July 2016 Cascade Courier by Cascade Bicycle Club

improving lives through bicycling

p. 6-7

July 2016 / Vol. 46 No. 7

cascade.org

The White Center cycling movement

Vision, “Christmas in June” has given away over 20,000 balls and 230 bikes to date.

By Ed Ewing, Major Taylor Project Director

The elementary school students wheel around a bike rodeo with their bikes, practicing handling skills they learned in their P.E. classes.

Twenty-five students receive a refurbished bike and a new helmet as part of the YES! Foundation’s “Christmas in June” event.

Ten years ago, on a snowy January morning, Pat Thompson, Executive Director of White Center’s YES! Foundation, looked me in the eye and said, “Ed, if you come to White Center, be prepared to stay. I want to start a cycling movement.” On Wednesday, June 16, 2016, that movement reached the next generation of cyclists.

“I will have the time of my life on a bike.” -Enrique, 6th grade

Cascade Bicycle Club and the YES! Foundation of White Center partnered to give 25 refurbished BMX bikes to award winning students at White Center Heights Elementary School. This partnership was to support the YES! Foundation’s annual community celebration called “Christmas in June.”

Students were selected based on an essay contest where they answered this question: “How would a bike change my summer?” I was struck by one student’s answer: “I will use my bike to do what Michelle Obama encourages us to do, be fit and exercise.” Enrique, a 6th grader, wrote: “I will have the time of my life on a bike.” And Taatia, a 5th grader, wrote: “Having a bike would be a dream come true for me and my family. If I had a bike, I could share my bike with my brother and sisters.” “Christmas in June” was started in 2003 as a vision of Pat’s: every kid should have an athletic ball to play with. The event also selects elementary students from the community to receive bikes. With support of the White Center community and partnerships with Baden and World

“Having a bike would be a dream come true for me and my family. I could share my bike with my brother and sisters.” - Taatia, 5th grade

Pat Thompson’s words “I want to start a cycling movement” are louder than ever, and the White Center community echoes these words. In May, DubSea Coffee and Caffe Delia set up DIY Bike Everywhere Day stations. Aaron’s Bike Repair, Inc. bike shop is a community hub, there is a DIY bike repair station at the new King County Library and the White Center Traffic Garden is under construction in Dick Thurnau Memorial Park. Additionally, the Major Taylor Project bike clubs at Cascade Middle School and Evergreen High School are booming. Cascade Bicycle Club is proud to partner with the YES! Foundation and the White Center community to realize the vision of a thriving cycling movement!

PRSRT STD US Postage Paid Seattle, WA PERMIT No. 2172

Seattle’s very own Night Ride

ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

7787 62nd Ave. NE Seattle, WA 98115 www.cascade.org

TIME DATED MATERIAL

By Meghna Jaradi, Events Coordinator

Last September, a group of Cascade staff took a trip down to Las Vegas, Nev. to take part in Interbike. Interbike is a huge cycling tradeshow where every big name from every niche in the cycling world comes together to learn about what is new in the industry. In between test driving fat tire bikes and e-bikes, and checking out the latest trends in bikes lights and event gear (hello inflatable arch!), we found out about a “night ride.”

I managed to snag a loaner “lucky 8” ball helmet and got situated on one of the bikes as we waited for further instructions. From seemingly nowhere emerged three gigantic trikes, decked out with colorful lights and all mounted with massive speaker setups that were blasting different but harmonious beats. Without much fanfare, all 150 of us were off into the night, and (much to my surprise!) we began riding down the strip! No number of words could accurately describe the feeling of cruising down Las Vegas Boulevard in the middle of the night — amidst the bright lights and neon, the cheering clubgoers who stopped all along the way to take pictures of us, and the occasional cyclist attempting a stunt — but rockstar comes pretty close. Now, Seattle is no Vegas — but it’s a beautiful city to boot! We’ve cultivated a very similar experience with our second annual Seattle Night

Ride on Friday, July 8. Join us at the start at Peddler Brewing Company and jump onto a color-themed bike train before rolling out for the night. The midpoint at Myrtle Edwards will feature live music and entertainment with Seattle’s beautiful city lights and Elliott Bay in full view, and when you roll back to Peddler Brewing, a refreshing beer and a rad souvenir await you. It might not be the first time you’ve experienced the city by bike, but you may come pretty close to feeling like a rockstar.

Seattle Night Ride Friday, July 8, 9 p.m. Start & finish at Peddler Brewing Company Find out more and register at cascade.org/nightride

July 2016

Joy in the streets

A bicyclist’s book review: Full Cycle

By Barb Chamberlain, Chief Strategic Officer

By Ariana Rundquist, Membership & Development Manager

People fill the streets and meet local vendors at an Open Streets event.

I occasionally get a sensation I refer to as “the joy bubble.” It’s a feeling of intense pressure rising from deep inside, created by elation and excitement that seem to want to burst out all over. No, this is not a digestive problem. This also isn’t exactly happiness, which I feel a fair amount of because I’m a Sally Sunshine optimist. It feels both deeper and more significant. What brings this on? Pretty simple things, really, all rooted in living intensely in the moment and creating really strong, lasting memories. Walking along the sidewalk my freshman year of college, kicking through piles of gorgeous fall leaves and looking up through more of that vivid color at a clear blue autumn sky. Learning to slalom waterski — at last — rising up behind my oldest brother’s speedboat and walking on water. Listening to my daughters sing a duet with their gorgeous voices. Riding my bike is often joyful, but one specific bike event really thrills me: an Open Streets event.

