LACBC
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Newsletter

March 15, 2012 

In this issue
10,000 Thanks to AdventureCORPS for Sponsoring the Jim Swarzman Memorial Drive
Bike Infrastructure & Policy Updates from Around the County
Bikes - Ballads - Beers: A Benefit for the West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition
Help Make CicLAvia Possible: Volunteer
Bike Classes Coming Up
Scholarships Available for Women Interested in Becoming League Certified Bicycle Safety Instructors
LACBC Presents the 12th Annual Los Angeles River Ride on June 10th
What's Ringing Our Bike Bells: How-Not-to-Bike-Valet Training Video Comes from Portlandia
Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities
10,000 Thanks to AdventureCORPS for Sponsoring the Jim Swarzman Memorial Membership Drive
RR Header 

Last summer and fall, our friend Chris Kostman and AdventureCORPS, Inc. sponsored a matching membership drive in honor of fallen rider Jim Swarzman. Jim, a great friend of LACBC, was killed last Spring while riding his bike in San Diego County with his fiancee and a friend.

 

For every contribution to made to LACBC during the Jim Swarzman Memorial Membership Drive, whether through membership or donation, AdventureCORPS, a promoter of endurance cycling and running events including the world-famous Furnace Creek 508 and the Badwater Ultramarathon through Death Valley, promised to match those contributions up to $10,000. Chris spread the word to the athletes who ride in all AdventureCORPS events, including the Death Valley Century and Double Century, the Mount Laguna Bicycle Classic held near San Diego, and Hell's Gate Hundred. Jim was a several-time veteran of AdventureCORPS events and well-known and liked in the ultracycling scene, so his untimely and senseless death really hit home for his fellow endurance riders. Their desire to help keep these types of unnecessary tragedies from happening again, with AdventureCORPS' backing and support, led to the most successful membership drive in LACBC history.

 

With your help, we were able to raise over $23,000 during the Jim Swarzman Memorial Drive on memberships and donations alone! As promised, Chris Kostman recently presented a check of $10,000 to our Executive Director Jennifer Klausner on top of the $23,000 raised!

 

Thank you to Chris and AdventureCORPS for their generosity and support! Thank you to the many of Jim's friends, family, and fellow endurance riders who have contributed! Thank you to all who donated and/or became members during the drive!  And thank you to everyone who helped spread the word about making LA County a better, more bike-able place! 

Bike Infrastructure & Policy Updates from Around the County

 

A bike corral appears on Main and Venice in Santa Monica

Glendale: Last month, the City Council approved the test-case conversion of Honolulu Avenue from 4 travel lanes to 3 travel lanes to create a "road diet" (or "road buffet" to more accurately describe the scrumptious options if offers to all modes of travel) between Orangedale Avenue and approximately Whiting Woods Road. This road buffet will include bike lanes in each direction. Community Outreach meetings are being held on March 28 and April 26. More info.

 

Long Beach: Did you know that Long Beach offers the nation's largest citywide discount program for cyclists through the Bike Saturdays program? It does. More info

 

Long Beach & Seal Beach: The San Gabriel River bike path will be resurfaced on weekdays from Monday, March 19, to Monday, March 26, from 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM. This will be done in three segments, starting just south of Pacific Coast Highway in Seal Beach and ending at Carson Avenue. See the complete schedule at BikeLongBeach.org.

 

Malibu: Give your input on the Malibu PCH Bike Route Improvement project. The first round of public workshops is on Saturday, March 31st (10 AM - 12 PM) and April 4th (6 PM - 8 PM). More info.

 

Rampart Village: Bike lanes have been striped on Rampart Blvd. between Beverly Blvd. and 6th Street. Read more on LA Streetsblog.

 

Santa Monica: Several bike lanes were installed on Main St. yesterday, making Santa Monica a friendlier place to park your bike. Bike lanes were also being installed on 17th. Read more at the Santa Monica Spoke blog.  

 

South El Monte: Tuesday night, the South El Monte City Council signed on to the sub-regional bike plan proposal last night to join Monterey Park and Baldwin Park. LACBC and BikeSGV are working on securing grant funding with San Gabriel cities to create bike plans.

 

Westside: No parking. . . "except bikes" have sprung up around town thanks to the "Department of D.I.Y." Read more at LA Streetsblog.

 

West Hollywood: The city will stripe bike lanes on 0.65 mile stretch of San Vicente Blvd. between Beverly Blvd. and Santa Monica Blvd. this April or May. More info.

