| | Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Newsletter May 15, 2014 |
| Join Us at Our Handlebar Happy Hours Tonight! 
Today is Bike to Work Day! We had our pit stops this morning (check out photos in Echo Park and Downtown L.A.); now join LACBC and our local chapters for handlebar happy hours throughout the County! Handlebar Happy Hour In addition to finding us at our morning pit stops, join LACBC and our local chapters for Handlebar Happy Hour! We'll be hanging out and enjoying good grub to celebrate bicycling tonight! Join us for many of the Handlebar Happy Hours throughout L.A. County Echo Park hosted by LACBC When: Thursday, May 15; 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Where: Mohawk Bend - 2141 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, 90026 Mention LACBC to receive happy hour prices until 9 p.m. More info. Glendale hosted by Walk Bike Glendale When: Thursday, May 15; 5:30 p.m. Where: Left Coast Wine Bar - 117 East Harvard, Glendale, 91205 Wine and dine at LACBC/WBG's newest Business Partner. More info. Claremont hosted by Pomona Valley Bicycle Coalition When: Thursday, May 15; 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Where: The Press - 129 N. Harvard Ave., Claremont, 91711 Santa Clarita hosted by Santa Clarita Valley Bicycle Coalition When: Thursday, May 15; 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Where: Schooners Patio Grille - 22903 Soledad Canyon Rd., Santa Clarita, 91350 Santa Monica hosted by Santa Monica Spoke - NEW LOCATION When: Thursday, May 15; 5 p.m. Where: Areal Restaurant - 2820 Main St., Santa Monica, 90401 Culver City hosted by Culver City Bicycle Coalition When: Thursday, May 15; 4 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Where: Rocco's Tavern - 3843 Main Street, Culver City 90232
The Bike from Work Happy Hour special is 2 for 1 drinks, plus there will be some free appetizers provided for cyclists. Free Rides on Transit Additionally, free rides will be offered to those who board with a bike or a bike helmet on Bike to Work Day on Metro Bus and Metro Rail. (For information on how to board on Metro Rail through a latched station, please read these instructions.) Free rides will also be offered on Glendale Beeline, Long Beach Transit, Metrolink (must bring a bike to ride for free), Montebello Bus Lines, Norwalk Transit System, Torrance Transit, DASH & Commute Express, Beach Cities Transit, City of El Monte Transit, and Pasadena ARTS. |
Round Out Bike Week With More Events: Metro's Bike Night at Union Station
In addition to Bike to Work Day on May 15th, celebrate these events to round out the week!
Metro's Bike Night at Union Station
When: Friday, May 16; 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Where: Union Station, Harvey Room Metro and L.A. County partners like LACBC will host a Bike Week wrap-up evening event at the Fred Harvey Room and courtyard area. This free event will feature special guests, live music, food trucks, outdoor booths, free bike valet, bike shorts, trivia, bike portraits and a fashion show. See Facebook event.
Metro's Bike Local Weekend
When: Friday, May 16 to Sunday, May 18 Bike to great destinations during Bike Local Weekend and mention "Bike Week" for a fun discount! More info. |
| Bicycling Is on the Ride! Check Out Our Bike Count Report Coverage 
LACBC is excited to release the Bicycle Findings & Recommendations from the 2013 L.A. Bicycle and Pedestrian Count that we conducted alongside Los Angeles Walks and several other community partners. This count was a massive undertaking, requiring over 400 volunteer shifts at 120 distinct locations throughout the city on multiple days in September 2013. In total, our volunteers counted nearly 18,000 bicyclists over six hours. Overall, bicycle ridership is up 7.5 percent since 2011. But more importantly, where new bikeways were added, ridership is up over 100 percent! In other words, bike infrastructure works! The count also found that: - The busiest time for bicycling is the evening commute period, suggesting that most people are riding for transportation.
- People strongly prefer riding on dedicated facilities like bike paths and bike lanes over streets with no bicycle facilities.
- Fewer than 1 in 5 bicyclists is female, and female ridership is highest on bike paths and bike lanes, suggesting that the lack of safe and comfortable facilities is causing a gender disparity among bicyclists.
