Photography, Bikes, Family AND Nature – Let’s do it!

Something near and dear to me (when I’m not volunteering for LB Cyclists) is professional photography.  Recently, LB Cyclists was contacted by staff from “Get the Green” to help spread the word on their LA Metro area based photo contest for kids!

The basics:

Get out in nature with your kids (age 13-18) and hand them the camera!  For a great location in Long Beach, I would highly recommend a family bike ride down to El Dorado Park Nature Center (find the “Friends of El Dorado Nature Center” on Facebook) Let us know if you need a route- we’ll help get you there!

Contest started January 18, 2012 and ends March 14, 2012.  Please take the time to look at their informative website for rules and PRIZE information!

Thanks for supporting a creative activity aimed at environmental sustainability!

Bernadette

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bmckeever, January 22nd 2012 | Posted in Current News, Education, advocacy, event

May… a great month for cycling in Long Beach

May 11th — If you wish to volunteer as a Course Marshal during the Tour of Long Beach (Saturday morning, May 14th), contact Stacey.Toda@longbeach.gov (or phone 562 570-5027). Orientation for Course Marshals will take place Wednesday, May 11th, at 7:00 pm at CSULB. Proceeds from the Tour of Long Beach benefit Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach.

May 11th — Free, second Wednesdays, 11:00 am-1:00 pm, you are encouraged to take advantage of free Bike Safety Checks at CSULB, courtesy of Jax Bicycles.

May 13th — Free, the Family Fun Fest will take place Friday, 5:00-9:00 pm in the lawn area of the Pike at Rainbow Harbor. This includes live music, cycling stunts, a fixed gear competition, and vendors.

May 14th — Preregistration is required for the Tour of Long Beach (that benefits Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach). Three rides: A 9:00 am, 4-mile family fun ride at Marina Green Park (540 E. Shoreline Drive)… also a 31-mile leisurely circuit around the entire city… also a 61-mile Metric Century.

May 14th — Free, the Finish Line Festival, 9:00 am-4:00 pm. in the Rainbow Harbor area. Children’s activity area, bike safety and education booths, live music, food, and vendors.

May 18th — Free, Traffic Skills 101 at CSULB, Wednesday evening class session, 6:00-8:00 pm. Followed by the free 3-hour Saturday morning on-road training session. Preregistration required. Click EDUCATION at the top of the longbeachcyclists.com page for more information, or click here.

May 19th — Free, Thursday morning Bike-to-Work-Day Pit Stops, one at CSULB, the other at Long Beach City Hall Civic Center Plaza. Refreshments, freebies and bike safety checks.

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MichaelB, May 9th 2011 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Education, event, ride

Traffic Skills for Cyclists, Wednesday Dec. 15

Now is a great time to sign up for the next, free, two-session Traffic Skills 101 course. Participants meet at the CSULB Pyramid Annex for one evening classroom session, then meet once again on their bicycles the following weekend for several daylight hours of practice and sharing of observations while cycling legally and safely in traffic. Instructors are LCI certified.

You need to sign up online in advance. Go to EDUCATION at the top of the longbeachcyclists.com web page for details, for schedule, and for the registration link. The next in-class session is Wednesday, December 15th at 6:00 pm.

There are many good reasons to take the Traffic Skills 101 course. It’s smart to know your road rights and responsibilities, and to always cycle safely and legally. Another great reason to take the course is that it is a prerequesite for serving as a board member of Long Beach Cyclists—you are encouraged to consider becoming one of the organization’s leaders in coming months. Our first board was elected in March of 2010; soon perhaps a new group of individuals will want to lead our organization. Step up and make it happen.

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MichaelB, December 6th 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Education, advocacy

Will the Gerald Desmond Bridge Be a Gateway for Bicyclists and Peds?

Brian Ulaszewski reports from LBPOST in favor of linking non motorists to San Pedro Basin from Long Beach

Please join Long Beach Cyclists for the public meeting at City Hall September 28, 2010 at 3:30pm.