 

Bikes - Ballads - Beers: A Benefit for the West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition TONIGHT!
WeHo

Join local LACBC chapter WeHoBC for a night of the most innovative and talented musicians and singer songwriters LA has to offer. The night features the music of Tracee Perrin, Triple Chicken Foot, Hello Dragon, Xylowaves, and Quality Audio at Little Bar in the Miracle Mile Neighborhood.

  

When: Thursday, March 15th; 7 PM doors / 8 PM stage

Where: Little Bar - 757 S. La Brea - LA, 90036 (corner of W. 8th St & La Brea).

Cost: $5 suggested donation, but $10 will get you a drink ticket

 

Find more info at the WeHoBC website and share the Facebook event.

Help Make CicLAvia Possible: Volunteer
 
Did you know that over 700 volunteers are needed to make each CicLAvia possible? Be one of them as we gear up for the next CicLAvia on April 15, 2012.
 
LACBC is assisting with the volunteer coordination this time around, and we'd love for you to join us both on the April 15th and for volunteer opporunties beforehand. 

Check out the schedule at ciclavia.org/volunteer and email Martin Lopez-Iu at [email protected] to volunteer! 
Bike Classes Coming Up
 
Are you new to biking or have some friends that are hesitant to ride on LA's streets? Have you never learned to ride a bike? Take an upcoming workshop!

Learn To Ride (for adults) Workshop presented by C.I.C.L.E.
When: Sunday, March 18; 11 AM
Where: Atwater

Never ridden a bike? Now's your chance! Join C.I.C.L.E. instructors for this two-hour class that will get you out there rolling on two wheels. Bring your own bicycle. If you do not have a bicycle, we may be able to provide you with one. Price: $30 (class) $10 (bicycle rental if needed) Information on what to bring and location will be provided in conformation. SPACE IS LIMITED. Email [email protected] to RSVP. More info.

 

How to Ride to Work (or anywhere for that matter) Workshop presented by Bikerowave
When: Sunday March 18; 3 PM - 5:30 PM 
Where: Bikerowave - 12255 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, 90066
Explore cycling as a means of alternative transportation with Lindsey, avid cycle tourist and Bikerowave volunteer, in this 2 1/2 hour class that will provide you with the tools and techniques to build your confidence while riding in traffic. Make it to work in timely and stylish fashion, and enjoy a more car-free life! This class is FREE, but please RSVP with an email to [email protected] with your name and the date you are attending in the subject line. More info.

 

How to Fix Your Bike (Even if you don't know a bottom bracket from a brake cable) Workshop presented by Bikerowave
When: Sunday, March 25; 3 PM - 5:30 PM
Where: Bikerowave - 12255 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, 90066
Have you ever wanted to learn how to put your chain back on with a stick, true a wheel with a rock, or fix your chain with a nail? Well, all that and more can be taught, to anyone. This class is FREE, but please RSVP with an email to [email protected] with your name and the date you are attending in the subject line. More info.

Also, be sure to check out C.I.C.L.E. and the Bicycle Kitchen's workshop pages for more workshops to help you get up on your two wheels.
Scholarships Available for Women Interested in Becoming League Certified Bicycle Safety Instructors
 
As part of the "Let's Double the Number of Women Riding" Campaign, Women On Bikes SoCal will be accepting applications online through March 31st for women to receive scholarships to become League Certified Bicycle Safety Instructors (LCI's) accredited by the League of American Bicyclists in April and June. For this first LCI scholarship program, Women On Bikes SoCal is looking for female applicants from East L.A., South L.A., the greater South Bay, Long Beach, and the 714 area of Orange County only.
 
Applications will be available and accepted online from March 1 - 31, 2012 (midnight) here.

LACBC Presents the 12th Annual Los Angeles River Ride on June 10th

  

Join us for LACBC's biggest fundraiser and biggest ride of the year! The Los Angeles River Ride is:

  • 6 great rides! Choose from a 100-mile, 70-mile, 50-mile, 36-mile, and 15-mile rides, as well as a kids' safety rodeo. Kids 12 and under ride for free!
  • A new way to explore the LA River! Spot a heron. Discover a new park. Learn where the LA River Bike Path will take you.
  • A way to to support LACBC and help build a better, more bike-able LA County! Your River Ride registration fees, LACBC membership dues, and donations help support LACBC and make your ride safer and more enjoyable.
RiverRide12th Annual Los Angeles River Ride
When: Sunday, June 10th, 2012
Where: start at Autry National Center, Griffith Park (map)
Register by May 15th and save $10.
LACBC members save an additional $10.

