improving lives through bicycling
Ride for Major Taylor p. 6-7 April 2016 / Vol. 46 No. 4
cascade.org
Seattle City Council votes in favor of a better bike share
Surprise addition—join Michael Bennett at the Breakfast!
By Kelli Refer, Seattle Policy Director
By Tarrell Kullaway, Senior Director of Membership & Development
The future of Seattle’s transportation system is bright, with newly-opened light rail stations, a new streetcar line, and investments in better bike infrastructure and bike share. In March, Seattle City Council voted in favor of acquiring Pronto Cycle Share with a vote of 7–2.
“I use [Pronto] at least once per day. It’s allowing me to continue a life that’s also a bit unique — I don’t own a car — and Pronto is making that possible.” Cascade thanks council members for approving the acquisition and creating measures that will create a
Thanks to our sponsors
Photo courtesy of Corky Trenin.
Many Seattle residents testified in support of the acquisition, sharing with council members how Pronto helps them get around the city. Sharon Cowdery, who lives in Belltown, said,
bike share system that works better for more of our residents — including a safe bike network in downtown and community engagement to ensure that bike share serves all people equitably. Unanimous support for an amendment proposed by Council
Join Seahawks star Michael Bennett and REI President and CEO Jerry Stritzke for the Group Health Bike Everywhere Breakfast on Wednesday, April 20 at 7 a.m. at the Seattle Sheraton. Sign up today for a bikey breakfast you’ll never forget. Breakfast tickets are free, suggested minimum donation of $150 per person. This event helps raise money to get more people on bikes and fight for safer places to ride, and it won’t be the same without YOU! Grab your seat at the table at cascade. org/breakfast.
Lease Crutcher Lewis Seattle Mariners Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Stoel Rives Seattle Children’s MIG | SvR Washington Holdings Starbucks Vulcan Inc.
Continued on page 11
PRSRT STD US Postage Paid Seattle, WA PERMIT No. 2172
The STP brings summer smiles — father & daughters ride together
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
7787 62nd Ave. NE Seattle, WA 98115 www.cascade.org
TIME DATED MATERIAL
By Brent Tongco, Senior Director of Communications & Marketing
Ron’s first Cascade Bicycle Club event was last year’s Group Health STP presented by Alaska Airlines. And he had a little help. Ron and his two girls Elena (age 7) and Hailey (age 5) completed the 2015 STP on a triple tandem bike. Many participants and staff remember seeing them at rest stops or biking alongside them, seeing their smiling faces as they chugged along — it was heart-meltingly memorable to see Hailey’s big grin and dancing in her saddle while still pedaling. On top of the 206 miles, to avoid having to assemble the triple tandem in the early morning at University of Washington, they decided to ride it about 60 miles from home to the start line on Friday. (They spent Friday night in the E1 parking lot.) That’s 266 miles in three days! And, this was their first century ride together. The girls completed the event and
still had energy to spare. The three of them pedaled chain-linked-in-sync the entire time. The girls really helped to push Ron up the big hills. Without their significant pedaling effort/ assistance, he admits he couldn’t have pulled the 300-pound load (bike = 60 pounds, two kids = 80 pounds, captain = 160 pounds) And guess what? They loved it so much that on July 16 – 17, they’ll be pedaling from Seattle to Portland again this year!!! Whether you’re riding alone, with a friend or in a big group, there are a lot of great reasons to smile when riding the STP. So let’s all dry off from the rainiest winter on record and get some well-deserved STP smiles (and vitamin D). STP sells out every year! Be sure to get your spot on this year’s ride (July 16-17) before they’re gone. Register today at cascade.org/stp.
Ron and his two girls Elena (age 7) and Hailey (age 5) pedaled STP on a triple tandem bike in 2015, and will ride again this year!
April 2016
A family affair
Takeaways from the National Bike Summit
By Catherine Hennings, Board Chair
By Briana Orr, Communications & Marketing Manager
Catherine Hennings has served as Cascade board chair since January 2015. She is an excellent supporter of staff and Cascade’s vision; a passionate bike commuter and bike tourist; and a proud mother of three daughters and two grandsons. In lieu of my regular column, she’s writing this month. — Elizabeth My daughter and son-in-law, Margaret and Kevin, actually signed up for the Emerald City Bike Ride before I did. As soon as they saw the announcement in early January, they decided they would do this ride with their one-year old son. My husband, Tim, and I immediately signed up to join them. What could be more fun than getting to do this historic first ride across the new 520 Bridge and our first big ride with our grandson at the same time?
My husband Tim and I ride our bikes often and avidly.
Tim and I ride our bikes often and avidly. We ride in the Methow, where we are building our future retirement home, and many of the other amazing places to ride around the state. We ride in Seattle, where I commute every day from Green Lake to PATH’s offices in South Lake Union. I ride to meetings and events — last weekend, to the astonishment of my contemporaries — I rode in the rain to a baby shower. With my present safely stowed in my pannier, my dress tucked up under my rain jacket and boots on, it really wasn’t the big deal they all thought it was! My passion for riding became a passion for Cascade a few years ago, when I started attending meetings on how to make South Lake Union a safer place to ride a bike. I signed up for an Advocacy Leadership Institute class (a superstar class, with fellow graduates and advocates Merlin Rainwater, Madi Carlson, Glen Buhlmann and Don Brubeck). From the seminars, hand-on lessons and perspective from politicians, advocates and city staffers, ALI taught me that each of us can make a huge difference in our environment through our service and by standing up for what we believe in. Many of us imagine there is a blueprint in the world, a “way that things will be,” written by an expert who has all the answers. The more advocacy I do, the more I realize that individual people — that YOU, and I, have the blueprint, and have a huge say in what is designed, approved and built in our hometowns. I’m now honored to serve as board chair of Cascade Bicycle Club — the biggest bicycle nonprofit in the nation — and to add my voice to the thousands of us clamoring for a more livable, bikeable Washington. I’m so excited that the Emerald City Bike Ride will show my grandson the joy of riding a bike on SR-520 and I-5 without any car traffic. I am also super excited that we will be sharing it with thousands of other people on bikes — from Cascade’s stalwart riders to folks who have never been on a Cascade ride before, people of all ages and of course lots of families. Even some of my friends from the baby shower have told me that they’ll be out there for this ride! In addition to the fun we’re going to have, I believe the outpouring of interest and turnout for the ride will show our city and state leaders the pent-up demand in our region for safe, easily accessible places to ride bikes. So on this Sunday, April 3 — I’ll be the one riding in a multi-generational group with the cutest one-year-old out there.
