WRENCHER'S BALL!! Friday April 30

The Legendary Wrencher's Ball is upon us- don't miss the chance to see local bike repair super-heroes at work, and sign up for the Bicycle Commuter Contest while you're at it! The Wrencher's Ball offers a free bike safety check-up to all registered participants in the Bicycle Commuter Contest, so come on down to the Olympia Transit Center on Friday April 30, register for the BCC, and get your bike checked over.

• Drop off your bike between 7:30 am & 3 pm, and be back to pick it up no later than 5 pm.
• Bring your mileage log or other proof of registration, or register on the spot for the BCC.
• The Olympia Transit Center is at 222 Sate Ave NE in downtown Olympia
• The weather is predicted to be good- see you there!
  

Another interesting blog!

Click on the title for a blog about carless living!

Earth Day Cycling in Budapest

photo by Bela Szandelszki

Click on the title above to see an article about 80,000 cyclists taking to the streets of Budapest on Earth Day.

Last Week to Regster- Don't Wait!

This week is the last week to register for the 2010 Bicycle Commuter Contest. Please procure a registration form by:

1. Download and print one by clicking on the title of this post
2. Find one at local bicycle shops, Food Coops or Thriftway stores
3. Get one at the Olympia Transit Center

Register by:

1. Mailing in your form with $5 (if over 18) to the address on the form
2. Register in person at the Olympia transit Center, 222 State Ave NE, Olympia
3. Register at the Wrencher's Ball on Friday, April 30 (that's THIS Friday!)

Record your miles on the mileage log we give you when you register (or mail to you if you register by mail), and turn it in or mail it in by June 7 to be eligible for gifts and prizes!

Please participate- join a workplace or school team, or go it alone- but come along for the ride!

For more info see www.intercitytransit.com or email dgreen@intercitytransit.com

Cycling safety and Health

An interesting article... click on the title above to hyperlink.

Tacoma Bike Swap

Pierce Transit Tacoma Bike Swap is May 8th @ UPS Campus! It's free and open to the public! There is still room for vendors to participate - to register email bikeswap@cityoftacoma.org! see Pierce Trips for all the events and details for Bike Month!
http://www.piercetrips.com/mc/page.do?sitePageId=44544

Wrencher's Ball coming up!

Our next big event is the storied Wrencher's Ball, on Friday, April 30 at the Olympia Transit Center. Since the early days of the Bicycle Commuter Contest (nobody can remember exactly when it started), volunteer wrenchers from area bike shops and beyond have been gathering to perform bike safety checks for registered participants in the BCC. Bring your bike to the Transit Center (at State Ave and Franklin St.) between 7:30 am and 3:30 pm, and either register for the BCC, or show us proof that you already have, and we'll check over your bike. This is a safety check with minor adjustments and a referral to a bike shop if you need major repairs. First come first served, and please pick up your bike by 5pm.

Earth Day Ride a big success!

Intercity Transit General Manager Mike Harbour addresses the throng at the fountain

Despite the threatening weather (which later followed through on the threat!), 75 intrepid practical cyclists turned out for the 5th Annual Earth Day Market Ride! Many thanks to all the volunteer leaders, and to everyone who came out and rode this year. At our booth at the Farmers Market, 54 riders registered for the Bicycle Commuter Contest. Hopefully everyone got home before the skies opened at around 2:30. I saw that cloud coming and got our canopy down and put away in a hurry! Stay tuned for updates on upcoming events, like the Wrencher's Ball.
If you haven't registered yet for the BCC, make sure to do it before May 1.

Thanks everybody!!

Will post a full report on Monday. Thanks so much to everyone for coming out!

Rain or Shine!

You can do it! Riding in the rain keeps you young!
See you at the fountain!

( maybe the sun will come out!)

Final Earth Day Ride Update (unless there's more!)

Please scroll down to earlier posts for background info on the Earth Day Ride
Agenda at the Fountain (starting at approx. 11:00am):

1. Duncan will read greeting from Governor Gregoire and introduce Intercity Transit General Manager Mike Harbour
2. Short remarks form Mike Harbour
3. Short announcements regarding the ride to the Market
4. Group photo
5. Ride to the Market via 4th Ave, and Columbia St.

