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Bikesonoma

Newsletter of the Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition Issue 6 Fall 2002


promoting bicycling for transportation and recreation

Our First Walk and Bike to School Day Promotes SCBC


MEETINGS
Human-Powered Travel at Local Schools
SCBC Board Meetings
by Ted White Last Wednesday of each
In many California cities and month at 6:00 pm at the
“This was great, a real group fun and sociality. Other parents Environmental Center,
suburbs up to 20% of morning effort” said parent volunteer realized just how easy it was, 404 Mendocino Avenue
rush-hour traffic is generated by Diana Garcia who helped pass “We live so close, we should do in downtown Santa Rosa.
parents chauffeuring kids to out fresh apples and orange juice this every day!” many of them (open to the public)
school, and rates of American to the many young self-propellies. commented. Teachers seemed to IMPORTANT NOTE
childhood obesity due to lack of appreciate the educational ele- Please check our web-
exercise are soaring but SCBC I also talked with CHP officer ment of the event and used it to site prior to meetings.
members and local schools have Allan Capurro that morning, discuss health and environmental Some meetings have

challenged those statistics and while he worked as a crossing issues. Patricia Tuttle Brown,
been moved to
guard to make things safer for accomodate holidays.
taken part in a healthy, fun, pol- who helped organize
lution-reducing commute: Walk the day’s extra foot traffic. When the event at her
and Bike to School Day. I told him about the SCBC’s daughter’s school in
plans to expand Petaluma, comment-
a Safe Routes ed on all the bad
to Schools pro- infrastructure that
gram he said discourages biking
“There’s a lot of and walking and so
weirdos out you have a lot of
there. If I was a parents saying
parent, even if “What the heck, let’s
we lived close drive the kids to
to school, I school—again”. But,
don’t think I she added “It is this local, neigh-
would let my borhood/parent activism which
kids walk.” will change this and I applaud
Surprised at his what I have been seeing.” Best of
The SCBC’s ever-energetic cynicism, but grateful he had
Janice Eunice was inspired by all, several schools said they want
helped make the streets safer to continue having Bike and
Marin County’s nationally today, I thought, “it’s events like
known Safe Routes to Schools Walk to School Days on an
these that can change minds.” on-going basis! Want to get
program, and wanted to try it
here. So she contacted Santa SCBC members in Petaluma also involved? e-mail ted@igc.org or
Rosa’s Roseland Elementary and had very successful experiences call 824-6824.
within weeks had a team com- with Walk and Bike to School
prised of Roseland staff, Dept of Day and got over 10
Health Services, the CHP and schools participating.
Sheriff’s office ready to put on Many parents from
the event. October 2nd rolled Roseland and Petaluma
around (the same day as Schools commented on
International Walk to School how they enjoyed spend-
Day) and over 200 children had ing time with their
walked or biked to Roseland children on the way
(over 40% walking/biking, many to school. Several
others arrived by bus) joined by large groups of par-
many parents and teachers. “This ents and kids all
exceeded my wildest expecta- walked together
tions” said principal Liz Schott. noticing the extra
Less SUVs, More Walking and Biking
Bikesonoma
EDITOR:
Ted White
FALL GREETINGS
LAYOUT/DESIGN: Dear Cyclists,
Sally Homsi
Valet Bicycle Parking Volunteers:
CONTRIBUTORS: When the daffodils pop up we say Spring has sprung, so now as Tony Klemen, Paul Chandler, Andy
Patricia Tuttle Brown the acorns are pelting our yards and sidewalks, and we’ve had Bunnell, Bill Mattinson and son
PHOTOS: some rain we can say Fall has fallen. On a chilly evening a few (...sorry, what was your name?),
Ted White days ago I was on my way to a Bike Coalition meeting and I Doug Simon, Kathy Kellison , Mike
Joel Woodhull and Janice Eunice, Loretta
decided to stop by an auto parts store to buy a tarp to cover our Esparza, Richard Stone, Mary Jane
wood pile. The clerk said, “it’s pretty cold out for riding a bike Stimson, Ed Ellington, Chris
SCBC Board of Directors huh? “Actually, I like it a little cooler, just like this” I answered. Baldenhofer, Richard Winegarner,
Christine Culver We talked a little more and I got the feeling he thought it was Beth Anderson, Julie Matticola,
Duncan Meyers, David, Marg and
Doug Cutting unfortunate that I had to ride a bike. For many people, I guess Avi Ballo, Tim and Susan Gonzales,
Mike Eunice (Secretary) exerting yourself is to be avoided at all costs (unless maybe it’s to Debbie Fudge, Doug McCasland,
Debora Fudge “work out” at a gym). I say, why not try to stack functions and Linda Picton, Marguerite Lee,
Oren Noah bike to work, or bike to the store, or walk to school like the kids, Cindie Renfrew and the Petaluma
Linda Picton Progressives, Bruce Eisert, Zach
parents and teachers who did at local schools on October 2nd for and Misty Mesel, Steve Schmitz,
Lou Salz (Vice President) our first Walk and Bike to School Day (see front page) Gary Wysocky, Ted White, and
Steve Schmitz Chris Culver
Warren Watkins Fall also marks the end of our Valet Bike Parking season, a and SoulCraft for welding new racks
Ken Wells (President) tremendous success that served hundreds of cyclists who rode to
Clover Stornetta, Food for Less,
Gary Wysocky (Treasurer) public festivals and fairs this Summer. Valet Bike Parking helped Albertson’s, Lola’s Market
