Author: Richard Masoner

Movers and Shakers ride report

Richard MasonerMay 12, 20161 Comment on Movers and Shakers ride report

Today is Bike to Work Day in the San Francisco Bay Area, and we make a pretty big deal out of it. I joined this morning’s downtown San Jose VIP ride of city and county officials. Besides bike advocates like you and I, the usual crew of avid cyclists showed up, including San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Santa Clara County Supervisor Ken Yeager, City of San Jose Deputy City Manager Kim Walesh, VTA GM Nuria Fernandez, and others.

I was happy to see San Jose 3rd District Council Member Raul Peralez make an appearance during his second annual car-free May, in which he challenges himself, his family, and his staff to go without a car for the month of May. I was also pleased to see Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez make what I believe is her first appearance at a Bike to Work Day event. She’s in the gray top in this photo, next to Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition Director Shiloh Ballard.

County Super Cindy Chavez w/ Shiloh Ballard

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Posted In btwd

San Jose: Ride with the Movers & Shakers Thursday morning

Richard MasonerMay 11, 2016Leave a Comment

movers and shakers route map

Join me Thursday morning on the Movers and Shakers Ride in San Jose, California.

VTA is joining with the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition on Bike to Work Day for a 7-mile bike ride down the Guadalupe River Trail. This “Movers and Shakers Bike Ride” will take place next Thurs., May 12, 2016, starting at 7:30 a.m.

Come join VTA’s GM, Nuria Fernandez, and other VTA staff for this fun ride from downtown San Jose to the VTA River Oaks campus. Energizer stations will be provided along the route and all ability levels can participate.

Nuria, along with SVBC Executive Director Shiloh Ballard, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Santa Clara County Supervisors Cindy Chavez and Ken Yeager, and San Jose City Councilmember Raul Peralez will address the participants to kick-off the ride. VTA will have refreshments and an announcement from Nuria to conclude the ride in the River Oaks Amphitheater at 8:45am.

Timetable:

7:15 to 7:30 a.m. – Riders gather in front of the MLK Library at 150 E. San Fernando St., San Jose
7:30 to 7:50 a.m. – Speakers address the participants
7:50 a.m. – Group bike ride departs!
8:45 a.m. – Ride ends at VTA River Oaks campus, reception in the Amphitheater to follow.

RSVP on the VTA Facebook event page, pledge to ride your bike to work, and view the route map here.

Posted In san jose

Re-thinking the commute for bike promotion

Richard MasonerMay 10, 20161 Comment on Re-thinking the commute for bike promotion

Happy World Bike Day, USA Bike Month, and (for much of Northern California) Bike Week. Bike to Work Day in the Bay Area and the Monterey Bay region takes place this Thursday.

I love the bike celebrations associated with these events designed to encourage the bike-to-work trip, but is it possible that we focus too much on the work trip to the exclusion of other trips that can be done by bike?

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Posted In Musings | Uncategorized

Sad bikes of Fort McMurray, AB

Richard MasonerMay 6, 2016Leave a Comment

Alberta fires and burned bicycles.

The charred remains bicycles sit in a demolished residential neighborhood in Fort McMurray, Alberta, where wildfires burn out of control, forcing the evacuation of more than 80,000 residents from the area.

The massive wildfire has also halted an estimated one third of Canadian oil production, forcing British Petroleum to declare a force majeure, because the global oil giant anticipates they will not be able to deliver on some contracts for Canadian oil.

Posted In Quick news