a 16-year commitment in the Washington State Transportation Package for $86 million in federal dollars to go to Safe Routes to School grants statewide.
Keeps the Recreational Trails Program (RTP) as a critical investment tool for soft-surface trails in Washington state.

These top-line increases represent progress for biking and walking on the federal level. And while many helped make this progress a reality, the outsized role that Washington state’s Representative Rick Larsen has played is again notable. In September Washington Bikes reported Representative Larsen’s leadership in sending a letter from all US House of Representatives Democrats on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee requesting funding to continue for the Transportation Alternatives Program. Since then, he served on the conference committee to negotiate the final agreement between the House and Senate. The results speak for themselves.

More details on this item are included on the League of American Bicyclists’ blog post about the FAST Act.

Representative Larsen amendment improves opportunities for active transportation projects to receive federal financing and loans

Also of note in the FAST Act, is an innovative improvement to the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program that provides Federal credit assistance in the form of direct loans, loan guarantees, and standby lines of credit to finance surface transportation projects. Previously, only projects greater than $50 million were eligible for these loans. Now, thanks to an amendment offered by Representative Rick Larsen, projects greater than $10 million are now eligible.

The result? With a lower project cost threshold significant regional trails and access projects for biking and walking now are eligible to new low-cost financing options. As more and more communities see the importance of building active transportation connections, the new TIFIA provision could give bike “mega projects” a jump start. For more details on this exciting amendment sponsored by Representative Larsen, check out the Rails to Trails Conservancy’s recap of the FAST Act.

More progress needed

Just a few months ago, many in-the-know around federal transportation issues felt the prospects were dim for a long-term transportation reauthorization that saw bicycling holding ground and also making progress. With that in mind, this reauthorization represents a big win for biking and walking.

Despite this, there’s a lot more work to do. Federal funding for biking and walking continues to fall short in comparison to how much people bike and walk. It’s especially low compared to the disproportionate number of serious injuries and deaths that those biking and walking experience. Sustainable funding for transportation on the federal level is still broken as motor vehicles do not pay for the roads they use. Improvements in measuring non-motorized safety performance measures by USDOT are still necessary. Also, additional work to focus transportation solutions for biking and walking at the state and federal levels remain works in progress.

Posted in Federal, Funding/Policy, Infrastructure, Issues & Advocacy, Politics, Safe Routes to School, Trails, Transportation | Tagged federal transportation, Rick Larsen | Comments Off

Vashon-Maury Island Bike Ride

By Guest Blogger | Published December 5, 2015

For a great bike getaway, head out to take a ferry ride from the Fauntleroy ferry terminal in West Seattle to Vashon-Maury Island. Blogger Nancy Yu shared her expedition with us.

Fauntleroy is located eight miles south of downtown Seattle across the West Seattle Bridge. The ferry dock area is surrounded by residential neighborhoods with limited on-street parking and “permit parking only” areas. The parking lot on Fauntleroy Way, SW & SW Cloverdale Street has a 4-hour time limit. The parking lot at Lincoln Park has no time restrictions with open hours from 4 AM to 11:30 PM. The lot is located at the south end of Fauntleroy Way SW before the ferry terminal. Restrooms and water are available at the park.

From Lincoln Park, it’s a quick half-mile descent to the ferry terminal. We purchase our roundtrip tickets at the vehicle tollbooth; cyclists pay a regular passenger fare ($5.00-other discounts may apply if eligible) plus a bicycle surcharge ($1.00)=$6.00. Cyclists traveling with a multi-ride card are exempt from the bicycle surcharge. Bicyclists should arrive 15-20 minutes before the departure time to be loaded on the ferry prior to the vehicle loading process. There are no bike racks on the ferry; they can be hooked on or strapped to the yellow side railings of the boat.

The 20-minute crossing to Vashon is a very beautiful ride with fabulous views of Seattle, Puget Sound and the surrounding Cascade and Olympic Mountain ranges.

