Bike to Work Day energizer station list from 511 Contra Costa

511 Contra Costa has a list of all the energizer stations you can visit tomorrow on your way to or from work, or any other destination.  These are little spots where you will be given snacks, drinks, and other goodies if you arrive on your bicycle.

There are energizer stations both in the morning and in the evening.  One of the evening ones is Bike Concord’s.  It will be on Salvio St as part of our Bike to Work Day evening celebration.  Our energizer station will open at 4:00pm, and the celebration will start at 5:00pm with music, test rides, and sale of raffle tickets for some gift baskets donated by Loard’s Ice Cream and Hop Grenade.

Bike to Work Day 2016 celebration

BC will host our second annual evening celebration of Bike to Work Day on Thursday, May 12, 5-8pm on the Todos Santos block of Salvio St.

We’ll be showing a variety of bikes equipped to transport kids and groceries, and bikes with battery assist (e-bikes) from Leonardo Cycles for those who want the option of bicycling with less effort sometimes.  Some of the bikes will be available for test rides in the open area of Salvio St.

There will be live music from local artists It’s Better with Wine and The Midnight Brothers, and remarks by the Mayor of Concord, Laura Hoffmeister.

Tickets will be sold for several raffle prizes, including gift baskets from Loard’s and Hop Grenade. All proceeds will benefit Bike Concord.

E.J. Phair and Loard’s have generously agreed to donate 10% of drink and ice cream proceeds during the event when you mention Bike Concord.  This will help fund our all-volunteer work for the coming year.

Arrive by bike and you can leave it with us for safekeeping at our free Bike Valet.

We are giving out a special Bike to Work Day edition Bike Concord pin for those who attend the event. Along with our Christmas Eve Ride and Tamale Fest pins, this is the third special-edition Bike Concord pin.

We’ll also be offering free bike repair with our usual Thursday evening Bike Tent, located for just this evening on Salvio St instead of its usual place at the corner of Grant St and Willow Pass Rd.

Please drop by, chat with us about how to make bicycling a practical transportation option for you, and enjoy the music!

Bike Concord asks for support from CCC Supervisor Karen Mitchoff

At Bike Concord’s Bike to Work Day event this year, we were delighted to host Contra Costa County Supervisor Karen Mitchoff among the speakers on our stage.  She delivered a proclamation of support for bicycle transportation on behalf of the Board of Supervisors.

We are now asking for her support on a specific decision that matters for non-motor transportation in Central Contra Costa.

Treat Blvd from I-680 to Pleasant Hill BART is soon to be redesigned to encourage walking and bicycling.  There are a few different options for the design, some better than others.  The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA), on which Sup. Mitchoff sits, will make the final decision about the design.

We have asked her to support a design that keeps motor, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic separate from each other down the entire streetspan in the project.  This is important for the safety of pedestrians from bicycles, and the safety of bicyclists from cars.

(Yes, Bike Concord is concerned about danger to pedestrians from bicycles.  We care not only about the needs of bicyclists, but our responsibilities too – especially our responsibilities to more vulnerable parts of traffic.)

107 residents signed our petition calling for full mode separation, some in person with Bike Concord volunteers at Pleasant Hill BART, and some online.  You may have been one of them!  We’ve delivered that list of signatures both to Jamar Stamps, the CCC staff member responsible for the project, and to Sup. Mitchoff in particular.

The Supervisor has declined to make any promises to us on this point, so we will have to wait until the matter comes before CCTA to see if she agrees that safety for all users of the street should be a higher priority than maximizing the volume of motor traffic that flows through Treat Blvd.

Here is the text of the proclamation that Sup. Mitchoff delivered.

