SnoCo Centennial Trail Touts Its History

By Louise McGrody | Published January 9, 2014

Explore Snohomish County history via the Centennial Trail

Centennial Trail - Arlington - resized

Centennial Trail celebration in Arlington.

Rail trails are community assets. They invite us to actively experience and explore our surroundings. They are valued for their connectivity to parks, town centers, schools and other popular destinations. They are treasured places for biking, walking and jogging because they are separated from motorized traffic.

Rail-to-trail conversions are also tangible tributes to our past. Corridors once active as railroad lines are again connecting communities to each other and bringing people to work, shop and play.

This is definitely the case with Snohomish County’s Centennial Trail, and a recently launched website touts the trail’s interesting history as it provides practical information about the modern day trail and the communities it passes through. Part of the Centennial Trail PAST:forward  Interpretive Project, the site is sponsored by Snohomish County and funded by the Washington Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation.

Sno-Co-Centennial Trail-resized

Expansion could be in the Centennial Trail’s future. In December, Snohomish County Council approved the purchase an additional 11 miles of former railroad right-of-way, including the trestle across the Snohomish River. This opens the door for a potential extension of the trail south to the King County line.

One thing I couldn’t find on this website is any mention of the Centennial Trail Coalition of Snohomish County. They are the citizens who have tirelessly advocated for this trail. The group meets monthly in Arlington and I encourage you to contact them if you are interested in seeing the trail extended south to King County.

Snohomish Trestle

Future Centennial Trail?

Related posts:

Otago Central Rail Trail: New Zealand’s “Great Ride”

Rails and Trails Make for Great Riding, Train-Spotting

 

Posted in Everett, Tourism, Trails, Transportation, Travel | Comments Off on SnoCo Centennial Trail Touts Its History

Basics of Bicycle Touring

By Louise McGrody | Published January 8, 2014

John Pope, board member of Washington Bikes, on his bicycle in Anacortes, WA.

Has our work on Cycling Sojourner Washington or the US Bicycle Route System piqued your interest in bicycle touring? If you live in Seattle, you might want to sign up for an upcoming one-night class called Basics of Bicycle Touring.

This intro class is offered by UW Experimental College and taught by seasoned cycle tourist Sarah Burch. Students will learn about the various styles of bicycle touring and how to plan your bike tour, including trip preparation, gear selection, transporting your bike, and more.

Basics of Bicycle Touring will be offered twice during the winter session. You can learn more about the class, including registration info, here.

Posted in Education, Encouragement, Seattle, Tourism, Travel | Comments Off on Basics of Bicycle Touring

Spokane Valley: Washington’s Newest Cycling Destination?

By Louise McGrody | Published January 6, 2014

Valley kids learn safe bike handling skills.

Four years ago, the threat of losing a bike lane project on an arterial in Spokane Valley gave rise to some hasty—and effective—bike advocacy generated by city resident Marc Mims (now a Washington Bikes board member).

What a difference a few years—and continued bicycle advocacy—makes. Since then Spokane Valley has adopted and begun implementing its first Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan. The city has also partnered with Spokane Regional Health District, Washington Bikes and local school districts to develop Safe Routes to School programs in over two dozen schools.

Last year’s Valleyfest community festival featured a Spokane Valley Cycle Celebration, another first. The city’s  bicycle cred continued to grow when the League of American Bicyclists’ Where We Ride report rated it among its Top Cities for Women Bicyclists.

Spokane Valley closed out the year by publishing its first bike map and funded it by using local lodging tax. The bike map is aimed at two-wheeled visitors to Spokane Valley and features local attractions, bike repair shops, drinking fountains, public restrooms, lodging, and more. You can find the bike map online, or you can pick one up at city hall, local visitor centers, and Spokane International Airport. If you’re in Seattle, you will also find the map at our Washington Bikes office in Pioneer Square.

