Gil Penalosa of Walk and Bike for Life Coming to the Peninsula

Join County Supervisor Carole Groom and keynote speaker Gil Penalosa of Walk and Bike for Life. Learn about the many benefits of active public spaces, joint use agreements, community and school gardens, and park equity mapping.

Workshops will be provided by the Prevention Institute, the Trust for Public Land, Planning for Healthy Places, and Collective Roots.

RSVP is required for this FREE event. Space is limited. Lunch will be provided.

To register: call (650)363-4568 or e-mail gquiney@co.sanmateo.ca.us.

You can also catch Mr. Penalosa in San Mateo on the 15th -http://bikesiliconvalley.org/content/944.

October 16, 2009 - 8:30am - 1:30pm

399 Marine Parkway

Redwood Shores Library

Redwood City, CA

Shopping Cart Bike Trailer

Spotted this cart being used by the Chai vendor at tonight's Bike-In movie.





And here is another cart that was selling delcious cupcakes.

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The New Family SUV

Found this Surley parked outside of the Saratoga REI. This Surley "Big Dummy" outfitted an ExtraCycle kit has all a Silicon Valley Family Needs; two child carriers, a pick up bed located in the front, complete light and horn kit and even 4 water bottle holders.






The child carrier looks like it is a hand built custom kit complete with a child proof kick plate.







The Extracycle bags on the rear provide plenty of room for groceries and the bed up front is perfect for larger items such as the kids toys.

If any one wants go share their families "SUV" and their stories of a car free or car-lite life, leave me a comment here.



-- Post From My iPhone

Don't Let The Flag Fool You

So Let me get this straight. If I drive a truck (solo of course) bigger than most Japanese houses, and I stencil an Amerkin flag on the side of the truck (which is almost the size of a highway billboard), I am an American Patriot.

How did we get here. How does this supposed to represent hard working, sensible, tolerant Americans. The sheer energy just to move this thing off of a stop light could power my home for 2 days.

It's no wonder why former President Bush how to go to the Saudi's; hat in hand to beg to keep the oil spigots open. Middle East oil barrons just love to see pictures like this. More money to fund terrorist projects.

So please sir, ask yourself this question; "Who is the true American Patriot, Me, or that guy on the bicycle I just ran over?".

Honey, When Did I Get So Fat. I Used To Fit Into This Parking Space.

What was the extra-ordinary, is not just the everyday and ordinary.


-- Post From My iPhone

Hey, Where Do We Park Our Tanks?

Or ...Tree Mulch is the Only Off-Road These Beasts will ever see.

Las Palmas Park, Sunnyvale, Ca, USA
The two photos below show (illegal) overflow parking at a local park even though there was ample parking across the street.





For those of you who read this blog from, Europe, Brazil, Australia, and and Japan; I don't make this stuff up; this is not Hollywood, this is real life in the Silicon Valley. We are overrun with cars; and not just Euro and Japan size cars with 2.5 liter engines, but monsters; the size of my aparment when I lived in Tokyo.





In the pictures above these 4WD beasts drove over "dangerous" Tree Mulch to find these covered spaces.

As James Kuntsler mentioned in "The Geography of Nowhere"; "if beings from another planet landed on this one they would think that it was inhabited by automobiles." If they saw this scene they would observe that the big fat earthlings were having a summer picnic.




The photo above was taken a couple of days ago showing just how brazen we have become.

I would welcome any comments you would have.
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No this is not Amsterdam, yur in aMerka

I'm trying to be positive here. This guy or

gal could really use a bike. Think of the cleaner air, increased health,as well as the school children who can walk, ride, and play.

So fellow cyclists, let's show this guy just how healthy and fun cycling can be.






THIS is why I Ride.