Looking for summertime reading suggestions? I heartily recommend Full Cycle, a novel by Christopher Blunt, no matter how long it’s been since you were last on a bike. The book is sprinkled throughout with familiar trails and famous climbs recognizable to Seattle to Portland veterans and local pedestrians alike, but it is also a thoughtful, poignant and ultimately uplifting read. Set in the greater Seattle area against the ominous backdrop of the 2008 financial crisis, the story alternates between the voice of 11-year-old Alex and his father, Rob Peterson, as they train to complete the Seattle to Portland (STP) 200-mile ride in one day. A childhood injury shortened one of Alex’s legs, complicating his goal to do “something not a whole lot of other people in the world have done.” Rob’s own mysterious history as a cyclist and complex relationship with STP make for a compelling counter-narrative. The dual perspectives are engaging, and the characters so realistic you’ll feel like they are your riding buddies by the end. Full Cycle offers a window into the world (and minds) of competitive cycling without getting bogged down in jargon. Blunt’s writing is expressive but down-to-earth, exactly what you

would expect from a veteran of 16 STP rides. He uses bicycling as the vehicle to explore coming-of-age themes focused on the burden of maturity and personal growth at every age, with a few surprising and thoughtful twists centered on ability and self-worth. Any reader over the age of 10 will find something relatable in Full Cycle. As a Cascade staff member, I was struck by the weight STP occupies in the lives of everyone who rides it. For me, STP means logistics and a nice break away from my desk for one weekend. I don’t see all the hours of preparation, mentally and physically, that gets these riders to Portland. But I do get to see them all roll across the finish line, every possible emotion represented, and hand them a badge at the end of the journey.

Allison Schwartz gives her daughter a push at the 2015 Seattle Summer Parkways.

I still remember a Spokane Summer Parkways about five years ago. On one of the first truly warm summer evenings we’d had — the day after Solstice, so the light lingered — people filled the streets with happiness. Parents and grandparents pushing strollers; a mom on inline skates next to her daughter on a tiny push bike; folks of all ages and sizes on bikes of all types; a young couple walking their new adoptee from the shelter; families lined up in a semicircle of lawn chairs on their front lawns chatting; a total stranger waving at me on the way there just because we were both on bikes. We were all connected through the power of taking over the streets for people. A few years later I felt that same sense of exhilaration. This was in Anacortes at their first-ever Open Streets. They closed the main street right in the heart of downtown. We celebrated the designation of US Bicycle Route 10 with a ribbon cutting attended by the mayor and the Washington State Secretary of Transportation. Kids from a BMX team demonstrated stunts. Recumbents and tandems rolled by. I hope to see some of you at a Seattle Bicycle Sunday in July, the Anacortes Open Streets/Buskerfest in August, Seattle Summer Parkways in August and September, Tacoma’s Downtown to Defiance in September, or another event where I know I’ll feel it again, strong and sweet — joy in the streets. 2

www.cascade.org

Vol. 46, No. 7

Your Cascade Bicycling Center is transforming! By Briana Orr, Communications & Marketing Manager

Top: The former old navy storage building behind the Cascade Bicycling Center is hollowed out, awaiting doors and windows. The future Fix-it Garage will begin to take shape in July. Right: In front of the Cascade Bicycling Center, concrete is poured to reinforce the canopy’s footings. Next, planters and wood benches will be constructed! Below: In June the Wall of Gratitude was completed, adorned with bicycle wheels and commemorative plaques. It is our thank you to our donors to the Capital Campaign of $5,000 or more, whose commitment to “improving lives through bicycling” made the Cascade Bicycling Center possible.

Help connect the Missing Link By Kelli Refer, Seattle Policy Director

Passionate activists have been working to connect the Missing Link on the Burke-Gilman Trail for years. Currently, the regional trail ends at 30th Avenue NW near Hiram M. Chittenden (Ballard) Locks and begins again at the intersection of 11th Avenue NW and NW 45th Improving Lives Through Bicycling

Street. With the recent release of the Draft Environmental Impact Study, the city of Seattle is one step closer to fixing the Missing Link. With your help, we can ensure that the Burke-Gilman Trail route is intuitive and works for people of all ages and abilities. Please show up and

voice your support for safe connected trail at either open house: Thursday, July 14, 6 - 9 p.m. OR Saturday, July 16, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Both will be held at Leif Erikson Hall 2245 NW 57th St., Seattle

After each open house, Cascade will host a happy hour at Peddler Brewing Company to connect with caring neighbors like you! For more information, visit seattle.gov/ transportation/BGT_Ballard.htm.

July 2016

Letter to the editor I live in Duvall, Washington with my wife and elementary aged son. I love the bike rides you put on. I love bikes. I love that I get to share roads and trails with all types of users. I love it that I live in a society that allows me the freedom to make my own choices for myself. Thank you for all the good work you do. It is appreciated and positively noted by lots of people. I did not ride in the Flying Wheels ride, but many of my friends and neighbors did. I was driving on Ames Lake early Saturday (going to Duthie to teach summer camp student mentors for Evergreen Mountain Bike Club) and I LOVED seeing all the riders putting in a great effort. I waved and smiled the whole way. The next day I ran into a friend in town who rode the century — she was super stoked that she saw me and that I was waving and smiling. Keep up the good work and thank you! Tracy Clapp Duvall, WA