Related posts:

Projects Will Make it Safer to Bike in Spokane Valley

How a Spokane Valley Cyclist Used Social Media to Save a Road Safety Project

Pedal With Politicians: Show your elected officials their city from a bike seat

Posted in Advocacy, Economic Impact, Safe Routes to School, Spokane County, Tourism, Travel | Comments Off on Spokane Valley: Washington’s Newest Cycling Destination?

We’re Hiring: School and Family Programs Coordinator for Eastern Washington

By Seth Schromen-Wawrin | Published January 2, 2014

We’re taking a big step as an organization. In early 2014 we will establish a Spokane staff position that will strengthen and support activities in eastern Washington.

As a School and Family Programs Coordinator, this person will work with the Spokane Regional Health District, area schools, and the Empire Health Foundation to increase the number of kids in Spokane County who bike and walk to school.

Thanks to a grant from the Empire Health Foundation, Washington Bikes will also establish a network to support P.E. teachers in Ferry, Pend Oreille, and Stevens Counties in their efforts to add bicycle and pedestrian safety to their curriculum and get more kids walking and rolling.

You can view the School and Family Programs Coordinator job description here. To apply, please send your resume and cover letter, including names and contact information for three references, to Seth Schromen-Wawrin at seth@wabikes.org, by January 20, 2014. Include examples of materials you have created for event marketing, workshop presentation, and other elements of the position if available; links to online examples preferred.

In a nice connection with our history, this program builds on the work of past Board member Eileen Hyatt of Spokane. The bike curriculum she launched in Spokane served as the genesis of what is now a statewide Washington Bikes program reaching over 10,000 students each year in over 30 school districts.

Posted in Advocacy, Education, Encouragement, Ferry County, Kids, News, Safe Routes to School, Safety, Spokane County | Comments Off on We’re Hiring: School and Family Programs Coordinator for Eastern Washington

One Word for 2014

By Barb Chamberlain | Published January 1, 2014

This post inspired by bicyclist Claire Petersky of Bellevue.

Barb_AvatarSome people scoff at the idea of New Year’s resolutions. Others faithfully draw up a list each year and pledge anew to change something, in a constant striving for self-improvement that sells a lot of books, pills, and strange devices that promise to zap that fat or make you stronger.

There’s a reason the health clubs are all full in January–and there’s a reason they steadily empty out after that. Change doesn’t come just by writing something down on a piece of paper, a Getting Things Done or 7 Habits special form of some kind, or an app that will nag you about hydrating properly and getting 60 minutes of exercise.

A couple of years ago I decided that instead of making resolutions I would focus on three words for my bicycling. I chose consistency, variety, and mindfulness. Good words, and I did think about them and blog with some updates as a form of public accountability.

However, I also adopted some mileage goals for the year, only to realize later thanks to a comment from Kent Peterson of Issaquah (who writes Kent’s Bike Blog) on my post that my real bicycling goal is just to ride my bike as often as I can.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a quick trip to the grocery store or an hour heading somewhere farther away or a whole day messing around on various errands–I would simply rather ride my bike than drive a car. I also adopted a goal for number of days ridden in the year, which makes more sense in that context.

The kicker here is that 2012 was also the year I moved to Seattle for my new role with what is now Washington Bikes, so it wasn’t a typical riding year in a lot of ways! When I moved into temporary housing just a half-mile from the office I kicked a big hole in the total-mileage goal. The words, though, still applied even when the days/miles goals stopped working for me.

Claire Petersky pares my three-word list further, down to one-word resolutions she’s been adopting for years. What’s great about one word is that you can’t assign yourself a task to be accomplished in just one word. It has to be a word like the ones I chose–one that serves more as a motto or mantra. You can’t “fail” at something like variety or mindfulness–you can only have more or less of it, and maybe it turns out not to be a good fit for that particular year.

When Claire asked friends what one word they’d choose, it struck me that many of the words people came up with captured something about bicycling. Health. Adventure. Focus. Peace. Flourish. (And yes, one person said “Mileage”.)