On the ferry ride over, we got to chit chat with Domenico DiGregorio who commutes daily to Vashon from Seattle. He also dedicates his free time to run Plumbers Without Borders, an organization that helps bring safe drinking water and sanitation to people with urgent needs. He gives us a few recommendations for a couple of places to eat on the island and gives us an insider tip on avoiding all the traffic coming off the ferry. Instead of going left onto the Vashon Highway like everyone else, he tells us to go right onto 103rd Avenue SW; it will merge onto Vashon Highway at the top of the hill.

Avoiding traffic sounds good to us, so up the hill we go. We quickly found out why no one goes on 103rd Avenue SW, especially cyclists — it’s 9/10th of a mile long with very steep grades ranging from 13-20% and gaining 338 feet of elevation. OUCH — thanks, Domenico!

At the top of the hill, we continue on Vashon Highway to SW Cedarhurst Road; this quiet back road winds through the thick forest along the NW edge of the island with sneak peeks of Fern Cove. Next up, Westside Highway SW; the rolling climbs on this road cuts through the many small residential acreages scattered within the woods. On Wax Orchard Road, there are plenty of open meadows, pastoral homes and a few horse ranches and stables.

We ride pass Wax Orchards Airport on Wax Orchards Road and turn onto SW Reddings Beach Road for a short loop out and around to SW 240th Street. This is where we see a man from a distance pushing a car slightly uphill with some difficulty. We parked our bikes off to the side and offered our help. His driveway was about a quarter mile up the road so here we are pushing his car while he’s steering it and the first thought that comes into mind is “no one’s watching the bikes” (California paranoia where theft is inevitable) and lo and behold an older man riding a bike comes out from another driveway and offers to stay with the bikes until we come back! A good deed done is another good deed received in return.

We head east along two-lane Vashon Highway, which is lined with red-barked madrona trees, to the small village of Burton for a loop around Burton Acres Park with fantastic views of Quartermaster Harbor. Burton offers the basic needs of a small town: a post office, a general store, a garage, a gallery and art store. It is also home to the Burton Coffee Stand; great coffee and homemade pastries! At Camp Burton, dozens of kids on bikes are being chaperoned and encouraged by the adult camp counselors as they pedal their way up the gentle rolling hills. One counselor yells out to the kids, “Those are real cyclists,” and I ring my bell and wave as Michael responds, “We’re all just out here turning the pedals — great job!”

From Burton, we take SW Quartermaster Drive, the side road to Maury Island over to Portage. The gentle climb on Dockton Road SW takes us by the Vashon Golf and Country Club, the Dockton Park and into the town of Dockton. This is a gorgeous area with fabulous views of the marina, Quartermaster Harbor and of course Puget Sound! We continue on 99th Avenue SW to SW 268th Street for the out and back on Hake Rd SW. This road goes out towards the tip of Maury Island and dead ends at the beautiful residential homes along the beach.

We make our way back out of Dockton and take SW Point Robinson Road heading east to Point Robinson Lighthouse. The rolling climbs on this road are steep with 12-13% grades! The steep drop at the end of the road takes you down to Point Robinson Park and Point Robinson Lighthouse. It’s a gorgeous area with a sandy beach covered with driftwood and jaw-dropping views of the iconic Mount Rainier!

We climb out of Point Robinson and continue on SW Luana Beach Road; this is one beautiful stretch of road! The first thing I noticed was the absolute lack of noise — it was Zen — fully quiet with complete stillness. I was in awe and just loving every moment of it! Michael and I usually don’t talk that much while riding and this section of the route heightened my awareness of just how wonderful it can be to stop and listen to utterly nothing — the natural state of being! Life is great!

We leave Maury Island and return on Dockton Road SW and George Edwards Road; this road goes along a scenic waterfront drive with access to Tramp Harbor Dock. The long wooden pier juts out into Puget Sound where you can watch the cormorants, fishermen and boats out on the water.

Famous-Bike-in-Tree-Vashon-Island-WA The climb up SW Ellisport Road takes us onto Vashon Highway, the main road into the center of town. On SW 204th Street, you can take a short walk on a trail to see The Bike in the Tree, where an evergreen tree has grown around an abandoned child’s bike and lifted it off the ground.

