LACBC
Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Newsletter

March 22, 2012 

In this issue
LACBC Heads to Washington for the National Bike Summit
Bici Libre Sunday Funday Ride to the Beach
Bike Infrastructure & Policy Updates from Around the County
Help Make CicLAvia Possible: Volunteer and Donate
The Bicycle Kitchen Is Buying a Building and Needs Your Help
How to Fix Your Bike Class 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: Trade in Your Car for a Bike at Santa Monica Mountains Cyclery
Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities
LACBC Heads to Washington for the National Bike Summit
Riding to Capitol Hill for Bike Lobby Day
Riding to Capitol Hill for Bike Lobby Day

If you're wondering why it's so hard to get a hold of our Executive Director Jennifer Klausner, Planning & Policy Director Alexis Lantz, and Program Coordinator Bobby Gadda these days, it's because they're not here in our offices. Along with 800 bike advocates across the country, they're in Washington DC for the League of American Bicyclists National Bike Summit to save cycling!

KPPC caught up with a blue-haired Jennifer Klausner before she advocated for a better federal transportation bill today: "Regular everyday Americans are in an economic crisis. What people need right now are choices, so we are looking at a simple, elegant solution that gives people transportation choices in their everyday lives."
 
Alexis has also been making the rounds, live-tweeting some of what she's learned on the LACBC Twitter account, including lessons from Tuesday's National Women Cycling Forum. Today, she headed to Capitol Hill (utilizing DC's bike share program) to lobby for more funding for bicycling and walking, as you can see in the video above.
 
Bobby just arrived in DC, and while we don't have any documentation of what he's up to, we're sure photos and videos of him will appear soon enough since cameras love our mustachioed, banjo-playing Bobby.
 
For those of you who are not in DC but want to make a difference, you can save cycling as well by contacting your congressional representatives and let them know that you support funding for biking and walking in the Federal Transportation Bill. Or if you're in the Twitterverse, tweet your congressional rep, and use some sample tweets to let them know what's important to you.
 
We'll have a wrap-up next week. Thanks to all 800 bike advocates (especially the ones from California) that are working hard to make bicycling safer for all of us!
Bici Libre Sunday Funday Ride to the Beach

When: Sunday, April 1; Meet at 9:30 AM, Ride at 10 AM
Where: Meet at Bici Libre - 1205 W. 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90017

Learn more about our LACBC bike co-op and the people that make it all possible with a fun 17-mile ride (34 miles roundtrip) to Dockweiler beach! Led by our Bici Libre Program Coordinator Brenda Yancor, this ride will bring you the best of spring with bikes, the beach, and Bici Libre.

We'll bring some food and drinks, but feel free to bring some to share. We'll be hanging out at the beach for a few hours to soak in the sun, eat, and play, so expect to arrive back to Bici Libre in the late afternoon/early evening.

RSVP: To RSVP, please contact Brenda at [email protected].

About Sunday Funday Rides: Sunday Funday Rides are free and open to LACBC members plus one guest. Interested in becoming a member? Sign up for membership online or become a member at the ride at a discounted price.

Bike Infrastructure & Policy Updates from Around the County

 

Glendale, Bike Plan: The Glendale City Council will be reviewing the Draft Bicycle Transportation Plan during a special study session on Tuesday, March 27, starting at 3:00 pm. The meeting is open to the public. The agenda should be posted here by Friday, and the updated Draft Plan has been posted hereWe encourage everyone to attend the meeting on Tuesday and speak in support of an updated bike master plan in Glendale. We realize this is a difficult time for most people to attend in person. If you can't attend the meeting, please make sure that you send an e-mail to [email protected] expressing your support. Be sure to ask your friends to attend or send an e-mail as well.

 

Glendale, Honolulu Road Buffet: 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 & Seal Beach: The San Gabriel River bike path is still being resurfaced on weekdays through Monday, March 26, from 7:00 AM to 3:30 PM. This is being 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.

 

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

Help Make CicLAvia Possible: Volunteer and Donate
 
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!
 
Additionally, CicLAvia now has a Kickstarter campaign to help fund the next two CicLAvias. While attending CicLAvia has always been free, it takes a lot of time and money to put on a community gathering like this. So if you enjoy CicLAvia and want to see it continue, make a donation to the Kickstarter campaign today!
The Bicycle Kitchen Is Buying a Building and Needs Your Help
RR Header
Cute things happen at the Bicycle Kitchen.

The Bicycle Kitchen, LA's original bike co-op, is looking for a bigger, more permanent space. Owning this space would allow the Kitchen to reduce operating expenses in the long-term and, as a result, increase capacity to provide services to the community (like teaching the next generation to inflate tricycle tires). While much money has already be raised, the Kitchen still needs your help and your donations to raise $30,000 to make this move possible.

So think about every wheel a cook has helped you true and all the people who are riding more safely thanks to the volunteer efforts of Kitchen cooks, and make an investment in your community!

Read more about the move and donate today.
How to Fix Your Bike Class 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!
 
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].

Gas prices too high? Want a form of transportation that runs on burritos instead of gas? Maybe it's time to upgrade your car in favor of a bicycle.



And even if you're not looking to trade in your car for e bike, here's a reminder that Santa Monica Mountains Cyclery offers 10% off discounts to all LACBC members as part of our business partnership program.
Events, Meetings, & Volunteer Opportunities

  

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.

 

Santa Monica Bike Corrals Grand Unofficial Opening
When: Saturday March 24; Bike ride from Bike Center  at 10:30 AM, roll out at 10:45 sharpRibbon Cutting Ceremony 11 AM
Where: Meet at 2nd and Colorado for the ride. Ribbon Cutting Ceremony at 2439 Main Street Outside Peets at the Edgemar Center (on the Main Street bike lanes)
Let's celebrate Santa Monica's new bike corrals! Gather at the bike corrals between 11 and 12 on Saturday morning for coffee, muffins, balloons, music, a ribbon cutting, speeches, politicians, drum rolls, bike type activities, media coverage, lights, cameras, and more. Santa Monica Spoke, a sponsor of the opening and Santa Monica's bike organization, will lead a group bike ride from the Santa Monica Bike Center (2nd and Colorado) at 10:30 AM to the ceremony. See Facebook event.

  

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.
 
Glendale Draft Bicycle Master Plan at City Council Study Session
When: Tuesday, March 27; 3:00 PM
More info in newsletter.
 
Bici Libre Hosts: Womyn and Trans Night with the OVARIAN PSYCOS
When: Tuesday, March 27; 5:30 to 7:30 PM
Where: Bici Libre - 1205 W. 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Join us every other Tuesday at Bici Libre from 5:30-7:30 PM for womyn and transgendered night with the folks at the shop! Come work on your bike and learn some bike mechanics with Bici Libre volunteers and the Ovarian Psycos. See Facebook event

 

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].

 
LACBC Civics Committee Meeting
When: Wednesday, April 18; 7 PM *new date*
Where: Pitfire Pizza - 2nd and Main, across from the new police headquarters
We have a new date and a new name! The newly formed LACBC Civics Committee (formerly known as the Politics Committee) will hold its first meeting this Spring! Board members Efren Moreno Jr. and Ted Rogers will serve as co-chairs.
 
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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