This has me thinking about my one word, both for myself and for Washington Bikes. Board and staff members of every nonprofit struggle to craft the “perfect” mission statement, agonizing over every word and trying to create something inspiring, compelling, and distinctive that you can recite at the drop of a hat. But what if organizations (and businesses, for that matter) had to choose one word?

Two questions for you:

  • What one word would you suggest for Washington Bikes for 2014? (It’s okay if you can’t pick just one–suggest away!)
  • What word will you pick for yourself–either for everything you might face in the coming year, or for your bicycling?
Posted in Attitudes, News | 7 Comments

Delivering More Bike Parking for Seattle

By Guest Blogger | Published December 30, 2013
This post was contributed by Kyle Rowe and Brian Dougherty from the Seattle Department of Transportation

Imagine being able to bike almost anywhere and know you can easily find parking for you and your bike. That’s the goal of the Seattle Department of Transportation’s (SDOT) Bicycle Parking Program. Thanks to funding provided by the Bridging the Gap transportation levy, SDOT installs hundreds of new bicycle parking spaces each year, providing new bike parking spaces for the growing number of people discovering how easy it is to get around by bike.

With the growing demand for cycling across the state, many cities are finding that typical off-street bike racks aren’t sufficient for the demand; on-street bike parking is an excellent solution to this dilemma. On-street bike parking can provide 14 bicycle parking spots in a space where only one parked car would fit. The example here is in the University District, at the intersection of University Way NE and NE 42nd St.

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Bike corral at University Way NE and NE 42nd St.

The design implemented in the University District uses a series of SDOT’s standard inverted-U racks. SDOT has also installed corrals such as the one seen in the photo in front of Wallingford’s Essential Baking. The inverted-U design allows for the most flexible configurations but each site is different and the specific type of rack is chosen depending on site conditions.

EssentialBaking

Bike Corral at Essential Baking in Wallingford

 

Bike Corral text boxSDOT installed the first on-street bike parking in 2009. Each year since, we receive more and more requests from business owners who recognize that ten or more bicycles can fit in a space usually reserved for only one car. What business owner doesn’t want to serve more customers? It can also help advertise and attract customers who arrive by bike, showing that a business welcomes and supports people on bikes. Additionally, on-street bike parking opens up the visibility of storefronts. The more on-street bike parking SDOT installs, the more businesses realize that active, human-scale uses of right-of way space makes their commercial districts more inviting.

The advantages go beyond the business district too. On-street bike parking can return sidewalk space to pedestrians; provide transportation options for employees of nearby businesses; increase the visibility of bicycling in the neighborhood; and increase the street’s net parking capacity. That is why cities across the US and around the globe are putting corrals where bicyclists want to be.

In 2013, SDOT installed on-street bike parking at eight new locations, bringing the total number throughout the city to 16. Based on current demand, SDOT expects to double the number of on-street bike parking locations again next year, bringing the total number to more than 30 by the end of 2014. Potential locations include Pioneer Square, West Seattle, Ballard, and Pike Place!

Ask your local public works department if on-street bike parking is a solution in your city. If you live in Seattle and are interested in bike corral in your neighborhood, email walkandbike@seattle.gov and let us know. We will be happy to work with you to find a suitable solution to your bike parking needs.

Posted in Accessibility, Advocacy, Bike Culture, Bike Parking, Bike to Work, Commuting, Encouragement, Guest Blogger, Infrastructure, News, Seattle, Sustainable Living, Transportation | 1 Comment

Meet the New Board Candidates

By Louise McGrody | Published December 26, 2013

Ballot Submissions Due January 6

Washington Bikes Board of Directors has approved a slate of board candidates for the board elections. The seven candidates–three newcomers and four returning directors–are running for terms through 2016. Members should consult their current issue of The Advocate for voting instructions.