- Bike lanes improve bicyclist behavior, cutting sidewalk riding in half compared to streets without and reducing wrong-way riding as well.
- This report shows that as ridership continues to grow in Los Angeles, not everyone feels safe riding without better bicycle facilities.
Download and read the full report for an in-depth look at these key findings and recommendations. Thank you to our partners: Los Angeles Walks, TRUST South L.A., Community Health Councils, Advancement Project, Pacoima Beautiful, Bikerowave, Bike Oven, CM Mike Bonin's Office, and CM Bob Blumenfield's Office. Thank you to our hundreds of volunteers who took time out of their days for our most ambitious count yet. Thank you to our sponsors: Pocrass & de Los Reyes, Fehr & Peers, Stantec, Flying Pigeon, David Bohnett Foundation, and Roth Family Foundation. Quick Links: |
Thank You and Good Luck to Team LACBC on Climate Ride Team LACBC leaves for Climate Ride California THIS WEEKEND for a 4-day cycling adventure from San Francisco to California's Capitol in Sacramento! Each member has reached their minimum, and Team LACBC has raised $68,000! Congratulations and thank you to all the team members. We'll be cheering you on, Team Captain Greg, Alek, Eric, Dalila, Alex, Herbie, Marc, Eddie, David, Alan, Parisa, Aaron, Patrick, and Erik! Eric Vs. Alek  In the Eric Vs. Alek intra-office battle, Eric Bruins is now within $415 of Alek Bartrosouf. Donate to Eric Bruins's fundraising campaign here. Donate to Alek Bartrosouf's fundraising campaign here. What to support someone else's campaign? There is still time to support one the many Team LACBC members here. |
| Just 17 Days Left to Join or Renew Your LACBC Membership to Win a Trip for Two to Taiwan 
May is Bike Month! To celebrate, we're holding a membership drive, where you could bike away with trip for two to Taiwan, just by joining LACBC or renewing your membership in May! Enriched by nature, culture, food and people, Taiwan presents a perfect setting to engage visitors of all lifestyles. Every year, visitors and locals alike gather for a chance to be a part of Taiwan Cycling Festival from November 8th to November 16th. Whether you are in for a challenge or a leisure rider, the cycling festival appeals to all with 3 different events to choose from, including the Sun Moon Lake Come! Bikeday for all levels. And now you can be a part of the Taiwan Cycling Festival - Sun Moon Lake Come! Bikeday (check out a video below) when you join LACBC or renew your membership in the month of May for a chance to win. The winner and a companion will receive: - A week of fun in Taiwan
- Round-trip flight tickets from Los Angeles to Taiwan
- Mainly 4-star or 5-star hotel accommodations, though some attraction may require a stay at a featured bed & breakfast
- Sight-seeing opportunities
- Daily meals
- Local transportation
- English-speaking tour guide
- Registration for the Taiwan Cycling Festival's Sun Moon Lake Come! Bikeday
- Total trip valued at approximately $8,500
Here's how it works: If you sign up for LACBC membership in May, you'll be entered into a drawing a certain number of times, depending on your level of membership - $15 or $35 membership: 1 drawing ticket
- $70 membership: 2 drawing tickets
- $100 membership: 4 drawing tickets
- $250 membership: 10 drawing tickets
- $500 membership: 24 drawing tickets
The winner will be chosen at random in a drawing in early June and be announced at the Los Angeles River Rideon Sunday, June 22nd. So what are you waiting for? Join LACBC or renew your membership today! Let's bike, Taiwan! This prize is sponsored by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau. |
Win Free River Ride Registration When You Fundraise for LACBC for the 14th Annual L.A. River Ride
Registration for the 14th Annual L.A. River Ride is now open, and we've now made it easier to participate in fundraising. When you register for the ride online, a fundraising page will automatically be set up for you, and you can choose to personalize it or not. Every dollar counts to help make L.A. County a healthy, safe, and fun place to ride a bike. Will you join us? When you meet certain fundraising milestones, you can earn River Ride registration, as well as other great free prizes like an LACBC pint glass, River Ride registration, LACBC socks, a River Ride jersey, and more? - Tish Laemmle