-- Post From My iPhone

Alert - Large Branch Down

On Miller in front of Both Lynbrook High School and Rainbow Park in San Jose. 10:21 AM


-- Post From My iPhone

"Car Surfing" Driver Pleads No-Contest in Sunnyvale

Athena Ford, 20 the driver charged with felony vehicular manslaughter in the death of Paul Benabides pleaded no-contest to the charges on July 24th. The women was "playing" a game of car-surfing with Paul, her boyfriend, when he fell from the roof of the car at speeds of up to 40 mph. The street, Lois Ave. in Sunnyvale is a residential street with a speed limit of 25 mph. One of the factors given for the accident besides speed was alcohol. Ford has been scheduled for sentencig on September 14 of this year where she could face up to one year in jail.

In a previous post, I mentioned how suprised I was that on this quiet residential street, a couple of days after the accident there was no evidence that a young man had tragically lost his life. There were no candles, pictures, ribbons, street markings; not even the telltale signs of road flares that would indicate a recent accident.

Paul Benabides -- RIP

Cash For Clunkers Approved!

Had to take a photo of this car while riding


by this morning. The sign on the windshiel says "Cash For Clunkers Approved.

The car was parked at a Shell station at the corner of Stelling Rd. and Stevens Creek Blvd. in Cupertino. Can't figure out what the direct connection to the Shell Station.


-- Post From My iPhone

Even More Photos of the "No Pants" Ride

San Jose Bike Party July Ride - "No Pants Ride" More Pics

More Photos

Another Schwinn Spotted on the Alemeada

What is it about bikes and Peet's Coffee in the Rose Garden area.






-- Post From My iPhone

Another Schwinn spotted

Nice. It's a Schwinn Grey Ghost!



-- Post From My iPhone

This old Schwinn

This old Schwinn spotted at Peet's in downtown San Jose.






-- Post From My iPhone

View from the Street

New Game! To encourage the residents and visitors to the Silicon Valley and the San Francisco Bay Area to get out more often and explore the area by foot and by bike I'll be starting a new game.

Since I am out and about the area on a daily basis I have been taking a lot of pics with my new iPhone. I will be taking pictures of areas, monuments, works of art, plazas, stations etc.

The main theme of the photos is that they will be shot from walkways, sidewalks, plazas, bikeways, and bridges. There is no hard and fast rule, but in general I hope to take pics of interesting places you would only see if you were not travelling by car over 25 miles per hour.

Ok.... The first photo is:



Leave you answer in a comment post.

-- Post From My iPhone

No Pants Ride - Bike Love and No Pants

Friday Night's ride witnessed about 2,500 riders with just about all showing their "No Pants", which included grass skirts, tennis dresses, anatomically correct male biking shorts, bikinis, pajamas, kilts and all manner of no pants.

Dont Miss next month's Ride....

Beach Blanket Bike-Along

Meeting at a new location

Marketplace Center

Tonight "No Pants Ride"

It will be 70 degrees tonight; don't just sit at home. Meet at Dick's Center tonight at 8:30 fir a nice ride through San Jose with about 1,000 of your neighbors.

Rememer, no pants; skirts, kilts, shorts, pajamas or other. Just no pants!



-- Post From My iPhone

1AM Discovery Sunnyvale-Saratoga Rd.

Came upon this sad sight on a 1 AM ride. Must be recent; candles still burning and flowers still fresh.













-- Post From My iPhone

Peet's Coffee at Homestead & Foothill

Given that this coffee shop is situated at two heavily used bike routes; on Foothill Experssway and Homestead Rd., along with Starbucks competion just 39 steps away it would only seem natural for the local favorite to cater to cyclists.


Well they do have a bike parking rack although of is not covered it is somewhat close to the entrance. It looks, however that it was just added after the fact since it was shoehorned between the car parking lot and the business/shop walkway.

Given the local being well used by cyclists I would expected just a little more.

I would give this business a B+.



-- Post From My iPhone

San Jose's Calabases Library Bike Parking

While on my way home this warm summer evening I stopped by the local library branch to do an after hours book drop off.



I was pleasantly suprised when I saw the signs pictured here (sorry for the nightine quality). A local bike shop; Calabases Bike Shop provides the free lock rentals. What a great way to show the community you care. Now if only the neighborhood streets were more bike friendly. Oh well; baby steps, right.



