It may be colder, wetter and darker out there as we rapidly approach the winter solstice, but there’s still a lot of biking going on in the Evergreen State. We’ve got some Instagram images to prove it.
The folks at Ortlieb (an auction sponsor and organizational member) remind us that it’s possible to travel by bike during the rainy season and keep our gear dry.
@cgram43 joined the young and young-at-heart for a Kidical Mass ride in Tacoma. Rides are scheduled monthly and the next one will celebrate the winter solstice.
@lww76 of Walla Walla and some friends took advantage of the cooler eastern Washington days for a quick bicycle overnight to Lewis and Clark State Park.
@blbicycles showed us that some rain and some dirt can be a gravel grinder’s delight.
No need to give up the bike commute or training ride because the days are short. @joeski_nw lights up his bike for an evening ride.
Don’t let the change in seasons dampen your cycling spirit. Put your foot to the pedal and bike to work, to the trails, or to an overnight escape. Join us on Instagram @wabikes and share your images with us by tagging #WAbikes.
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Our festive group gathers together before pedaling off the pie.
Last weekend’s Washington Bikes benefit ride in Spokane was the type of ride that reminds you how dedicated some cyclists are regardless of the weather. Leading up to the ride weather reports were looking pretty grim. Some reports predicted rain that would turn to ice before a layer of snow settled on top. It just doesn’t get much much worse than that. So we devised a plan B: reserve space in a warm building to socialize and serve hot apple cider… and wait to see what the weather would bring.
Katherine Widing warms up with Wilma Flannagan before Saturday’s ride.
Saturday arrived and the weather was a perfect 24 degrees Fahrenheit. (Perfect, that is, as long as you were smart with the layers, gloves, wool socks, hats….)
We gathered the group in Riverfront Park at the Rotary Fountain, took advantage of the relatively new connection for the Spokane River Centennial Trail across the Post Street bridge, rode through Kendall Yards, and dropped by Monkeyboy Bicycles. We headed north in the bike lane on Howard around historic Corbin Park before returning to the fountain and heading to the hot apple cider and delicious bars donated by KIND.
We were joined by friends from these area bike clubs:
Swamp Ride Bike Club: Meets on occasion for a costume-party ride and surprise live bands. The Swamp Ride schedule is announced by the ride organizers through their Facebook page. The group meets at The Swamp Tavern.
Numerica Credit Union Employee Bike Club: Organized by Numerica employee Matthew Callier, these riders volunteer at cycling events such as SpokeFest and Pedal for a Purpose, organize group rides, and attend group rides organized by others. CORRECTION: they have not donated their bike mechanic skills as was previously published.
Fourth Friday Pub Peddlers Bike Club: Organized by a father-son duo, this ride takes riders on a safe, casual ride from pub to pub in Spokane on the fourth Friday of most months.
Mariah McKay, Don Barden and Katherine Widing roll through Riverfront Park on the home stretch.
Barb Chamberlain rides behind Grant and his boom-box, which played a well-selected mix of tunes for the pleasure of fellow riders and passers-by.
Although it was daytime in Spokane we could still see the newly placed lights in Riverfront Park for the first annual Winter Glow Spectacular a stunning display of holiday lights that makes Spokane’s Riverfront Park look more like Times Square than it ever has before (in my recollection). One participant named Grant brought along his boom box to add some jolly tunes to the festive scene.
This ride gave participants a great reminder of the growing hustle and bustle of walkers and bikers in downtown Spokane, regardless of the temperatures. Our respectful group of riders shared many smiles and waves from people all along the route.
It’s not too late to pedal off the pie in Spokane. The streets are still mostly free of ice and there is no precipitation predicted until Thursday. Join us in working off the whipped cream this year– whether your bike is indoors or out (I just got an indoor trainer!). Send us your stories about riding in Spokane: Kate@wabikes.org.
Special thanks to all the riders who made a tax-deductible donation to Washington Bikes, KIND for the bars, and Empire Health Foundation for their warm lobby and ongoing donation of office space and administrative support for the Spokane office of Washington Bikes. Those who donate $100 or more get a photo of their bike turned into an original sketch by artist and member Andy Goulding (sent via JPEG).
Don’t Miss the Next WA Bikes Gathering!
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Posted in Events, News, Spokane County | Comments Off on Two Wheels After Turkey: Below Freezing Benefit Bike Ride for Washington Bikes in Spokane
Mom Tonya shared this with us, saying, “Kids out of school, cold & rainy, time to ride!”
Our bicycles: Because they give us so many wonderful experiences, great feelings, and benefits, and the time and space of a bike ride in which to reflect on our gratitude.
Our bicycles give us health, fresh air, and free parking.
Our bicycles give us the challenge of the uphill and the exhilaration of the downhill.