Bike advocates converged in Washigton D.C. at the National Bike Summit in early March. Photo courtesy of the League of American Bicyclists.
Every year, advocates, educators, planners and enthusiasts of the bicycle persuasion rally in Washington, D.C. in early March for the National Bike Summit. It’s a chance to step away from our daily task list and connect with others working across America to make their communities, universities and businesses more bike friendly. We share successes and ongoing challenges, inspiration and innovative programming that can improve lives through bicycling. Of course with five (or more) concurrent sessions, catering to different specialities and interests within the bicycling frame, it’s easy to feel like you went to a different conference than the person sitting next to you. “Get five people in a room listening, and they will hear five different things,” said Shannon Koller, Senior Director of Education, as we shared a post-conference day drink. In that spirit, here are a few National Bike Summit takeaways and lessons learned from Cascade staff: Who we’re serving
“Great focus on people who bike because they need to, not because they choose to.” —Elizabeth Kiker, Executive Director “You have to be very deliberate and inclusive from the outset when developing programming if you’re trying to grow with more effective and diverse engagement and reach. It cannot be an afterthought.” — Brent Tongco, Senior Director of Communications & Marketing
Policy
“Washington state representatives met with representatives of Congressional offices, as well as Senator Cantwell, to thank them for their support of biking investments in the recently-passed transportation bill, and to begin to lay the groundwork for future investments in biking and walking projects — most notably the Eastside Rail Corridor.” —Blake Trask, Senior Policy Director Education
“As we prepare for the revision and expansion of Cascade’s in-school bike and pedestrian training program at area elementary schools this fall (see page 4 for more details on our pilot!), I appreciated being able to learn more about the successes and challenges of the rollout of the Washington D.C. public school initiative to teach all second graders to ride a bike in their P.E. class.” —Shannon Koller, Senior Director of Education Tourism
A highlight for me was learning of an interest within the National Park Service to expand the informal car-free days that have been happening in places like Crater Lake, Oregon, and create an all-ages and all-abilities opportunities to experience our national parks by bike. As Cascade grows into statewide work, it’s exciting to tap into the possibilities of tourism and travel. The National Bike Summit is an event of the League of American Bicyclists and is open to everyone. Learn more at bikeleague.org/summit.
Best, Catherine P.S. True confession: I’ve never ridden STP; but this is the year I’ve sworn to do it. Join me in July for this seminal event? 2
www.cascade.org
Vol. 46, No. 4
Emerald City Bike Ride is Sunday, April 3! By Diana Bryant, Writer and Editor
Route update
If your copy of the Courier reached you before Sunday, April 3, then you’re probably aware that the Emerald City Bike Ride is right around the corner. We’re excited for registered riders to be some of the first folks to experience the new and improved SR 520 bridge (the world’s longest floating bridge) and the I-5 Express Lanes — both completely closed to vehicle traffic!
Equally exciting is a new route update: instead of riding eastbound on Jackson Street, participants will now ride along the beautiful Mountains to Sound Greenway Trail, a portion of which traverses the I-90 bike tunnel. This exciting change means that riders now get to travel along SR 520, I-5 AND I-90 — pretty unprecedented for a casual Sunday ride! The route change will not significantly impact the overall distance of the longer route option, which will be approximately 21 miles. But it will add a splash of color with its fun community-themed art murals! The 8-mile route will not be affected. To learn more about the full Emerald City Bike Ride route, visit cascade.org/ emeraldcityroute.
Help us transform Washington State! Renew now at cascade.org/renew
Join us for Flying Wheels on Saturday, June 4 By Anna Telensky, Events Producer
We have some exciting changes planned for this year’s Flying Wheels. While the 23-, 45- and 63-mile routes will remain the same or very close to previous years, riders on the century route will have some new views and areas of the valley to explore. Rather than heading north from Duvall and into Snohomish County this year, we’ll be staying within King County and adding two new sections to the southern end of the route. From Fall City, riders will loop down to North Bend, heading right
past Snoqualmie Falls and taking in some incredible views of Mount Si. Additionally, riders will follow the East Lake Sammamish Trail through downtown Issaquah and pedal south around Cougar Mountain on scenic SE May Valley Road, eventually connecting up with the 23-mile route and heading back to Marymoor Park on the west side of Lake Sammamish. This challenging 104-mile route with 4,500 feet of climbing is the perfect training ride for preparing for the Group Health STP presented by Alaska Airlines or RSVP. New this year, riders on all loops will also receive a free finisher meal from one of our finish line festival food vendors as part of registration. You’ll be able to grab a bite to eat, enjoy the Schooner Exact beer garden and celebrate a great ride! Register and find out more at cascade. org/flyingwheels.
Enjoy local beers and city riding at Seattle Bike-n-Brews on Sunday, May 1 By Stacey Nakagawa, Events Director
Join us for an urban cruise at the 4th annual Seattle Bike-n-Brews on Sunday, May 1. Pedal along the Duwamish and Green River trails from SODO to Kent, taking in city views along the way. Riders have a 15or 35-mile option, both easy riding along bike trails with a few city streets in between. Both routes start at Schooner Exact Brewery in SODO, with the 15-mile route heading out to Tukwila and
back. The 30-mile riders will continue on to Kent via the Green River Trail to Airways Brewing Company to enjoy a refreshing beverage before returning to SODO. Whether biking 15 or 30 miles, riders will celebrate at the Schooner Exact Finish Line festival with live music, a beer garden and delicious bbq, all included with registration. Stop by the PEMCO Insurance photo booth for your free souvenir photo and the Cascade booth for your official Bike-n-Brews giveaway! Seattle Bike-n-Brews sells out every year, so register at cascade.org/ seattle-bike-n-brews before it’s too late!