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR: make the SCBC much more visible and allowed us to serve our all made donations to our first
Ted White fellow cyclists directly. Walk/Bike to School Day
Recent good news: the new bike-friendly Calistoga Rd. redesign Dusty Resnick, Doug Cutting,
Patricia Tuttle Brown helped organize
is complete and is getting thumbs up from local residents and Walk/Bike to School Day at
bicyclists, and walkers who all appreciate the increased quiet and Petaluma Schools
safety. Don’t forget, the SCBC had a strong influence on this
Mark Wiley , the Mac Computer
project. Also, I just got a tour of the beautiful new Prince doctor helped solve a pesky e-mail
Greenway Bike Path from SR City Council Member Steve problem wildoak@monitor.net
Rabinowitz. Rabinowitz was instrumental in making the project Thanks to all participants of
happen and is excited about extending the path even further VeloDiversity Day, especially
both to East and West. SyCip Bikes , Rotator Bikes, and
Martin Clinton, also Allan Brenner
We’re taking stock of our accomplishments and planning a wide and staff at Earl Baum Center for
variety of programs for Spring. We’ll be co-sponsoring the Two the Blind
Rock and Roll Ride again this year with the American Lung Phil all the Dave’s Bike Sport staff
Association, we’ll be doing more Walkand Bike to School Days, for teaching our bike repair classes.
we’ll be hosting Bike to Work events, and lots more. If you’ve Wheeeww! Did we forget anyone? If
joined us “on the ride” so far, stay involved. If you haven’t yet we did, well, just know that we love
become a member please join now; without you we’ll just see you, OK? OK.
more unsafe roads, more sprawl, less bike lanes, less respect
from motorists. But with your help we’ll see safer roads, more
SCBC Gets Grant for
bike lanes, more “Share the Road” signs, more Valet Bike
Professional Development
Parking, more Walk/Bike to School Days...so see the member-
The Sonoma County Bike
ship form on back page (sign up a friend as a gift membership!). Coalition received a $1,000 grant
Also, coming soon we’ll have online membership registration and from the Department of Health
membership premiums check our website for details and Services and the California
Letters to the Editor updates: www.bikesonoma.org. Bicycle Coalition to pay for us to
We welcome your comments. attend fund-raising seminars and
Send letters to: Have a happy Fall season and keep riding! participate in the Leadership
Sonoma County Bicycle Training for a Sustainable Future
Coalition Ted White presented by the Leadership
P.O.Box 3088 Executive Director Institute for Ecology and the
Santa Rosa, CA 95402-3088 Economy. The SCBC received the
highest amount of all the california
e-mail comments via our bike advocacy groups who were
website: awarded grants.
www.bikesonoma.org
Bummer! SCBC Board Members Attend
Gover nor Vetoes Bike Safety Bill National Bike Conferences
SB 1555 would have taken Coalition commented, Sometimes, for us bike is a consortium of bicycle
a $5 fee from motorists “Unfortunately, the OTS advocates who feel that advocacy organizations
with two or more points is moving away from we’re fighting a real uphill across the U.S. of which
on their driving record and Bike and Ped Safety and battle, the best thing to do the SCBC is a member).
put that money towards more into DUI prevention is be around a bunch of
Steve Schmitz also attended
bike and pedestrian safety and things like that, so like minded people. So this
the ProBike/Walk
programs. A great idea we created SB 1555 to year we sent two SCBC
Conference held a few days
right? The SCBC may pick up the ball that the representatives to two very
later in nearby St. Paul.
likely have been able to OTS is about to drop.” important bike conferences.
ProBike/Walk gathers
access this fund also and So now what? “We are SCBC Board members
urban planners, traffic
beefed up our programs— trying to put a positive Chris Culver and Steve
engineers, and community
but it’s not to be. After spin on this, said Morfas, Schmitz attended the annual
advocates for a variety of
passing all other legislative SB 1555 did get a lot of Thunderhead Alliance
workshops on how to
hurdles, Governor Davis support along the way, conference held this year
improve conditions for
vetoed the bill. Why? and we’ve already spoken in rural Minnesota; the
cyclists and pedestrians.
A letter from Davis sites to the Governor’s office conference brings together
"Meeting and learning from
the program as having about how to create new the most dynamic and
fellow bicycle advocates
too high a start-up cost. legislation that he would successful grass-roots bike
from across the nation really
Advocates for the bill sign.” advocates from around the
inspired me to continue
though, said it would have U.S. to discuss strategies,
Thanks to all of you working with the SCBC,”
been self-funding after share ideas and develop
reading this who sent said Schmitz. “Some of the
probably just a year. Davis programs. Culver said,
letters in support of SB larger, more established
also sited that the State’s "Going to the Thunderhead
1555, we won’t let this coalitions have some
Office of Traffic Safety retreat opened my eyes to all
stop us! impressive safety awareness
(OTS) already had a the real opportunities out
programs that could easily
similar funding program. there for us to grab.We have
be duplicated here in
But Chris Morfas of the the nation’s top bicycling
Sonoma County. And,
California Bicycle advocates as our own
believe it or not, Minnesota is
personal advisors." (Note:
a great place to bicycle!"
The Thunderhead Alliance