-- Post From My iPhone

Cecil Wayne Cox Pleads No Contest in the Hit and Run Deaths of Two Elderly San Jose Women

Cecil Cox pleaded no contest in the hit and run deaths of Edina Oliva, 70 and Oralia Puga-Ramirez, 73. The two elderly women were hit on August 9, 2008, while crossing Stevens Creek Blvd. and Cypress Avenue while in a crosswalk. Although the Santa Clara Distric Attorney's office was seeking a nine year sentence the court disagreed and felt that seven years was a more approriate sentence. Cox who was homeless at the time was eventually arrested after he was sighted at a local public library.

Thief Caught In the Act in Union Square

Some photos of a bike thief in Union Square, San Francisco.



Thanks to geekstinkbreath at Flickr


-- Post From My iPhone

Bike Lane Alert - Cupertino

Tree Down in bike lane and sidewalk.; on Prospect Rd. and Via Roncole, just west of Saratoga-Sunnyvale Rd. in the eastbound lane. Caution - bikes headed downhill at a high rate of speed.



-- Post From My iPhone

Groningen - The World's Cycling City

This article is a repost from my friends over at the World Carfree Network. The article was written by by Ton Daggers and Jane Harding.

In Groningen, the Netherlands’sixth largest city, the main form of transport is the bicycle. The city is famous for having the highest percentage of bicycle usage in the world. How has Groningen done it? Cycling here, and indeed in much of the Netherlands, is just the norm. The success comes from a series of sound policies which view cycling as an integral part of urban renewal, planning and transport strategy. By providing proper infrastructure and amenities cycling has blossomed over time and today the main 46 routes of the cycling network is used daily by 216,000 citizens. By prioritising and promoting cycling as the main mode of transportation, city planners, local authori-ties and cycling advocates have played an important part in the city’s reputation as a great place to live. Groningen has a relatively young population of approximately 180,000 inhabitants, which account for a large proportion of the city bikers, but people of all ages opting for two wheels over four. And this is a growing trend. Research by Groningen municipality in 2008 showed a considerable growth of cycling in the last years: an average of 1.4 bicycle trips per person per day in the city, making up more than 50% of the total journeys, a growth of 9% from 2007. In order to further understand the sucess of the bicycle in Groningen, it is important to look at how urban design and policies have changed over time to make it the leading cycle city we see today.

“Cycling is viewed as an integral part of urban renewal, planning and transport strategy”

History of Carfree Development

The city has a long history of urban developments which have maintained the value of keeping the inner city as a central point for a host of activities: a blend of living, working and shopping which favours pedestrians, cyclists and public transportation over the car. Since the 1960s the municipality has been way ahead in its traffic plans and spatial planning policies; maintaining a vision of a “compact city”and implementing policies which have led to a carfree city centre, with almost all areas easily reachable by bicycle. However, the path has not always been easy.  During the 1950s and 1960s most cities and towns in the Netherlands were making room for vechicles – some even removed bicycle paths in order to free up space for the car.  In Groningen, motorisation was growing rapidly and so was suburban sprawl – there were no restrictions for cars driving through and very few cycle routes leading to the centre. The motorist was king at this time.In 1972, local authorities changed the emphasis of urban planning and development in Groningen.  The centre of the city was to be considered as the “living room”for its people. The basic concept used in urban planning was based on the “compact city”vision, which placed an integrated transport system high on the agenda – for an inner city favouring a combined use of pedestrians, cyclists, buses and other means of public transport. A traffic circulation plan divided the inner city into four sections and a ring road was built, encircling the city and reducing access to the centre by car. The result was an inner city which is entirely closed off to cars, and only possible to travel between sectors by walking, bicycling or using public transport. What has further spurred the use of bicycles over all other sustainable transportation is the huge expansion of the cycle network – there are many traffic free bike lanes from the outskirts to the city centre – making cycling is the most viable mode of transport for most journeys.

Importance of policy
The city treats cyclists with respect. A series of sound transportation policies and invest-ments has maintained a carfree urban space – favouring walking, public transport and predominantly cycling. This has resulted in a major trend away from car-use to bike-use in the city of Groningen. Between 1989 and 2000, € 23 million was invested in cycling infrastructure and the annual amount con-tinues to grow. Investments have also been made to expand the network of cycling lanes, improve the pavements, build bridges for cyclists, and many more bike parking facilities – making cycling faster and more convenient. As cycling is the lifeblood of the city, it has been given adequate space and time to flow safely and efficiently.