Welcome Yakima Basin Velo By Barb Chamberlain, Chief Strategic Officer

Once upon a time, members of a bike club decided they wanted to do something a little different, so they founded a new organization to focus on their priorities. With lots of overlapping membership and common interests, over time the two groups decided to reunite to become bigger and do more to improve bicycling and get people riding than either could alone. Sound familiar? No, it’s not Cascade Bicycle Club and Washington Bikes — it’s Mount Adams Cycling and Chinook Cycling Club in the Yakima Valley, newly merged to become Yakima Basin Velo. Chinook originally focused on racing. Those of its members who wanted a casual riding alternative eventually created Mount Adams, which featured rides like “Mellow Monday.” Many people were members of both, making the reunification a logical move. The club focuses on the Yakima Basin for its membership, stretching from Ellensburg to Prosser and including Yakima, Zillah and Sunnyside along the way. They’ve established a full

calendar of rides almost every day of the week; Mellow Monday has been joined by Mellower Monday and the club schedules both road and mountain bike rides. Club president Damon Young says the group works closely with the Yakima Bikes and Walks group, relying heavily on them regarding advocacy in the city of Yakima and in Yakima County. YBV members sit on the board of Yakima Bikes and Walks and the club helps turn out numbers when needed to speak up at public meetings. “Our part of the state is truly an amazing place to ride: low traffic roads in the middle of orchards, vineyards and hop fields with beautiful views of Mt. Adams and Rainier,” said Yount. He recommends the Naches Loop, Yakima River Canyon, Cle Elum loop from Ellensburg and the Zillah Loop ride from Yakima for people interested in exploring the area. The group is working on a new website. In the meantime search for them on Facebook to get information about membership and upcoming rides.

THE COURIER CREW Editor in Chief: Briana Orr Editor: Diana Bryant Layout: Sarah Kulfan Additional design: Tom Eibling, Kotis Design Photographers: Jason Braaten, Josh Miller, Briana Orr Contributors: Sam Alcorn, Barb Chamberlain, Amara Edwards, Ed Ewing, Meghna Jaradi, Andrew Kopp, Monte Krog, Tarrell Kullaway, Briana Orr, Kelli Refer, Ariana Rundquist, Rebecca Sorensen, Stacey Williams

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

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@ DIRECTORS George Durham • george.durham@

Choose between 124, 100, 62, 50 or 25mile beautiful routes. For beginners and families: a guided 10-mile fun route!

Marie Dymkoski • maried@ Ted Inkley • tedi@ Haley Keller • Haleyw@ Kevin McDonald • kevin.mcdonald@ Bill Montero • bill.montero@ John Pope • johnp@

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: Sept. 21 and Nov. 16.

www.cascade.org

Vol. 46, No. 7

Cheer on world-class racers at the Marymoor Grand Prix

An STP wedding By Jason Braaten, Guest Contributor

By Amara Edwards, Jerry Baker Memorial Velodrom Program Director & Guest Contributor

2014 Elite Men’s Keirin finish, won by two-time Olympian Giddeon Massie. Photo courtesy of Jerry Baker Memorial Velodrome.

Every summer, the Marymoor Grand Prix brings competitors, fans and families for an exciting weekend of competition and fun. Now in its eleventh year, the Grand Prix has consistently brought Olympic-quality talent to the Pacific Northwest to compete across a wide variety of race formats. This summer promises to be another unforgettable year for the Grand Prix. Mark your calendar and we will see you at the newly renamed Jerry Baker Memorial Velodrome in King County’s Marymoor Park in Redmond on July 15 - 16. This event is the staple of every track cyclist in the United States with the biggest rider turnout, payout and best fans. All Cascade Members will get FREE spectator admission (normally $5) to the 7 p.m. evening sessions, and we expect you to be loud and help us create the best atmosphere at

South African rider Maroesjka Matthee gives autographs to lucky fans during the 2015 Grand Prix. Photo courtesy of Jerry Baker Memorial Velodrome.

2016 Marymoor Grand Prix July 15 - 16 Jerry Baker Memorial Velodrome 6046 W Lake Sammamish Parkway NE, Redmond

FREE for Cascade members!

a track event in the United States! Besides the world-class racing we will have the world famous Marymoor Crawl, a Kiddie Kilo, Taco Truck, Burger Food Truck, Ice Cream cart, a beverage garden with Mac and Jacks beer, OS Winery and Locust hard cider and a vendor expo with all sorts of goodies. This is truly an event you can’t miss! Learn more at velodrome.org/jbmv/ marymoor-grand-prix.

Mindy Stites and Jason Braaten take in the views at the 2015 STP Joint Base Lewis McChord midpoint. This year, they are getting hitched at the finish line!

Just over 20 years ago I had the good fortune to meet the woman who, at the Seattle to Portland finish line, will be my wife. Mandy and I met in journalism class in a small high school nestled in a desert retirement community. We found ourselves to be kindred spirits and quickly became friends (and even ended up taking our first job at the same place). When graduation approached, though, we each went off our separate ways — I went off to the Navy and she journeyed to college. Fast forward 20 years: I was beginning to train for my second STP. Through the magic of social media, Mandy and I found each other again and chatted about life, our love of food and all things outdoors. We would chat at night and she would ask me how my training was going, and I would commiserate with her over her Arizona heat. If she knew that I was doing a particularly big bike ride, she watched the weather reports to see if I was being hailed on that day (yes, that did happen) or if it was smooth rolling for miles. It was her smiling face that I saw when my son and I crossed the finish line at Holladay Park in 2014. And after she hugged me, smiled and gave me my chocolate milk, she said, “I need to do this.”