VeloDiversity Day: A Bicycle Potluck


It was a helluvalotta fun, of the ordinary and no children and/or spouses also to the Earl Baum
and educational too. two were alike. on the various tandems Center for the Blind who
A large crowd turned out and passenger-carrying generously donated their
All bikes were brought
August 18th to participate bikes and zoomed around lovely facility for our event.
by SCBC members or
in the SCBC’s first annual the spacious parking lot at (Note: Interested in
supporters and were
VeloDiversity Day: the Earl Baum Center of captaining a tandem for
available for test rides—
A Festival of Unusual the Blind. Other high- a blind stoker? Call the
and ridden they were!
Bicycles. How to describe lights were several folding Earl Baum Center at
Many participants experi-
the event? It was a show bikes and a wide assortment 523-3222 . Don’t have
mented with putting weight
and tell, bicycle potluck, of recumbents. Thanks to your own tandem?
on the trailers and cargo
pot pourri, smorgasbord all who came, rode and No problem, they have a
bikes. People also plunked
where every bike was out shared in the fun. Thanks small fleet available.
P. O. Box 3088
Santa Rosa, CA 95402-3088

www.bikesonoma.org
promoting the bicycle for transportation and recreation
e-mail address: info@bikesonoma.org

SHARE
THE "Share the Road" T-shirts are now

ROAD
available. Black art on Yellow. Sizes M-XL -
$10 for SCBC members, $15 for non members
Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition www.bikesonoma.org
Mail a check payable to the SCBC for the t-shirt amount +
These bumper stickers can be yours for $1.00 each + 50 cents shipping or free with membership. Additional bumper $4.00 for shipping to:
stickers can be purchased from the coalition for $1.00 each. Send payment to our P.O.Box listed above. Christine Culver, 1489 Wright Street, Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Include shipping address and phone # - Sorry, no PO Boxes.

SCBC MEMBERSHIP FORM


Name:
LAST FIRST
Address:
STREET/BOX#

CITY/TOWN STATE ZIP CODE


Phone:
DAY EVENING
e-mail:

Area of Expertise/Knowledge
Fund-Raising Special Projects:
Marketing Specialist
Organizational Structure Other:
Educational Workshops

Membership Level
$15 STUDENT $50 CONTRIBUTING $500 CHAMPION Make checks payable to
$30 REGULAR $100 SUPPORTING $1,000 MILLENNIUM
Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition
P.. O. Box 3088
$40 FAMILY $250 SUSTAINING $_______SPONSOR Santa Rosa, CA 95402-3088

SCBC membership contributions are tax-deductible www.bikesonoma.org

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