Thanks to our sponsors
Improving Lives Through Bicycling
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April 2016
She Bikes rides into spring By Morgan Michel, Rides & Outreach Assistant
WOW, what a wonderful way to kick off She Bikes Cascade in 2016! With more than 325 women and girls in attendance, the eighth annual Women on Wheels (WOW) event in early March was an energy-packed celebration of women and bicycling. In April the fun continues with She Bikes rides led by and for women. While these rides celebrate female leaders and riders, non-women-identified partners, friends and family are welcome to ride along (children under 18 must have advance permission from the ride leader). Here are a few of the She Bikes rides taking place this spring: She Bikes - Seattle Cycle Sirens - Tuesday Evening Steady Spin Every Tuesday in April; May 3 and 24, starting at 5:30 p.m. 13 miles from Cascade Bicycling Center, Seattle at a Steady pace (12-14 mph) Led by Almie Borromeo Hear the call of the road...your siren for fun! Seattle Cycle Sirens ride on the Burke-Gilman Trail along Lake Washington, from Cascade Bicycling Center to Log Boom Park and back. The Seattle Cycle Sirens’ (SCS) mission is to encourage women of all abilities to get out and ride! Total estimated ride time is 1 hour and 15 minutes. She Bikes Tuesday Social Ride Every Tuesday in April and May, starting at 6 p.m. Under 10 miles, starting from Bike Works, Seattle at an Easy pace (under 10 mph) Co-led by Mary Collins, Morgan Michel and Bike Works Bike Works and Cascade are teaming up to offer a series of easy paced, beginner-friendly women-focused rides around
THE COURIER CREW
Columbia City trails and low-traffic roads. Together we will start with the basics, go nice and slow, leave no riders behind, and strengthen our biking skills and legs! All women, trans* and femme-identified riders are welcome, as well as partners, friends, family members and children (either bike-attached or solo with advance permission of ride leaders). Bonus! There may be opportunities to learn or practice bike maintenance repair and skills before or after the rides. She Bikes - Seattle Cycle Sirens – Ride around Mercer Island Every Thursday April 7 – May 26, starting at 6 p.m. in April and 6:15 p.m. in May 14 miles from Luther Burbank Park, Mercer Island at a steady pace (12-14 mph) Answer the call to ride and join the Seattle Cycle Sirens for a women’s ride around beautiful Mercer Island! These rides are about 14 miles long with 700 feet of elevation over fun, rolling hills. Those who wish to ride at a faster pace are welcome to do so, but it will then become a self-paced ride for them. Slower riders are also welcome to take the route at their own pace as this is a NO-DROP ride and we will regroup as needed along the way. Visit cascade.org/calendar for details, updates and even more great rides!
New Cascade Summer Fun Pass: Three-ride package deal!
Cascade Summer Fun Pass includes registration to the following events: Seattle Bike-n-Brews - Sunday, May 1 Woodinville Wine Ride - Sunday, June 12 Seattle Night Ride - Friday, July 8 4
We welcome your contributions!
Advertising:
Got an inspiring story or a great photo? We welcome submissions. The editorial calendar is planned one month in advance. If you wish to contribute an article to a future issue, contact the editor as early as possible. Articles and photographic submissions are due by the 10th of the month prior to publication. Articles submitted after that will be considered on a space-available basis. All submissions are subject to editing for content and space.
We welcome ads and inserts. To check availability and inquire about prices, please contact Briana Orr at brianao@ cascade.org.
Queries can be emailed to: brianao@cascade.org.
Let’s be social! Follow Cascade Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. cascade.org facebook.com/cascadebicycleclub @cascadebicycle @cascadebicycle
CONTACT US Cascade Bicycle Club 7787 62nd Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98115
www.cascade.org Office phone: 206-522-3222 Email: info@cascade.org
SENIOR STAFF Note: All email addresses are @cascade.org Elizabeth Kiker, Executive Director (202) 425-0627 • elizabethk@ Barb Chamberlain, Chief Strategic Officer (509) 869-2949 • barbc@ David Douglas, Senior Director of Events & Rides (206) 939-4323 • davidd@ Shannon Koller, Senior Director of Education (206) 939-4335 • shannonk@
Tarrell Kullaway, Senior Director of Development & Membership (206) 939-4312 • tarrellk@ Kathy Mania, Senior Director of Finance & Operations (206) 939-4321 • kathym@ Brent Tongco, Senior Director of Communications & Marketing (206) 939-4307 • brentt@ Blake Trask, Senior Director of Policy (206) 310-4762 • blake@
BOARD OF DIRECTORS President Catherine Hennings • catherine. hennings@ Vice President Nate Glissmeyer • nate.glissmeyer@
Secretary Sandi Navarro • sandin@ Director at large Charles Ruthford • charles.ruthford@
Treasurer Alexa Volwiler • alexa.volwiler@
By Meghna Jaradi, Events Coordinator
Brand new for 2016! We are excited to introduce the Cascade Summer Fun Pass, your ticket to the ultimate bikey summer fun adventures. This package is only available until Wednesday, April 27, so get yours today!
Editor in Chief: Briana Orr Editor: Diana Bryant Layout: Sarah Kulfan Additional design: Tom Eibling, Kotis Design Photographers: Scott Henry, League of American Bicyclists, Briana Orr, Dorothé Reijnders, Katherine Widing, Clancy Wolf Contributors: Jeff Aken, Tamika Butler, Diana Bryant, Barb Chamberlain, Mary Collins, Ed Ewing, Meghna Jaradi, Tarrell Kullaway, Andrew Kopp, Morgan Michel, Stacey Nakagawa, Briana Orr, Kelli Refer, Dorothé Reijnders, Ellee Thalheimer, Anna Telenksy, Stacey Williams
Added bonuses
DIRECTORS
FREE annual Cascade Membership to use for discounts on all of our rides FREE pair of Cascade branded Sock Guy wool socks
Marie Dymkoski • maried@ Ted Inkley • tedi@ Haley Keller • Haleyw@ Kevin McDonald • kevin.mcdonald@ Bill Montero • bill.montero@ John Pope • johnp@
This package is valued at $150, and we’re selling it for just $95! If you have purchased registration for these events already, do not buy this package. Keep your eyes peeled for our 2017 Cascade Summer Fun Pass. Get your Summer Fun Pass at cascade. org/summer-fun-pass.
