Long Beach Cyclists meeting — Wednesday, June 2nd at Jax
Long Beach Cyclists meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:17 pm. Hope to see you at our next meeting… and at any or all other events. Click EVENTS at the top of the page to view our calendar and a map of how to get to Jax (corner of Bellflower and Spring).
Note that many of us cycle together to the meeting from near the shore. We depart Orange and Second Street at 6:30 pm.
Participants in six rides organized by the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition (LACBC) will start in Griffith Park. The easy rides will stay close to Griffith Park, but the two main rides will direct cyclists south along the L.A. River bike path to Long Beach, and then return north to Griffith Park. Click on the poster icon for an overview.
And… some of us living in the Long Beach area plan a ‘Reverse Ride’ that will start in Long Beach, heading north up the Los Angeles River bike path. Some may head as far as Compton, and others will cycle all the way to Griffith Park, and then cycle back to Long Beach. Contact Long Beach Cyclists about accompanying a ‘Reverse Ride’ group. Either direction, the Los Angeles River bike path will be lively with bicycles, laughter, fast cycling, slow cycling, and people to meet of all ages.
Are you planning to ride? Would you like to cheer riders or in other ways enjoy the fun?
The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition, like Long Beach Cyclists, embraces advocacy and education.
The L.A. River Ride is the LACBC’s largest annual event.
Check out the la-bike.org web site for an overview of LACBC’s many activities.
In the video, we see a cyclist who ignores a stop sign, passing a car that intends to turn right. The cyclist violates the law by failing to stop. Furthermore, he cycles into a dangerous ‘blind spot’. What if the motorists doesn’t know he’s there? Who is at fault if the cyclists gets struck?
Cyclists who recklessly ignore traffic law put themselves in danger and cause some motorists to feel angry at cyclists in general.
When we cycle, we are wise to cycle legally, predictably and courteously so that motorists and pedestrians are not surprised by our presence… and so that we don’t place ourselves in unnecessary danger.
Click to view the “Share the Road” video.
Every other Sunday morning… we meet at Portfolio Coffeehouse (Fourth at Junipero). From there we cycle through Belmont Shore, stopping at Jones Bicycles, then cycle east to the Marina Farmers Market. The FMR is fun! Join us! Click on the postage stamp for details!
Imagine the joy of donating an old bike, knowing that it will be recycled and then given to a local youngster.
That’s what ‘ReCYCLE Your BiCYCLE’ is all about. Friends at the H.U.B. bike cooperative (on Long Beach Blvd. one short block south of PCH) love to fix up old bicycles. Now the H.U.B. and Waste Management of the City of Long Beach are working together to recycle old bikes… so that after donated bikes are repaired they can be given away to Long Beach children.
Saturday, May 22nd between noon and 4:00 pm, Waste Management vehicles will accept bicycles in any condition. There will be donation locations at many Long Beach public parks—addresses listed on the poster on the left.
Bikes in salvageable condition will be taken to the H.U.B. to be recycled. H.U.B. volunteer mechanics will piece together old bike parts to create recycled bikes. Later, the recycled bikes will be given away to local children. Old bike parts that cannot be reused will end up as recycled scrap metal.Â
Donate your old bicycle Saturday, May 22nd (or Saturday, May 29th, or Saturday June 12th) at one of several local parks listed in the poster.
Join the celebration. The Green Long Beach Festival 2010 is about green events, green resources and green discussions. The East Village Arts District, one full day, 10:00 am to 10:00 pm.
There will be live entertainment, solar-powered stages, a green fashion show, educational workshops, food, eco-friendly booths, art, the community garden, an opportunity to see electric vehicles, and the Saturday morning organic farmers market on First at Linden.
Events take place in the East Village—in lots adjacent to the old Acres of Books (Long Beach Blvd. between Broadway and Third), also at East Village Arts Park (Elm near Broadway), and along First between Elm and Linden).
Long Beach Cyclists will provide free bike valet near the old Acres of Books building between 10:00 am and 5:30 pm—happily monitoring your bicycle during those hours. Or… you may chose to show up on foot, or… you may get to the Green Long Beach Festival by taking any bus heading downtown, or… by traveling on the southbound Metro Blue Line.
Car parking near the old Acres of Books lot will be available as well… although some of us who live ‘car free’ secretly might rather see the parking lot for cars nearly empty. Let’s hope that many folks arrive in car pools, and that zillions of folks enjoy the free bike valet.Â
For more information, visit www.greenlb.org.
Have you decided which of the three Bike-to-Work pit stops you’ll stop at Thursday morning, the 20th? Â
There will be pit stops near City Hall, and at CSULB, and on Second Street in Belmont Shore.
We suspect that all three pit stops will be worth visiting… so at this point we’re thinking of calling in ‘sick’ so that we have time to stop by at each location. (Click the posters below right for specifics.)
Volunteers from Long Beach Cyclists will be at the Second Street pit stop (in front of Jones Bicycles). Scroll down three articles to read Bernadette’s blurb about what we’ll be doing at the Second Street pit stop.
Be sure to stop by our pit stop to say hello and for your coffee and give-aways, for a free, quick bike tune-up, and to participate in the raffle.
The green sharrow lane along Second Street is plenty wide for wide-load bicycles (such as those with a desk attachment as illustrated here by Andy Singer). And if you ride to work or play on a conventional bicycle, that’s fine, too.
Our friends from CSULB Cyclists and Jax Bicycles and Rideshare will be at the CSULB pit stop… so of course it makes sense to stop there. And the City Hall pit stop places you right downtown, in the center of the action. Call in sick to stop at all three locations? What a dilemma!
Enjoy your cycling Thursday morning.
No Exit cartoons are reprinted at longbeachcyclists.com with permission. All Andy Singer / No Exit cartoons are copyright 1992-2010 by Andrew B. Singer. To see more of Andy Singer’s humorous, insightful work, visit www.andysinger.com.
Check out this FREE comprehensive guide to bicycle touring. I haven’t glanced at it yet, but it looks pretty good from reviews and comments. Let us know what you think, well oiled bike tourists out there in LB!
Allan is planning a day of cycling, walking, and exploring. Because of private development, few people know how to legally and safely access public beaches in the Malibu area. Los Angeles Urban Rangers have organized several ‘safaris’ to explore them safely and legally. Click below right for details about Allan’s ride.
If you wish to participate on Allan’s ride, meet him at the H.U.B. (Long Beach Blvd. near PCH) at 7:30 am. Show up with your bike, a great beach snack, sun protection, and an extra layer for warmth. At 8:00 am, Allan and friends will board the northbound Metro Blue Line (PCH station)… heading for Hollywood. From there, folks will cycle 22 miles to Malibu, to meet up with Los Angeles Urban Rangers for the “Last Hurrah Malibu Public Beaches Safari.” www.laurbanrangers.org. LAUR rangers will provide an orientation and accompany participants onto Malibu public beaches legally and safely.
Long Beach people will head home by cycling an additional 22 miles south to the Aviation LAX Metro station (Green Line).
Traffic Skills 101—the short-duration course that helps you develop skills to cycle Long Beach streets more safely—is offered only a handful of times each year. The course at CSULB Pyramid Annex is free, but advance registration is required. Click EDUCATION at the top of the longbeachcyclsts.com page for more information and to link to the CSULB web site to register. The next opportunities to take Traffic Skills 101 will be in June and July.