Meet the new folks:

Marie-DymkoskiMarie Dymkoski is a longtime resident of Palouse and the Executive Director of the Pullman Chamber of Commerce. She is very involved in her community and has served on the boards for Washington-Idaho Symphony, Palouse Audubon Society, Viking “Crew” Booster Club, Palouse Community Center, and is currently a co-chair for the Palouse Knowledge Corridor.

Marie’s first contact with Washington Bikes was this past spring when she attended our outreach meeting in Pullman and she quickly became interested in our work and its significance to her community. The importance of bicycling to local tourism is growing in southeast Washington, she stated.

“With my role as a community leader with the Pullman Chamber of Commerce, there is potential for me to educate the people of Southeastern Washington about the work of Washington Bikes,” Marie noted.

Marie regularly rides with a group of friends around the Palouse. In 2013, she took her bicycling to a new level when she trained for and completed STP (Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic). It was a major personal accomplishment for her and crossing the finish line was an emotional moment. She now has her sights set on 2014 Ride Around Washington!

Petra_Vallila-BuchmanPetra Vallila-Buchman, Seattle, is excited by the prospect of serving on Washington Bikes Board of Directors as it combines her passion for community engagement with a decade of professional experience working with local governments and communities to support residents in making healthier choices. She puts her public health background to work for Ross Strategic, a public and environmental health consulting firm.

“For me, creating and promoting safe and inviting bicycle infrastructure is not only about health and environment, it is about equity, social justice, and building community,” she commented.

Petra is a newcomer to cycling, having taken it up three years ago. She served as a team captain for her workplace team in the Commute Challenge, and enjoyed introducing several co-workers to riding for the first time. Petra aspires to become a long distance cyclist and recently did a spectacular and hilly ride around Lummi Island.

Mark Van Kommer of Yakima grew up with bicycles. His father ran a bike shop and today, Mark is the owner of two shops himself: Valley Cycling & Fitness and Jake’s Bicycle Shop. Creating a safe cycling environment across the state is his motivation to serve on Washington Bikes Board of Directors.

Primarily a recreational rider, Mark is involved with Mount Adams Cycling Club in Yakima and helps sponsor the club. Serving as a former USCF official, helping to bring BMX racing to Sunnyside in the 1980’s and to Yakima in 2000 are among the feathers in Mark’s cycling cap. He also served for two years on the Yakima Bicycle-Pedestrian Advisory Committee.

An active community member, Mark’s previous board service includes Yakima Sunrise Rotary, Operation Santa Claus, and church consistory. Mark is also a licensed auctioneer and works benefit auctions.

Four current board members are continuing their service to Washington Bikes and you can find their bios on our Board page:

Bob Duffy of Lacey

Ted Inkley of Seattle

Kirste Johnson of Seattle

Liz McNett Crowl of Mount Vernon

Three current board members are stepping off at the end of this year: King Cushman of Seattle, Joan McBride of Kirkland, and Joe Platzner of Bellevue. We are grateful to their years of service and will miss their leadership.

Our Board of Directors creates the vision and sets the direction for Washington Bikes. Their leadership and governance ensures that Washington Bikes is growing bicycling around the state. Their work includes setting overall policy, providing fiscal oversight, member and donor engagement, and development. Board members serve 3-year terms and the full board meets bi-monthly.

Posted in News, People, Seattle, Whitman County, Yakima County | Comments Off on Meet the New Board Candidates

(Some of) The Best Writing About Riding: Books on Bicycling to Put on Your Wish List

By Barb Chamberlain | Published December 20, 2013

Everyone loves a Top 10 list. We could have titled this the Top 10 Books about Bicycling. But only 10? That’s just crazy. And the top 10 best bike books for someone who trains and races competitively is a different list than the top 10 bicycle books of someone who packs panniers for every bike-touring vacation, someone who has recently started running errands by bike and is looking for practical answers on questions about what to wear and how to haul groceries, or someone who loves a deep dive into public policy, public health, or the nuances of traffic calming and streetscape design.

