How one cyclist reversed his ride. Gear up for the fun activities as we celebrate all things cycling together.
April is Valley Bike Month and we are gearing up for all of the fun!
TheFarmer’sAlmanacispredictingwinteryweatherthroughMarchthis year-especiallyintheEast-sostayinMesaandcatchthesegreat
activitiesduringValleyBikeMonthinApril.
TheArizonaBicyclingSummitkicksthingsoffonApril5thfollowedby CycloMesa,ourannualfestivalofactivetransportation,withFREEhelmets andlotsoffunandgamesonSaturday,April6thatthePlazaatMesaCity CenterinDowntownMesa Then,BiketoWork (or wherever you need to go) DayisonWednesday, April17thandNationalRideaBikeDaywrapsupthe BikeMonthcelebrationsonSunday,May1st
We’recontinuingtoworkontheMesaTransportationMasterPlanandSafe StreetsforAllSafetyActionPlan.Lookforopportunitiestoprovidefeedback inlatespring.TheBikestoBooksDesignContestisbackagainduringSummer ReadingatMesaPublicLibraryandwewillbeofferingbikeclassesatall branchesaswell-checkthebackofthemagazineforaschedule Attheend ofJuly, joinusforBacktoSchoolHelmetPop-upsacrossMesa
Asalways,weconcludewitharemindertobepredictableandwe’veincluded anarticleaboutthatimportanttopicinthisissuethatcanbefoundonpage7.
Weencourageyoutodriveless,rideoften,alwayswearyourhelmetandbe predictable!
CityofMesaTransportationDepartment's BicycleandPedestrianProgram
SpokeLifeMagazineisproudtobea2023
InternationalHermesCreativeGold AwardwinnerfortheSpring2023issue Theawardhonorsthecreativeindustry’s bestpublications,advertising,marketing, andcommunications
TheCityofMesahasproudlyranked “SilverStatus”asaBicycleFriendly CommunitybytheLeagueofAmerican Bicyclistssince2015.Mesa’sBicycleand PedestrianProgramprovidesmany servicesandeducationalopportunities toenrichthesafetyofcyclistsand pedestriansinMesa.ThegoaloftheBike andPedestrianProgramistoincrease theridershipandactivitythroughoutthe Citysoresidentscantakeadvantageof thisformofaffordableandhealthy transportation
SpokeLifeMesareceivedtwoPlatinum
MarComAwardsforthespring2023issue
TheMarComAwardsareadministeredby theAssociationofMarketingand CommunicationsProfessionalsandisone ofthelargestinternationalcreative competitionsformarketing.
2015-2023 Mesa
MichelleTurnerisanativeArizonanwhowouldn’tliveanywhereelse intheworld.Theprofessionalwriterisanavidcyclist,hiker,and hopefulkayaker Shesharesherhomewithhertworescuedbeagles andalloftheirchewed-uptoys
ChaseArbizufindsjoyincraftingcaptivatingstories Whennot immersedintheartofstorytelling,Chasedelightsinthetranquilityof earlymorninghikes,stargazingatnight,andexperimentingwith uniquecoffeeblendstobrewtheperfectcup.Youcanusuallyfind Chaseathomeinacozysweaterorganizingbookshelves,listeningto musicorengaginginaspiritedgameofpickleballatthelocalcourt
VeronicaCoronadoisaMarketingandCommunicationsSpecialistfor MesaPublicLibraryandlovescampingandsingingkaraokewith family.InspiredbyBiketoWorkDay2023,shepurchasedausedbike, rode12milesforthefirsttime,andplanstodoitagainthisyear!
GarrettTophamenjoysriding,collectingandmaintainingbikesofall types AstheSeniorPlannerfortheCityofMesaTransportation Department,heisoftenseeninspectingpathways,servicing equipmentandtravelingtomeetingsonhisfoldingbicycle.
ChristinaHaaseisaCityofMesaPublicInformationOfficer(PIO)and enjoysshoppingatlocalfarmer'smarketsandbinge-watchingthe latestshowsontheweekend ThisisSpokeLife'ssixthissuewith Christinaatthehelm
SUMMIT 20 24
THE SUMMIT INCLUDES: Raffles Vendors Exhibits AICP Credits Presentations on noteworthy and trending bicycling topics.
Age:57
Occupation:Field Supervisor
When/WhyDidYouStartBicycling?In2007,aftera4thknee surgery,IwantedtobehealthierandknewIcouldn’trun,so ridingabikewasthealternative.
WeeklyMileage:90-100miles
AverageLengthofRide:35miles
HowOftenDoYouCommute:Twiceperweek,whenthe weatherisnice
DreamBicycle:SpecializedS-WorksRoubaixoraSpecialized TurboCreo
FavoriteThingAboutRidinginMesa:Seeingtheviewsofthe SuperstitionsandonUseryPass.
