See you at Bixby Park for an easy, family-oriented neighborhood bike ride on Saturday, March 19th, departing at 10:00 am.
Then, from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm, also at Bixby Park, join the community workshop to update the Long Beach Bicycle Master Plan. Your suggestions and observations will be noted by staff of the Department of Public Works.
Bixby Park is located between Cherry and Junipero, and between Ocean Blvd. and Broadway.
If the opportunity to participate in a fun bike ride and to provide City planners with your input about cycling infrastructure isn’t incentive enough… here’s one more goodie to sweeten the pot: There will be free Mc’Coffee.
It occurs to us that this Saturday you could enjoy a particularly Buzzy Day in a coffee-tasting way. We suggest that you buy various cups of coffee at several of our favorite local cafés (including coffee from Hot Java and from the Park Pantry—both across the street from Bixby Park—and from Portfolio Coffeehouse on Fourth at Junipero)… and then enjoy some free McCoffee as part of the community workshop. After the workshop, you could then cycle over to Sipology #2 on Broadway at Temple… and then cycle around the rest of the day to a dozen other great, locally-owned cafés. No… wait… you should NOT sip that much coffee in one day. Better to do your coffee tasting little by little. So… scratch the Buzzy Day idea. This Saturday, would you care for some McCoffee?
The final Bicycle Master Plan Update community meeting will take place at the Mark Twain Library (1401 E. Anaheim), Wednesday, March 23rd, 6:00-8:00 pm.
MichaelB, March 16th 2011 |
Tags: advocacy, commuting, cycling, fun, goals, meeting, ride, roads, routes, safety, traffic, women
Posted in advocacy, ride
Attend an upcoming public meeting to provide your input regarding cycling in Long Beach. The Long Beach Department of Public Works is holding meetings in many neighborhoods to solicit input about updating the Bicycle Master Plan.
The City has scheduled nine public sessions to request input during January, February and March. Also, the City will sponsor free bike rides prior to five of those public meetings.
To view details (dates, times, locations) about meetings 1-5, click on the LEFT. (Bicycle Master Plan workshops at Lowell Elementary School, First Congregational Church, Silverado Park, Coolidge Park and Los Altos Library.)
To view details (dates, times, locations) about meetings 6-9, click on the RIGHT. (Bicycle Master Plan workshops at El Dorado Park, Bixby Knolls, Bixby Park and Mark Twain Library.)
To view details about free bike rides starting at Lowell Elementary School and Silverado Park, click on the LEFT.
To view details about free bike rides starting at El Dorado Park, Bixby Knolls and Bixby Park, click on the RIGHT.
For more information, contact Courtney Aguirre at (562) 570-6667.
Courtney.Aguirre@LongBeach.Gov.
MichaelB, January 21st 2011 |
Tags: advocacy, Bicycle Master Plan, cycling, goals, meeting, ride, roads, safety, traffic
Posted in advocacy, meeting, ride
First off, this ride is a bad idea. You probably shouldn’t go on it. It will be the middle of the night, and you’ll be useless the next day. There are no buses or trains to save you, and only 7-11s and donut shops to feed on. Only nine riders survived last year. With that being said…
November 21st, meeting at Eleven-Forty Five, just before midnight, is Long Beach Cyclists’ Second Annual (and maybe last) Full Moon Ride. This ride will take us up the San Gabriel River to El Monte, along the Rio Hondo until it meets up with the LA River, and finally back home on Long Beach’s own Beach Path.
It’s 50 miles cycling under a full moon. It’s November. It could be cold and could be rainy. And there are coyotes and vicious owls. If you’re going to ignore my advice and come along on the ride, we recommend having a well-working bicycle. One that doesn’t creak and ache. One that you know how to fix, or one that won’t break. You are responsible for yourself (hey, just like in real life!)
Lights are a must. No lights, no ride. We’ll send you home. Seriously. Helmets are strongly encouraged.
We’ll probably stop at Denny’s when we’re done — if we finish…
Sunday, November 21st @ 11:45PM… until Monday, November 22nd before sunrise
Meet at Belmont Pier
Ride leaves at Midnight
Get there at 12:01 to see our tail lights in the distance.
View Bad Idea in a larger map
Thank you D Dougherty for organizing this great ride!
MichaelB, November 15th 2010 |
Tags: annual event, bicycle, cycling, fun, ride
Posted in event, ride
Bill Freed and his friend Jim Park recently cycled the Pacific Coast. We know Bill as an urban cyclist and member of Long Beach Cyclists. Yet Bill’s photos and report tell us that the recumbent tricycle is a great way to travel long distances comfortably and in style. Click on each image to enlarge it.