During the 1980s and 1990s a car parking policy was strictly implemented. Car parking with time restrictions was introduced in a broad radius around the inner city. Park and Ride areas were created combined with city buses and other high quality public transport. But overall, cycling policy has been central to the traffic plans, which in contrast, car accessibility has been restricted within the city centre.Reaping the RewardsOver a long period of time local authorities have made clear choices, however manifold criticised. Traffic circulation plans were based on the concentration of motorised traffic into a limited road space on the outskirts of the city, and developing a very coherent, comfortable and dense cycle network. This is the result of a clear vision of urban development – based on the idea that a city is for its people. Groningen is a compact city, and for now at least, continues to stay this way. For example, newly built neighbourhoods are no more than 6 km from the city centre. Groningen municipality research showed in 2008 78% of residents and 90% of employees now live within 3 km of the city centre. Residential areas are developed with good connections to the city centre and green lungs in between. There are entire housing developments built along major bicycle and scooter “roadways”, massive bike parks everywhere, many roads that are one way for cars but two way for bikes, and special signal phases for bikes.

Groningen in Numbers
Population: 180,000 inhabitants
Size of Groningen: 87 square kilometres
Residents Traveling by Bike: 57%
Average cycling trips each day: 1.4 per person
Number of cycling routes in Groningen: 46
Number using cycling routes each day: 216,000

There are some interesting economic repercussions to come out of replacing space for cars with greenery, pedestrianisation, cycleways and bus lanes. Banning car traffic has boosted jobs and business. Groningen’s economic development has improved, particularly for businesses which were once in revolt against car restraint, but now are clamouring for more of it. The main function of the inner city has become a successful mix of living, working and shopping.

Cycling into the Future Groningen undoubtedly leads the way in the “cyclisation”of European cities, but many others are putting two wheels in motion to follow its example. However, no other European city can match Groningen’s record, where 57% of all trips around the city are on bikes, but in quite a few cities the ratio is rising to a third or more.The impressive high rate of cycling in Groningen can be explained best by consistent urban development and transportation policies based on reclaiming inner city space from cars, making it into a living room for its people. This spatial concept of city develop-ment has undoubtedly been rooted in the clear political vision of the Social Democrats for several decades. Such legislative commitments do seem to be the key in getting citizens to kick the car habit. Apart from a political vision, many other actors involved in making Groningen the “World’s Cycling City”cannot be ignored – the cyclists themselves. In a nutshell, the success of cycling in Gron-ingen can be explained as a result of a strong vision for a liveable city for its people.  For more information, please visit: http://www.cyclinginfo.nl/ and http://www.fietsberaad.nl/

The centre of the city was to be considered as the ‘living room’for its people”

Photo courtesy of  http://www.flickr.com/photos/truusbobjantoo/2404090966/

Traditional New England Farm Ride

After travelling two weeks through the farm
fields of Vermont and Quebec, this New England farm ride looks great. Two days of riding through the New England countryside. Good food and drink; along with hot tubs at the end of the day make for a great experience. For more information contact the folks at The Farm Ride.


Photo credit: thefarmride.com
-- Post From My iPhone

Who's More Green?

The Vegetarian Hybrid Owner who drives to Whole Foods or the bicycle peddling omnivore?

Whole Foods Cupertino opened up over a year ago to great environmental fanfare. From low VOC (volitle organic compounds) to sustainably harvested lumber, the comany's green bona fides were trumpeted to the community.

But, like the classic dilemma of building LEED certified buildings in the suburbs it's a little cheeky to proclaim enviromental agricultural sustainability when you have a parking lot that's holds nearly 400 cars.

On a recent visit to the store at 6:45 AM (store opens at 8:00 am) nearly all possible bike parking spots were taken by employees. How many employees left their bikes at home because of the lack of safe parking.

