Meeting to discuss improvements
September 10, 2009 6:30 pm, City of Seal Beach Council Chambers
for more info go to:
http://www.laag.us/2009/08/community-workshop-to-discuss-proposed.html
How decent bicycle parking could revolutionize America
I get 30 bike-related RSS feeds dumped into my email each day. Most of the posts are just daily pictures of people on bikes, or the latest reinvention of 1950s technology that is all the rage. Only occasionally does anything worth passing along come my way.
This past Monday, Slate, posted an article about bicycle parking and how it could change America (the rest of the world is pretty much on onboard already). I encourage you to read it, think about it, mull it over… and pass it along. Don’t just pass it along to your friends, but send it to your city representatives and mayor as well.
If you want more reading on the topic, I encourage you to pick up a copy of
Traffic: Why We Drive the Way We Do also by Tom Vanderbilt
A therapeutic bridge pedal
Last Weekend I had the privilege of receiving some PCIT (Portland cycling immersion therapy) and it came in the form of the Portland Bridge Pedal. ( http://www.providence.org)/bridgepedal/) This fund raising ride consists of thousands of cyclists (all types welcome) and directs you across the bridges of Portland. A sea of red, yellow and blue jersey wearing riders took over the streets and bridges that were closed to our friends in the four wheel kind of vehicle.
By riding with my local Portland friends (my own personal tour guides) and 25 miles of open lanes, I can’t think of a better way to immerse myself in the culture of Portland, OR.
I encourage Long Beach residents to tour our communites by bike (the LBCIT way) I’m convinced that it’s the best way!
-Bernadette, LB Cyclist
100 Years Ago Today…
A great story comes through Streetsblog today about the 100th anniversary of paved roads.
For those unfamiliar with the history, cyclists were responsible for getting roads paved because the rutter dirt roads and cobblestones were causing crashes and sending cyclists tumbling down from their High-Wheelers.
Read more about the League of American Bicyclists and how they paved your roads.
Posted—bike may use full lane
Where are good locations for signs like these?
Probably cheaper than 300 buckets of green paint.
Vintage Bicyclists Flock to LB
 Long Beach is a happening place for many types of cyclists. A popular place to see some interesting bicycles is at Portfolio Coffeehouse, on Fourth Street at Junipero. (hoo-nee-pe-raw)
Members of Long Beach Cyclists have stopped at Portfolio on their way to other places many times. One of the Car-Free Friday events (the one with Councilwoman Suja Lowenthal) was staged there. And the Cyclone Coaster bicycle club meets there each month.
At a Cyclone Coaster gathering, you’ll see retro bicycles that are old and rusty, and others that are prettier now than the day they were built.
Most retro bicycles aren’t geared for climbing Signal Hill, but they can be a dream to drive through the flatter stretches of Long Beach.
The purpose of getting together is to set out on yet another ride. Where will these old bicycles be driven today?
During the Cyclone Coaster ride earlier this month, two or three dozen cyclists first headed south towards Bixby Park. Where did they go from there? You could join them on their next ride. The Cyclone Coaster club isn’t about racing down the street. It’s about taking your time—enjoying city streets that are made to order for gentle pedaling. And it’s about getting some of the folks they pass to turn heads, to look back with a smile, saying, “Wow! What pretty bicycles!“
Check out the Cyclone Coaster web page to find out where and when they’ll be riding next. You can e-mail the club at cyclone.coaster@yahoo.com.
Bikestation’s Old Home Gets a Flat(enning)
In 1996, Long Beach became the birthplace of the first US bicycle transit center, Bikestation.
It was set up as a 6-month trial and given numorous extensions until it was established in a permanent facility in 2005.
Structures near the Transit Mall that used to house the Bikestation and the former Long Beach Transit Information Center have been turned into rubble.
The new Transit Information Center is located at the corner of Pine and First.
This August 4th 2009 image shows a huge tractor at work. Below the new earth, there used to be an amphitheater. The Promenade and adjacent areas are getting a new look.
The Bikestation is now once again in temporary housing, this time on Broadway between Pine and Long Beach Blvd.
This concept art shows what is in the works for the new Bikestation when it returns to the Transit Mall in 2010
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August 5th 2009 Meeting
Hey Folks,
Just a reminder about the general meeting on Wednesday, August 5th.
We’re going to try a new venue this month in hopes of getting some fresh faces.
Join us at 7:17
WokCano Private Room
199 The Promenade
Long Beach, CA 90802
(562) 951-9652