George Durham • george.durham@
Merlin Rainwater • merlin.rainwater@ Tamara Schmautz • tamara.schmautz@ Jim Stanton • jim.stanton@ Don Volta • don.volta@ Daniel Weise • daniel.weise@ Ed Yoshida • ed.yoshida@
The Cascade Bicycle Club Board of Directors meets six times per year at the Cascade Bicycling Center, 7787 62nd Ave. NE, Seattle. Board meetings are open to the public. Board of Directors meetings take place on the third Wednesday of the month. Upcoming meetings are: May 18, June 15, Sept. 21 and Nov. 16.
www.cascade.org
Vol. 46, No. 4
Cascade’s new bike and pedestrian safety program to be piloted this month
Get ready to #BikeEverywhere this May! By Mary Collins, Outreach Manager
By Clarissa Allen, School-based Program Manager
In a recent management training at Cascade, our team learned about “big rocks.” Big rocks are project milestones that can feel like a heavy lift, but ultimately establish a strong foundation and really advance a project. I’ve been flexing, sweating and grunting since January to move an especially big rock — a really, really exciting rock! Last October, Mayor Ed Murray unveiled Seattle’s first ever Safe Routes to School Five Year Action Plan. A cornerstone of this plan is a major investment in the expansion of Cascade’s in-school bike education program. Beginning in fall 2016, the program will reach every third through fifth grader in Seattle Public Schools — nearly 13,000 students annually! I’ve had the pleasure of working as part of the team tasked with revising our current curriculum for the program expansion. To make sure that Cascade created a curriculum that drew from other community partners’ expertise as well our own, we assembled a rock-star team with representation from Seattle Public Schools, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, Feet First and Seattle Department of Transportation.
Now, after three months of collaboration and creativity, Cascade’s revised in-school bike education program is ready to be piloted! This month, three local area schools will be delivering this revised three-week curriculum which has been updated to include: • Pedestrian safe crossing lessons • Scaffolded content that allows teachers to differentiate instruction to best meet each student’s needs • An emphasis on the skills that can prevent the most common causes of crashes • Alignment with new state P.E. and health standards There is no other bike and pedestrian safety program in the nation serving elementary-aged students on such a grand scale. In a big and powerful way, we’re supporting some of our most vulnerable road users in learning how to travel safely within our city. Whenever I get distracted thinking about how heavy of a rock this is to lift, I just circle back to the positive impact this unit is going to have in the lives of students across our region, and remember — the heavier the rock, the bigger the SPLASH!
Bike Everywhere Day | Friday, May 20 Morning celebration stations all over the Puget Sound region and evening after-parties in Seattle and Kenmore Free bike classes, free group rides, community bike events, biking seminars and more | All month long!
How to get ready for Bike Everywhere Month
Dust off your ride and get ready to celebrate Bike Everywhere Month this May! Cascade has planned a stellar lineup of events with some exciting new elements.
What’s new this year: • Bike Month is now called Bike Everywhere Month and Bike to Work Day is now called Bike Everywhere Day. The new name reflects the series’ celebration of biking to school, work, to run errands and for fun. • The Puget Sound region’s Bike Everywhere Challenge trip-tracking contest will be run by our affiliate organization, Washington Bikes. Learn more and sign up at wabikes.org.
Events preview Eastside Captain’s Party | Thursday, April 21 Hosted by Choose Your Way Bellevue at Geaux Brewing in Bellevue Captain’s Bash | Wednesday, April 27 At Pike Brewing Company in Seattle National Bike to School Day | Wednesday, May 4 Bikes & Bagels | Friday, May 13 Hosted by Commute Seattle In McGraw Square
• Sign up for your local Bike Challenge and form a team. Take a bike month challenge in your area, track your bike trips and compete to see who can bike the most during May. Find a list of Washington state challenges on cascade.org/bikeeverywhere, start biking and win prizes! • Recruit a friend to start biking. Look around your office — who will you invite to try biking this May? Bike Everywhere Month is the best time of year to start biking because of milder spring weather and celebratory events aimed at helping new riders get started. Let your friends know about free classes, local bike routes, Cascade Free Group Rides and where to find a celebration station on Bike Everywhere Day. • Organize a DIY bike event in your community. Host a celebration station on Bike Everywhere Day, offer a bike commuting information session at your office or organize a kid-friendly bike skills rodeo with support from Cascade. Get some inspiration from Cascade’s online DIY bike event toolkit. Find information about free classes, free group rides, Bike Everywhere Day and more at cascade.org/ BikeEverywhere. Be sure to join the conversation on social media by following #BikeEverywhere on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
JOIN US FOR THE RIDE OF A LIFETIME
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Improving Lives Through Bicycling
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April 2016
Ride for Major Taylor Join us on a scenic tour of Seattle on Saturday, April 16! Experience a day in the life of our Major Taylor Project students and come ride with us this spring on Saturday, April 16 on the Ride for Major Taylor. This unique and challenging 24-mile journey weaves through the culturally rich and diverse communities of West Seattle, Delridge, Burien, Seatac and White Center. This is the biggest fundraiser for the Major Taylor Project this year. Show your support for the program and create your very own Ride for Major Taylor webpage at fundraise.cascade.org. Riders can register at a base level, or raise/ donate funds to earn sweet MTP swag, Ortlieb waterproof bags, a PUBLIC bike
Tacoma
or Alaska Airlines flight vouchers. The Major Taylor Project is a year-round youth development cycling program focused on introducing youth from diverse communities to the recreation of cycling and creating an inclusive culture of bicycling that will continue to future generations. The Major Taylor Project currently serves eight schools in Seattle and two in Tacoma, and this year we will be expanding to six more schools! Can’t make the ride but still want to support the Major Taylor Project? Please make a donation to cascade.org/givetomajortaylor.
