Bike Maps

Are you ready to try biking to work or school but you're unsure of a decent route?  Are you interested in finding new bike trails to explore?  Maybe you want to explore a particular part of the state by bike but you're not familiar with the area.

There's a good chance that there's a bike map out there that can assist you with planning your routes and adventures.  Many of our cities and counties have produced bike maps that show routes commonly used by bicyclists.  They can help you find low-traffic streets, streets with bike lanes or shoulders, and local bike trails.  There's even a state bike map produced by WSDOT.

Do you live in Vancouver and work in Portland?  You're in luck!  The City of Vancouver has a bike map that includes bike routes in Portland.  You can request a hard copy of the bike map or view it online.  Check here for details.

Maybe you're a freshman at Western Washington University and you brought your bike to campus but you're not familiar with Bellingham area.  No worries.  Just get your hands on the Bellingham and Whatcom County bike maps.

Are you itching to explore the John WayneTrail or the Olympic Discovery Trail?  Maybe you'd like to spend time touring the Columbia River Gorge or the Walla Walla wine country.  There are maps to assist you with route finding.

A section of the Bicycle Alliance website is dedicated to bike maps.  You’ll find links to many bike and trail maps, most of which can be viewed and downloaded.  You’ll also find links to sites that allow users to post their favorite bike rides and map their own routes.  Check it out!

Last Chance for a Deal!

Everyone loves a deal, right?  The Bicycle Alliance has a couple of special deals that end this week on September 30.

$5 Membership Deal

A membership in the Bicycle Alliance is an investment in yourself!  While you’re out riding your bike, we’re bringing bike safety skills training into schools across the state, educating new and seasoned drivers on how to share the road safely with bicyclists and pedestrians, advocating for public policy that benefits bicycling, and more!  Join by September 30 and your initial investment is just $5.  Use our online membership form and coupon code 5BMA1.

Early Bird Special on Auction Tickets

Our annual auction is a month away on October 22 and we’re offering an early bird price of $70 per person/$700 for a table of ten until September 30.  After that, prices are $85/$850.  Check our auction page for the details.

The auction is all about fun and fundraising.  Catch up with old friends and make some new ones as we raise money to support bicycle advocacy and education in Washington State!

Annual Auction: It's a Gear Changing Celebration!

It’s a season of change.  Children are swapping pool days for school days.  We’re transitioning from summer to fall.  Political changes may be on the horizon with November’s election.

So why not join the Bicycle Alliance of Washington for a gear changing celebration—our annual auction!  Join us for some fun and fundraising as we work to shift gears in favor of bicycling around Washington State.

This year’s event is on October 22 at Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion, and now’s the time to get your tickets.  We’re offering an early bird special--$70 per person if you purchase tickets by September 30.  Purchase a table of ten for $700 and bring nine of your friends with you.  Check our auction page for details.

The auction is fun!  There are silent and live auctions, a split-the-pot raffle, wine grab bag, and dessert dash.  We expect around 300 guests and you’ll have time to catch up with old friends and make some new ones.

Eric Mamroth, fellow cyclist and auctioneer extraordinaire, is our man again.  Chris Cameron, owner of Rosebud Bicycle Builds, will serve as our emcee.  There are appetizers and a sit down dinner prepared by Foodz Catering and expertly served to you by members of COGS –Cyclists of Greater Seattle.  We’re pouring beer from Pike Brewing Company and serving an assortment of Washington wines.

So what is there to bid on?  How about a 3-night stay in a Methow Valley cabin (2 bedroom cabin can sleep up to 8 people) or a weekend of cycling in Southwest Washington for 4 people that includes a stay in a private guest house and gourmet meals?

Are you a powder hound?  We have a one-week condo stay in Vail in December for the holidays (December 24-30)!  This one bedroom condo comes equipped with a kitchen and sleeps up to 5 adults.  Enjoy spectacular downhill runs and world class cross country ski trails in the Rocky Mountains of Vail by day, then relax in the sauna or soak in the outdoor hot tub afterward.  Special thanks to board member David McLean and his family for this one!

Perhaps you’re partial to lovely handcrafted items.  We have this beautiful, hand pieced quilt created by our Spokane board member and quilter Eileen Hyatt.

And this handsomely built wood bench burnished with chain rings created by Jesse Knutson of Independent Woodworks.

We have a CascadeBicycle Club Passport (membership and entries to their event rides), an awesome camping package from REI, a Primal Wear cycling kit, Tifosi Optics sunglasses, a kayak rolling lesson, a Utilikilt, tickets to the ballet, symphony and theatre, entries to bike rides, and more!  Yes, the Davidson titanium frame is back--thanks to Elliott Bay Bicycles!

Orderyour tickets now and join us for the annual auction—it’s a gear changing celebration!  Check our auction page for more information.

Thanks to our auction sponsors:
John Duggan, Cycling Attorney
Seattle Children's Hospital - Research - Foundation
SvR Design
Third Place Books
Pike Brewing Company
REI
H4Consulting
Kat Marriner Graphic Design

Cyclists of Greater Seattle (COGS)       

Spontaneous Interactions

Perhaps one of my favorite things about bicycling is the possibility for spontaneous interactions. You know, like when you're biking to the store and you see a friend walking their dog, you both stop and chat for awhile, having a meaningful dialog. That wouldn't happen if you were both in a car, you'd possibly see each other and wave, but there would be no interaction. Or meeting someone at the bike rack, you're both locking or unlocking your bikes and you chat for a bit.  Maybe it's small talk or maybe it's deeper than that.  Either way, I can't remember the last time, if ever, I've had a conversation with the car driver parked next to me. I'm sure we've all experienced this, I'd love to hear your story about an amazing spontaneous interaction you've had while on your bike.

