At 2:30 pm on Friday, April 16, we will meet at the H.U.B. bicycle cooperative (on Long Beach Blvd. just south of PCH, located within eyeshot of the Metro Blue Line PCH station).
At 3:00 pm, we will cycle together to Bixby Knolls, to learn about activities underway to turn Bixby Knolls into a more bicycle-friendly business district.
The League is a major livable cities advocate. Also, the League oversees certification of LCI’s who teach Traffic Safety courses nationwide, including our courses here in Long Beach.
Click EDUCATION above for details about upcoming Traffic Skills courses. Click EVENTS above and scroll to the April 16th entry to see a map pointing to the H.U.B.
Meeting Andy Clarke would be a very cool thing.
Unfortunately, one of the negatives about events like this happening during business hours is that some of us have business of our own going on during business hours and can’t get away.
This means those of you who AREN’T busy have a special obligation to represent us working stiffs by showing up. Please. You know who you are.
I’m no longer a working stiff, but I do, at times get a stiff neck. And my seat post sticks. And I once dropped a marble into my handlebar tube and it got lodged.
Lee, I’m pleased as punch to represent working stiffs, seat post stiffs, and marbles that are stuck. Folks with loose marbles, too. I plan to meet and cycle with Mr. Clarke, and to be able to learn more about great things going on in Long Beach.
I know what you mean when you say that when working normal jobs it’s hard to have flexible time during the week. I am aware that now, finally, I am a fortunate one with daylight hours each week I can lend to good causes.
I saw how you have organized second-Sunday, fourth-Sunday farmers market rides. And you work full time. Things are getting better and better around here to the extent that we all take turns pitching in. Lee, thanks for your hard work. I’m here to help as well.
Photos I took are posted here (a public FaceBook link):
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=46108&id=1574017310&l=d818e66c9f
Dan, thank you for posting your photos.
We can hope that those who took photos of the morning portion of the day contact lbcyclists@gmail.com so we can post photos or links of the ENTIRE amazing day.
In Dan’s photos, H.U.B. bike coop volunteer Gabriel Martin (who is also a major player this year with CSULB Cyclists) gives us a great orientation about what the H.U.B. is doing and hopes to accomplish. After cycling up Atlantic to Bixby Knolls, the owner of the restaurant called The Factory talks about her vision to serve healthy food made of locally-produced ingredients whenever possible, and about work underway to help Bixby Knolls become an increasingly attractive destination for cyclists and other people who like the idea of sometimes leaving the car at home. (In early June, Long Beach Cyclists will do a First Fridays evening ride to Bixby Knolls to enjoy the art walk and other great things that the Bixby Knolls neighborhood offers.)
Earlier in the day, April 16th, starting at 10:00 am, a group of about 16 people met at City Hall to meet Andy Clarke, Executive Director of the League of American Bicyclists, Jeff Mapes, author of Pedaling Revolution, and Mobility Coordinator Charles Gandy. Together, the large group cycled to various spots in downtown, as well as the East Village, through Belmont Shore, and out to the Bike Box east of Naples. The group stopped frequently to examine local traffic conditions, share ideas and visions, learn about new infrastructure that will soon be introduced or is being contemplated, and enjoy the fun of cycling in our city. They talked about traffic calming, about what various neighborhood groups are looking for, about traffic engineering to help make our city more ‘livable,’ about our planned bike boulevard, about the sharrows and their impact on traffic safety and business along Second Street. They listened and responded to comments by the many individuals present representing a variety of local organizations. These things, and more.
Ideally, motorists, pedestrians, experienced vehicular cyclists, and those uncomfortable cycling on busy streets will all like many (if not all) of the City initiatives and many of the initiatives of community groups such as Pedal Movement and Long Beach Cyclists and others—each seeking in their way to help make Long Beach a nicer place to live and do business.
Those of your with photos of the 16th, please send us links. Thanks to everybody. What a great groups of people to meet and cycle with! —Breezy.