Bill Freed writes:Â This is a short summary of our trike ride from Canada to almost the Mexican border. Our great adventure began for myself and my good friend Jim Park on June 28th when we met in Seal Beach and rode to San Diego to complete the first part of our trip. We had intended to go to the Mexican border… but got lost in San Diego, falling short of our goal by a few miles.
The next part of our ride began on July 9th after a friend dropped us and our trikes off at Anacordes, Washington State. From there we took ferries to the Orcas and San Juan Islands, and then cycles on to Victoria, B.C., Canada. We rode in each of these locations, then took a ferry to Port Angeles, from where we began our southbound journey down the Olympic Peninsula. Eventually we returned to the coast near Long Beach, Washington.
We crossed the Columbia River into Astoria, Oregon. From there on we remained on the coast (mostly along 101 or Hwy 1) the rest of the way to our homes in Southern California.
Here are a few statistics about the trip. Miles covered by region: Canada 20, Washington 318, Oregon 365, California 704. Total cycling distance: 1407 miles. We were on the road for about a month and a half. We averaged between 40 to 45 miles per day. All things considered, it was a great trip, and believe it or not we had no flat tires, we had no rain, and we only had to deal with a couple of minor mechanical problems.
MichaelB, November 11th 2010 |
Tags: bike tours, Bill Freed, fun, recumbent, ride, routes, tricycle recumbent, trike
Posted in Featured
The annual Long Beach International City Bank Marathon will take place this weekend. A free, one-mile Kids Fun Run will be held 9:00 am Saturday, October 16, at the Aquarium of the Pacific. Then, early Sunday the 17th, a route that starts from and finishes at Shoreline Drive, will be closed off for the Marathon (full, half, and 5 kilometer), and for the 26.2-mile Bike Tour. Registration and fee required to participate in a Sunday event. Even if you won’t run or cycle in the Marathon, you may still enjoy watching as runners and cyclists speed by.
Don’t plan on sleeping in this Sunday! The Bike Tour starts at 6:00 am. The Walkers Marathon starts at 6:15 am. The Wheelchair Division starts at 6:55 am. The Full and Half Marathons will set out in waves every five minutes starting at 7:00 am. And the Run Forrest Run 5-kilometer Marathon will start at 8:30 am.
MichaelB, October 15th 2010 |
Tags: annual event, marathon, ride
Posted in event, ride
The 10th of October… 10-10-10, is a GREAT day for a bike ride! CicLAvia means the City of Los Angeles closes more than seven miles of roads to motorized traffic. It lasts from 10 am to 3 pm.—five hours of easy, urban cycling! This isn’t a race. There’s no fee to participate. Just show up on your bike and enjoy!
Head up to Los Angeles—perhaps take the Blue Line Metro to get to the downtown area—then join the fun. (A number of Long Beach Cyclists will depart from Long Beach Transit Mall aboard the Blue Line at 8:30 am, aiming to meet up with friends in L.A. from the Los Angeles Bicycle Coalition so that a larger group of us can ride together. Accompany us or meet us there!) You can cycle CicLAvia in either direction. The route runs through downtown L.A. To the west, the route reaches to the Bicycle Kitchen in East Hollywood. To the east, the route reaches to Hollenbeck Park in Boyle Heights. Just think: No cars to deal with except at a relatively small number of intersections. See CicLAvia.wordpress.com for more information. Click on the map on the right to have a look at route specifics.
The ciclovÃa (see-clo-VEE-uh) concept is popular in numerous Latin American countries and in Europe. For example, Ecuadorian cyclists enjoy a fantastic circuit across Quito, the capital city… ONCE A WEEK throughout the year! Let’s be glad this ciclovÃa is L.A.’s first one, and hope it’s not L.A.’s last one!
MichaelB, October 9th 2010 |
Tags: bike lane, cicLAvia, ciclovÃa, cycling, fun, ride, routes
Posted in event, ride
you may have read Lee’s post about the BEERide already. if you haven’t, check this ish out: Oktoberfest Beeride. the fantasticalness happens Saturday, October 9th from 9a through 1a Sunday.
perhaps beer’s not your thing for a saturday. perhaps you’re more into the art scene? well, this Saturday, the 9th, is also the East Village’s 2nd Saturday Art Walk. and for this month Phantom Galleries will be opening 3 new spaces while having 9 openings starting at 6p.
maybe you’re thinking, “y’know.. downtown long beach is a li’l too close. i really wanna get out of town and go for a long ride. but i still wanna check out some fantastic bike related art.” well we have just the event for you! there’s a new location for UCR’s Sweeny Art Gallery and they’re celebrating with an exhibition which explores the effects of bicycles on art and culture. the fun starts Thursday, Oct 7th. “woah.. wait. Riverside? how do i get out there?” glad you asked, here’s the plan: the metrolink 404 leaves from LA’s Union Station at 4.14p and costs $11.75. there are other trains if you can’t make that specific train. once there, the group will be taking in the art and a bit of riverside before heading back to downtown LA via bicycle at 12a. the distance is about 50 miles and should bring you to LA by 5a. you interested? give Allen a call for more information: 562 673 0643.