- Carrie Ungerman
- Trent Whittaker
- Sebouh Asparian
- Carlos Perez
They are all competing to be the top fundraiser, to win VBT's Tuscany by the Sea biking vacation! Runner-up prizes include a limited edition New Belgium Brewing bike. Join them by becoming a fundraiser! Learn more about fundraising here. More on the 14th Annual L.A. River Ride: When: Sunday, June 22, 2014 Where: start at Autry National Center in Griffith Park or Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach Register: here by May 27th and save $10. LACBC Members save an additional $10. Kids 12 and under ride for free. 10 great rides with 2 start locations (Autry or Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach) |
| Before You Vote on June 3rd, Check Out Candidate Surveys 
June 3rd, 2014 is the primary election for three critical offices for bicyclists in Los Angeles County. All voters in Los Angeles County can vote for Los Angeles County Sheriff, while voters in the first and third supervisorial districts can vote for County Supervisor. LACBC invited all candidates to share their perspectives on bicycling and transportation with our members and supporters. While LACBC does not endorse candidates, we encourage you to consider these responses before casting your vote on June 3rd. Find out more about the election and how to register to vote here: lavote.net. County Supervisor Races 1st District (in the order received) 3rd District (in the order received) County Sheriff Race (in the order received) Find all these responses at la-bike.org/vote. Long Beach Elections Our partner at Long Beach-based Bikeable Communities sent out questionnaires to candidates for multiple races in the Long Beach area. Here are some of the responses to the questions. We'll be updating the list of responses at la-bike.org/voteLB. |
Updates from Around L.A. County: Volunteer for the Bike Count in Culver City this Weekend and Next Tuesday
Culver City: Local chapter Culver City Bicycle Coalition is aiding the City of Culver City in organizing volunteers for bike counts this May. Volunteers will be asked to attend an orientation meeting and commit to at least one time period. Here is the schedule:- Bike Count: Saturday, May 17, 12-2 p.m.
- Bike Count: Tuesday, May 20, 7-9 a.m. & 4-6 p.m.
Please contact Patrick Murray at Mattapoisett@earthlink.net to ask questions, register for the orientation meeting, or to sign up for a shift. More info and sign up here. |
So Long and Farewell, Shanon!
 | | Photo courtesy of Shanon |
We'd like to thank and bid adieu to our former Active Streets L.A. Initiative Coordinator Shanon Muir! During her time as the Initiative Coordinator, she worked with many organizations and stakeholders to create safe places to walk and bike in South L.A.
Shanon still can't get enough of us though; she stopped by a Walk Bike Glendale pit stop to visit our Policy & Campaigns Manager & Walk Bike Glendale Members Alek Bartrosouf on the way to biking to her new job today! (We heard that she may have renewed her LACBC/WBG membership, too).
For all Active Streets L.A. inquiries, please contact our new Initiative Coordinator Bryan Moller at Bryan@la-bike.org. Welcome, Bryan! |
What's Ringing Our Bike Bells: Scenes from the Taiwan Cycling Festival  | | Cycling Sun Moon Lake Taiwan March 2014 |
You've probably heard that we're have a membership sweepstakes. If you join LACBC or renew in the month of May, you'll be entered into a drawing to win a trip for two to the Taiwan Cycling Festival thanks to the Taiwan Tourism Board.
Curious about what the Taiwan Cycling Festival has to offer? Check out this video of the expert-level King of the Mountain (KOM) Challenge route at the Taiwan Cycling Festival, which has a 3,275-meter climb up Hehuan Mountain. Not for you? The Sun Moon Lake Come! Bike Day route features a scenic (and at times elevated) bike path along the lake for all ages. Check out this video! That image on our Membership drive images is real!