READ THE STORY HERE

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bmckeever, September 21st 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Education, advocacy, meeting

Rosscottinc dot com—The System #146

Rosscott is a cartoonist who is also a cyclist. What a great combination!  We are very pleased that he has given Long Beach Cyclists permission to reprint this The System cartoon. 

The System is a humorous and insightful series of panels often dealing with cycling issues—especially as they relate to urban cycling and commuting to work—and to traffic-related issues in general, and to the work place, and to other aspects of contemporary life.

To see more of Rosscott’s work, go to www.rosscottinc.com.

To be sure, NO cyclist should ever run a red light. We encourage all cyclists to cycle safely, legally and responsibly. If you haven’t already, we encourage you to take the free Traffic Safety 101 course, taught at CSULB Pyramid Annex (with follow-up practice time on Long Beach streets to put vehicular cycling concepts into practice). Click EDUCATION at the top of the page for fall semester dates and sign-up information.

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MichaelB, September 3rd 2010 | Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Education

Long Beach Bikeways—Where to? What are they like?

During the past year, we see Bikeway signs posted here and there across town.

Each Long Beach Bikeway route is assigned a number. Some signs also have arrows or destination information. How might we make use of these new traffic tools?

Local cyclist Peter Dopulos—no ties to the City of Long Beach nor to Long Beach Cyclists—has been cycling newly posted bikeways. Over time, Peter has been describing what he has observed and felt while cycling the routes he has explored so far. To read his interesting descriptions, full of discovery, see www.everythinglongbeach.com/lb/long-beach-bikeways/.

Peter visited Long Beach Cyclists during a recent monthly meeting to share what he has observed and learned. It was wonderful to hear Peter’s stories and sense his enthusiasm as he explores routes on his bike, without initially knowing where a new route will lead him.

What Long Beach Cyclists knows from our ongoing interactions with City planners and engineers is that many cycling-related projects are being contemplated or sketched out, and some are already being implemented. City staff developed a detailed list of preliminary route options. However, City engineers in turn are making adjustments, based on road widths, traffic flow and other considerations. Someday not too far off it would be good to have in hand an excellent map for cyclists indicating all of the eventual numbered bikeways.

Lacking a map of bikeways already posted no doubt has made Peter Dopulos’ adventure of sniffing out the where to’s all the more fun for him.

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LBCyclists, August 21st 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Education, advocacy

Traffic Skills 101—Wednesday eve, July 21

Traffic Skills 101—the short-duration course that helps you develop skills to cycle Long Beach streets more safely—is taught by instructors (LCI’s) who are certified by the League of American Bicyclists. 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.

This will be will be the last opportunity to take Traffic Skills 101 in Long Beach this summer.

By the way, the photograph was lifted from the cover of the Smart Cycling pamphlet of the League of American Bicyclists. Given that the League is based in Washington, D.C., can you identify which building we see in the background? And… can you identify who is the LCI in the photo? Hint, he is well known in the Long Beach cycling community.

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MichaelB, July 12th 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Education

Traffic Skills 101—Wednesday June 16 and 19

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 last opportunity to take Traffic Skills 101 this summer will be in July.

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MichaelB, June 13th 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Education

Cyclists and Motorists Sharing the Road

“Share the Road” is one of many online videos produced by the California Department of Motor Vehicles. “Share the Road” lists several ideas that can help the motorist avoid a collision with a cyclist. The video encourages motorists to anticipate that cyclists will use hand signals to make turns, for example. Also, the video encourages motorists to opt for adequate distance between the car and the bicycle.

Of course, the urban nature of Long Beach means that cyclists and motorists often must share tight spaces. Given that road conditions in our city often make for a rather snug fit, the cyclist is safer by cycling predictably rather than erratically… using hand signals, for example… and obeying the same traffic laws as motorists, including the same notions of right of way at intersections.

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 use the road as motorists, we need to respect cyclists and pedestrians.

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.

2 Comments

MichaelB, May 24th 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Education, advocacy

Hey, New bike Tourists!

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!

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bmckeever, May 16th 2010 | Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Bicycle equipment/gear, Education, Featured
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