With her only bicycling experience being on a beach cruiser, she jumped feet first onto a new touring bike with clipless shoes and started training for the following year, spending seven months logging training miles. That year, we left the UW campus with a desire to complete our year’s efforts and enjoy a beautiful ride as a new team. But due to a switch up in Portland, we ended up crossing the finish line separated by 10 minutes. Mandy and I looked at each other after I crossed and promised that we’d finish together no matter what next year. I proposed to her not long afterwards. And when we discussed meaningful places to get married, she said, “you know what would be cool, getting married at the finish line of STP.” “That sounds absolutely bonkers!” I said, smiling. “I’m in.” We knew that we wanted to finish together this year, but it made so much more sense to also start something new at the same time. Some couples don’t get to spend the amount of time together that we do while we’re sitting in a saddle, but cycling has truly made us a stronger, happier unit. And it has given us a collective 4,000 miles of shared memories and experiences that we could never find anywhere else.

JOIN US FOR THE RIDE OF A LIFETIME

800.443.6060

bicycleadventures.com

CHILE LAKES & VOLCANOES Improving Lives Through Bicycling

July 2016

History Cascade Bicycle Club is celebrating our 46th birthday this year! Cascade was formed in 1970 by brothers Mike and Rick Quam, with a vision of building community through recreational group rides and promoting the development of bicycle trails in Washington.

Cascade Bicycle Club was founded.

PRESENTED BY

July 16-17 Group Health Seattle to Portland presented by Alaska Airlines The Group Health Seattle to Portland presented by Alaska Airlines is the pinnacle of Northwest riding, and a life goal for many, like Cascade member Gregg Palmer of Lacey, Wash.

“I started riding the STP in 2007. In 2015 I was hit by a pickup truck while riding my bicycle… coming back from that was tough. I have used STP as a motivation to get back on my bike and ride as much as I can. STP is my testimonial that I refuse to allow fear to rule my life.” –Gregg Palmer Now in its 37th year, the STP is the largest bicycle event in the state with 10,000 riders every year, a quarter of whom will tackle the 200+ mile course in a single day. STP is a joint fundraiser for Cascade and Washington Bikes. That means our riders’ 206-mile journey from Seattle to Portland will help spread the joy of bicycling to a whole new generation. From the 31,000 elementary students learning to rock their new bike skills through our bicycle and pedestrian education to the annual class of 40 new Advocacy Leadership Institute grads to the annual Washington Bike Summit — STP participants help so many others begin a bicycle journey of their own.

cascade.org/stp #BikeSTP 6

- 1970

Seattle to Portland Bicycle Classic was held as a time-trial race (the first and only time it was a race) from Seattle City Hall to Portland City Hall. Mount St. Helens erupted and canceled STP, and the Ride from Seattle to Vancouver and Party (RSVP) was born. The two-day STP option was added. 240 finished in one day, 98 finished in two days.

Washington Bikes was founded as Northwest Bicycle Foundation (NowBike).

- 1979

- 1980 - 1981

- 1987 1991 - STP hit a record 10,000 participants.

1994 - NowBike merged with the Bicycle Federation of Washington, expanded its scope of work statewide and changed name to Northwest Bicycle Federation.

1998 - NowBike changed its name to Bicycle Alliance of Washington.

2008 -

League of American Bicyclists names Washington the #1 Bicycle Friendly State in the US.

2008 -

9 Major Taylor Project students rode STP

2009 -

15 MTP students rode

2010 2011 -

20 MTP students rode

25 MTP students rode

2012 -

35 MTP students rode

2013 -

30 MTP students rode

2014 - Bicycle Alliance of Washington changed its name to Washington Bikes

2014 - 35 MTP students rode 2015 - 50 MTP students rode (Total to-date = 219!)

2016 -

Cascade Bicycle Club and Washington Bikes merged to form the largest statewide bicycle nonprofit in the country, and STP is held as a joint event.

2016 -

GOAL: 100 MTP students! (See page 12 for how you can help them ride!)

www.cascade.org

Vol. 46, No. 7

Tag #BikeSTP to share your journey “60 miles on the today training for #bikestp and now foam roll foam roll foam roll foam roll foam roll foam roll foam.” — Seth Oglesby, via Twitter

Thanks to our sponsors “Had a great ride with [an] amazing group of humans this weekend. I clocked about 71 miles... So proud of this group — many of them rode further than they’ve ever ridden in their lives.” — Anna Birdseye via Facebook

Improving Lives Through Bicycling

July 2016

Just go — the John Wayne Pioneer Trail By Briana Orr, Communications & Marketing Manager

Between the San Juans, the Olympics, wine country, Columbia River Gorge, and the Cascades, there is an amazing amount of bike touring territory to cover in the Evergreen State. Sometimes the biggest battle is just deciding where to go, especially on a busy holiday weekend. Over Memorial Day, the western section of the John Wayne Pioneer Trail (JWPT) was calling our names. Even though we waited until we had four days to sink our teeth into it, the John Wayne is the perfect “anytime trip,” and unnoticed enough that you won’t be battling with others on a warm holiday. Just load up your bikes on a bus, ride out of town or drive to one of the many trailheads and go for a day ride or longer. As an out-and-back with campgrounds and towns sprinkled throughout, it allows flexibility and a good blend of “out there” camping with in-town amenities. It’s doable to bike from Seattle to North Bend (and you’ll be on trails 99 percent of the way!), which is what my boyfriend, Aaron, and I did. Then we

pedaled up the two percent grade past Snoqualmie Tunnel to Easton over the course of two days. While the grade was hardly noticeable on the way there (it just made for a little slower riding), it made for an amazing ride on the way back. On our last day, we turned around and thoroughly enjoyed the cruise and the views downhill, hooping and hollering along the 2,500 feet of descent over the course of 24 miles. Top left: The JWPT was the perfect destination to celebrate Aaron’s birthday (on right). Our friends Tristan and Kiasa trekked up from Portland to join us on the four-day bike tour. The trail took us through beautiful rock faces, along lakes and streams, over trestles and through tunnels. Top right: The John Wayne Pioneer Trail is the longest rail-trail conversion in the United States — it’s more than 250 miles across the state of Washington with several old rail tunnels and trestles that make this a unique ride. Bottom: Near Keechelus Lake two hiker-biker only campsites sit within eyesight of the trail. Setting up a basecamp at Keechelus allowed us to enjoy a glorious unloaded day ride, and provided the peace of mind on a busy holiday weekend that we wouldn’t have to jockey with others for a campsite.

