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I must admit that after having the last two weeks off work, it was a bit difficult getting up to the sound of an alarm in the morning once again. During my two weeks off I did a lot of eating and nothing. Now that I am back to work, I must also go back to school.
As you all may have heard, we are extremely excited about partnering with the San Mateo County Office of Education to implement Safe Routes to School programs at eleven schools in East Palo Alto’s Ravenswood City School District. The program will focus on promoting safety for all students and parents while they travel to and from school, whether they’re walking, bicycling or driving. But of course you know we’ll be encouraging as much walking as bicycling as possible.
At the end of Tuesday’s very successful Fourth Annual Dinner, someone told me, “I hope you don’t get post-event syndrome.” I told him that I never knew such a thing existed, but now I’m thinking there might be something to it.
First, I should start at the beginning. As you may know, my colleagues and I have been working very hard the last couple of months to plan, organize and put on the best SVBC Annual Dinner anyone has ever attended. We booked great speakers, found a great venue, and gathered amazing auction items.
When it rains, it pours! October has had me burning the candle at both ends as I implemented our Bike and Walk to School Month program at Anne Darling Elementary School and coordinated the final push leading up to our Fourth Annual Dinner.
On October 12, nearly two hundred students took part in a bike rodeo at Anne Darling Elementary School, where they learned how to ride their bikes safely by participating in four bicycling courses. Over a dozen volunteers helped teach students how to make right turns, left turns, exit out of a driveway, scan and look over their shoulder, and properly fit a helmet. All of this is part of the month-long Walk and Bike to School program in which hundreds of students at this school are participating.
It’s been a while since I’ve gotten my hands sticky with glue (the kind you can eat without getting sick), my fingers marked with a few paper cuts, and a whiff of those scented markers I used back in elementary. This past Monday, my colleague and I met with parents of Anne Darling Elementary students to get supplies ready for the walking school buses that will be taking place at that school every Wednesday in October.
Another amazing Bike Month has concluded and the results of the Team Bike Challenge and Company Bike Challenge have been finalized. Congratulations to all the participants who took part in this month-long event, but as always there can only be a few at the top. Here is a list of all the top performers.
Santa Clara County - Team Endurance from Tesla Motors Inc
San Mateo County - Team Blekko from Blekko
Large Companies
First - Apple Inc.
Second - SunPower Corporation
At Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, we have been very fortunate to not only have the support of great corporate sponsors that allow us to fund programs such as Bike to Work Day, Share the Road campaigns, bicycle education, and other advocacy efforts, but we also receive tremendous support from several local merchants that want to see bicycling grown in Silicon Valley and the Peninsula.
Well over one hundred cyclists convened at Las Palmas Park on Saturday, May 21 to take part in the celebratory kickoff ride promoting Safe Routes to Schools in Sunnyvale. The easy three mile ride that looped around two elementary schools allowed families to ride together and discover how fun bicycling around the neighborhood can be.
We would like to congratulate new SVBC member Shawn Fernandez for winning the $100 Sports Basement gift certificate that was up for grabs during the latest membership drawing . As you all may recall, anyone who joined between March 31 – May 21 would be entered to win a $100 gift certificate, and if he listed a referral while joining, his friend would have won one as well.
On the morning of May 12 I decided to take the scenic route to work and visit several Energizer Stations located near my home and office in San Jose. On the way I met the volunteers who I’ve been working with for months to make it all happen, many who I’ve never met in person. It was great to see all the enthusiasm I encountered along the way from first time riders, from experienced cyclists, and from volunteers who were cheering on all Bike to Work Day Participants.
Well, its been a busy week as we approach May 12 -- the biggest day is the Bay Area during this National Bike Month.
We've been working along with over 100 Energizer Station lead volunteers who will be hosting nearly 70 Energizer Stations in Santa Clara County and another 23 in San Mateo County. We'll be stuffing a couple of thousand bags tomorrow, Saturday, May 7 at Sports Basement in Sunnyvale.
For many, Bike to Work Day begins on May 12, 2011. For others, Bike to Work Day is almost everyday. What's your motivation?