Our bicycles provide affordable everyday transportation.
Our bicycles take us on journeys that let us see with new eyes.
You: Because you share our commitment to grow bicycling statewide.
You encourage your friends to ride along with you to experience the joy of bicycling.
You help us out at community events, stuff envelopes, come to our workshops, and attend the annual gala.
You serve on your local bicycle advisory board or volunteer with a club, ride, Bike to Work Week, or Open Streets event.
You tell us about the best places to ride (and the places to eat, drink, and be merry) so we can share them on our blog and get more people to choose bike travel.
You’re there for the groundbreaking and for the ribbon-cutting.
Volunteer Josh Hagen helps families at Holmes Elementary in Spokane learn to do their own bike maintenance as part of our school and family program.
You tell us about a local project or priority and ask for our help, giving us stories we tell legislators as we work for better bicycling.
You support our school and family programs and Safe Routes to School to get the next generation riding.
You give generously so we can work around the state, because everyone in Washington deserves great places to ride.
We’re looking forward to a special day coming up — Giving Tuesday, celebrated this year on December 2 to get past the commercialism of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, kick off the season of real giving, and encourage you to give to the causes that matter most to you.
We need your help! Here’s what you can do:
[Tweet “I’m for better bicycling in WA on #GivingTuesday. Join me! http://ow.ly/i/7Jjbv“]
Give the gift that needs no wrapping: WA Bikes membership. Tax-deductible donation for you, bike news and discounts on great merchandise for your favorite bicyclist.
[Tweet “#WAbikes membership: Gift that needs no wrapping, always fits. #GivingTuesday. http://ow.ly/i/7Jjbv“]
Take a #WAbikes #UNselfie of you with your bicycle to share on your social media and ours: FacebookTwitterInstagram
[Tweet “Take an #UNselfie w/your bike & share for #GivingTuesday. http://ow.ly/i/7Jjbv“]
Grab our WA Bikes logo with the #GivingTuesday hashtag from this page to use on your profile.
Add “Bicycle Alliance of Washington” (that’s us once upon a time — our former name) as your beneficiary on Amazon Smile and help bicycle advocacy when you shop online.
[Tweet “Shop online at smile.amazon.com. Choose Bicycle Alliance of WA. #GivingTuesday”]
Check out our online store with WA Bikes jerseys (not available anywhere else). Lots more goods to come now that our storefront is stocked up, so bookmark the page and plan to shop year round.
If you don’t already have a Share the Road license plate, use our concierge service to help you do the paperwork. You’re giving in two ways: the extra fee for a specialty plate is a tax-deductible donation to our work in bicycle safety education (for drivers too), and you’re making the streets more bike-friendly when you drive.
If you attended our gala auction Nov. 8 tell your friends “I did my #WAbikes #GivingTuesday on a Saturday at the auction. Your turn!”
Right-click, Save-Image-As, to capture this image for use on your social media profiles.
We give you art for #GivingTuesday: When you donate $100 or more, long-time member and artist Andy Goulding will create an original drawing of your bike (or the bike that belongs to someone special, if you want to give this as a gift) and send it to you as a JPEG.
It’s easy to get a tad Grinchy about commercialization around this time of year, or to let the food orgy of Thanksgiving override your common sense along with any moment in which to experience genuine gratitude.
That’s the beauty of a bike ride. Whether you ride every day or once in a while, you know it gives you a space and time apart from the pulls and tugs of work, family, and technology. The ride itself provides both a time in which to pay attention to gratitude and many things for which to feel thankful.
What a bike ride home gives me at the end of the day:
exercise
fresh air
direct experience of neighborhoods I don’t live in and wouldn’t otherwise see up close
the chance to smile at a little kid holding his dad’s hand as they walk at toddler pace along the sidewalk
enjoyment of my body’s ability to power itself up a hill
the exhilaration of a long downhill coast
think time in which to come up with an idea and spend some time shaping it
easy parking if I need to make a grocery stop — so much simpler than finding a spot for a car
money in my pocket to spend on more interesting things than gasoline
and a hearty appreciation for my sweetheart’s cooking at the end of the ride.
For these and so many other reasons, I give thanks for biking.
[Tweet “So many reasons to feel thankful for biking! What are yours? #Thanksgiving”]
Your Turn
What are you thankful for that biking has given you?
“We’re #1!” The group gathered for the Legislative Bike Ride raises a cheer for our #1 Bicycle Friendly State standings before rolling out to ride the streets and trails in Olympia.
A crisp Olympia morning gave way to a dry, mild afternoon — perfect weather for the legislative bike ride coordinated by Washington State Dept. of Transportation that followed a meeting of the Cooper Jones Bicycle/Pedestrian Safety Committee Nov. 19, 2014.