DoYouHaveaFavoritePlacetoVisitAlongYourRoute: StarbucksatPointTwenty-TwoandSignalButte Thepeople therearethebest
Age:56
Occupation:Admin SupportAssistant
AverageLengthofRide:15–2hours
WeeklyMileage:5-35miles
When/WhyDidYouStartBicycling?Istartedin2020 Bicycling helpsmeclearmymind,reducesstressandisgreatformental health
DreamBicycle:Ashorttravelcarbonframepedalassiste-bike
FavoriteThingAboutRidinginMesa:Thetrailsystemsin Mesaaregreatwhichincludethecanalbikepaths,Hawestrail systemandUseryMountainPark
DoYouHaveaFavoritePlacetoVisitAlongYourRoute? Idon’thaveaparticularplace Ilovelookingoutatthevalley fromthetrailsandthebeautifulsceneryaroundmewhenI ride Yougettoseethingsfromabicyclingviewthatyouare notabletoseefromadrivingacar.
Want to be featured? Email cyclomesa@mesaaz.gov with your full name and why you like to bike in Mesa. You just might be selected to be in the next issue of SpokeLife.
It’s clear to anyone on the road these days that traffic speed and recklessness are on the increase. We also know that drivers are more distracted than ever. Unfortunately, there is little we can do to curb this bad behavior in others which is why it’s even more important to ride our bicycles predictably.
Riding predictably means riding as would be expected by someone observing your actions. Cyclists follow the same rules of the road as motor vehicles. It is difficult for a driver to judge the speed of a rider coming toward them on the left side of the road so ride WITH the traffic flow and on the right.
Also, coasting through traffic control devices like stop signs or red lights is not an expected behavior for cars so you too are to come to a complete stop Ride in a straight line at a consistent speed and don’t swerve between parked cars or out of the lane at intersections
Communication is key to being predictable so signal your turning intentions well Making a split-second decision to move left because a gap has opened in traffic will not be an obvious movement to the car behind you. Scan your surroundings for hazards, signal with your hand your desire to change lanes, check your blind spots, and if it’s safe to do so, make your turn.
Yes, riding around motor vehicles requires trust in everyone to be responsible but until there is complete separation through infrastructure, one thing you have the power to do to make cycling safer is to: Be Predictable.
Signal your intentions with clear hand signals well in advance.
Go with the flow and ride in the direction of traffic.
Avoid sudden lane changes to minimize surprises for other road users.
Avoid weaving between parked cars to maintain a consistent path.
The City of Mesa is “gearing up ’’ to celebrate Valley Bike Month in April by offering a variety of community bike events for adults and kids.
The wide range of free events are designed to encourage safe bike riding – everything from envisioning the future of Arizona bicycling to free helmet giveaways to chances to ride your bike to work (or wherever else you need to go)
Written by Michelle Turner
The City of Mesa’s annual bicycle extravaganza features fun for the entire family. This free and free-wheeling event will be held April 6 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at The Plaza at Mesa City Center.
Kids can enjoy inflatables, rock climbing, ziplines, and practice riding skills at the bike rodeo. Entertainment includes BMX stunt teams, roller derby demos, and roaming unicyclists. There’s also live music, food trucks and free helmets for anyone who needs one while supplies last. For more information go to cyclomesa.com.
Have some good ideas on increasing bicycle safety or to encourage more riders? Check out the Arizona Bicycling Summit on April 5 in Mesa. The summit gathers leaders, educators, planners, public health professionals, and cyclists of all kinds to talk about current issues related to Arizona cycling and plan for the future. Wide-ranging discussions cover items such as cycling nonprofits, bike laws, city infrastructure, and how to get more cycles on the roads. The summit also offers exhibits and raffles, and it has been known to end with a group ride. For more information, go to cazbike.org/summit2024.
Are you interested in commuting to work via bicycle? Great! Then you can take that idea out for a spin on April 17. Join hundreds of others by participating in the City of Mesa’s annual Bike to Work (or wherever you need to go) Day. You’ll get exercise, reduce traffic congestion, help improve the quality of our air and save money.
The first 300 people to RSVP and check-in will receive a limited-edition t-shirt and voucher for breakfast. To register for the event visit, eventbrite.com/mesabiketoworkday2024.
For the most up-to-date citywide bikeway, path and trail information, visit: mesaaz.gov/maps
KyllanManeyhasa
kaleidoscopic,psychedelic,and almosthypnoticmessageforyou aboutbicyclesafety
Forherdesignofthisyear’sCity ofMesaBiketoWorkt-shirt,the longtimeValleyartistand teacherwantedtogettheword outabouttheimportanceof cyclistsbeingseenonthe roadways.
