Monthly Archives: May 2010

Bronze Anniversary Ride

Lets go for Platinum

One year after Santa Monica received the Bronze Award from the League of American Bicyclists, local cyclists get together and imagine the streets of a Santa Monica at the Platinum level of bicycle friendliness. Meet Saturday 22 May at 10:00 am at the Main Library in Santa Monica, 6th Street. A nice little circular ride, less than 5 miles, no speed trials, children welcome, with frequent inspection stop tp discuss and evaluate what we see. Our destination: Back to the I-Cycle Event at the Public Library (aka Bicycle Festival).

Together we are looking out for future Bicycle Boulevards and sharrows: we have a Route on Google Maps, and we have a Destination at the Main Library, where the I-Cycle Event is taking place. Please RSVP for the event on facebook. Lumo, the prince of Bicycle Valet Parking is our guest of honor, and we have reason to hope the press will cover the event. Come and meet fellow cyclists, and let us discuss next steps in local bicycle advocacy. Bring a camera and a bicycle bell, bring the children and some friends, beginners are most welcome to join.

Bicycle Round Table

Although the agenda and committee has already been set for our first meeting, we do need input from the community for these important meetings to be a success!! Please become involved we’d love your input!

Santa Monica Spoke is embarking on a series of meetings with Assistant City Manger Jennifer Phillips. Santa Monica Cyclists have joined together to speak with one voice, to help the city to achieve the next stage on the ladder bicycle friendly community awards: Let’s go for Gold!

We enter these meetings with a wide range of issues: From bicycle parking to cycling education, from bicycle boulevards to encouragement rides, from Ciclovia street openings to the bicycle license, from distracted driving to beach path connections. But behind this divergence of areas there is one big single issue: To create a viable conversation between cyclists and ALL departments of the city.

The outcome is open: Will it be a bicycle coordinator? or a Bicycle Commission? Or perhaps a bicycle task force? Perhaps it will be a policy which makes sure that bicycle interests are represented on commissions that deal with planning, with business development, with the police and the schools.

It is important to hear from all our cyclists right now, and we invite you to join the conversation on facebook, or become part of the google group in order to join the voice that is speaking with the city representatives. We need to hear about your issues, and we need your active participation in this process. What are the simple improvements that would make cycling enjoyable, safer, and more common. What are the long term aims, and how should be proceed to achieve them ? Now is the time to share your insights and your issues!