On Vashon Highway, I noticed there were at least 5 different churches within 3 miles. This road runs through the center of Vashon with many shops, galleries and restaurants housed in historic buildings. There are plenty of food choices to choose from — everything looks great! Vashon has no traffic lights and only one fast food restaurant, Subway. Stay on Vashon Highway and it will lead right back to the ferry dock.

Vashon Island is a beautiful quaint community composed of many farms, pastoral fields, dense forests and residential homes scattered around the woods. Vashon and the smaller communities within this island seemed untouched and remain as it has been for over 100 years. Some things are better left alone! It’s a quiet place with sprawling acres of woods and sweeping vistas of Puget Sound. For cyclists, it’s great if you like hills and more hills. The country roads offer wide and comfortable shoulders with minimal to no traffic and great overall pavement conditions. Across this rural landscape, many of the farmers and locals offer self-serve farm/flower stands on a honor system with signs telling you what’s available. It’s a great approach to being able to provide local fresh ingredients to anyone who pays a visit to the farms!

So, come on out and pay the island a visit. Vashon welcomes you — enjoy it!

Guest blogger Nancy Yu writes about her bike travels at Ride Chronicles. She says, “I loved cycling around Washington. It’s a beautiful state with a wonderful network of trails and bike-friendly people. I ride to explore and love sharing my findings! I hope the write-ups and pictures will inspire those who can to get out there and enjoy the natural beauty of all that is available to us.”

Posted in Adventure, Bike Blogs, Guest Blogger, Travel | Tagged Cascade Mountains, Fauntleroy ferry Terminal, Lincolc Park, Mount Rainer, Olympic Mountains, Point Robinson Lighthouse, Seattle, Vashon, Vashon-Maury Island, West Seattle Bridge | Comments Off

Vote for Washington State Entry in National Bicycle Poster Contest!

By Louise McGrody | Published November 17, 2015

We are pleased to announce that Julie Darilek of Olympia is the first place winner of the Washington State 5th Grade Bicycle Poster Contest. Her poster has been submitted as an entry to the National Bicycle Poster Contest hosted by Saris Cycling Group. You can vote for her poster in the online voting going on today through November 19.

Julie is a student at East Olympia Elementary. Her mother reported that she has enjoyed participating in the bicycle poster contest and was excited to learn that she was the first place winner for Washington state. She will receive a bike, helmet and bell from Schwinn for her efforts.

High fives are also in order for Melanie Diaz Garcia of Anacortes and Aesha Aden of Des Moines placing second and third respectively. Melanie, a student at Island View Elementary, will receive a helmet and bike bell as the second place winner. Aesha, a fifth grader at Parkside Elementary, earns a bike helmet for her third place finish.

Cast your vote for Julie’s poster as the national winner!

Saris is conducting online voting for the national winner November 17 – November 19. Anyone can cast their vote for Julie’s poster through the Saris website. If Julie is the national winner, she and a parent will attend the 2016 National Bike Summit in Washington, DC. Additionally, East Olympia Elementary will receive Saris bike rack and The Hub, an active transportation encouragement system.

Posted in Encouragement, Kids | Tagged bicycle poster contest, encouragement, kids | Comments Off

Progress on Ferry County Rail Trail

By Guest Blogger | Published November 16, 2015

Today’s post comes from Bill Chamberlin of the Ferry County Rail Trail Partners. This ambitious group is busy developing the rural and scenic Ferry County Rail Trail, which stretches 28+ miles from the town of Republic (and US Bike Route 10) north to the Canadian border.

The Ferry County Rail Trail dream is becoming a reality! With the recent completion of the first phase of resurfacing, close on the heels of the Curlew Lake trestle redecking, the trail is, indeed, metamorphosing into a first-class recreational gem.

