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Thursday, June 11, 2009

Support an Olympia Bike Park, Tuesday, July 14th...

The following message is from Jody Ott (soulbikes@gmail.com), the Mountain Bike Captain of the Capital Bicycling Club in Olympia WA:

On Tuesday July 14th the Olympia Parks Department will be making a presentation to the city council about the current point of the new parks plan. The plan includes some provision for off road cycling called BMX which is being used to loosely define all off road cycling regardless of wheel size, tread pattern or number of gears. The plan at this point also includes some seed money to start a project in a yet to be determined location. This is not just for BMX, mountain bikes and even hard packed recreational cycling trails are affected by this parks plan.

What can you do?

The city council meetings allow 30 minutes at the start (7PM at 900 Plum Street) for the public to make comments. It would be really great whether you ride 20 inch wheels or 29 inch wheels if you could show up at 6:30 and sign up to say just a few words to support cycling recreation.

It's easy!

You sign up on a sheet by the front door and when your name is called to speak you walk up to the podium state your name, Olympia address, and how much you really enjoy (insert BMX, Mountain Biking, Cyclocross, Flatland, Road Racing, Bike Trails, or whatever) and really support the efforts of the parks department to recognize the need for a space to ride. Or something to that effect.

If you are nervous just look at the podium or star at Joe Hyer's hawaiian shirt. If you really don't want to say anything come and show support in a way that makes it obvious your a cyclist.

It would be really great to have the bike rack full, a bike chained to every pole holding up the round walk way cover, or every person in the seating area holding a helmet to let the council see how big this issue is to us.

What if I can't make that meeting?

The city council meets every Tuesday at 7pm. Make any meeting between now and then to voice your desire for a place to ride in town.

--

- Larry Leveen

OlyBikes Locally-Owned Bike Shop

"Bikes, Parts, Repairs and GREAT Customer Service"

124 State Avenue NE

Olympia, WA 98501

Phone: 360-753-7525

(FREE bike safety & advocacy materials)

also on Twitter & Facebook

Monday, June 08, 2009

Bridging the Gap Phase II Ground Breaking Celebration

"Looks like you it's time to take me on another bike ride!"

Congressman Brian Baird just stolen my thunder as I walked up to him at the ground breaking event. This will take some explaining...

A few years ago, when the federal transportation bill was being re-authorized, I saw an announcement that Congressman Baird was going to be in town. We had recently secured funding for Phase I of the Bridging the Gap Project (the bridge over I-5) thanks to Sandra Romero, then one of our representatives in the State Legislature (now a County Commissioner). There wasn't any such funding for the other two phases. Having been involved in a lot of other forms of bike advocacy, some effective, some not, I thought I'd try something different than another meeting or hearing. I decided to invite the Congressman on a bike ride of the area, specifically to show him the Bridging the Gap Project. He agreed, and after some quick organization and planning, we met with some other riders from our community at the Olympia Farmers Market.

Long ride short, Congressman Baird agreed to try and help fund Phase II of the project (a bridge over Martin Way), and was, obviously, successful. True, things have proceeded along slower than anticipated since then, but the hundred or so folks that gathered at the ground breaking event on 6/7/09 were still glad. I had thought of a good-natured heckling of the Congressman might be in order, but I didn't get within 15 feet of him before he shot my joke right at me! I was stunned (and relieved).

When a project like this is in its infancy, it's hard to see "The Promised Land". All you perceive is a sizable obstacle that isn't cheap to fund or easy to get support for. With early leadership from individuals on the Thurston Regional Planning Council (such as Pete Kmet of Tumwater City Council), as well as help from Sandra Romero and Brian Baird, we're more than half-way there. I think that staff and elected officials are really learning what is possible with regional cooperation, and how loved and needed facilities like trails are in their communities.

And me, I've learned that my congressman has a sense of humor!

Thanks to everyone who helped out with and attended the event. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go plan a bike ride....

Bridging the Gap Phase II Ground Breaking Celebration

http://www.trpc.org/resources/savethedateinvite_bb.pdf

Thursday, June 04, 2009

Gap Phase II Ground Breaking THIS Saturday, June 6th @ 3PM!

Just a reminder that the ground breaking for Phase II of Bridging the Gap is THIS SATURDAY, June 6th at 3PM. This long awaited project (we expected it to start about a year ago, but better late than never) entails a bridge over Martin Way for the Chehalis Western Rail Trail to connect to the I-5 bridge completed a few years ago.

Citizen presence and involvement has been crucial in getting this far and will be the key to obtaining funding for the final phase, a bridge over Pacific Avenue. This will join the northern and southern sections of this much-loved trail, and usher in a new era a non-motorized mobility for our region.

The Event will be held on the north side of Martin Way, where the Chehalis-Western Trail currently terminates. The location is readily accessible by bike and is served by Intercity Transit routes 62A and 62B. Pacific Cataract and Laser has generously offered use of their parking lot, located at their new building adjacent to the event site, for those who wish to carpool.

I look forward thanking Rep. Brian Baird who secured funding for this project, and also to seeing you there!

For more information, see:

and

http://www.trpc.org/programs/transportation/projects/martinwaycrossing.htm

--

- Larry Leveen

OlyBikes Locally-Owned Bike Shop

"Bikes, Parts, Repairs and GREAT Customer Service"

124 State Avenue NE

Olympia, WA 98501

Phone: 360-753-7525

(FREE bike safety & advocacy materials)

also on Twitter & Facebook

Like that album, a good tandem ride is a synergistic and sublime experience. One might even say, it's poetry.

Monday, June 01, 2009

Wind roaring in ears -- Synergistic payback time -- Tandem screams downhill

Another delicious Sunday evening afforded us an opportunity for a ride on our Rans Screamer.

It really earns its name on downhills as we exceeded 40mph (our record is 42.5). Like all tandems, though, it lags going uphill, but that only makes the payback of the descent that much sweeter. Plus, with a 24t small chainring and a 34t cog, it has a great hill-climbing gear, making it pretty easy for a decent tandem team to deal with steep climbs. Even loaded with groceries from the Olympia Farmers Market <http://www.olympiafarmersmarket.com/> the climb from Olympia's downtown to the westside is doable (and Sherman Street has _got_ to be at least a 14% slope).

Sunday's ride was a pleasure-oriented one though, so we were travelling light -- just the necessary tools in case of trouble. This allowed us to accelerate from a stop quickly and cruise around the backroads out near Cooper Point Rd. on a favorite route of ours call "The Shuggie Loop" since we created the route while listening to the amazing "Inspiration Information" by Shuggie Otis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuggie_Otis.>

- Larry Leveen

OlyBikes Locally-Owned Bike Shop

"Bikes, Parts, Repairs and GREAT Customer Service"

124 State Avenue NE

Olympia, WA 98501

Phone: 360-753-7525

(FREE bike safety & advocacy materials)