“Riding bikes is really fun. Just feeling the wind touch your face… feeling like you’re going through the air... it just feels really free.” -Rafael Martinez
Map Key Ride for Major Taylor Route
”My favorite part of [Major Taylor] Bike Club was doing the STP because... I set up goals for myself, to see if I could do it, and I did it! I didn’t think I was gonna make it, but I did.” -Emilia Castro
Major Taylor Project School
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www.cascade.org
Vol. 46, No. 4
Ready to share your ride, win prizes, and raise awareness about the Major Taylor Project? Create your own Ride for Major Taylor webpage at fundraise.cascade.org. “I like going on the rides because my family doesn’t go on rides or anything... most of us don’t have a bike in our family.”
“[Major Taylor] Bike Club is coming together, going outside and doing something you normally don’t do.” -Hang Sian Than
-Leah Tran
BRONZE DONATION LEVEL Reach $40 and get a complimentary pair of Major Taylor socks
SILVER DONATION LEVEL Reach $80 and get a 2016 Major Taylor T-shirt, plus previous level prize
GOLD DONATION LEVEL
Who was Major Taylor? Marshall “Major” Taylor was the first African American athlete to achieve the level of world champion (and only the second black man to win a world
Reach $200 and get the 2016 Major Taylor Jersey, plus previous level prizes
championship—after Canadian boxer George Dixon.) Born in 1878, Major Taylor’s professional racing career spanned 13 years and included the world one-mile track cycling championship in 1899. He remained committed to his passion in the face of adversity and continues to be a source of inspiration to all athletes.
PLATINUM DONATION LEVEL Reach $450
Thank you to our sponsors
and get an Ortlieb Velocity backpack AND drawing entry to win a PUBLIC bicycle, plus previous level prize
TOP FUNDRAISER The top fundraiser above the Platinum Level will be awarded two Alaska Airlines flight certificates valid for travel anywhere Alaska flies, including Mexico and Hawaii.
Improving Lives Through Bicycling
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April 2016
Join us for the Southern Oregon Tour! By Stacey Williams, Rides & Outreach Director
The Rim Drive around Crater Lake provides a 360-degree view of the deepest lake in the United States.
Come and ride with us and enjoy the beauty of late summer in Southern Oregon Sept. 11-17. Follow the Umpqua and Rogue Rivers, climb to Crater Lake, visit historic small towns and spend a rest day in Ashland! You are sure to thoroughly enjoy the quiet roads with minimal traffic for most of this tour. What is a fully supported tour like? We will have a sag wagon to carry luggage, snacks to replenish our energy, water and juice for hydration and ride support along the way. The sag wagons will meet us at the end of the day’s ride with more snacks, liquid refreshment, and your luggage. All you have to do is take it easy and review the day’s exploits with your fellow riders.
Meals
This tour will provide some breakfasts as well as all snacks and lunch on riding days. You’ll be on your own for dinner, but restaurants are available at all of our overnight stops!
Lodging Quality of lodging varies from basic and rustic to quite nice and include hotels, motels, and cabins. On our day in Galice, you may be in shared living space. You won’t be disappointed with this tour! Registration and more details available at cascade.org/tours.
Presentation Series film screening Marinoni: The Fire in the Frame By Meghna Jaradi, Events Coordinator
Thursday, April 28 Doors open at 6:45 p.m., film begins at 7 p.m. (Run time 1 hr, 27 min) Cascade Bicycling Center 7787 62nd Ave NE, Seattle Pre-Sale: $5 members & volunteers | $7 non-members Day-of & At Door: $7 members & volunteers | $9 non-members Popcorn, light snacks and beverages will be available by donation
Join us for an exclusive Seattle showing of Marinoni: The Fire in the Frame. Coming off of Oscar qualifying screenings in New York and Los Angeles, and named a Top 10 favorite at Hots Docs, North America’s largest documentary festival, this is a can’t-miss event! An intimate Q&A session with Director Tony Girardin will follow the screening, and film merchandise will be available for purchase.
Film synopsis
when he transitioned from champion cyclist to master bike craftsman. But after years hunched over toxic fumes, his passion almost killed him. Today, at age 75, Marinoni is back in top shape and has decided to attempt the world hour record for his age group, all on a bike he built with his own hands almost 40 years ago. To purchase tickets and to learn more, please visit cascade.org/presentations.
Giuseppe Marinoni found his calling 8
www.cascade.org
Vol. 46, No. 4
FREE GROUP RIDES STEADY PACE (12-14 mph)
STRENUOUS: (20-22 mph)
Saturday, April 2 The Cannabis Course 10 a.m. • 30 miles from SODO Starbucks, Seattle • Ride Leader: Jeffrey Stewart
Please check the Cascade Free Group Rides Calendar for listings of strenuous rides.