The smooth track offered by this newly surfaced section (between Pete’s Retreat and Kiwanis Roads) provides a perfect opportunity for outdoor recreation. This newly revamped segment skirts the west shoreline of Curlew Lake, offering many beautiful views of the lake and the Kettle Crest along the way. The trail, wide enough for bikes, horses and hikers to pass easily, is also firm enough that even cyclists on street bikes, babies in strollers, and people in wheelchairs can enjoy the trail. Ample parking and porta potties at each end add to the ease of use.

What did it take to transform the rough ballast-strewn surface—tough to walk on, let alone ride a bicycle or push a stroller—into a smooth, wide, comfortable surface?

It started in 2006, with a group of dedicated volunteers and a vision. The Ferry County Rail Trail Partners (FCRTP), a citizens’ group, and the Ferry County Rail Corridor Committee (RCC), an advisory group to the county commissioners, have both held monthly meetings since the start, tirelessly hashing out their goals, planning the various projects, and seeking the grants and the required matching funds to pay for the projects.

Fast forward to 2014. After the successful completion of the Curlew Lake trestle redecking, the resurfacing project was next up. The county applied for and was awarded a grant from the Federal Highway Administration Transportation Enhancement Program to improve the 3.5 miles which hugs the lake. Required matching funds in the form of donated labor, equipment and materials were solicited by Keith Bell, who served as grant writer and manager of the project. Many individuals and businesses in the community, approached by Bell, stepped up to the plate.

Stotts Construction donated the use of four dump trucks, two loaders, a backhoe, an excavator, a bulldozer, a water truck, as well as pumps and hoses, while the costs of fuel, equipment maintenance and prevailing wages for his operators were provided by grant funds.

Abraham Building Supply donated the use of a Layton Asphalt spreader to apply the material to the trail surface and three Abraham employees volunteered their labor for the project. In addition, four Job Corps students worked for two weeks.

One of the keys to making this project work was finding the proper surfacing material. Bell, tapping his experience as a professional geologist, put in countless hours of research to come up with a kind of crusher fines which would meet the standards. Fortunately, the appropriate material was found in the nearby Gotham/Kidwell gravel pit (Brian Gotham and Billy Kidwell donated 25% of the crusher fines). The angular nature of this fine crushed rock, along with just the right amount of moisture (50,000 gallons of water was added to the material to bring it from 6% moisture content up to 10%) made it perfect for producing a smooth hard-packed track required for Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)compliance and desired by the RCC and the FCRTP.

Bob Whittaker, president of the FCRTP, is very excited by the result: “The trail provides an easy way for someone to have a high quality outdoor experience. Because of the linear nature of the route, the recreationist does not need a GPS, a map or a compass.” The trail is perfect for locals and visitors, individuals and families.

Whittaker and Bell report an overwhelmingly positive reaction to the completion of the surfacing and the trestle decking. Whittaker describes the reaction of many first time users as an “Aha” moment. Many who had been resistant to the idea of a recreation trail at first became supporters soon after experiencing the smooth, very usable surface.

With this new support, the excitement is growing and, along with it, the momentum for pushing ahead on the next phases.

In June, shortly after the initial phase was completed, the Washington legislature approved funding to upgrade the surface from Pete’s Retreat south to Herron Creek, the southern terminus of the non-motorized Rail Trail. The section between Lundimo Meadows road and the tunnel north of Curlew will be resurfaced as well. Additional surfacing will be done as funds allow and a vault toilet is planned for Black Beach. The ultimate goal, as put forth in the Ferry County Rail Trail Concept Plan, is to have a usable surface on the entire length of the Rail Trail, from Herron Creek to Danville.

Improvements continue to Rail Trail

Several members of the Rail Corridor Committee, along with other volunteers, worked one Sunday in October to improve the rail bed on the Ferry County Rail Trail. Twenty foot sections at each end of the trestle were upgraded to the Trails hard packed surface. Those sections could not be accessed by heavy equipment when the crushed rock surface was laid this spring.

A recent online charity auction generated $2600+ to fund additional trail surfacing improvements and will be matched by a grant from the Washington State Recreation & Conservation Office.