Intercity Transit sponsors The Earth Day Market Ride. For liability reasons, all riders must sign a release form (available from ride leaders) and wear a helmet for this event. We'll be following all traffic laws and sharing the road. Thanks in advance for your cooperation!
Ride Starting Points and Times:
Evergreen Ride: Evergreen State College Flag Circle, meet at 10 am,depart at 10:15
Leader: Jessie

NW Olympia - 17th Ave NW & Evergreen Pkwy, Meet at 10 am,
depart at 10:10 Leader: Linda

West Olympia - Woodruff Park (next to Garfield Elem @ Harrison & Perry):
meet at 10:30 am, depart at 10:45 Leader: Camille

NE Olympia - Roosevelt Elementary: meet at 10:15 am,
depart at 10:30 Leader: Chris

South Capitol area - Flag Circle between Leg. Bldg. and Temple of Justice:
meet at 10:15 am, depart at 10:30 Leader: Ed

SE Olympia - Olympia High School north parking lot at bike racks:
meet at 10:15 am, depart at 10:30 Leader: Lee

East Oly/Lacey - Chambers Lake Boat Launch (Chehalis/Western Trail):
meet at 10 am, depart at 10:15 Leader: Troy

Lacey Homann Park, near Lacey P.O.- meet at 9:45, depart at 10:00 am.
Leader: Harri-Ann

Lacey- South Sound Ctr - Freeway Bike Path at West end of Sleater-Kinney
underpass: meet at 10 am, depart at 10:15 Leader: Kris

See you Saturday, Rain or Shine!!

BCC on KGY

Just a quick note to let you know I'll be talking bike commuting with Dick Pust tomorrow (Wednesday) morning at a little after 8:00 am on KGY AM Olympia, 1240 AM.

Earth Day Ride -NEW Updated starting point info

We have Volunteer Ride Leaders for Earth Day Neighborhood Rides starting at the following locations on Saturday, April 17, 2010:

• Evergreen Ride: meet at 10 am at Evergreen Flag Circle, depart at 10:15
• NW Olympia - Meet at 10 am at 17th Ave NW & Evergreen Pkwy, depart at 10:15
  
• NE Olympia - Roosevelt Elementary: meet at 10:15 am, depart at 10:30
  
• West Oly - Woodruff Park (next to Garfield Elem @ Harrison & Perry): meet at 10:30 am, depart at 10:45
  
• East Oly/Lacey - Chambers Lake Boat Launch (Chehalis/Western Trail): meet at 10 am, depart at 10:15
  
• SE Olympia - Olympia High School north parking lot at bike racks: meet at 10:15 am, depart at 10:30
  
• South Capitol - Flag Circle between Leg. Bldg. and Temple of Justice: meet at 10:15 am, depart at 10:30
  
• Lacey- South Sound Ctr - Freeway Bike Path at Sleater-Kinney underpass: meet at 10 am, depart at 10:15 (stay tuned on this one- need to confirm leader)
  
• Homann Park, near Lacey P.O.- meet at 9:45, depart at 10:00 am.
  

• Are you from a neighborhood that is not represented above- like TUMWATER??
  
• Would you like a Ride Leader to lead a ride from your neighborhood?
• Would you like to lead a ride yourself?

Let me know by emailing me at: dgreen@intercitytransit.com as soon as you can!

I'll post more info and a map with ride routes in a few days. See you on Saturday!

Earth Day Ride: Early details

I probably should have included more information about the timing of the Earth Day Ride in my e-mail blast. The rides from the different neighborhoods will converge at the Heritage Park Fountain at 11:00 am. The neighborhood rides will therefore start at different times, depending on how far from downtown they begin. Most rides will depart sometime between 10:00 am and 10:30. I will post complete departure time and place info here next week. The overall time commitment for being involved would be from around 10 am to noon, when we end at the Farmers Market. Stay tuned, and see you soon!