Todoso,shecreatedapiecein hercheerfulandintricate signaturestyle.Maney’swork whichcelebratestheconnectivity betweenusallcanbefound, throughouttheEastValley, includingmuralsatMesaUrban GardenandinDowntownMesa.
AttheheartofherBiketoWorkart pieceisbikesafety,anissuethat hitsclosetohomeforManey.
Whileridingane-bike,her nephewreceivedminorinjuries whenhewashitbyacar.“We wereallverylucky,’’shesaid.“It couldhavebeensomuchworse.’’
“Ijustwant usalltobe outthere,’’ shesaid.
safe
Despitethatexperience,Maney’s husband,whobuilthisowne-bike, wantsthemtoridemore.“Hewantsus tobeabikefamily.Iwantthattoo.Ijust wantusalltobesafeoutthere,’’she said.
Shehopesthisyear’sdesignwill encouragepeopletofeeltheyarepart ofthesolutiontoincreasecyclists’ visibility.
Asanartist,Maneylovesmaking community-buildingprojects.Atthis year’sCycloMesafestival,shewill provideinteractiveartthatviewerscan helpcreate.“Themorepeopleare involved,themoreitmeanstothem.I wantpeopletofeelliketheyarepartof theart,’’shesaid.
“Justliketheyarepartofacommunity.’’
WRITTEN BY MICHELLE TURNER
“Got to have a helmet,’’ says Rudy King.
Very carefully and with a helmet. Rudy King can be frequently seen pedaling gracefully in the opposite direction.
The 53-year-old East Mesa resident says it takes balance, practice, and athleticism to perch on bike handlebars while traveling backward. To see the road, he twists around frequently to get a look at where he’s going.
King learned the backwardbicycling talent as a kid and returned to it to give back to the community.
In 1976, after a horse-riding accident, King was in a coma and declared brain dead. Instead, he woke up and made a full recovery.
While in the hospital undergoing extensive physical therapy, he made a promise to God. “I said I could help as many people as I
could throughout my life ’’
As part of fulfilling that pledge, King decided to ride for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation – but in his special style – backward. King raised money in honor of his late father who had diabetes
In 2016, King performed his first major backward ride: going from east Mesa to Tempe Town Lake He followed that up with a second ride cycling from east Mesa to State Farm Stadium in Glendale and has since cycled for other charities
Even now, the cycling celebrity is seen pedaling backward through the East Valley, where people frequently videotape him You’ll be able to find him at this year’s CylcoMesa festival.
But wherever he is, he always has a helmet “Got to have a helmet ’’
YOUR LOCAL MESA PUBLIC LIBRARY OFFERS UNIQUE AND USEFUL ITEMS AVAILABLE TO CHECK OUT.
WRITTEN BY VERONICA CORONADO
Mesa Public Library's Stuffbrary offers a diverse collection of nontraditional items for checkout. From practical to playful, the Stuffbrary includes:
Bicycle locks
Binocular kits
Blood pressure cuffs for health monitoring
Themed play kits for children
Sports equipment
And more!
Whether you're in the mood for outdoor fun with croquet sets and hiking kits, planning a celebration with cake pans, or exploring citizen science projects with specialized tools, the Stuffbrary has something for everyone. There’s also a Seed Library at each full-service branch that offers seed packets for patrons to grow their own edible plants and herbs.
We are so excited to announce that the Stuffbrary has added resources for your ride including a tool kit with repair manual, patch kits and a pump to maintain or fix your bicycle.
The Stuffbrary makes exploring and learning accessible and fun. Stuffbrary materials are available at all Mesa Public Library locations, though some items are branch specific
Learn more at mesalibrary.org/stuffbrary.
Mesa’s Bike to Books Design Contest transforms the city’s pathways into vibrant literary landscapes beneath your wheels!
Students unleashed their creativity, submitting over 90 unique designs across three age categories: Pre-K to 2nd grade, 3rd to 6th grade, and 7th to 12th grade. The City of Mesa’s Transportation Department and Mesa Public Library staff selected three winners, one in each age category, to have their art installed on the Stadium Connector Shared- Used Path north of the Cinemark Theater at Mesa Riverview.
“Fairy Lane” welcomes you into a whimsical world, while “Readers are Leaders” pays tribute to our great state, and “Like Flying” captures the excitement of biking. Behind the scenes, the City’s dedicated Striping Crew brings the magic to life by meticulously placing the thermoplastic designs before applying heat to permanently set the art on the ground.