Whittaker and Bell know there is much more hard work ahead to reach that goal. They also know with the completion of each step, the growing momentum will push the project ever more quickly towards the dream of a completed Ferry County Rail Trail.

Posted in Advocacy, Trails | Tagged advocacy, Curlew, Ferry County Rail Trail, Republic, trails | Comments Off

Update: Proposed Merger of Washington Bikes and Cascade Bicycle Club

By Barb Chamberlain | Published November 13, 2015

Talks continue on the proposed merger between Washington Bikes and Cascade Bicycle Club, which would create the nation’s largest statewide bike advocacy organization.

Following work by a joint subcommittee, in late October both boards adopted a nonbinding resolution laying out the guiding principles for the negotiations.

The Guiding Principles Resolution lays out the strengths both organizations bring and a commitment to:

the ongoing missions of both organizations
a bipartisan and inclusive approach to state advocacy
partnerships that support local bike clubs and advocacy groups
equity and representation of all kinds of riders
work to continue growing bike tourism
bicycle advocacy and education aimed at bicycling for all ages and abilities

Following the merger, the name “Washington Bikes” would serve as the name for the 501(c)(4) entity, with “Cascade Bicycle Club” the 501(c)(3). Some members of the current Washington Bikes board of directors would be appointed to the Cascade board, which will then appoint the board of the (c)(4). Both boards would reflect statewide representation and a diversity of biking interests.

The merger discussions are now in a due diligence phase leading up to a board vote scheduled for December 8. During due diligence, the organizations share financial and programmatic information needed for a full understanding of what a merger would entail and the opportunities and risks it presents.

Details of the merger and transition plans are being developed by a joint board committee working with staff and will be presented to both boards before the vote. A strategic planning process in early 2016 would serve to lay out more detailed long-range plans.

To comment on the merger or ask questions, email washingtonbikes@cascadebicycleclub.org. Emails to this address are shared with both boards.

Posted in Advocacy, Bike Clubs, History, News | 1 Comment

Orting-Kapowsin-Eatonville Ride

By Guest Blogger | Published November 12, 2015

This ride begins from Orting and heads south along Puyallup River on Orville Rd E through the valleys to Lake Kapowsin and Ohop Lake. It continues on WA-161 N/Meridian Ave E at Eatonville for a stop at the Dogwood Park-a Viewpoint Area with unobstructed views of the iconic Mount Rainier! The rolling hills on 352nd St, 8th Ave and 304th Ave SE take us through the quiet rural towns with the occasional logging trucks passing by.

We exit Orting on Harmon Way S/WA-162 and continue on Pioneer Way E/WA-162 to the outskirts of town.

Oroville Rd E takes us out blog-post-yu-mt-rainer-2 through the flat agricultural farmlands and ranches around Puyallup Valley.

A good segment of this road follows an old railroad grade along Puyallup River out to Lake Kapowsin. This is also a heavy logging area with trucks pulling in and out of the roadway to Kapowsin-be cautious!

Orville Rd E heads south at the four way intersection for another few miles along the southern end of Lake Kapowsin.

It continues to wind its way along Ohop Creek on the edge of the woods around Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. The road runs through Ohop Valley to Ohop Lake; this area country-scene-yu-blog-post had many lakefront homes with private boat docks. The end of the road leads us to Eatonville; a small town located in Pierce County.

The short climb up WA-161 N/Meridian Ave E takes us up to the edge of town to the open clearing at Dogwood Park. This park is designated as the Mount Rainier Viewpoint with spectacular views of the majestic Mount Rainer (on a clear day!) This is a MUST STOP for photo-ops!

We continue up the road to our lunch stop at Barney’s Corner Mini Mart/gas station. This place makes hamburgers, hot dogs and serves other typical mini mart foods. Everyone was very friendly including the customers going in and out. They all wanted to know where we rode out from and to see if we needed any directions getting back to Kapowsin and Orting, and most of them just wanted to have idle chit chat.

WA-702 W/352nd St E/McKenna Tanwax goes through the rural neighborhoods of Eatonville out to the clearing and logging areas to the open pastoral lands.