Volunteers from the Capital Bicycling Club marked and led a route from the WSDOT headquarters that took us along the Chehalis-Western Trail. In addition to the Capital Bicycle Club and bike-friendly state legislators, riders included representatives of WSDOT, the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC), Federal Highways Administration, the Olympia Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee, and Cascade Bicycle Club, and the executive directors of Futurewise and Washington Bikes. Spokane City Councilman Jon Snyder, who represents the Association of Washington Cities on the WTSC and has led efforts for complete streets and better bicycling in Spokane, participated as well.
WSDOT Sec. Lynn Peterson rallied the riders before we rolled out, pledging her efforts and those of the department to maintain Washington’s status as the #1 Bicycle-Friendly State in America, as recognized by the League of American Bicyclists. She also noted, “No state on the list earns all that many points — basically, every state is a D student or worse.” Peterson pointed to the WSDOT “Safer Streets, Safer People” action plan (currently in draft form) and initiatives supported by Washington Bikes as key elements in the effort to raise the bar.
The route took us through the sites of important projects that bridged gaps in the Chehalis Western Trail, linking segments broken by major roadways with fast-moving traffic. When we stopped by the new bike roundabout at the Pacific Avenue Bridge, a worker came over to find out who we were and who had marked up his nice fresh pavement with the Dan Henrys* that flagged the turns along our route. We assured him they were temporary and that we appreciated his desire for a nice clean trail.
The bike ride provided a great opportunity to talk informally about the safety priorities we had just been discussing in the committee meeting, the upcoming legislative session, and the budget challenges that lie ahead.
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*What’s a Dan Henry? The temporary pavement markings that indicate direction of travel along a planned bike ride. Why are they called that? Dan Henry was a real person — a commercial pilot who flew the Boeing 707 jetliner, brought a bike along on his flights, invented the directional pavement markings commonly used for organized bike events, and patented front and rear bike suspension systems and a sling saddle. The League of American Bicyclists and many local bike clubs utilize the markings.
A Festive Fun Bike Ride in Spokane OR A Bike Show-and-Tell for adults (if the weather isn’t how we ordered)
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Saturday, November 29, 2014
Rotary Fountain at Riverfront Park, Spokane, WA
Join us for a crisp and festive bike ride to celebrate the season of giving in Spokane. Meet members of Washington Bikes who will support the ride as ride leaders, bike maintenance people or “sweepers” and join our executive director Barb Chamberlain, founder of Spokane Bikes, for the ride.
We have put in an order to our meteorologist for dry weather for this winter ride. If conditions get questionable this ride will be modified to suit the safety needs of all participants. We know Spokane riders are hardy people.
All sweaters are welcome at this event.
[Tweet “Pedal off the pie, Spokane! Two Wheels After Turkey Benefit Ride 11/29. #bikeSPO”]
Ride registration supports our Spokane office and giving a statewide voice to Spokane-area cyclists and pedestrians. Meet us at the fountain on Saturday with your bike, warm winter gear, and the voice of cyclists in Spokane.
For more information or if you’re interested in leading a route from the fountain, contact Kate Johnston in our Spokane Office:
Join bicyclists, pedestrians, residents and City of Tacoma staff tomorrow evening (November 19) for an open house reviewing options to finish the Historic Water Ditch Trail.
The City has analyzed the South Tacoma Way corridor between Pine and C Streets and developed four alignment alternatives that will connect the two existing segments of the Water Ditch Trail and complete it. This is an opportunity to learn about the proposed alignments, question the design team and provide feedback.
When completed, the 6.5 mile Historic Water Ditch Trail will connect South Tacoma with downtown, the Tacoma Dome and the Thea Foss Waterway. It restores a historic 1896 trail that was once part of a 110-year-old trail system that traveled through Tacoma and extended to Mount Rainier.
Last summer Kidical Mass explored the Water Ditch Trail on one of its rides. You can read about their adventure in this Tacoma Bike Ranch blog post.
Can’t make the open house? The City invites you to complete its online survey beginning November 19.
Posted in Infrastructure, Tacoma, Trails | Comments Off on City of Tacoma to Present Options for Completing Historic Water Ditch Trail
If you try a little kindness then you’ll overlook the blindness Of narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets.
— Glen Campbell – Try A Little Kindness (lyrics)
Turning from 35th Ave. NE onto NE 110th St. takes me past Nathan Hale High School on my preferred route from NE Seattle to downtown. I started using this route during the summer when the only activity was an occasional practice on the field, so the increased traffic volume that came with the start of school took some getting used to.
The other day as I rode past the school, a woman clutching a 16-ounce paper cup stood with her son at the corner of 34th NE waiting to cross. The oncoming driver didn’t hesitate, even for a second. I slowed to let her enter the street, saying, “We’re all supposed to stop for YOU.”
