Dear Sustainable Eiber Neighbors:

Hi, this is Bill Spriggs here with the third and most likely final newsletter concerning the Eiber Neighborhood's Participation in the RTD Tour de FasTracks Bike Event on September 15, 2012. Around year-end, I hope to present you with various ideas for events and projects that I would like to schedule for 2013. Stay tuned.

As you may recall, RTD FasTracks is celebrating the opening of their new bike path that parallels most of the West Rail Line's Route from Denver to Golden by hosting a bike event ride on Saturday, September 15, 2012 and the Eiber Neighborhood as part of our sustainability effort will participate. We are participating primarily so that you will become knowledgeable about riding on your bicycle thru our neighborhood and realize that you don't always have to use your automobile for every automobile trip.

The official bike event will start at the Oak Street Station and end at the Decatur-Federal Station; a distance of about six miles. Just show up on your bicycles at 9:00am  at the Oak Street Station to register for the event.

Just a few items have changed since my last email.

You don't have to RSVP, but you will be required to start at the Oak Street Station in order to receive your "participatory material." I don't know what this means at the moment, but most likely you will need these materials to ride the Platte Valley Trolley, get your free lunch and "end-of-the ride activities" when you arrive at the Decatur-Federal Station.

All cyclists will assemble at the Oak Street Station (Go west on Colfax Ave to Oak St., 11,200 West, and turn south two blocks).  This is considered to be a "casual" and easy ride for beginners and occasional riders, and is suitable for the whole family. Dress in comfortable clothing as you don't need to look like you're entered in the Tour de France; the entire event is mostly flat terrain; there will be limited transportation back to Oak Street (I assume this means via special bus or buses); helmets are not required, but highly recommended; there will be a bike check at the lunch and you don't need to bring a lock; participants under age 12, must have parental supervision; there will be NO bikes to rent. RTD has indicated that there will be adequate signage along the route so that no one will get lost (hard to do anyways).

An important note: There is an advanced ride starting at the Jefferson County Government Center-Golden Station however this station will not be staffed by RTD personnel and those who start from that location will need to arrive at Oak St. Station before the final send-off of riders at 10:15am in order to receive their required end-of-ride materials. (See links below for more info).

The City of Lakewood Sustainability Neighborhood Program will be hosting tables at the Garrison Street and Lamar Street stations; these will be called "Whistle Stops." I will personally be at the Garrison Street location (most likely at NW corner of 13th Avenue and Garrison St). Kids participating in the ride will be given a "passport pamphlet" and as they pass each station. "Conductors" will "stamp the passport" with the location "visited."

At my Whistle Stop -- 13th Avenue & Garrison Streets -- I will be providing small bottled waters (wet, not cold), 4 dozen, bicycle-themed cookies and 100 pin-backed BIKE EIBER buttons. I will be asking all participants to sign a petition to the City of Lakewood to place "sharrows" (on - street indicators for motorist to share the road with cyclists) on the streets that share the bike path. Also at this location, I may have a mock-up of an architectural rendering and Lego model of a possible Police/Lakewood City maintenance Bike Depot that would be used in the limited space of the NW corner of 13th Avenue and Garrison Street which is currently owned by RTD.

I'll be asking Lakewood residents to support this effort for this location because it would provide "secure eyes-on-the-ground" for future light rail riders entering and leaving Garrison Street Station as opposed to a "pocket park" that could attract undesirable elements. Public Safety should be a top priority in our neighborhoods.  

See you out on your bicycles for this great event on September 15th.   

Click here for the map of the suggested route from the Golden Station to Oak Street. 

Click here to go to the RTD-FasTracks route map from the Oak Street Station to the Decatur-Federal Station.

Click here to go to the RTD-FasTracks Q & A page about the Tour de FasTracks Bike Event.

If you have any additional questions about the event not listed on the RTD Q & A page website, please directly email the RTD representative, Lindsey Smith at:
lindsey.smith@RTD-Denver.com or call her at 303-299-2895 

See you out there on your bikes on Saturday, September 15th.

Bill Spriggs
Bike Eiber
Cell: 303-349-1673