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January 2016 / Vol. 46 No. 1 cascade.org

improving lives through bicycling

2016: The year of great changes in Washington Bikes & Cascade Bicycle ClubBy Brent Tongco, Communications & Marketing Director

Spend 2016 with Cascade & Washington

Bikes! p. 6-7

Happy New Year from the nation’s largest statewide bicycle nonprofit! As of Dec. 31, 2015, Cascade Bicycle Club and Washington Bikes merged.

The unification brings together two amazing organizations with tremendous history. Cascade Bicycle Club built a strong organization on its mission: improving lives through bicycling. Since its establishment in 1970, Cascade grew to become

the largest local bike organization in America with more than 15,000 members. Washington Bikes was founded as the Northwest Bicycle Foundation in 1987 by four members of Cascade Bicycle Club with the mission to grow bicycling statewide. Due to Washington Bikes’ work and success, Washington State has been named the #1 Bicycle Friendly State in America eight years in a row, and state funding for biking and walking infrastructure has reached historic highs. Both organizations have grown and evolved in ways that make it logical to bring them together under a vision of bicycling for all.

The merger unifies bicycle education curriculum and resources

Washington Bikes and Cascade Bicycle Club Board Members celebrate the merger.

New in 2016: The Emerald City Bike RideBy Brent Tongco, Communications & Marketing Director

Ever imagine biking through a car-free Seattle? You’ll have your chance in 2016! We’re excited to announce a new Cascade Bicycle Club ride — the Emerald City Bike Ride! Route details will be released the week of Jan. 12, but we can tell you that it involves a state route bike riders have never been able to use and 22 miles of state and city roads — completely open to bike riders!

Scheduled for Sunday, April 3 (final details pending), we’re partnering with great local neighborhoods, as well as Washington State Department

of Transportation and Seattle Department of Transportation, to put on an amazing urban ride that this city deserves. There will be

22-mile and 8-mile relatively flat options, with views that can’t be beat and access to roads normally closed to bike riders.

The goal of this ride is to get you, your friends, neighbors, spouses and kids out on bikes — this ride is accessible to all and

sure to be an enormous hit. Food stops will have tasty eats that

showcase the neighborhood-specific cuisine. And registrants will receive

across the state and in the Puget Sound region. The advocacy work of both organizations aligns and strengthens because of the unification. Washington Bikes’ grassroots successes across the state are a great complement for Cascade’s statewide tours, events and rides. The merger will ultimately result in saved overhead costs and more money directly funding current work and new programs. Together the organizations have more reach, effectiveness and efficiency than either alone.

Washington Bikes & Cascade Bicycle Club

At the end of 2015, Cascade Members voted overwhelmingly in favor of bylaws changes that made Cascade Bicycle Club more inclusive, more efficient, more powerful and better able to serve the community. Cascade Bicycle Club will be the name of the 501(c)(3) tax-deductible wing, focused on education, diversity and inclusion programs, most of the signature events and advocacy work.

The Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation and its work are now incorporated into Cascade Bicycle Club. Washington Bikes, which became the name of the 501(c)(4) after the merger, will address statewide policy and outreach, selected statewide events and activities, and candidate endorsements.

Due to these changes, all donations to Cascade Bicycle Club (including most of your membership fee) are now tax-deductible. Donations can also be directly made to Washington Bikes to support our work in statewide policy and outreach and candidate endorsements (these are not tax-deductible, but are greatly appreciated).

Cascade Members also voted in five members to the Cascade Bicycle Club Board of Directors, including incumbents Haley Keller (Woods) and Sandi Navarro, and new Board Members Kevin McDonald, Bill Montero and Tamara Schmautz.

Thank you for your support and guidance during this process; together, we are going to improve lives through bicycling in the entire state of Washington.

a souvenir T-shirt of the ride. This is a great ride for everyone who loves bicycling!

It’ll be the largest closed-streets bike ride in Seattle and will go on routes that cyclists have never been able to ride on before: Get ready to be a part of this momentous occasion!

Registration will be $30 for Cascade Members; $50 for non-members; and registration will open Thursday, Jan. 14. The ride has a 6,000 registrant limit, and we expect a huge response. Route specifics will be coming soon, so keep your eyes open for more news on the Emerald City Bike Ride.Visit cascade.org/emeraldcity for up-to-date information on the ride and registration.