We’ve rounded up a sampling to get your gears turning and hope you’ll add your own recommendations in the comments. Three ways to find them:

  • We’ll be carrying some of these in our Pioneer Square storefront, so if you’re near there stop in to see what we have.
  • We always encourage you to support your local bookstores–especially the ones that have bike racks! (Any time you spend money at a business because they’ve demonstrated they welcome biking customers, please be a messenger and tell them they got your business because they’re bike-friendly.)
  • You can purchase online and support our advocacy by starting at smile.amazon.com and selecting “Bicycle Alliance of Washington” as your charity of choice (we’re working on getting our name change to take effect there). When you do that, Amazon will donate 0.5% of eligible purchases to us.

bikenomics-cover-web-273x440A round-up of a few  books to get you thinking and get you rolling:

  • Bikenomics, by Elly Blue: You’ll be quoting this one over the dinner table, to your legislator or Member of Congress, and at the local Chamber of Commerce meeting. Read the review of Bikenomics by our own Josh Miller. 
  • Gold, by Chris Cleave. This novel of two fictional women track racers vying for a spot on the British Olympics team gives you a taste of what it’s like to train obsessively, how it takes over your life, and the sacrifices it takes to compete at that level.
  • Big Brother, by Lionel Shriver. This novel isn’t “about” bicycling per se but if you are (or are partnered with) one of those people who accounts for every calorie consumed, you may have more than one “Yes! Exactly!” moment as you read–or you might gain a little understanding of the occasional sidelong look you get from a partner. It’s also a powerful commentary on the American obsession with body weight.
  • Free Country: A Penniless Adventure the Length of Britain, by George Mahood. George and his buddy Ben start out clad only in Union Jack boxer shorts (for the barest modicum of decency) at Land’s End, Britain, determined to travel 1,000 miles to the tip of Scotland by bicycle, relying only on the generosity of strangers to give them everything they need along the way–starting with clothing and shoes. Be prepared to laugh out loud.

Cover of Free Country: A Penniless Adventure the Length of Britain, by George Mahood.

  • Pedal Power: The Quiet Rise of the Bicycle in American Politics, by J. Harry Wray. This bicycling political scientist’s take on the place of the bicycle in U.S. politics is a great gift for your wonky friends and short enough to be a fast read, not a weighty academic tome.
  • Pedaling Revolution: How Cyclists Are Changing American Cities, by Jeff Mapes. Outlines the history behind facets of bike culture such as Davis’s bicycle-friendly design (and the challenge to keeping it that way) and the Naked Bike Ride in the Fremont neighborhood of Seattle, along with the growth of bike advocacy on the streets and in the marble halls of your state legislature and Congress.
  • Completing Our Streets, by Barbara McCann. Dedicated “To the memory of Susie Stephens, who planted a seed”–one of our first executive directors who went on to head the Thunderhead Alliance, now the Alliance for Biking and Walking. How can we connect vision to implementation? More importantly, how can we create a shared sense of stewardship and an understanding that streets are for all people, not just those in cars?
  • Wheels of Change: How Women Rode the Bicycle to Freedom, by Sue Macy. As Susan B. Anthony famously said, “Let me tell you what I think of bicycling. I think it has done more to emancipate women than anything else in the world. It gives women a feeling of freedom and self-reliance. I stand and rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a wheel…the picture of free, untrammeled womanhood.”
  • Women on Wheels, by April Streeter. This practical guide to city riding rounds up practical advice along with a vision for the future of riding and some inspiring mini-profiles.
  • Cover of book "Gold" by Chris Cleave, about two women competing for a spot on the British Olympics track cycling team.Changing Gears: A Family Odyssey to the End of the World, by Nancy Sathre-Vogel. The Vogel family from Boise, Idaho, set off to bicycle from Alaska to Argentina, following an earlier adventure in which they rode 9,300 miles through the United States and Mexico. If you’ve ever hesitated to take something on because it felt like too big a challenge, this book is sure to inspire and motivate.
  • Around the World on a Bicycle, Vol. I (from San Francisco to Yokohama) and Vol. II (from Yokohama to Teheran), by Thomas Stevens. Available as a free e-book, this work from 1894 is amazing enough to begin with–then you realize that when he refers to his “ordinary” he means he’s riding on a penny-farthing bicycle (or carrying it across a stretch too rocky to ride). Across deserts and over mountains, carrying the money needs in whatever heavy local currency is required, and speaking none of the languages of the countries through which he passes, he makes an amazing trek. You’ll never complain about your travel hardships again.
  • Around the World on Two Wheels: Annie Londonderry’s Extraordinary Ride, by Peter Zheutlin. If you ever wondered where the sport of bicycling got the habit of placing sponsor logos all over its clothing, look no further. Jewish immigrant mother Annie Kopchovsky became Annie Londonderry when the Londonderry Lithia Spring Water Company agreed to sponsor her trip around the world.
  • The Lost Cyclist: The Epic Tale of an American Adventurer and His Mysterious Disappearance, by David Herlihy. Another around-the-world adventure, this one ending in murder and mystery rather than a triumphant homecoming.
  • The Rider, by Tim Krabbe, turns up on every list of bicycling books as a classic. Buy it for the racer in your life–read it to understand him/her, at least a little.
  • Cyclopedia: A Century of Iconic Bicycle Design, by Michael Embacher. Total eye candy! Gorgeous coffee-table book.