The rolling hills on 8th Ave E lead us to 304th St S/Kapowsin Hwy E.

The 10 mile stretch of road on 304th St E/Kapowsin Hwy E from Eatonville to Kapowsin has been recently redone with new pavement-fabulous! This road goes through rural neighborhoods with acreage homes and ranches. Mt Rainier looks like it can be seen from everyone’s front or back yards!

We make a quick stop at the Kapowsin Grocery for a few cold drinks and salty snacks before heading out on Orting Kapowsin Hwy E. The 8.9 miles on this road takes us through more rural country sides with expansive open fields and meadows. Mount Rainier is still in sight-of course! The sweeping mile long descent drops us to the Puyallup River crossing and back to Orting.

This is a very scenic ride through the small towns of Pierce County with gorgeous country landscapes and beautiful lake views. Mount Rainier is always the highlight when it comes into view! The people are friendly and the logging traffic is very tolerable; the truck drivers gave us way more than three feet while passing!

Garmin Stats:
55.54 Miles with 2385′ of elevation gain
Max elevation: 589′
Max grade: 6%
Terrain: Mostly flat to rolling climbs

Weather: GREAT! Partly-cloudy morning skies turning to brilliant sunshine in the afternoon. N winds with 94% humidity

Posted in Adventure, Pierce County, Rides, Rural, Travel | Tagged bike ride, bike touring, bike travel, Eatonville, Kapowsin, Orting, Pierce County, Tacoma | Comments Off

John Wayne Pioneer Trail – New Opportunities to Make Your Voice Heard

By Blake Trask | Published November 3, 2015

Whether you support the John Wayne Pioneer Trail for its recreation opportunities, economic impact to neighboring communities, or because it is the longest rail trail in the nation, now’s the time to begin to weigh in on its future.

In September trail advocates in Tekoa learned of a legislative effort to close down a roughly 120-mile portion of Washington state’s largest rail trail, the John Wayne Pioneer Trail. Following the initial news, many surrounding residents and jurisdictions — including Tekoa, Spokane and others — voiced concern over the potential for permanent closure of this long-distance trail. The stated reasons for closure have included concerns over a lack of use of the trail, worries about trespassing, and liability.

Restoring the Tekoa Trestle will help make the John Wayne Pioneer Trail a world-class long-distance trail. Photo courtesy of Tekoa Trail and Trestle Association.

Now, future discussions – and opportunities for trail supporters to provide meaningful input — about the future of the trail are beginning to take shape.

The most immediate opportunity to lend your voice to the discussion is via a set of three listening sessions occurring in Eastern Washington in November. One of the architects of the trail closure, Representative Schmick (R-Colfax), is partnering with the Tekoa Trail and Trestle Association to host three public meetings to hear from you about the Trail.

The three public listening sessions to provide input directly to Representative Schmick and others begin next week:

Tuesday November 10^that 12pm: Rosalia, Community Center (7th St. and Whitman Ave.)
Monday November 16^th at 12pm: Lind, Union Elevator Conference room (201 S Street)
Monday November 23^rdat 6pm: Ellensburg, Hal Holmes Center (209 N Ruby St.)

Representative Schmick has indicated he may consider introducing legislation based on the input he receives from these three events.

In addition to the public sessions hosted by Representative Schmick, Washington State Parks has proposed a plan to convene a planning process slated to begin before the end of 2015. It will allow the public to actively participate in crafting plans for the Iron Horse and Columbia Plateau State Park Trails.

As soon as plans are formally released by State Parks, Washington Bikes will provide an additional update.

Learn More

Shawn Pederson recently completed a trip across the John Wayne Pioneer Trail. His blog posts (4 so far) and excellent photos are here: http://fernwehnw.com/tag/john-wayne-pioneer-trail/

Also, the Tekoa Trail and Trestle Association’s Facebook Page provides a number of articles and community discussion as the process moves forward.

Posted in Advocacy, Alert, Economic Impact, Funding/Policy, Infrastructure, Issues & Advocacy, Trails | 2 Comments