Remember: Sign for for LACBC membership in May for a chance to experience the Sun Moon Lake bikeway for yourself! |
| | Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities LACBC Handlebar Happy Hour When: Thursday, May 15; 5 p.m. Metro's Bike Night at Union Station When: Friday, May 16; 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Experience Central Ave. Mapping Ride When: Saturday, May 17; 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Where: Jazz Park - 42nd pl and Central Ave Join LACBC, TRUST South L.A., and Community Health Councils for another day of neighborhood exploration as we help build a map of community assets in some of Central Avenue's key cultural spaces and local businesses.We will be meeting at the Jazz park on 42nd pl and Central Ave. We will have one group ride north and another group will ride south. See Facebook Event. Touring L.A. County with LACBC & Where to Bike When: Sunday May 18; meet at 8:30 a.m., ride at 9:00 a.m. Where: Claremont Metrolink Station - 200 West 1st Street, Claremont Glendora Mountain Road (also known simply as GMR) and its sibling, Glendora Ridge Road, meander upward through the San Gabriel Mountains from the historic town of Glendora to Mount Baldy Village at the base of one of the regions few ski resorts. This 45-mile ride is simply amazing for its relative tranquility (the two roads are often closed to automobile traffic) and unparalleled views of everything from the valleys to the high peaks of the San Gabriel Mountains. It is not surprising that Bicycling Magazine listed this ride among its "50 Rides of a Lifetime." So join us, and the Pomona Valley Bicycle Coalition, on this classic ride in eastern Los Angeles County. More info. Museum of the Arroyos Day - Experience Life in the Past Lane When: Sunday, May 18; 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. (with last museum entrance at 4 p.m. Where: The Autry's Southwest Museum Mt. Washington Campus, the Gamble House, Heritage Square, Los Angeles Police Museum, Lummis Home, and the Pasadena Museum of History. Now in its 25 year, MOTA celebrates art, history, architecture and family fun when six museums in Los Angeles and Pasadena open their doors for a free day. Free shuttles connect all museums, but cyclists are encouraged to make the MOTA Loop! In Pasadena, bike racks are available at the Pasadena Museum of History (it's a short walk across the street to visit the Gamble House). Bikes can be parked and locked on the front gate of the Los Angeles Police Museum; likewise the front gate to Heritage Square is a typical place where cyclists can park their bikes (again, it's a short walk to visit the Lummis House from here). From Pasadena Museum of History to Heritage Square: a mere 6.4 miles!. Free. For more information visit museumsofthearroyo.com. California Bike Advocacy Day When: Wednesday, May 21 Where: Sacramento, CA On May 21, the California Bicycle Coalition is sponsoring Bike Advocacy Day in the state capital to tell our elected representatives how important it is to support our communities with bike-friendly policies and funding. Network with your fellow bicycling advocates from around the state while we press our agenda to direct more funding to bike infrastructure, change the rules to emphasize complete networks of protected bikeways, plus our other legislative priorities. Our own planning and policy director Eric Bruins and other LACBC staff and board will be attending after completing Climate Ride on Team LACBC. Register with CalBike today. Sunday Funday Ride When: Sunday, June 1; likely mid-morning start Where: Long Beach Save the date for this ride through Long Beach's Cambodia Town! Stay tuned for more details in next week's newsletter. Tour de Downey When: Saturday, June 14 Where: Downey City Hall Civic Center Local chapter Downey Bicycle Coalition is working closely with the City on the first annual "Tour de Downey" with a long-distance ride and a community bike ride. In addition, the Downey Arts Coalition is coordinating the "Make Music Downey" event, in which various stages will be set up around the downtown area and civic center for artists to play and for people to enjoy! The day in its entirety is being termed "Downey: Rock n' Roll!" and stands to be a day to showcase all that the City has to offer. More info. 14th Annual Los Angeles River Ride When: Sunday, June 22 More info in newsletter. |
LACBC Local Chapters - Join when you become an LACBC member or renew your membership!
Other Events Around Town |
| | | | Join LACBC or Renew The Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition is a member-supported organization that works for you to build a better, more bike-able L.A. County.
Members are the backbone of LACBC! Help keep LACBC strong by becoming an LACBC member (or renewing your membership) and be part of the change! |
Contact Information
Carol Feucht
Membership & Communications Director
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition
carol@la-bike.org |
Let's be friends! Connect with LACBC: www.la-bike.org      |
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