We also must point you to two amazing lists compiled by member and former staffer Kent Peterson, who works at the Bicycle Center of Issaquah and writes both Kent’s Bike Blog and Kent’s Book Blog:

If you’re not out riding, these lists should give you plenty of reading to do by a cozy fire or on a bus ride. Add your favorites in the comments below, and if you’d like to write a book review for our blog, contact Louise McGrody.

Posted in Bike Culture, Education, News | Tagged | Comments Off on (Some of) The Best Writing About Riding: Books on Bicycling to Put on Your Wish List

Home on the Open Range

By Guest Blogger | Published December 18, 2013

Guest post by Sue Lani Madsen

A commentary on how the cyclist and the farmer can be friends.

POV Cyclist: It’s a beautiful afternoon for a country ride. The paved county road 30 miles out of town looks like a good place to get away from traffic, smell the fresh air, and get that heart rate pumping. Cattle grazing in the pastures provide an idyllic backdrop to a great ride.

He's just doing his job.

He’s just doing his job.

Suddenly, a large dog with a deep bark comes bounding alongside the cyclist, who panics and pedals faster. The dog gives up pursuit shortly and the cyclist breathes a sigh of relief at a narrow escape. Immediately upon returning to the city, he reports his sighting of a vicious dog to Animal Control, satisfied at an opportunity to do his civic duty.

POV Rancher: It’s a beautiful afternoon for chores on the ranch. The cattle are divided into several groups and moved regularly between pastures. Each pasture is subdivided by temporary electric fence tape and managed with attention to the right timing and density for the specific ecosystem. Managed intensive grazing keeps the land healthy, and meets consumer demand for grass fed free range beef.

Livestock guardian dogs move freely between pens to protect the cattle from cougars and wolves, a practice recommended by the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. The big dogs are fierce defenders of their herd from predators, but not particularly interested in humans. Humans are sometimes a source of treats, especially the ones with the two wheels that sometimes come by on the county road that cuts through the ranch.

Sometimes the dogs even have to protect the humans, like the time the rancher was absorbed in repairing an irrigation pump and the big dogs had to come running to chase off a cougar stalking him. That day the rancher breathed a sigh of relief at his narrow escape, and praised the big dogs for their attention to duty.