  

How to sign up now:

  

1.  Register online at Active.com

 

2.  Download the River Ride Registration Form (PDF).

  • Fax it to 213-629-2259 if paying by credit card.
  • Or, mail it to:

LACBC

Attn: River Ride

634 S. Spring Street, Suite 821

Los Angeles, CA 90014

 

If you have general questions, contact our River Ride Director JJ Hoffman at [email protected].

We're sure you've seen LACBC around, valeting your bikes around LA county. You've seen Bobby bust out his banjo at bike valet and Martin wear a colorful bodysuit.

Some wacky things may happen at our bike valets, but we promise that this will never happen to you. In a recent episode of the IFC show Portlandia, Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein's characters have set up a bike valet service, and it's not exactly the most organized. Watch the video in the link to see the video we may just starting using as a how-not-to training video.

For the record: when you park your bike with LACBC, we won't trade it for another one.
Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities

  

Bikes - Ballads - Beers: A Benefit for the West Hollywood Bicycle Coalition

When: Thursday, March 15; 7 PM doors / 8 PM stage

More info in newsletter.


AIA | LA Mayoral Candidate Forum Featuring Eric Garcetti

When: Friday, March 16; 7 PM
Where: Ronald F. Deaton Civic Auditorium, LAPD Police Administration Building - 100 West First Street, Los Angeles, 90012
Join AIA Los Angeles in a series of candid discussions with prospective Mayoral Candidates for the City of Los Angeles. The forums will serve as an opportunity for a diverse constituency to learn more about each candidate's vision for the future of our city and the actions they will take to ensure we get there. The featured candidate is Eric Garcetti. Please RSVP. More info.

   

Wolfpack Hustle's Marathon Crash Race
When: Sunday, March 18; 3 AM (note: this time is not a typo)
Where: Meet at Tang's Donuts
As the city sleeps, join hundreds of cyclists gather at 3 AM to compete in one of the largest under- ground urban bike races in the world: The Wolfpack Hustle Marathon Crash Race. Enjoy 26 miles of car-free streets in the wee hours of the morning. More info. 

  

North Valley Caring Services' 8th Annual Bike-a-Thon
When: Saturday March 24; Registration starts at 8:00 AM
Where: 15453 Rayen St. North Hills, CA
Join this 20-mile rideand stay for the fair afterwards. Radical Outreach People Empowered, Inc. will be giving away kids' bikes and lemonade. More info.  
 

LA Film + Music Weekend Tickets

with LACBC Bike Valet
When: Saturday, March 24
Where: Downtown Independent Theater
The 2nd Annual LA Film + Music Weekend returns on the weekend of March 23-25, and on Saturday night, March 24th, LACBC will be hosting a bike valet. LACBC members will receive $5 off day passes and $10 off VIP passes. Purchase tickets here and enter discount codes BIKELA for a day pass and BIKELAVIP for a VIP pass. More info.

 

SGV o>o TRAIN
When: Sunday, March 25; 9 AM - 2 PM

Where: Start from Santa Fe Dam with feeder points along the ride in El Monte/South El Monte and a stopover at Legg Lake

Cyclertopia, Rails to Trails Conservancyand BikeSGV  are starting up a series of easy, family friendly rides around the El Monte area. This easy, family friendly bike ride will go all the way around the Emerald Necklace for a total of 27 miles starting from Santa Fe Dam, but you can join in at one of the feeder spots if you'd like. See Facebook event.

  
LACBC Politics Committee Meeting
When: Monday, March 26; 7 PM *newsletter correction*
Where: Pitfire Pizza - 2nd and Main, across from the new police headquarters
Save the date! The newly formed LACBC Politics Committee will hold its first meeting this Spring! Board members Efren Moreno Jr. and Ted Rogers will serve as co-chairs.

  

LA Streetsblog Fundraiser at the Library Alehouse
When: Tuesday, March 27; 11 AM to 11 PM
Where: Library Alehouse - 2911 Main Street, Santa Monica, 90405
Streetsblog is returning to the Library Alehouse on March 27 for a day-long fundraiser where a portion of all food and drink sales benefit LA Streetsblog. More info. 

  

CicLAvia 4.15.12

When: Sunday, April 15; 10 AM - 3 PM

Where: East Hollywood, MacArthur Park, Downtown LA, Boyle Heights El Pueblo

April's CicLAvia will include the central Boyle Heights to East Hollywood route, plus the recent expansion spurs to the African American Firefighter Museum and to El Pueblo. See map and route announcement and RSVP/share via Facebook event. If you're interested in volunteering either on the day of the event or beforehand, check out ciclavia.org/volunteer or email [email protected].

 
12th Annual Los Angeles River Ride
When: Sunday, June 10
More info in newsletter.
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 Manager
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition

[email protected]

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