www.cascade.org

Vol. 46, No. 7

FREE GROUP RIDES Ride Leader Certification Class Saturday, July 23 Ride Leader Certification Class 3:30 p.m. Cascade Bicycling Center, 7787 62nd Ave NE, Seattle

Friday, July 15 Friday Riders: To Kubota Garden 10 a.m. • 25 miles from Gas Works Park, Seattle • Ride Leader: Norm Tjaden

Tuesday, July 26 TREATS: Gas Works Park to Edmonds 10 a.m. • 37 miles from Gas Works Park, Seattle • Ride Leader: Les Weppler

Sunday, July 24 S.P.O.K.E.S. What’s New 520 in 2016? 10 a.m. • 20 miles from Juanita Beach Park, Kirkland • Ride Leaders: Michelle Burton, Jim Hunt

Ride Leader: Les Weppler

EASY PACE (UNDER 10 mph) Sunday, July 10 West Seattle STP 9:15 a.m. 10.20 miles from Hamilton Viewpoint Park, Seattle • Ride Leader: Don Brubeck

LEISURELY PACE (10-12 mph)

STEADY PACE (12-14 mph) Repeating Wednesdays Midweek Eastside Evening Training Series (MEETS): Leisurely to Vigorous 6 p.m. • 25 miles from East Lake Sammamish Trail, Redmond • Series Director: Sandi Navarro

Repeating Wednesdays Midweek Eastside Evening Training Series (MEETS): Leisurely to Vigorous 6 p.m. • 25 miles from East Lake Sammamish Trail, Redmond • Series Director: Sandi Navarro

Repeating Thursdays SHE BIKES - Seattle Cycle Sirens, Ride around Mercer Island 6:15 p.m. • 14 miles from Luther Burbank Park South Parking Lot, Mercer Island • Ride Leaders: Louise Johnson, Melanie Kelsey

Repeating Thursdays Gas Works Thursday Social 6:30 p.m. • 12 miles from Gas Works Park, Seattle • Ride Leader: Scott Kralik

Sunday, July 3 Ocean Shores - Ocean City 10:30 a.m. • 27.30 miles from Elk Head Tap Room, Ocean Shores • Ride Leader: Wayne Agness

Friday, July 1 Friday Riders: Fall City-Carnation-Red Barn Loop 10 a.m. • 29 miles from Fall City Community Park, Fall City • Ride Leader: Allyson Welsh

Monday, July 4 Annual July 4th Black Diamond - Green River Valley Loop 9 a.m. • 51 miles from Ron Regis Park, Renton • Ride Leaders: Melanie Kelsey, Alan Lawrence, Joseph Roberts

Tuesday, July 5 Flat Tuesday “Pie Ride” 10 a.m. • 25 miles from Log Boom Park, Kenmore • Ride Leaders: Don Martin, Dottie Smith Friday, July 8 Friday Riders: Go North from Green Lake 10 a.m. • 23 miles from Green Lake, SW Corner next to Rest Rooms, Seattle • Ride Leader: Jan Johnson

Thursday, July 7 NERD #16 6 p.m. • 28 miles from Lynnwood Transit Center (SE Corner by the Interurban Trail), Lynnwood • Ride Leaders: Michael Cunanan, Larry DeBardi, Daniel Kelly, Michael Lum, Susan Miller, Jack Nolan, Terence Shelton, Rick Wiltfong, Daniel Kelly

Exceptional Ride Leader Daniel Kelly By Stacey Williams, Rides & Outreach Director

Daniel Kelly is an exceptional ride leader for all the work he has done in developing a new ride series in the Snohomish area! Like many riders, Daniel used to ride everywhere as a kid, doing paper routes or running to the shops, but at some point he stopped. In late 2009, Daniel started riding again on a cheap bike from a sporting good store that was too small. By the end of 2010, after riding regularly, Daniel bought a second bike (with a better fit), started riding further and joined his first event, a sponsored 50-mile ride with the Wounded Warrior Project. Daniel trained with a couple of friend to complete his first (two-day) Seattle to Portland without ever having ridden with Cascade. But it was the next year when he started riding with Cascade, that completely changed cycling for him. I asked Daniel, “why Cascade?” He responded, “I heard about Cascade, but I was scared of the idea of a bike club. I was just a guy on a bike, and didn’t think I had any business with a real bicycle club. All that changed when I decided to do my second STP, this time in one day, and joined CTS to train for it. CTS changed my life, ignited a passion for cycling, and transformed me from a guy on a bike to a cyclist. I can’t recommend that series highly enough. During CTS, I started riding Free Improving Lives Through Bicycling

MODERATE PACE (14-16 mph)