I will leave you with one I think my daughter planned. On a Saturday morning my almost 9 year old daughter and I were going to go to the grocery store. She asked if we were going to take the car or the bikes and I told her the car.

"No, let's take the bikes," she says.

"Okay," I reply, happy to oblige and happy that she wanted to bike, even if I was hungry.

As we head down our hill and get ready to cross over the bike/ped bridge that takes us into the neighboring streets she says, "I wonder if Suzzy will be outside, we can say hi to her if she is".

Suzzy (not her real name), is a good friend of my daughter and her parents are good friends of mine. We often walk or bike to and from school together or to the farmers market. They live a few blocks away near a trail and if we bike or walk anywhere we go past their house. If we drive the car, we take another route. It just so happens that Suzzy was outside that morning, we talked for awhile and tentatively set up an afternoon play date.

I couldn't help thinking that maybe, just maybe, Izabelle wanted to bike because she knew there was a good likelihood her friend would be outside and that we'd stop and chat. She knew there was a possibility for a spontaneous interaction that couldn't take place if we drove. I didn't ask her if that was what she was thinking, because she probably wouldn't admit it even if it were true. Even if that wasn't her intention and she just wanted to bike because she loves biking, then great! If she did plan it, I couldn't be happier. It means that she has learned one of the best things about bicycling: spontaneous interactions.

Calling all artists and bicyclists: Share the Road t-shirt design contest

Now more than ever, we need to promote the message of “Share the Road” to increase safety for all roadway users.  The Bicycle Alliance of Washington invites you to put your creativity to work by entering our Share the Road t-shirt design contest.  Deadline is October 14, 2011.

Share the Road is more than a public campaign to increase awareness and safety.  It’s the law.  RCW 46.61.755 states:

Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this chapter, except as to special regulations in RCW 46.61.750 through 46.61.780 and except as to those provisions of this chapter which by their nature can have no application.

In 2006 the Department of Licensing created the special “Share the Road” license plate which reminds motorists and bicyclists to share the road. Proceeds from the sale of this special plate support the advocacy and education programs of the Bicycle Alliance.

In communities throughout Washington, transportation departments post signs to remind road users to share the road with each other.

You can help us take this message another step further by submitting a design for our Share the Road t-shirt design contest.  The winner will receive a $100 REI gift card.  Contest details are here.

Volunteers Needed for Statewide Bicycle and Pedestrian Count

Washington State Department of Transportation will be counting bicyclists and pedestrians across the state on September 27, 28 and 29, and volunteers are needed to assist with this effort.  Counts will be assembled from all over the state, but focused on several cities including:  Bainbridge Island, Bellevue, Bellingham, Bothell, Bremerton, Burien, Ellensburg, Everett, Ferndale, Issaquah, Kelso, Kent, Kirkland, Longview, Lynden, Mercer Island, Mountlake Terrace, Oak Harbor, Olympia, Redmond, Renton, Richland Seattle, Shoreline, Spokane, Tacoma, Tukwila, Vancouver, Walla Walla, Wenatchee and Yakima.  Information about the statewide count can be found here.

WSDOT is working with the Cascade Bicycle Club to coordinate volunteers.  If you’re interested in volunteering contact:

Ian Macek

Email:  maceki@wsdot.wa.gov

Phone: 360.705. 7596

Tessa Greegor

Email:  tessa.greegor@cascadebicycleclub.org

Phone: 206.204.0913

Presentation on the Safe Routes to School Bike and Pedestrian Statewide Education Program in Washington

Photographs by the author.

The Bicycle Alliance of Washington, in collaboration with Feet First, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) is delivering a two year, grant-supported safe bicycling and walking education program to middle school students across the state. “It provides bicycle and pedestrian safety education to students in Grades 5-8 in approximately 25 school districts across the state.” http://www.saferouteswa.org/schools/safety-education/title-page

At the Safe Routes to School National Conference in Minneapolis Seth Schromen-Wawrin (Bicycle Alliance of Washington), Jen Cole (Feet First) and Charlotte Claybrook (the Washington State DOT Safe Routes to School Coordinator) presented on the statewide program. The presentation was on Thursday morning August 18, 2011 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The presentation was fun and informative and the presenters did an excellent job engaging the audience.

Charlotte Claybrooke and Seth Schromen-Wawrin address the audience.

Jen Cole talks about curriculum and teacher training.

Jen Cole launching into her presentation on "Eyeballs" the interactive classroom game played with ping pong balls. http://www.saferouteswa.org/schools/safety-education/curriculum/Lesson%203%20-%20OSPI_Final_XIII_Full.pdf

More "Eyeballs."

And more "Eyeballs."

Jen Cole introduces the game "Captain Barclay" to the audience. http://www.saferouteswa.org/schools/safety-education/curriculum/Lesson%202%20-%20OSPI_Final_XIII_Full.pdf

Audience members play "Captain Barclay."

The game is on!

It's getting more serious...

Participants on the edge of their seats.

The charade round of "Captain Barclay."

Playing Captain Barclay con gusto.

As you can see, Jen, Charlotte and Seth did an excellent job of making the presentation interactive and informative and engaging the audience in active learning. More information about Washington's State-wide Safe Routes to School program can be found here: http://www.k12.wa.us/HealthFitness/SafeRoutes.aspx