POV Animal Control: Citizen complaint of vicious dog received. Similar complaint made by another cyclist two months previously. By-the-book response says after two complaints a letter goes out giving 24 hours to tie up or fence dogs, or they will be impounded. Letter is sent, duty is carried out.

Extremely ticked-off rancher calls the next day, pointing out the property covers 6,000 acres, the area is posted as open range for livestock, and the dogs are livestock, not pets. Animal Control officer begins to contemplate the possibility of unemployment when the county commissioners hear about this.

POV All of Us: We all know how easy it is to demonize an entire group of people because of a few bad actors. The story above actually happened; the names and location are withheld due to fear of retaliation from powerful special interest groups from the city. Social media being ubiquitous, the story has spread across the state, further souring a whole lot of country folks on city cyclists.

But oftentimes it’s not a matter of bad intentions, but lack of information. The cyclist didn’t understand how to read the countryside or the potentially devastating impact of a simple complaint. The ranchers didn’t think about the need to provide education about standard practices that are simply obvious in their community. And the Animal Control officer needed to temper by-the book reactions with practical experience. The next time you plan your route, check to see if it includes open range where the livestock have the right of way. If you’re lucky, you’ll meet the dogs and not the bulls in the road.

Sleeping dog

Ranch dog Spacer after a hard day’s work keeping track of lots of livestock.

RCW 16.24.010 Restricted areas — Range areas.

The county legislative authority of any county of this state shall have the power to designate by an order made and published, as provided in RCW 16.24.030, certain territory as stock restricted area within such county in which it shall be unlawful to permit livestock of any kind to run at large. No territory so designated shall be less than two square miles in area. RCW 16.24.010 through 16.24.065 shall not affect counties having adopted township organization. All territory not so designated shall be range area, in which it shall be lawful to permit cattle, horses, mules, or donkeys to run at large: PROVIDED, That the county legislative authority may designate areas where it shall be unlawful to permit any livestock other than cattle to run at large.

RCW 16.24.060 Road signs in range areas.

At the point where a public road enters a range area, and at such other points thereon within such area as the county legislative authority shall designate, there shall be erected a road sign bearing the words: “RANGE AREA. WATCH OUT FOR LIVESTOCK.”

SueLaniMadsen2013Sue Lani Madsen is an architect and goat rancher based in Edwall, WA in Lincoln County. She and her husband operate Healing Hooves, providing natural vegetation management in the Pacific Northwest using a traveling herd of 200+ goats. Her grandfather raced on the velodrome circuit in New York in the early 20th century, and her father was a long-time member of the League of American Wheelmen.

Posted in Attitudes, Guest Blogger, Rural | 7 Comments

Washington Bikes: The Store

By Barb Chamberlain | Published December 17, 2013

We’re opening a store and we hope you’ll come visit, shop, and volunteer to help it succeed.

Why a Store?

The site of the office in Seattle gives us a unique opportunity, located as we are just a few blocks from King Street Station in the heart of Pioneer Square. Hundreds of thousands of people pass our door each year bent on travel, shopping, exploration of historic Seattle, and the many sports events that bring Sounders, Seahawks, and Mariners fans down our street.

We hope to take advantage of the location to accomplish several elements of our mission.

Pick up an I Bike WA t-shirt in silky quick-dry fabric--great gift for that biking friend who says we need better laws and facilities, since you can say the gift comes wrapped with support for advocacy!

Pick up an I Bike WA t-shirt in silky quick-dry fabric–great gift for that biking friend who says we need better laws and facilities, since you can say the gift comes wrapped with support for advocacy!

1) Increase the number of people who support our work directly with their dues. Members will receive a 10% discount on purchases on the store and dues, as always, are tax-deductible. People stopping in to shop will be invited to join and get the discount on the spot.

