May is National Bike Month
The following announcement comes from Camille Carlson, co-owner of the bicycle-friendly Coffee Connection in Meiners Oaks. She is one of the new wave of activists leading the charge to make the Ojai Valley a world class Bicycle-Pedestrian Friendly Community.
Hello Friends, Family and the Ojai Community,
I'm writing to remind you that May is National Bike Month.
May 12-16 is Bike to Work Week.
May 16 is National Bike to Work Day.
May 11-17 is also National Transportation Week
Check out www.bikeleague.org (American League of Cyclists) if you get a chance.
Just wanted to see if anyone is interested in commuting by bike to work or 'wherever' together at any point during the month of May. It makes the ride all that more fun!!
I also discovered that May 21st is the evening for the Ride of Silence. Check out these videos or visit www.rideofsilence.org.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNtMpMt0V1A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXpNjvKJP6k
I don't know if anyone in Ojai organizes this event, but basically the Ride of Silence is about an 8 mile ride on a designated route through town. Riders who participate do so to show solidarity and pay tribute to cyclists who have been fatally injured, hit, or harassed while riding on the road. We ride in silence and wear a black or red arm band. The beauty of this event is that it is open to anyone with any type of bike, it is not a race, and we ride at a steady pace. Helmets are required.
I like the fact that it is an opportunity to spread awareness throughout the valley that as cyclists we are on the road, we are a part of traffic, we are not going away, and we are concerned about the safety of motorists and ourselves.
Although I don't personally know anyone who has been fatally injured while cycling, the harassment is something that I deal with on almost a weekly basis. I know others do too. Like I mentioned before, I don't know if anyone organizes this ride in Ojai, so I'm asking if anyone would like to help organize it with me. Why wait until a friend or loved one is injured; this is a great opportunity to deliver a powerful message to our community...
Please let me know if you're interested. Also, feel free to forward this on to friends or family you know who might be interested in helping organize or participate.
Sincerely,
Camille Carlson
gargamila@yahoo.com
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Comments (7)
Kenley Neufeld is head of the Ojai Valley Green Coalition Transportation Committee. Here is a link to the OVGC transportation page.
http://www.ojaivalleygreencoalition.org/action-committees/transportation/
And a recent article by Kenley:
http://www.ojaivalleygreencoalition.org/2008/01/do_you_stay_inside_all_the_tim.shtml
Comment #1 Posted by: Suza | May 13, 2008 08:28 AM
HORA LE!!!
Comment #2 Posted by: Mario Gonzales | May 13, 2008 11:30 AM
we are setting up a new Bicycle Recyclery in the Valley -- CycliciTree -- this one at the West Campus of HELP Of Ojai. might be a 2nd recylcery, or else a moving of the old one from Oak Grove School ... end of this month. maybe we can do something special on 21 May.
also I will ask David and Soriya if the FullMoon bicycle ride is back on for the summer ... and if they want to coordinate with you, Camille, re the Ride of Silence.
Comment #3 Posted by: Millennium | May 13, 2008 04:25 PM
Thank you Millennium. That sounds good!
Comment #4 Posted by: Suza | May 13, 2008 04:33 PM
Hi Suza,
I thought of you when I read this :-)
Sally
Pedaling Toward Cleaner Cities - Yahoo! News
http://news.yahoo.com/s/oneworld/20080513/wl_oneworld/45361605341210700161
Comment #5 Posted by: Sally Carless | May 14, 2008 12:41 PM
Thank you Sally!
That is such a great article! I sent a copy to Kenley Neufeld who is head of the Ojai Valley Green Coalition Transportation Committee.
(See Comment #1)
PS Sally's last name really is "Carless"
Comment #6 Posted by: Suza | May 14, 2008 12:54 PM
TORA LE!
Who will lead Ride o' Silence?
I vote for Suza!!
Comment #7 Posted by: Anonymous | May 14, 2008 04:39 PM