In the matter of: Resolution No. 2015/159
Honoring Bike East Bay in partnership with Bike Concord on May 14, 2015 – Bike to Work Day
WHEREAS, Contra Costa County is dedicated to promoting safe and healthy communities; and
WHEREAS, bicycling is a sustainable, healthy, and efficient mode of transportation that also incorporates physical activity into everyday life; and
WHEREAS, safe streets are an essential element to promoting more transportation by bicycle; and
WHEREAS, Contra Costa County envisions a balanced, safe and efficient transportation network that promotes healthy transportation choices, this includes the encouragement of bicycling and walking in Contra Costa County; and
WHEREAS, Contra Costa County supports the implementation of a growing comprehensive and safe bicycle network using a mix of existing local roads, collectors and bikeways which prioritizes bicycle movement from residences to key attractors while minimizing automobile presence on the network; and
WHEREAS, in March of 2002 the Contra Costa Transportation Authority launched a collaborative effort to work with local jurisdictions, agencies and special interest groups to produce the Contra Costa Countywide Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan. This effort produced a comprehensive plan that was adopted by many City Councils and the Board of Supervisors; and
WHEREAS, on May 5, 2015 the Board adopted Resolution No. 2015/136 proclaiming May 14, 2015 as Bike to Work Day in Contra Costa County; and
WHEREAS, many of the 19 cities in Contra Costa County are hosting Energizer Stations celebrating biking to work, with over 40 stations, and all bike commuters are encouraged to stop by an Energizer Station for snacks, drinks and cool swag; and
WHEREAS, Bike East Bay in partnership with Bike Concord is hosting an event in honor of Bike to Work Day on May 14, 2015.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors does hereby honor Bike East Bay in partnership with Bike Concord, recognizing their Bike to Work Day efforts and encouraging cycling as a healthy and fun commute option.

Bike to Work Day celebration

Bike to Work Day event flyerBike Concord and Bike East Bay are hosting an evening celebration on Bike to Work Day – Thursday, May 14, 5:30pm to 8:00pm.

Our usual free bike repair will still be available at the Bike Tent, although it will be moved for this Thursday to a location on the Todos Santos block of Salvio St, which will be a pedestrian-only boulevard for the duration of the event.

E.J. Phair Alehouse and Brewery will be offering happy hour specials, and they have even created a new beer for the occasion.  They gave Bike Concord members a chance to name the beer; the winner was “Look Ma No Hands”. It’s a Red India Pale Ale brewed with different hop varietals, featuring some strong hoppiness coupled with a solid malt backbone and beautiful red color. ABV is 7%.

When you visit E.J. Phair on Bike to Work Day, please mention Bike Concord and 10% of your bill will be donated to us. We are a small organization on a shoestring budget, so this will be much appreciated!

Local Concord musicians Brave City will perform a musical set on stage. Contra Costa County Supervisor Karen Mitchoff will deliver a Bike to Work Day resolution on behalf of the Board of Supervisors.

Bike East Bay and helmet safety experts Snell will offer information on bicycle safety for both children and adults.

There will be face painting and a drawing contest for kids.

Local organizations Monument Impact, Sustainable Contra Costa and Wheel Kids will have tables to present their work making our community a healthier place to live.

There will be free bike valet service for the event!  Arrive on your bicycle and you can hand it over to us for safekeeping. Bike Concord organizer Smitty Ardrey, distinguishable by his tuxedo, will guard your bike until you’re ready to head home.

See you there – rain or shine!

Bike to Work Day energizer stations in Concord

The Bay Area’s Bike to Work Day is on Thursday, May 14 this year. It’s a day when businesses and community organizations get together to encourage people to try commuting to work by bicycle.

Part of that encouragement is in the form of energizer stations. These are spots along commute routes where bicyclists can take a break, receive a variety of freebies like tote bags, t-shirts, and snacks, and be cheered on their way to work.

There are several energizer stations in Concord for this year’s BTWD, hosted by our local community organizations, businesses, and government agencies. If you’re able, please try riding to work next Thursday, and drop by one of these stations for a well-deserved rest!

In the evening come down to Todos Santos Plaza, where Bike Concord and Bike East Bay will be hosting a BTWD celebration on Salvio St.