Repeating Wednesdays Midweek Eastside Evening Training Series (MEETS): Leisurely to Vigorous 6 p.m. • 25 miles from East Lake Sammamish Trail, Redmond • Series Director: Sandi Navarro Repeating Thursdays SHE BIKES - Seattle Cycle Sirens, Ride around Mercer Island 6:15 p.m. • 14 miles from Luther Burbank Park South Parking Lot, Mercer Island • Ride Leaders: Anne-Gigi Chan Monday, July 4 Annual July 4th Black Diamond - Green River Valley Loop 9 a.m. • 51 miles from Ron Regis Park, Renton • Ride Leaders: Melanie Kelsey, Alan Lawrence, Joseph Roberts Thursday, July 7 NERD #16 6 p.m. • 28 miles from Lynnwood Transit Center (SE Corner by the Interurban Trail), Lynnwood • Ride Leaders: Michael Cunanan, Larry DeBardi, Daniel Kelly, Michael Lum, Susan Miller, Jack Nolan, Terence Shelton, Rick Wiltfong, Daniel Kelly Thursday, July 14 THursday Unemployed Merry PedalerS (THUMPS): Home for Lunch 9:30 a.m. • 30 miles from • Leschi Starbucks, Seattle • Ride Leader: Mike Nelson

Repeating Mondays Small Chainring Monday 6:30 p.m. • 19 miles from Sam Smith Park, Seattle • Ride Leader: David Longdon Repeating Tuesdays and Thursdays Eastside Tours Evening Ride 6:30 p.m. • 25 miles from East Lake Sammamish Trail Lot, Redmond • Ride Leader: Eric Gunnerson

Monday, July 4 Annual July 4th Black Diamond - Green River Valley Loop 9 a.m. • 51 miles from Ron Regis Park, Renton • Ride Leaders: Melanie Kelsey, Alan Lawrence, Joseph Roberts

Group Rides such as MEETS. By the end of the training series, I was hooked on Cascade, the community, the focus on safety, and the enhanced joy of group riding. There was no question about becoming a ride leader; I needed to be a part of the community and share what had been given to me.” Since becoming a ride leader, Daniel has started the Northend Evening Riding After Dark (NERD) series in Lynnwood, now in its third year. “It was a passion project that grew from me and one rider each week, to offering three paces and having 30 to 50 people every week. I love the series and the ride leaders that make it what it is now, and we get a wonderful group of riders joining us repeatedly.” Thanks, Daniel, for being an Exceptional Ride Leader and providing exceptional opportunities to ride!

Saturday, July 16 Redmond - Snohomish Bakery Ride for the Rest of Us 9 a.m. • 55 miles from East Lake Sammamish Trail Parking Lot, Redmond • Ride Leader: Alan Lawrence

VIGOROUS (18-20 mph) Repeating Wednesdays Midweek Eastside Evening Training Series (MEETS): Leisurely to Vigorous 6 p.m. 25 miles from East Lake Sammamish Trail, Redmond • Series Director: Sandi Navarro

STRENUOUS: (20-22 mph) See the Cascade Free Group Rides Calendar for listings

SUPER STRENUOUS: (22mph +) Repeating Tuesdays Cycle Tuesdays 5:45 p.m. • 25 miles from Gene Coulon Park, Renton • Ride Leaders: Vincent Haag, Russ Moul Repeating Thursdays More Cycle Tuesdays 5:45 p.m. • 25 miles from Gene Coulon Park, Renton • Ride Leaders: Tom Baker, Lola Jacobsen

BRISK (16-18 mph)

Repeating Wednesdays Midweek Eastside Evening Training Series (MEETS): Leisurely to Vigorous 6 p.m. • 25 miles from East Lake Sammamish Trail, Redmond • Series Director: Sandi Navarro

Daniel Kelly

SELF PACED Saturday, July 9 RAMROD Training Series - Ride #13 7:30 a.m. • 102 miles from Challenger Elementary School, Issaquah • Ride Leaders: Paul Franks, Per Sunde, Shana Sunde Saturday, July 16 The Edge (RAMROD Training Series - Ride #14) 7:30 a.m. 100 miles from Newport Hills Park & Ride, Bellevue • Ride Leaders: Paul Franks, Per Sunde, Shana Sunde Saturday, July 23 RAMROD Training Series - Ride #15 9 a.m. • 56 miles from Ron Regis Park, Renton • Ride Leaders: Paul Franks, Per Sunde, Shana Sunde

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.

Member of Cascade Bicycle Club

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July 2016

Volunteer of the Month: Heather Lecrone

The bandana: a bicyclist’s best friend

By: Andrew Kopp, Volunteer Programs Assistant

By Ariana Rundquist, Membership & Development Manager

Lightweight, multi-purpose, colorful and cheap: bandanas are the most useful item any bicyclist can carry. Don’t believe it? Tie a bandana to your stem or top-tube for eye-catching flair, or keep one handy in your saddle bag. You will be amazed at how often you’ll find a use for this trusty bit of fabric! Top nine bandana uses for bicycling 9. Knapsack Heather Lecrone

We are pleased to announce that July’s Volunteer of the Month is Heather Lecrone. Heather has been at the center of promoting kid-powered transportation at Sand Point Elementary for the last few years in the form of Bike to School Month, after-school Urban Cycling Clubs, walking school buses and bike rodeos. In 2014, the transmission on Heather’s car broke down, and her two kids, Susannah and Alli, started biking to school every day. She saw the positive benefits almost immediately, and they have continued to bike long after the car was repaired. “Once we get on our bikes, we are all happier and have more energy for the day. We’re awake. And the girls are more engaged in school,” Heather said. “Bicycling has changed my family’s entire dynamic.” The joy that bicycling gave her family made Heather ask herself, “Why aren’t more people doing this?” With this question in mind, she attend a Cascade seminar on starting and sustaining a Bike to School program. This connected her with people and information which she used to successfully write a Seattle Department of Transportation mini-grant for a bike program at Sand Point Elementary. “I’ve had the good fortune to work closely with Heather on several projects over the past couple of years,” remarked Josh Miller, Cascade’s Community