Ride Leader Certification Class Saturday, April 2, 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, 6:30 p.m. Cascade Bicycle Club 7787 62nd Ave NE, Seattle
EASY PACE (UNDER 10 mph) Saturday, April 30 SLOW Ride Last Saturday of April 11 a.m. • 10 miles from Northwest African American Museum by I-90 Trail, Seattle • Ride Leader: Merlin Rainwater
LEISURELY PACE (10-12 mph) Friday, April 1 FRIDAY RIDERS: Annual Tulip Pedal 10 a.m. • 25 miles from Edgewater Park, Mount Vernon • Ride Leader: Jan Johnson Saturday, April 2 30 Days of Biking — First Weekend: Seattle 12 p.m. • 10 miles from Kite Hill at Gas Works Park, Seattle • Ride Leaders: Astrid Bear and Madi Carlson Friday, April 8 FRIDAY RIDERS: Marymoor to Issaquah and back 10 a.m. • 22 miles from Marymoor Park, Redmond • Ride Leader: Clarice Sackett Friday, April 15 FRIDAY RIDERS: Tulip Tour 10 a.m. • 25 miles from 311 S Baker St, Mount Vernon • Ride Leader: Norm Tjaden Sunday, April 24 S.P.O.K.E.S. Sightseeing Seattle 10 a.m. • 17 miles from Gas Works Park, Seattle • Ride Leaders: Michelle Burton, Melinda Cumming and Jim Hunt Friday, April 29 Friday Riders bike to Carkeek Park and Nordic Heritage Museum 10 a.m. • 20 miles from Gas Works Park, Seattle • Ride Leader: William Lemke
Tuesdays — April 5, 12, 19, 26 SHE Bikes - Seattle Cycle Sirens - Tuesday Evening Steady Spin 5:30 p.m. • 13 miles from Cascade Bicycle Club, Seattle • Ride Leader: Almie Borromeo
MODERATE PACE (14-16 mph) Sunday, April 10 COOS #1 Chihuly & Foss Waterway 9 a.m. • 32 miles from Fred Meyer - East side of parking lot, Sumner • Ride Leaders: Patricia Urton and Rick Urton Sunday, April 10 Ride with the Cascade Board 10 a.m. • 40.5 miles from parking lot across from Foley’s Produce, Maple Valley • Ride Leaders: Wilfried Mack and Alexa Volwiler
SUPER STRENUOUS: (22mph +) Tuesdays — April 5, 12, 19, 26 Cycle Tuesdays 5:45 p.m. • 35 miles from Gene Coulon Park, next to Kidd Valley Restaurant, Renton • Ride Leaders: Steve Else, Vincent Haag and Russ Moul Thursdays — April 7, 14, 21, 28 More Cycle Tuesdays 5:45 p.m. • 25 miles from Gene Coulon Park, next to Kidd Valley Restaurant, Renton • Ride Leaders: Steve Else and S Michael Hoffman
MULTI-PACED RIDES (SEVERAL PACE CATEGORIES OFFERED) Wednesdays — April 6, 13, 20, 27 Midweek Eastside Evening Training Series
(MEETS): Leisurely to Vigorous 6 p.m. • 25 miles from East Lake Sammamish Trail, Redmond • Ride Leaders: Michael Boyer Debbie Campbell, Bob Dennis, Francis Gan, Joni Griffis, Nan Haberman, John Hubble, Shaun Ivory, Louise Johnson, Zach Johnson, Melanie Kelsey, Sven Larsen, Cameron McLean, Ken Meyer, Deborah Munkberg, Sandi Navarro, Wendy Nungesser, Brenda Ross, Clarice Sackett, Tim Simmons, Kimberly Smith, Sam Turpin, Rick Wiltfong Wednesdays — April 13, 20, 27 South Everett Rides on Wednesday (Steady/ Moderate/Brisk) 6 p.m. • 23-28 miles from Archbishop Murphy High School, Everett • Ride Director: Dorothe Reijnders
SELF-PACED Saturday, April 9 RAMROD Training Series - Ride #1 9:30 a.m. • 54 miles from Maple Valley Park & Ride, Maple Valley • Ride Leaders: Paul Franks, Per Sunde and Shana Sunde
Sunday, April 17 COOS #2 Sumner - Edgewood - Puyallup 9 a.m. • 28 miles from Fred Meyer - East side of parking lot, Sumner • Ride Leaders: Patricia Urton and Rick Urton Sunday, April 24 COOS #3 Sumner - Puyallup - Spanaway Lake 9 a.m. • 41 miles from Fred Meyer - East side of parking lot, Sumner • Ride Leaders: Shawn Crosby and Rick Urton
BRISK (16-18 mph)
This is a sampling of this month’s rides. For a complete listing, see cascade.org/calendar. For full details of the listed rides, see cascade.org/grouprides. This is also where you’ll find ride guidelines to help you select a ride that suits your style, skills and energy level.
Please check the Cascade Free Group Rides Calendar for listings of moderate rides.
VIGOROUS (18-20 mph) Please check the Cascade Free Group Rides Calendar for listings of vigorous rides.
Weekly South Everett rides start Wednesday, April 13! By Dorothé Reijnders
Exceptional Ride Leader — Alan Lawrence By Stacey Williams, Rides & Outreach Director
Exceptional ride leader Alan Lawrence
Alan was honored as an Exceptional Ride Leader for the many fun rides he provides. I asked Alan about his history as a ride leader, and was surprised to find that he only started riding
Improving Lives Through Bicycling
with Cascade in 2011! Alan’s first ride was the Trek Tri-Island, and prior to that he had never ridden more than 20 miles in a group. Alan got the riding bug, discovered Cascade and started riding with another Ride Leader, Jake Wright. “I was so inspired by [Jake] I decided to become a ride leader,” said Alan. “The main reason I became a ride leader was because it would force me to ride in any conditions if I scheduled a ride.” Alan led over 100 rides in one year and has continued with the amazing schedule by leading more than 400 rides since. “I’ve met so many amazing people through Cascade. It has literally changed my life. I love being a ride leader and making cycling a wonderful experience for others.” Thank you, Alan, for being an Exceptional Ride Leader!
Get a great mid-week workout and enjoy riding with old and new friends each week!
Head north from Seattle on the Interstate, turn right, turn left and plop, you have arrived in a place where happiness begins: the Archbishop Murphy High School on the border of South Everett and Mill Creek. No need to bring any notebooks: just your bike, helmet, spare tube and a willingness to enjoy our playground in South Snohomish County. On Wednesday evenings ride leaders will take you on a route of about 25 miles through neighborhoods, into the valley, along
the Puget Sound and the Snohomish river, facing head winds on the slough and busy shoppers at the mall. You get a great mid-week workout while you relish the views of the Cascade and Olympic mountains, agricultural aromas, the new planes at Boeing and the fun of riding with old and new friends each week. Check the Cascade Calendar (see abbreviated listings above or cascade. org/calendar), and join us for a South Everett ride on Wednesdays!
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April 2016
Chilly Hilly rider recap By Diana Bryant, Writer & Editor
the PNW. Now that I’ve completed the Chilly Hilly, I’m looking forward to more fun rides this summer—perhaps even an attempt at the famed STP!” — Travis Schultz, IslandWood graduate student “Interesting things I saw included a woman towing her small dog, a kid fast asleep on a seat behind dad and a Puyallup bike police officer in full gear!” —Ray Cramer, IslandWood faculty
The 2016 IslandWood team poses at Frog Rock. Photo courtesy of Clancy Wolf.