She hesitated, made a move as if to go, then stepped back and waved me on, saying, “Sorry!”
I had meant my remark as a commentary on the driver’s behavior, not hers, but my tone didn’t do a great job of conveying that. She looked as if she felt guilty for slowing me, so I called back over my shoulder, “No, I meant that’s a GOOD thing!”
I rode another couple of blocks, thinking that I had left her with an impression of someone who didn’t want to stop to let her cross the street when I’d meant the exact opposite.
Couldn’t stand it. Circled back to find her, still standing at that same corner with coffee and son.
As soon as she saw me she started talking, saying, “I’m so sorry! I couldn’t make up my mind and I know that was annoying.”
“No-no-no, I came back to make sure you didn’t misunderstand what I said. I meant we SHOULD all stop for you and that guy didn’t.”
She said, “I realized that a second after you said it.”
I replied, “I just wanted to make sure you didn’t think I was one of those jerks who don’t stop for people.”
We both laughed about it and ended up hugging each other. She wished me a safe ride as I headed away, very glad that I’d circled back and thinking about how much we’d all benefit from a few more one-on-one human moments like that: taking a moment to give the benefit of the doubt and respond with understanding and kindness, rather than reflexively going away angry or annoyed. Taking the time to connect, not to assume.
Kindness is an undervalued virtue, in my mind. It somehow has a reputation as a “wimpy” response, when it can take far more discipline, more mindfulness, more internal toughness to respond with kindness, most especially when that’s not what you’re receiving from someone else. My mother embodied kindness and I think of my kindness reflex as one of the greatest gifts she gave me.
How often, when you’re in a traffic interaction, do you put yourself in the other person’s shoes for a moment and cut him/her some slack? How quick we are to judge someone and then from there it’s a short step to generalizing that behavior. Tell me you’ve never constructed a sentence in this format right after a negative encounter:
“All drivers XYZ!”
“Those cyclists never DEFG!”
“Why don’t pedestrians JKLMN?”
In talking about kindness I know I run the risk of triggering a lot of comments about the people who “don’t deserve” that response. We want to push back, to stand up for our rights, when someone does something that endangers us on our two wheels. Part of our work at Washington Bikes is to stand up as advocates, working for laws that hold people responsible when they drive dangerously.
I’m not suggesting kindness in response to aggression or to harassment that targets you for one label or another. I’m not suggesting we don’t hold people accountable for distracted or inattentive driving — those penalties should be increased.
I’m thinking more of our personal responses to the thousands of daily acts of carelessness that surround us all.
Our work as advocates is intended to improve interactions on the street for everyone. When it’s safer and more pleasant, more people will ride. While we must change the laws, we won’t get kinder, safer, better streets using only the law as a tool.
[Tweet “Our work as advocates is intended to improve interactions on the street for everyone. Kindness helps.”]
Look at what MADD did about drunk driving and how they did it. They used a combination of tough penalties and a change in social norms. Austin rider Adam Butler is attempting to use a simple wave of the hand as a tool to change the tone of interactions between people on wheels and people behind wheels.
[Tweet “I pledge to make streets better one human moment at a time.”]
Most days if I’m paying attention I notice small acts of kindness on the streets — if I’m looking for kindness. If I’m looking for people to act like jerks and break the rules, guess what I’ll notice? Human nature being what it is, every single day offers me a dose of each. I figure it’s up to me to decide which taste lingers longest.
[Tweet “Try a little kindness: Thoughts on our human interactions on the street.”]
A little Glen Campbell to take you out, with those appropriate lyrics I stumbled across looking for things on this topic:
Related Reading & Viewing
“On Kindness,” essay by Cord Jefferson: A beautiful piece that has nothing to do with bicycling
WeWave, on Adam Butler’s effort to start a friendly movement
Kindness, song by David Wilcox (turns out kindness is a theme in lots of songs — these are only a couple of those found along the way)
Think Washington state doesn’t pay enough attention to biking and walking? Now’s your chance to let them know you want better and more investments in biking.
Make sure Washington state leaders know bicycling matters.
The Washington State Transportation Commission is out in the field with its Voice of Washington State survey panel. The purpose? To understand Washingtonians’ perspectives on transportation issues that impact their daily lives. The results of the survey are presented to transportation decision makers, including the legislature and Governor.
Washington Bikes has had concerns about the survey in the past, but with its noticeable focus on biking and walking this go-around, please take the estimated 12 minutes to provide your input about how much you bike, and why you want the state to make more investments in biking.
While you’re at it, sign the Washington Bikes petition to ask the Governor and state legislature to make safer bicycling a top priority and to invest in more bike lanes and trails and improved road designs to create a complete network of bicycle connections.
[Tweet “Just signed petition to #WAleg asking for focus on safety, $$ for better bike connections.”]