Education Program Manager. “She has been a tremendous local champion in the school community.” Even though her kids have graduated from bike club, Heather continues to lead the program. “I know that these kids are going to be safer because of what they learn,” she said. Heather grew up in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood, and has seen the city change into a bigger, more bike-friendly city. “Biking in Seattle is growing,” she said. “Parents feel more comfortable with their kids riding to school.” You’ve probably seen her riding around on her green Trek 850 on the John Wayne Pioneer Trail, one of her favorite places to bike with the kids. “It’s so beautiful, I almost don’t like telling people about it,” Heather said jokingly. “I have come to understand that having a vibrant bike culture within a school community depends upon a number of things,” said Shannon Koller, Cascade’s Senior Director of Education. “Most important is people like Heather Lecrone who understand the transformative nature of a bike, especially in the hands of kids.” Thank you, Heather, for all that you do to make biking safer and more accessible for everyone! You exemplify someone who lives the Cascade mission of improving lives through bicycling.

Lay your bandana on a flat surface and place your snack in middle. Tie the opposite corners of your bandana together and hang from your top-tube or backpack. Bandana will double as a napkin or tablecloth. 8. Emergency ice pack

Wrap a bag of frozen vegetables in one bandana and use a second to secure the ice pack to the problem area. 7. Guard against scratches

Keep your paint pristine by using your bandana as a buffer between your lock and your bike.

neck and tuck your bandana behind your ears. Off-bike chic: pull bandana away from your forehead up to your hairline, use bobby pins to keep in place if necessary. 5. Roadside maintenance

When your chain slips or you fix a flat tire on the fly, use your bandana for the greasiest work to keep your hands (and grips) grime-free for the ride home. 4. Ear-warmers

See #6, pull bandana fabric down over your ears to keep warm during your ride. 3. Emergency towel

Use your bandana to wipe down your bike seat after a surprise rain shower, or blot away sweat from face, hands and neck. 2. Sweatband

Fold your bandana into a triangle, then fold the longest edge about two inches up towards the top of the triangle. Keep folding until you have a long, 2-inch thick band of cloth. Tie around your forehead, ninja-style. Bonus: place your bandana sweatband between your forehead and helmet to prevent helmet marks on your skin. 1. Protect your face or neck from wind, sun and bugs

6. Hair control

Keep your lustrous locks out of your face by folding your bandana into a triangle and laying the longest edge between your hairline and eyebrows. Tie the two farthest corners together under your hair at the nape of your

Fold your bandana into a triangle and tie the two farthest corners around your neck. Pull the longest edge up over your nose, bandit-style, to protect your face or place the knot under your chin to shield the back of your neck. Forget your bulky towel, you should always know where your bandana is!

www.cascade.org

Vol. 46, No. 7

40th anniversary of the 1976 Trans Am By Monte Krog, Guest Contributor

The 76ers after fininshing an ice cream eating contest. Monte is in the striped shorts! Photo courtesy of Monte Krog.

76er Mark Mathey has a bike touring setup similar to what people use today, though bicycling attire has certainly improved! The modern bicycle helmet was still being developed in the 70s and was not commonly worn in 1976. Photo courtesy of Monte Krog.

Like most people, I remember certain dates like birthdays and anniversaries, but one that always takes me back is June 16. On that day in 1976, my life changed forever when I departed Reedsport, Ore. for 80 days of biking across the U.S. as part of Bikecentennial. The event transformed into a fantastic organization (and great partner of Cascade Bicycle Club), and is now known as Adventure Cycling Association (ACA). Forty years later, ACA still organizes cross-country tours, but those of us who participated that first year are proud to be known as “76ers.” I was in college in South Dakota when I saw a flyer for the tour. The cost was $750, which didn’t sound like much, but my part time job paid $2.25 an hour. In spite of the fact that I had never been camping, would have

Hoosier Pass, the highest point of the TransAm route (didn’t feel so good that day). People in Kansas bringing us baked goods. Living in close proximity with women (I grew up with three brothers). Eating a half gallon of ice cream and then eating a full dinner (we were having an ice cream eating contest with another group the next night, and I was trying to psych them out!). I know my parents figured this was a one-time thing and then I would settle down, but after finishing in Yorktown I visited friends in Washington, DC and met a fellow 76er who had biked east to west. We became friends and roommates and have ridden thousands

to work many extra hours to earn the money and had never even heard of “bicycle touring,” I just knew I had to sign up. June 16 arrived. Our group was the last leaving from the West Coast. Each day two of us were assigned cooking detail. Since our members ranged in age from 17 to 25, cooking for 14 was a bit terrifying. So campfire cooking it was. Lunches were easy; after the first week we settled on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and fruit. Yes, for 75 days in a row I ate PB&J! What are some of the events of that trip that still stand out? Rebuilding an exploded freewheel on a mountain road using as many bearings as we could find along with a slice of leather toe strap and lots of oil. Eating 18 1/2 pancakes (one pancake short of setting the record) and then riding over

of miles together. I also met my wife, and she and I and our two children have had many cycling adventures together. My bicycle became an extension of myself. Four years ago I fulfilled a dream and rode from Seattle to Minnesota for my 40th high school reunion. As you read this I am riding from the Oregon coast to Missoula, recreating the first leg of the TransAm ride to attend the 40th anniversary of Bikecentennial. I’m hoping one of the Seattle TransAm riders is coming to Missoula and might have room for an old rider to catch a ride back to Seattle. If so, please contact me at bikekrog@ comcast.net.

S.O.S. IN SUPPORT OF BIAWA

Help us transform Washington State! Renew now at cascade.org/renew Marymoor

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150 Mile Semi-Supported Ride SeaOverSummit.org

877-982-4292

Ride to Prevent the #1 Cause of Death for Most Ages – Brain Injury.