Spring is officially here, and you know what that means: those chilly breezes and Bainbridge hills are behind us. But we wondered...who were the chilled-to-the-bone riders behind those bib numbers? We talked to a few people that we knew we could count on to ride: the graduate students and faculty from IslandWood. IslandWood is a nonprofit outdoor learning center on Bainbridge Island. Small world — it also happens to be where Cascade School-based Program Manager Clarissa Allen and I both did our graduate school teaching residencies (so we’re quite partial to the good folks there).
Without further ado, here are a few gems we learned about this year’s IslandWood riders: What’s the first thing you did after the ride? Did you reward yourself? “First I got some super yummy hot cocoa! Then I rode back to campus, but not before re-riding part of the course. More miles more fun!” —Travis Schultz, IslandWood graduate student What will you write home about? Any shining star moments? “My father bikes a couple thousand miles a year, and he was keen to hear about my first big organized bike ride in
Islandwood-ers love to debrief and reflect. Did you learn anything about yourself? Your colleagues? Your bike? “Before coming to the PNW, I thought fenders were useless and made your bike look horrendously ugly. This mindset stayed for about a month, and then I was defeated in November and broke down…they sure do make riding in the rain heaps better!” —Travis Schultz, IslandWood graduate student Anything else you want to share? “Thanks to all the volunteers and people who made the event possible. I would also like to give a shoutout to everyone at the Battle Point Park aid station. Those brownies and PB&Js, along with as much Nuun as I could drink, really made the last 20 miles a breeze!” —Travis Schultz, IslandWood graduate student “It’s a fun way to get to know each other at another level. Sharing an experience
Photo courtesy of Scott Henry, Cascade volunteer of the month!
like that provides opportunities to bond. The shared experience that others might consider daunting, or stupid, or whatever — it doesn’t matter what they call it — we did it together.” —Clancy Wolf, IslandWood faculty We had a lot of great responses — so many that we couldn’t fit them all here, so head over to the Cascade blog (cascade.org/blog) to see the rest...and to find out the story behind the frog you may have seen riding in years past.
Volunteer of the month: Scott Henry By Andrew Kopp, Volunteer Programs Assistant
April’s volunteer of the month is Scott Henry. Although he has been a volunteer for only a few months, his many contributions grant him widespread name recognition around the Cascade Bicycling Center. His passion for bicycling and the Cascade community make this up-and-coming volunteer a tremendous asset. Scott is a not-so-recent transplant from Olympia, Wash., where he learned to ride “as a child jumping dirt in developing suburbia, took a long hiatus, then got back on (a larger model) for fitness, fun and injury recovery.” He moved to Seattle about 12 years ago to attend UW and never left. He now works on healthcare software and side projects. “I’m up in the mountains snowboarding or hiking,” Scott said, citing his preferred hobbies when he’s out of the saddle. “Or cooking with my wonderful wife!” He is also a photographer, volunteering his time and talent by documenting Cascade events. Scott began volunteering for Cascade, as many do, for the benefits. Volunteers can exchange hours served for ride registration. 10
“Honestly, I started because I wanted to ride the STP, and saw that volunteering could earn me a free bib! When I first volunteered, I met of a bunch of the staff, was cordially shown around, and made to feel very welcome. I love being part of the cycling community, meeting people and being a part of the team. In short, because it enriches life and the community!” The community is why Scott continues to volunteer. He enjoys the wide swath of society that Cascade events seem to attract. “I love seeing the wide variety of folks that enjoy cycling in the Northwest. It’s such a diverse group! Seeing young kids ride alongside octogenarians, people of all backgrounds just enjoying themselves, taking a ride, exploring the outdoors and taking it all in.” You can catch this “daily commuter, errand-runner and weekend sunrise rider” at a ride this summer, snapping pictures from his bike. Or delivering a stack of Cascade Couriers to a local business. From the Cascade staff, thank you, Scott. Your generosity of time and spirit help spread the joy of bicycling!
CASCADE BICYCLE STUDIO 180 N. Canal St. Seattle, WA. 98103 www.cascadebicyclestudio.com (206) 547-4900
YOUR BIKE YOUR WAY The bikes we sell are as varied and unique as the people who ride them. That's just one reason why personalization from Seven Cycles comes standard at no additional up-charge. Stop in to discover what’s possible with a bike designed and fit perfectly for you. www.cascade.org
Vol. 46, No. 4
Seattle city council votes in favor of a better bike share Continued from page 1
member Mike O’Brien commits Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) to build five protected bike lanes in downtown prior to expanding bike share. When completed, this network will provide a safe route to bike from North Seattle all the way through the city to the International District. This amendment is a win-win for everyone who bikes, enhancing the usability of bike share, while also quickly improving street safety for all. Council member Rob Johnson stated his support for the amendment, elaborating that “a bike lane is only a bike lane when an eight-year-old is safe enough to ride in it...when my daughter can ride in city streets.” By bringing bike share under the SDOT purview, council has effectively redefined our bike share system as a public good that will serve all people in Seattle. Council member
Lorena González added a thoughtful amendment that funds engagement with communities of color and low-income communities, to identify those communities’ needs, and define an expanded bike share system to meet those needs. In this debate it became clear that bike share is now a public good, part of our transportation system and worthy of investment. Both of these amendments were passed unanimously by council, demonstrating a commitment to creating equitable access to public transportation. “This is an opportunity for us to really integrate the system… so everybody can get around our city…having a bike share program that works will contribute to our transportation system,” said Council member Sally Bagshaw.
Let’s make downtown a safe place to bike By Kelli Refer, Seattle Policy Director
When I first started at Cascade, I worked in outreach and often attended transportation fairs in tall downtown Seattle buildings filled with hundreds of employees. At the Cascade table, people would stop by to discuss all kinds of things, from what kind of bikes work best in Seattle to how to commute year round. Frequently, I talked to people who love riding a bike in their neighborhood, but were terrified to bike to work downtown. It should only take the love of bicycling, and not bravery, to bike to work. It doesn’t have to be this way, and pretty soon it won’t. In 2014 Seattle launched a demo protected bike lane project in downtown on Second Avenue. Our network has not expanded beyond that since. Council member Sally Bagshaw once described Second Avenue as an “island,” and she is right. However, Seattle City Council just took a big step in the right direction by unanimously passing an amendment in the Pronto proviso lift that outlines a timely build out of five protected bike lanes downtown prior to the bike share expansion in 2017. Improving Lives Through Bicycling
When completed route forms a spine of a bike network that runs north/ south through downtown Seattle of connected protected bike lanes. There is a short section of the route on Bell street which with a few improvements could be a very safe and low-traffic street. This kind of connectivity allows more people the option to safely bike from their neighborhood to the heart of our city. Cascade is thankful for the Seattle City Council support of building protected bike lanes, but our work will not be done until the all of the surrounding neighborhoods have easy and safe bike access to the center of Seattle. In the coming months we will need your help to continue to work with city council members, Seattle Department of Transportation staff and community leaders to ensure we build high quality and safe connections to and from Second Avenue, bridging our small protected bike lane island to the rest of the city. If you would like to get more involved in Connect Downtown email Kellir@ cascade.org.
