JULY 2009

WELCOME!

Welcome to Summer Bike League, another great Cascade Bicycle Club program.

The goal of this program is to bring more bicycling to your community, and more community to your bicycling. This monthly newsletter will highlight various aspects of Summer Bike League, including successes, stories, and community standings.

Cool off at Happy Hour! Tuesday July 28th, 4 pm - 7 pm

Join us on the upper deck at Eastlake Bar and Grill to take in the scenery, sip a cool beverage, and enjoy some tasty treats with fellow bicyclists. Friends and family are welcome!

Log yer trips!

A recent study demonstrated that frequent email nagging does indeed motivate people to take action. To save us all a lot of email and nagging, we'll say this once (or once per month). Now that you are registered for Summer Bike League, be sure to log your trips and miles! Here's a few reasons why:

1. You'll be amazed how many miles you put in over the course of the summer.
2. Every mile you ride is credited to your community, and the top community will earn a bicycle-themed block party at the end of the summer.
3. Prizes. Of course there are prizes! In fact, these prizes are truly fabulous.

ALL registered participants who have logged miles are eligible for monthly drawings. In fact, here are the winners from July:

1 Yak Trailer donated by BOB Trailers to haul more stuff!
GarMin from Beacon Hill

5 bicycle computers donated by Bicycles West to track more trips!
James from Eastlake
Larry from Bothell
Steve from Sammamish
Trina from Shoreline
Leilani from Port Angeles

Entries to the  Restore Our Waters Cascade Spawning Cycle for more motivation!
Jason from Kent
Alida from Woodinville
Kathleen from Seattle's Central Area

Beyond that, at the end of Summer Bike League, we will give away 25 free entries to the Kitsap Color Classic. All riders who meet the following criteria will be entered to win:

• Log at least 60 trips or 60 days
  
• Log at least 6 trips in each category (commute, errands, fun/fitness)

Standings and Statistics

Even though we are just off the starting line, some stiff community competition is already shaping up. All in all, there are currently 95 communities participating in Summer Bike League, from Aberdeen to Wenatchee, from Vancouver to Port Angeles. And there's always room for more!

Depending on how you cut the cake (and we love cake) different communities emerge as leaders. Here are a couple of the key standings as of July 27th:

*A community must have 10 or more participants to be eligible for community standings. If your community isn't quite there, there is still plenty of time to get out there and recruit your friends and neighbors to participate. The summer is young and the competition can only heat up!

It's Better by Bike: ERRANDS!

Did you know that 40% of trips are all trips made in the U.S. are 2 miles or less? And 90% of those are made by car. A cyclist can ride 2 miles in around 10 minutes. Choosing to run errands by bike is choosing cleaner air. It's choosing less traffic. It's choosing free accessible parking. It's choosing a better way to get out and do the things that need done.

If you've always thought of yourself as a recreational rider, we have good news: running errands by bike turns transportation into recreation. Here are a few tips:

The most essential equipment for errands (beyond your bike and your helmet) is a good lock. Don't ever leave your bike unsecured even for a minute. Many of us have lost bikes this way.

For simple errands such as dropping off library books or buying stamps, you need only a small bag to carry your items.

For the farmer's market, or running multiple errands, you may need a little more cargo capacity. A basic rack and panniers will allow you carry a surprising amount of volume and weight. And never underestimate the tried-and-true milk crate and zip-ties combo.

Convinced that trip to Costco is out of your (summer bike) league? Not with a little cargo capacity! Trailers are a great way to haul large loads that might include cargo, coolers, kids, pets, garage sale treasures, etc. Check out our BOB trailer all loaded up for a fun afternoon at the beach.

Here's a cheat sheet to help you plan out your errands:

1 hand-held basket = 1 pannier or milk-crate.

1 double-decker mini-cart = 2 panniers.

1 large grocery cart, partially loaded = trailer

1 large grocery cart, overflowing = trouble

Events

To bring a little more community to Summer Bike League, we are highlighting a variety of event throughout the summer. Some are specific to Summer Bike League, some are bike-oriented, and some are simply fun places to go by bicycle. The entire events calendar can be viewed online, but here are some highlights from July.

Happy Hour! Tuesday July 28th, 4 pm - 7 pm

Join us on the upper deck at Eastlake Bar and Grill to take in the scenery, sip a cool beverage, and enjoy some tasty treats with fellow bicyclists. Friends and family are welcome!

Bike to the Bard, Zoom to the Zoo!

There's nothing like outdoor theater and concerts to celebrate summer. In the spirit of Summer Bike League, we encourage you to bike to the Bard, taking in on a GreenStage Shakespeare production in your local park. Or take advantage of the giant bike corral at the Zoo Tunes concerts. We are always looking for additional events so please send suggestions our way.

Do-It-Yourself: Looking for a way to share the bike love this summer? Consider staging a small -- or big- neighborhood bike event. Learn more here, or email us for advice!