August 27 th & 28th SeaOverSummit.org

Improving Lives Through Bicycling

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July 2016

Through the lens of Major Taylor: A newcomer’s thoughts on Seattle bicycling culture

Help more MTP students ride the Group Health STP presented by Alaska Airlines! By Tarrell Kullaway, Senior Director of Membership & Development

By Sam Alcorn, Major Taylor Project Assistant

I have worked with MTP through the AmeriCorps service program since October of last year. Born and raised in North Carolina, I came to Seattle for this job after a three-year stint in Denver, Colo. As a stranger to Seattle, Major Taylor has given me a unique look into the dynamic of the city.

Coming from a place with the history of the American South, where segregation and discrimination are still a reality, I thought Seattle was going to be a mecca of progressive thought and equality. I live near the Cascade Bicycling Center in northeast Seattle and commute four times a week to south Seattle to work with the MTP bike clubs. The stark differences between the two sides of town were evident immediately. The neighborhoods of Sand Point, Wedgwood and Ravenna — ripe with beautiful homes, manicured front yards and safe, clean bike lanes and trails — stood in contrast to the neighborhoods of White Center, Burien and Seatac — with bustling arterials riddled with glass and potholes with few people on bicycles in sight. Coming from a place with the history of the American South, where segregation and discrimination are still a reality, I thought Seattle was going to be a mecca of progressive thought and equality. However, I quickly realized that it has the same story as many of the Southern cities, and really, most American cities. There is a privileged side of town and there is an unprivileged side of town. That is north Seattle and south Seattle. This inequality is embodied through economic differences, racial differences, educational differences and differences in the attitude toward bicycling. Yet in this, there has been a tremendous amount of hope, determination and love found within the work of the Major Taylor Project. Every time we ride through the streets of south Seattle, the MTP bike clubs are cheered on by people walking on the sidewalks, waiting at the bus stops and driving in their cars. Each student is a budding cyclist finding a community, friends and an expanded 12

view of the world and themselves in our club. It is the same story I have found from the moment I started riding, and the same story for all of the members of Cascade Bicycle Club. The Major Taylor Project is supported by businesses, individuals and groups from all over Seattle who want to see EVERYONE riding bikes on safe streets to live adventurous, healthy, joy-filled lives. The history of redlining, segregation, and unequal funding of schools, business, and infrastructure is still evident in Seattle and all across the nation. These are social factors created by humans and can equally be changed, reversed and built anew by humans. Major Taylor is part of that change.

Every time I ride with these students through these neighborhoods, my life is enriched, just as every time we take these students to north and downtown Seattle, their lives are enriched. MTP partners with schools in Seattle and Tacoma’s most ethnically diverse neighborhoods with over 80 nationalities represented. Additionally, these are schools where 75 to 90 percent of students receive free or reduced lunch programs. MTP is rich with stories of kids and families who are first-generation Americans: students who have traveled from Africa, Asia, Central and South America to have a better life in the United States, communities that overflow with culture, pride and uniqueness. Though they do not get equal or equitable services, these communities are unparalleled in spirit and diversity. Every time I ride with these students through these neighborhoods, my life is enriched, just as every time we take these students to north and downtown Seattle, their lives are enriched. The bike is a vehicle to break down barriers and travel to places unknown. Help us let the bike break down the difference and inequity in Seattle. Ride with the Major Taylor Project. Support the Major Taylor Project. I promise it will change your life, the life of every student who rides with us, and the future of bicycling in Seattle. Learn more and give to the Major Taylor Project at majortaylorproject.org.

Major Taylor Project students celebrate their accomplishment at the 2015 STP finish line.

Ask a Major Taylor Project student about the highlight of the year and many will answer: “when I finished the STP!!!” with resounding enthusiasm. Not everyone makes it to the end, but knowing that the STP is available for those who show the grit and determination to make it, that’s what keeps many students coming back week after week to train at the Major Taylor Project bike clubs. This year, we hope to DOUBLE the number of kids from the Major Taylor Project on the STP. It costs approximately $500 to send each of these kids on the STP. Please help support these amazing students. Give online today at cascade. org/MTP-STP.

In 2015, 50 students crossed the STP finish line. This year, we hope to double that number!

Bike to School Month Challenge By Shannon Koller, Senior Director of Education

Bike to School Month Challenge participants hit it out of the park in May, and the numbers show it! Participants rode 668,163 minutes during May and we saw a 35 percent increase over last year in ridership on Bike to School Day. Special shoutouts to our Elementary School Golden Pedal Award Winner, Thornton Creek Elementary, and our Middle/High School Golden Pedal Award Winner, Newport High School!

May Cascade Bicycle Club Donors $10,000+ Ron Sher

$5,000

The Wolf Family Fund

$1,000-$4,999

Kathe & Greg Fowler Dennis Madsen Peter Miller & Jean Johnson

Sandra Mowry & Hannah, Nelson & Tiffany Jay Jeffrey & Paula Pyatt Maarten van Dantzich Ed Zuckerman

$250-$999

Anonymous Andrew Borges Mark Davison & Kathleen Galloway

Catherine & Tim Hennings Len Henzke Jackson Holtz Dan McGrady Dale Miller Ingvar Petursson Judy Pigott Julleen Snyder Dale Steinke Ben Straughan Theresa Tamura

Alexander Thompson Todd True Alexa Volwiler & Frieder Mack

Businesses

Accell North America Google, Inc. Microsoft Corporation Nintendo of America, Inc.

Donations make our work possible—Thank you! www.cascade.org