2 www.cascade.org 3Improving Lives Through Bicycling

January 2016 Vol. 46, No. 1

New beginningsBy Elizabeth Kiker, Executive Director

When the boards and staff of Washington Bikes and the Cascade Bicycle Club started to discuss merging, I was both excited and a bit worried.

I left the League of American Bicyclists three years ago; partially I left because of disappointment with a failed merger. The three organizations who were talking about merging back then had some big ideas. We were going to grow national bike advocacy, strengthen our education work and deepen our already robust partnerships. As we got further along, talking about who would be in charge, what organization would “survive” and which policies and procedures would remain in place—the conversations got more interesting and more complicated. And then, at a key point, one organization decided to end the talks, and we were all left with regrets and “what could have beens.”

This has been on my mind, of course, since Barb Chamberlain of Washington Bikes and I sat down with some board members in March 2015 to start discussing a merger. Ours, happily, has a different ending, and as of Dec. 31, 2015, Cascade and Washington Bikes have merged. This means your membership now gives you all the great advocacy, events and education you’ve come to expect from the organization you originally belonged to, and membership in both a local and statewide group!

Thanks to the forward thinking and leadership of the boards of both organizations, along with some really hard work, you now belong to the 501(c)(3) Cascade Bicycle Club and the 501(c)(4) Washington Bikes. For 2016, we are going to build on and continue to deliver the excellent work of both organizations.

Additionally, we are going through a joint strategic planning process right now—and we hope to have input from you!—that will outline how we will become a statewide organization and maintain and grow our roots in the Puget Sound region. There will be (again) lots of work for board and staff to design a bold and thoughtful plan for the next five years, and we’ll have meetings for people around the region and state to weigh in.

Barb Chamberlain is now our Chief Strategic Officer, and she’ll still be traveling the state and talking about the joy of bike travel, tourism and biking, and Blake Trask joins us as Senior Policy Director, and he will be leading the new Cascade/Washington Bikes policy team by building better bicycling connections across Washington state. Their experience and leadership will mesh wonderfully with our team’s expertise and strengths.

Together, with you, we are stronger than ever.

Best,

Elizabeth Kiker

Barb Chamberlain and Blake Trask join CascadeBy Brent Tongco, Communications & Marketing Director

Building bikes, building confidenceBy Sam Alcorn, Major Taylor Project Assistant

After a successful fall riding season, the Major Taylor Project continues to engage students with the Build-a-Bike winter program. Using bikes donated by the community, students learn about repairs, tool use and bicycle mechanics. At the end of the eight-week program, each student gets to keep the bike he or she worked on.

A special thanks to all the individuals, companies and organizations who have supported the Major Taylor students through donations of bicycles. We currently have programs running in six schools, engaging more than 50 students. This means that after this winter, 50 kids will have a bike of their own to ride along with the knowledge of how to repair it. Here at Cascade, we cannot think of a better holiday gift!

Rich Brown, MTP Program Coordinator and Build-a-Bike instructor at Foster High School, said “this program is an excellent way to keep students interested in cycling through the winter. Mechanical problem solving is not only a fun mental challenge, but also a way to learn more about bicycles and develop new passions. You can see the students’ confidence grow every time they learn a new skill and fix another part. The pride each student has for their bike is enormous. They see their work improve the bike week after week and cannot wait until it’s

theirs to keep and love.” Build-a-Bike teaches skills like

fixing a flat, everyday maintenance, replacing cables and housing, as well as adjustments to the drive train, hubs and headsets.

“It’s so cool to learn about how the bike works!” said Ermais Kidane, a student at Chief Sealth High School. “I love getting my hands greasy tinkering with all the parts. And I can’t believe I get to keep the bike! I made sure to pick one I could use for cyclocross. That was my favorite thing I did this year.”

Ermais has been a part of the Chief Sealth Bike Club for the entire fall semester and is looking forward to continuing riding in the spring.Thanks to all our supporters who have made MTP such a huge success!

Courtesy of Heidi Schillinger

Keep your bike stoke going with our upcoming presentations! By Meghna Jaradi, Events Coordinator

Got big dreams and even bigger goals for 2016? Whether you are training for STP or looking to ride to work everyday, Cycle University’s head coach Craig Undem can help you achieve the focus and motivation necessary to reach your personal best

The merger of Cascade and Washington Bikes brings two talented individuals to the organization. Former Washington Bikes Executive Director Barb Chamberlain has come on board as Chief Strategic Officer, and Washington Bikes State Policy Director Blake Trask is now the Senior Policy Director.