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April 2016
Pedaling the Palouse By Ellee Thalheimer, bike tourer and author of Cycling Sojourner
Creating our bike future: the view from Los Angeles Tamika Butler, Executive Director, Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition
Courtesy of Katherine Widing
Southeast Washington is often overlooked by travelers, but not photographers. On this self-guided, four-day bike tour, you’ll find two distinct terrains: the perfect, undulating hills of the Palouse and the massive canyon cut by the Snake River. Start in Pullman, the heart of the Palouse (pronounced puh-LOOSE). Voluptuous hills lull you for several miles until you make a turn and plummet down the Wawawai Canyon. Goodbye green and lush, hello arid and parched.
Pedaling the Palouse Four days and three nights Begin and end at Pullman, WA Total miles: 133 Riding season: April through mid-October
The Wawawai Canyon screeches to a halt at the Snake River, where the road, almost void of traffic, meanders through the river’s haunting canyon. You’ll have it all to yourself with a front row view of the canyon walls — the constantly changing rock formations are nature’s own movie theater. The Snake River Canyon leads to the twin towns of Clarkston and Lewiston, where you should plan a day off your bike to see the jaw-dropping beauty of Hells Canyon. Back on your bike, day two of this four-day tour begins with the
challenging Old Spiral Highway, a straggling spaghetti strand clinging to the canyon wall. Today the new highway off to the right steals the traffic, leaving cyclists almost alone to enjoy enormous views. For the next two days you’ll be mesmerized by the emerald hues of Palouse farmlands and wonder if you haven’t landed in Ireland. Classic red barns punctuate the terrain against perfect blue skies. Kamiak Butte juts out of the rolling landscape, beckoning you to lock your bike and hike up the forested slopes of pine and fir. Looking for a supported tour? Join Cascade’s fully-supported weeklong tour, Ride Around Washington: Pedaling the Inland Empire, July 30 – Aug. 6, 2016. Our tour will highlight many of the same sights mentioned here! Find out more and register at cascade.org/raw. Ellee Thalheimer’s guidebook, Cycling Sojourner: A Guide to the Best Multi-Day Tours in Washington, provides high-quality, in-depth coverage for riders with all budgets and all levels of cycle touring experience. Cycling Sojourner Washington takes care of the logistics and leaves the world-class bicycling to you! This excerpt was re-published from Cycling Sojourner with permission. The book was published in partnership with Washington Bikes; thanks to our merger Cascade now benefits from royalties on every book sold.
Tamika Butler provided a keynote address at the Washington Bike Summit held in Tacoma March 21-22, 2016. While our publication schedule doesn’t permit us to include her full speech, this edited excerpt from some of her blog posts gives you a little flavor of her leadership. It also shows that bike advocates have much in common in their challenges—and opportunities— no matter where they live. Bikes bring people together and build community. It’s part of why I love bikes, this job and this organization. A huge part of my vision has been to make Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition’s (LACBC) work and our community more inclusive and reflect our city’s diversity. The bicycle is a simple but powerful tool for social justice. We have aligned ourselves with partners working to address issues like displacement, housing and community development. We want the voices of women, youth, low-income people, people with disabilities and people of color to better inform and lead our work. We’re committed to ensuring that equity is an integral part of that we do. LACBC recognizes our role in shaping regional policy to address disparities facing historically underserved and historically neglected communities and advocates for intentional policies to address inequity. LACBC extends this commitment to equity to our own programs by intentionally prioritizing low-income communities of color for education, outreach and advocacy resources. We further seek to engage partners and residents from these underserved communities in shaping our programs to meet their needs. We will challenge ourselves to be better allies with other historically neglected communities and groups as we fight institutional racism and discrimination to move towards
Tamika Butler, executive director of the Los Angeles Bicycle Coalition, speaks at the Washington Bike Summit.
building a more bikeable L.A. County. This framework is integrated into all the work we do throughout the organization. Some of LACBC’s big wins sound very much like big wins in Washington state: • Won a new, progressive transportation plan, working with partners from community, environmental and business organizations to secure its adoption despite vocal opposition from people who want to maintain the status quo. • Launched the Vision Zero Alliance, a diverse coalition of walking, biking and community-based organizations. • Educated hundreds of people on how to ride safely in traffic with free bicycle education classes, and forged a new partnership with the school district to incorporate bike safety education into P.E. programs at dozens of schools. • Conducted the Bike and Pedestrian Count, in which hundreds of volunteers tallied people walking and biking to make sure their trips matter to decision-makers. If you missed Tamika’s speech because you weren’t at the Summit, mark your calendars now for March 20-21, 2017 in Olympia. The third annual Washington Bike Summit will present another stellar lineup of inspiring speakers and sessions.
Buy the book at cyclingsojourner.com.
February Cascade Bicycle Club Donors* $5,000 and up
Lyle & Betty Appleford, in memory of Chris Appleford
$1,000-$4,999
Jean & Russ Amick Katherine Brown
John & Lilli Pietromonaco Don & Jane Volta
$250-$999
Scott, Marianna, Natalie, Vanessa & Kasen Beetham Jeff Bogdan
Eleanor Heyrich Joseph Hickey-Tiernan Jody & David Kris Matthew & Karen Little
Businesses Luum
Donations make our work possible—Thank you! *As of Jan. 1, the Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation is simply Cascade Bicycle Club.
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www.cascade.org