have old vintage bikes you need parts for? come out to Cyclone Coaster‘s 5th annual Vintage Bicycle Swap Meet this Sunday, October 10th. it goes from 7-10.30a. space, admission & parking are free!
and finally, let us not forget about LA’s grand opening of their first-ever CicLAvia! the plan for this one is to meet up at the downtown LB transit mall blue line station at 8.20a—in time to catch the 8.35a train—exit in LA, bike to Hollenbeck Park and meet up with a bunch of LACBC folk for a tour of the CicLAvia route starting at 10a.
but wait, a final final: Long Beach Cyclists’ general meeting this wednesday (Oct 6th), 7.17p at Polly’s Gourmet Coffee Shop in Belmont Shore. go to our Events page for more information.
ps. sorry, Lee, for pushing your post down so soon…
travis, October 5th 2010 |
Tags: bicycle, cicLAvia, ciclovÃa, meeting, ride, vintage
Posted in Current News, advocacy, art, event, ride
It’s October, and you know what that means. In a few weeks, you’ll be at a wild party, dressed up as a Naughty something, a Zombie other, or a Naughty Zombie something-or-other. Your kids will be out trick-or-treating, dressed up like their most cherished heroes — Eddy Merckx, Pam Reed, Aung San Suu Kyi, Greg Boyle… the food and drink will flow, and the party will go on. All. Night. Long. I am so excited, I keep forgetting to breathe.
However, it’s just October 2, and there’s a whole MONTH between us and Halloween. Sure, we can break out the cotton cobwebs and other decorations and get our costumes and buy candy, but that still leaves us with 28  days of agony while we wait for the Big Night. Luckily, our German friends came up with Oktoberfest. Which is awfully nice of them, because this gives us something to do while waiting for Halloween. Something that involves Beer. What can be better?
Our friends at The Factory in Bixby Knolls are doing Oktoberfest next Saturday, October 9, from 9am till 1am.
All the coolest people are getting there at 9 and staying till they get kicked out at 1am, but if you can’t hang the whole time, it’s ok. The party really starts at 9:45am, when the Factory teams up with the New Belgium Beer Ranger for a bike ride around Bixby Knolls and Virginia Country Club. Despite the beer, this will be a casual-paced, family-friendly ride. And the first 15 riders to arrive get free t-shirts, and all adult participants get $3 of Factory Dollars.
Go to Facebook and find The Factory’s Page to learn more and RSVP.
Lee, October 2nd 2010 |
Tags: Oktoberfest, ride
Posted in event, ride
Our Travis is super friendly, a cyclist, a great bike mechanic, and a handsome guy with a lonnnnnnng beard. Saturday morning, 8 am, October 2nd, you can cycle with Travis to the Port Fest. The staging area for all interested people to cycle to the port is the downtown Promenade (Ocean Blvd. near Pine Avenue). Folks on bikes can enjoy a special cycling tour of interesting areas of the Port of Long Beach not usually seen by outsiders—that ride takes place at 8:00 am. People on bicycle who arrive at the Promenade later can nonetheless participate in escorted cycle rides to the Port Fest itself. Long Beach Cyclists will run a table at the Promenade Saturday morning, and will provide free bike valet at Port Fest (south of Queensway Bridge) all day long.
MichaelB, October 1st 2010 |
Tags: annual event, bike tours, bike valet, fun, Green Port Festival, Port of Long Beach, ride, routes
Posted in ride
So we Southern Californians are finally catching up to South America!
At 9:00a on Wed, Sep 22 on the South Steps of City Hall Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, along with some other city folk and cyclists, will announce the route for LAs first-ever CicLAvia.
The new CicLAvia is a temporary public space along 7.5 miles in LA, stretching from Heliotrope & Melrose in East Hollywood to 1st & St Louis in Boyle Heights, to promote cycling and walking in the fair city. A collaboration between the City of Los Angeles, CicLAvia, and the cycling community, this new facility hopes to encourage healthy, active transportation and connect communities.
CiclovÃas started over 30 yrs ago in Bogotá, Colombia, to answer the congestion and pollution of the city. And we’re just now getting our own..
The real fun stuff will take place on Sunday, October 10, 2010 from 10:00a to 3:00p when the CicLAvia opens to the public for actual use.
Hurray to a more bikeable Southern California!
photograph courtesy of La Vida Es Loca
travis, September 22nd 2010 |
Tags: annual event, cicLAvia, ciclovÃa, ride, routes
Posted in advocacy, event, ride
