Archive for November, 2009
Author: Ed Smith
We had a great day at the RiverTree cleanup on Sunday. It was very relaxed and easy-going. The weather was wonderful. RiverTree provided everything we needed, so I didn’t carry anything with me. If I had needed to bring stuff like shovels, I would have used my bike trailer! We did trash collection up and down the river, and took some time to sit and watch the river too. For more information on RiverTree, visit:
http://www.rivertreevolunteers.org/
Their next cleanup event is scheduled for the 28th, but we will not be there. On Sunday the 29th we are doing a small education event for six of Nancy’s “Green Team” kids from Work Force Connection. If you were there, you met some of them at the last meeting. We are training them in bicycle safety, and preparing them to help Nancy present bicycle safety to the middle-school children at Scandinavian Middle School on December the first. That is at Nancy’s house on Sunday morning, from 9 to noon.
At noon some of us (those with bikes) will be riding from Nancy’s house to the Pam Kinkade Neighborhood Center at the corner of Mariposa & B St in Fresno, where we will participate in their community garden workday (a weekly event). This is being organized by Ashley B., whom you will remember from the FCBC meeting as well. Ashley is an organizer of Local Motion and is going to work with the FCBC to keep our events (especially Tour de Fresno 2010) environmentally neutral.
For more information about Ashley, visit:
http://www.greenfresno.org/profile/AshleyBoujikian
For more information about the workday, visit:
http://www.greenfresno.org/events/pam-kinkade-neighborhood
If you are just itching to get in some more riding, these volunteer and education events might not be your speed! If so, I have some great advice to pass on from Lori Cherry. As you know, almost all of us FCBC folk are also members of the Fresno Cycling Club. The FCC is the region’s best recreation cycling group, and I cannot recommend them highly enough. They have rides about every weekend of the year, and many week days and nights too. This weekend Lori suggest two rides in particular that will serve as a great introduction to the great sport of recreational cycling for those just starting out.
For more information on the Fresno Cycling Club, including their full ride calendar and membership information, visit their Web site at:
http://www.fresnocycling.com/
If you wish to join us or need more information, please feel free to contact me.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Posted in 
Author: Ed Smith
Some members of the Fresno County Bicycle Coalition are meeting tomorrow to help RiverTree clean up the San Joaquin River! We hope you will join us!
Here are the details of the RiverTree event:
http://www.rivertreevolunteers.org/Events.html
21,22 and 28 Nov 2009 0900 to 3 PM Cleanup at Palm and Nees, and invasive weed removal. Bring shovels, pruning shears or saws. You can arrive and leave at any time.
Go to the intersection of Palm and Nees tomorrow morning, Sunday November 22nd, and look for the sign directing you down to the river. Event starts about 9 and goes to 3pm. Arrive and leave whenever you like.
Here is how we are going to do it:
Leave you home by bicycle and plan to meet us at the river by 9am (Nancy is planning to be there closer to 8). For maximus fun, ride with a friend! Nancy is riding from Ventura and First, leaving about 6:50ish or thereabouts. Ed is riding from Clovis, leaving from Fowler and Shaw about 8ish or so. Call us if you want to ride with us.
Author: Ed Smith
A photograph of seven year old Kylie Bruehler. She is at a funeral service to bury her parents, both of whom were killed when a driver veered onto the shoulder and drove his pickup truck into them. No charges were filed.
Author: Ed Smith
Louise the librarian writes to inform us that "Bicycle Diaries" by David Byrne is available at the Fresno County Public library. Get in line now… Louise is 6th on the list to check it out. Here is a review from another mailing list, in case you haven't heard about this book yet:
the street from the Bagdad event, before the ride and sat up until 4
am reading it. It's a good read with many synapse leaping segues and
practical tips. It brings to mind Daniel Behrman's 1973 classic "the
Man Who Loved Bicycles" and books by Lewis Mumford. It's also a
physically attractive book to look at and to hold.
Among Mr Byrne's many interesting observations and speculations are
that in many cities such as Buenos Aires where one would expect to see
people cycling, he was virtually the only one. I wondered about that
when I was there last year. He predicts that this will change as
cycling becomes more hip & fashionable (and the absurdity of car
culture becomes more widely accepted). I saw more bikes in other
Argentine cities such as Mendoza, so I think that the tide is already
turning. I rented a (pretty funky) bike in Montevideo, Uruguay's much
smaller and laid back capital. Most of the cyclists I saw were on the
waterfront trail, but I preferred riding through the neighborhoods on
the shaded low traffic streets. I was impressed that he cycled in
Istanbul which is one city (along with Prague & Lisbon) where I parked
my bike at my pension and walked (too many steps, cobble stones and
street car tracks).
I had a great time riding my daughter's 3-speed around in Brooklyn, NY
last week and was impressed to see all the new bike paths there as
well as in Manhattan. I also saw several of David Byrne's cool bike
racks.
His book inspires me to bring my dad's Dahon folding bike next time I
go anywhere (unless I bring my touring bike).
Roger