Thurston County Bike Map Updates: Report

Updates are cominig soon to the online version of TRPC's Thurston County Bike Map, and YOU can help! There are many copies left of the printed version of the map, last printed in 2007, and not much money to print an updated version. So, TRPC will update the online version of the map, and print a card with updates that will be distributed with the remaining printed maps.

Here's where YOU come in! Are there features of the cycling landscape that you know about that are not reflected on the current map? If so, e-mail your suggestions for updates to: bikemap@trpc.org by Friday, April 23, 2010.

SAVE THE DATE Earth Day Ride: APRIL 17, 10am - noon

2009 Earth Day Ride participants

Join the Earth Day Market Ride on Saturday April 17!

Volunteers will lead rides from various neighborhoods around the area starting at around 10am, converging at the Heritage Park Fountain at 11am. From there we'll pedal together to the Olympia Farmers Market, where we'll have a booth for you to sign up for the Bicycle Commuter Contest. Then it's time for lunch and shopping at the market! Stay tuned here for more details about the neighborhood ride starting points and times. I'll post all the neighborhood ride info next week. See you at the fountain on the 17th!

A few random links of interest to bike commuters

Some fun and intersting reading for the weekend- Views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of the Bicycle Commuter Contest or Intercity Transit!

http://www.tfhrc.gov/pubrds/09janfeb/01.htm

http://www.publicola.net/2010/04/02/why-dont-more-women-ride/

http://blog.cascade.org/2010/04/poll-americans-want-choice-and-equity-in-transportation/

http://threeblmedia.wordpress.com/2010/04/02/top-10-benefits-of-bicycle-commuting-programs-for-businesses/

http://corksandcaftans.wordpress.com/2010/04/02/chic-commuting/

http://www.chicagonow.com/blogs/elevating-chicago/2010/04/share-the-roadyou-too-cyclists.html

Biking in the rain keeps you young!

It's days like today that biking to work really keeps you young.

I started getting ready for the ride to work this morning feeling a little down about the weather- I knew I was going to get wet! I had gone to bed not feeling so well, and woke up late and tired- not feeling so young! My cycling glasses were nowhere to be found, so I borrowed my wife's pair and headed out for the five mile downhill-and-uphill slosh to work. I had to stop soon enough and pull down the rear flap on my jacket because water was trickling down into the back of my rainpants. Plenty of cars splashed past me, but I didn't see another cyclist all the way through town. Near the end of my commute there is a mile-long climb where I get most of my thinking done. There is a bike lane and I am going slow, so I can let my mind wander a bit more. I realized that inclement weather actually brings a different dimension to cycling. It adds an element of adventure, freshness and challenge that when I step up to meet it, rewards me. The opportunity is always there to feel like a kid again whenever you hop on your bike. Hopping on my bike to ride to work in the cold or the rain just makes that feeling even more vibrant for me because it is such a "young" thing to do. I enjoy my commute, and I feel younger for doing it on my bike! (I'm 53 and hoping for at least a couple more decades of riding my bike!)

Registration is Open for the BCC!

Registration is open for the 2010 Bicycle Commuter Contest! Find registration forms at the Olympia Transit Center, Ralph's Thriftway, or a downloadable one, by clicking on the title of this post. Tomorrow I will distribute registration materials to all the local bike shops and other merchants around town. Our excellent new t-shirts are available at the Olympia Transit Center.
Stay tuned for further updates!

Martin Way Bridge Opens!

From left: County Councilmember Sandra Romero, Lacey Mayor Tom Nelson, Congressman Brian Baird, County Councilmember Karen Valenzuela. Tumwater Mayor Pete Kmet, State Representative Sam Hunt.

Dignitaries abounded, cyclists and walkers flocked, planners and engineers crowded, and the ribbon was cut. All that, and it didn't even rain! The Chehalis-Western trail now crosses Martin Way on a bridge, safely above the speeding traffic below. The second of three links in the chain is complete. According to Thurston County Councilwoman Karen Valenzuela, the third bridge over Pacific Avenue will be begun in about one year, and complete in about two years. The current bridge was completed on time and under budget, by about $200,000.