2) Spread the word about bike travel/tourism in Washington state. We already distribute bike maps from all over the state. We’ll sell guidebooks—including our own Cycling Sojourner Washington, coming out spring 2014—and answer questions to help people plan great bike trips.

If you’re arriving by Amtrak or taking light rail into downtown from SeaTac, we can be your first stop in town to get rolling with a Seattle bike map and much more.

3) Share expertise with people interested in learning more about bicycling. We’re a bike knowledge hub—a great place to ask about upcoming rides in the area and around the state, pick up a copy of our pocket guide to Washington state bike law, get advice on lane positioning or whatever else you’ve been wondering about from our 3 League-Certified Instructors (Josh, Seth, and Jack)—you name it and if we don’t know it now, we’ll research it.

4) Increase the unrestricted revenues we need to accomplish our mission while we make bicycling ever more visible. The store’s mix will fill a distinct niche, not competing with the supplies, gear, services, and custom frames of Seattle-area bike shops or with the great bike-friendly fashion available at Hub and Bespoke in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood. People looking for a gift for a biking friend will find what they need, from posters and notecards to books, jewelry, and art. We regularly have tourists stop in to ask if we sell “bike souvenirs of Washington” and now the answer will be yes.

We also want to showcase great Washington bike businesses. Bicycling supports a larger sector of the state’s economy than many people realize and we can put that on parade with future exhibits and information.

How You Can Help

Volunteers: We plan to staff the store with volunteers as much as possible. You’ll handle retail transactions, field questions, share your bike knowledge, and when there’s a lull we can use help checking and pricing inventory, looking online for more great things we can stock, writing answers for the FAQ section of our site, or researching bike travel destinations. Chances are, if one person comes in with a question others have it too, and we want to build our online clearinghouse of information.

We’ll provide training, support, and if you’re helping out while you job-hunt we’re happy to supply the references you earn.

Vendors: We’re looking for made-in-Washington bike-themed items to sell. If you’re upcycling bike parts into jewelry, clocks, and lamps—if you’re an artist with a bikey piece—if you make something you know will appeal to a bike-oriented audience—if you’re an author who’s written a bike book and want to hold an autograph session—contact us.

Visitors: Come by the shop! We’re starting up with fairly minimal stock that will grow over time. More inventory is arriving every day. We’ll be open Monday-Friday, 9:30am-4:30pm.

Our new WA Bikes jerseys are on order and the coffee cups are already in, along with delicious direct trade, organic Gear Grinder Blend whole bean coffees in medium, dark, and decaf (which you can also order direct for home delivery so you never, ever run out). Cute bike socks make a great stocking stuffer and we’ll have Bikeyface posters and a great selection of books, cards, and magnets from Elly Blue’s Taking the Lane line-up, among other things.

How We Got this Far

Melissa Beams and Jeannie LaFerla discuss placement of fixtures donated by REI.

Melissa Beams (left) and Jeannie LaFerla discuss placement of fixtures donated by REI.

We have a great team making this happen! Miriam Works of Works Consulting is guiding our operational plans; Jeannie LaFerla of Spot On Design and Melissa Beams of REI made the retail floor space come together; the REI flagship store donated fixtures; Miranda Geiszler of REI oversaw the fixtures donation; Andy Goulding developed our sign concept; and Eric Abbott of Process Logic serves as our project manager and is overseeing our signage application with the Preservation Board, fabrication and installation of the sign, and ongoing work to keep the whole store effort on track. Our neighbors in the building, Back Alley Bike Repair, make it easy to answer the question, “So, are you a bike shop?” with “No, but there’s one in the alley!”

We appreciate the encouragement we’ve received from our landlord Todd Vogel, owner of the Nord Building; Nikki Somers, building manager; and Karen True of the Alliance for Pioneer Square.

For People Who Can’t Get to the Store

We have a few things available for online ordering right now and will grow the online inventory a bit over time, although we won’t put the whole store online. As we participate in bike events around the state we’ll bring along some of the goodies.

 

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