WRITTEN BY CHASE ARBIZU
As these designs are being unveiled, the next round of creativity is getting ready to begin. This summer, go to any Mesa Public Library and join the contest that mixes books, art, and outdoor fun. The Bike to Books Contest is an invitation to make the pathways a creative landscape where every pedal and footstep reveals a new chapter. Encouraging community members of all ages and skill levels to get active and read more. For books inspired by the winning designs and more details about the contest, visit: mesalibrary.org/biketobooks.
Let’s pedal into a world where the stories and the streets intersect!
... the vast array of emotions children go through while learning to ride their bikes.
Together We Ride Published 2022
By Valerie Bolling, Kaylani Juanita (illus )Together We Ride is a sweet picture book about a dad teaching his daughter to ride a bike for the first time. While the text may consist of simple words and phrases, the accompanying illustrations encompass the vast array of emotions children go through while learning to ride their bikes.
The simple text and emotional illustrations allow this book to be easily comprehended by even the smallest riders. Even though the little girl may fall and hurt herself, little readers can see her courage in returning to her bike to try again and feel her triumph in successfully gliding along in her San Francisco neighborhood
In Together We Ride’s illustrations, you can see the little girl and her father practicing appropriate bicycle safety, helping instill those
actions in young readers.
Want to check out these books and more? Visit a Mesa Public Library!
mesapubliclibrary org
Brenna is a Programming Lead Librarian at the City of Mesa's Dobson Ranch Library. She was born and raised in Tempe and rode her bike all over her neighborhood. Now she still rides, but reads about riding more
GRADES 1-3
I Like My Bike by Antongionata Ferrari
GRADES 4-6
GRADES 7+
Revolutions:
How Women
Changed the World on Two Wheels by Hannah Ross
What/Where/When
April 5, 2024
Arizona Bicycle Summit
Mesa Convention Center
8 a m - 3 p m
April 6, 2024
CycloMesa Festival
The Plaza at Mesa City Center
9:00 a m - 2:00 p m
April 17, 2024
Bike to Work Day
The Plaza at Mesa City Center
7: 00 - 9:00 a.m.
May 22, 2024
Smart Cycling FUN-damentals*
Mesa Main Library
6 - 7:30 p m
June 12, 2024
S T E A M Workshop
Dobson Ranch Library
12:00 p.m - 1:30 p.m
*recommened for ages 6-12
July 30, 2024
Back to School Helmet Popups
Main Library
10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Dobson Ranch
2:00 p m - 4 p m
July 31, 2024
Back to School Helmet Popups
Red Mountain Library
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
August 21 , 2024
Smart Cycling FUN-damentals*
Mesa Main Library
6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
* All Cycling Fundamentals and Bicycle Maintenance classes require registration To sign-up, visit: mesalibrary.org
Bike Mesa
Hosts group rides and events locally in Mesa. bikemesa org
Gravity Riders Organization of Arizona
Advocacy, riders education and trail work The Gravity Rider community includes downhillers, freeriders, allmountain riders, dirt jumpers and BMX riders of all ages groaz org
Hawesaholics
Mountain Bike community building and East Valley area group ride coordination.
Ask to join the group on Facebook!
San Tan Shredders
Group rides for mountain bikers of all levels.
meetup com/santan-shredders
Tempe Bicycle Action Group
Working to make bicycling a prominent, safe and convenient form of transportation and recreation in the region. Also host group rides and events biketempe.org
We-Cycle-USA
Helps kids and adults in need to recycle and refurbish bikes.
we-cycle-usa com
For more information and more classes, visit mesaaz.gov/bikeped.
ABC Bicycle and Jetski Rentals
3655 E Main Street
480-641-2453
abcjetski com
Action Rideshop
1316 S Gilbert Road 480-839-4772
actionrideshop com
Archer's Bikes
1530 N Country Club Drive 480-275-5818 archersbikes.com
Bike Boss
5057 E McKellips Road, Suite 104 480-637-0806
bikebossmesaaz com
Bike Masters AZ
1545 S Power Road 480-660-6842
bikemastersaz.com
2031 N. Power Road 480-699-0072
bikemastersaz com
Global Bikes and E-Bikes
1010 W. Southern Ave, Suite 3 480-892-1315
globalbikes info
Hawes House
2837 N Power Road #110 480-380-8222
haweshousebikeshop com
Paragon Cycling
1106 N. Gilbert Road 480-830-1620
paragoncycling com
Psycho Sammi Cyclery
2650 E University Dr, Suite 106 602-799-1827
Velozoom
3654 N Power Rd Suite 127 480-744-5940
velozoom.bike
Recent trends continue to highlight a strong desire for communities to be bike-friendly, and the City of Mesa’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Program is continuously working on creating enhanced pathways to provide safe connections for all residents to use when traveling through the city.