The design of the building may be environmentally friendly but it is not cyclist friendly. The racks are located against large windowless walls, which do not allow for a watchful gaze on the bikes. Also the bikes (whether employees or customer's) are constantly exposed to sun and rain.

I would give this business a C-.








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New Section of The San Tomas Aquino/Saratoga Creek Trail

This Friday, the City of Santa Clara will
conduct a ribbon cutting/opening ceremony to celebrate the completion of Reach 3 along the San Tomas Aquino Trail.

This section of the trail will start from Scott Blvd. and continue to a parking area located at Monroe St. and San Tomas Expressway. With the completion of this section, the trail will now extend from the San Francisco Bay Trail to the north, for a total of 3.8 miles. When the trail is completed (with the completion of the 4th reach at 4.0 miles) the trail will extend all the way to Pruneride Ave. and cover almost 8 miles.



For more information see the trail map provided by the City of Santa Clara.

-- Post From My iPhone

THRIVE! On FREE Valet Parking

So....Kaiser Permanente, my health care provider, the ones behind the ad campaign entitled "THRIVE"; wants me to eat blueberrys, have healthy relationships and


ride me bike. All good, until you ride you bike to the Santa Clara/Homestead facility and are greet by multiple multi-story parking garages and speed/radar signs.

When I asked the valet if they would park my car....excuse me... bike; they laughed...

Oh well at least pharmacutical stocks were up today in heavy trading.


-- Post From My iPhone

San Francisco Walking Tour: Edge cities: redefining suburbia

Edge cities: redefining suburbia
Wednesday, July 8, 2009 12:30pm

In the 1980s, edge cities pulled jobs from the central cities and remade the suburbs as car-oriented employment centers. Today, those edge cities are in the middle of the region and often have major transit lines running through them. What happens next to remake suburbia and the transit stations within it? Leading this tour along the Pittsburgh/Baypoint BART line are John Rennels from BART; Gary Craft, principal and founder of Craft Consulting Group and a Contra Costa Council board member; and Jim Kennedy, redevelopment director for Contra Costa County, who will explore transit-oriented development in the county and assess the future of suburbia – for both jobs and housing.

San Francisco, CA 94105-4015
Free to membersRSVP to tours@spur.org
Okay to bring lunch

Jeff Mapes - Cycling Author Coming to San Francisco

Jeff Mapes's "Pedaling Revolution: How Cyclists Are Changing American Cities"


From traffic-dodging bike messengers to tattooed teenagers on battered bicycles, from riders in spandex to well-dressed executives, ordinary citizens are becoming transportation revolutionaries. In Pedaling Revolution, Jeff Mapes traces the growth of bicycle advocacy; examines the environmental, safety, and health aspects of cycling; and explores the growing bike culture that is changing the look and feel of cities, suburbs, and small towns across North America.

Share the Road Summer Bike Clinics

Share the Road Summer Bike Clinics
 with the Silicon Valley Bike Coalition

July 25 and August 8 and 22, 2009

REI  and the Silicon Valley Bike Coalition will be hosting bike clinics at REI Saratoga. Multiple 45 minute clinics will run between 11am and 3pm. Check out SVBC's Share the Road presentation and get basic bike maintenance tips to keep your bike in top shape for summer rides, commuting, and trails.


11am - Share the Road

12noon - Get to Know Your Bicycle

1pm - Share the Road

2pm - Get to Know Your Bicycle


SVBC's Share the Road campaign is a collaborative project that aims to promote safety on Bay Area roadways and to generate goodwill between motorists and bicyclists. Spearheaded by the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, and joined by partners such as Webcor, REI, Bikes Belong Coalition, Low-Key Hillclimbs and others, we believe that respect and awareness will make the road safer for everyone.

REI's Get to Know Your Bicycle is a free clinic to better acquaint you with your bike, so that you can maximize your comfort and safety on the road/trail. You'll learn how to perform a pre-ride safety inspection and outfit with essential accessories, remove a wheel, fix a flat, change a tire, and make simple nut and bolt adjustments for comfort and performance.

top photo by Mark Stosberg