Barb Chamberlain joined the Bicycle Alliance of Washington as executive director in August of 2012, and a year later led its name change to Washington Bikes. She has been a featured speaker at numerous conferences including the National Women’s Bicycling Summit, Pro Walk Pro Bike Pro Place, and the equity/diversity forum Future Bike 2014. Previously as a volunteer advocate in Spokane, she established Spokane Bikes, chaired the Bicycle Advisory Board and served on the board of the Spokane Regional Transportation Council. The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals named her their 2015 Nonprofit Professional of the Year.

At Washington Bikes she worked to broaden the base of support for bicycling and bring in new business and legislative allies, particularly through a focus on the economic power of bike travel/tourism as a reason for towns to invest in better infrastructure and policies. She developed strong relationships with local bike leaders and groups that have supported statewide work for many years. Barb is excited by the potential to bring these threads together with Cascade’s excellent staff and systems and explore how the unified organization might be able to help local groups thrive while at the same time building statewide presence.

In the early 1990s Barb served four years in the Idaho state legislature, the youngest woman ever elected to the state House and Senate. She led communications and public affairs at Washington State University Spokane for over 14 years.

Barb commutes by bike year-round

and enjoys outings with husband Eric Abbott, who trains for racing. The Washington Bikes travel initiative got her started on multi-day touring, and she plans to do more in the future.

Blake Trask joined Washington Bikes in 2011, bringing his background facilitating contentious stakeholder processes, conducting policy analysis and leading the Seattle Bicycle Advisory Board as chair from 2009 to 2012. Blake built statewide coalitions with the public health community to expand the message of bicycling and its safety and health benefits. He forged productive working relationships with many state and federal legislators and their offices to pass state legislation and advance the bicycle safety conversation on the federal level. Most recently, Washington Bikes worked with partners and members from both sides of the aisle to secure historic investments of approximately $500 million for biking, Safe Routes to School and complete streets in the 16-year state transportation package.

As the Senior Policy Director, he looks forward to collaborating with the new Cascade/Washington Bikes policy team by building better bicycling connections across Washington state, improving safety through Vision Zero initiatives, growing bicycle travel and tourism statewide, and engaging members to make bicycling even better across Washington state.

Blake is passionate about creating accessible and safe ways for people to get around. Safer streets and better bikeways play a transformative role in the livability of cities and towns—making them healthier, safer and economically stronger.

Not surprisingly, Blake likes to get around the city by bike. He and his wife Courtney share the family “mini-van,” an Xtracycle EdgeRunner that can carry their two daughters and a lot of groceries (with a little electric assist now and then).Please join us in welcoming Barb and

Blake to the team!

this year. With decades of experience as a multi-disciplinary competitive bike racer and coach, Craig will work with you to create a clear vision for an outstanding 2016 with his proven tools and techniques on the “mental game” of cycling and life.

Courtesy of Cycle U.

Courtesy of Jeff and Louise Davis.

VIETNAM

www.pedaltours.co.nz

8888 222 9187VACATIONS FOR CYCLISTS SINCE 1985

15%discount to

Cascademembers

Ever fantasize about taking a bike trip of a thousand miles or more, all on bike trails and quiet roads without any hills? Long-time Cascade members Jeff & Louise Davis did such a trip this past summer, following five rivers for 1,250 miles across Germany, Luxembourg, Belgium and Holland.

In their talk, Jeff and Louise will show you their route along the Main, Rhine, Moselle, Meuse and IJssel rivers, both the bike trails and roads, as well as the amazing scenery along the way. They’ll also explain where to find information, including maps and English language guidebooks for cyclists, how to get bike-friendly lodging, how to find trains that take

bikes (and their schedules) and much more. They’ll share some pointers for travelers who don’t speak the local language, what to expect in restaurants and grocery stores, and what kind of budget you might anticipate (on this non-camping trip they spent less than $90 per person per day).

They’ll finish their presentation with handouts of helpful websites and a live demonstration of how to pack super light (they ride a tandem with only two panniers, a rack trunk,and a handlebar bag). Ready to plan an incredible bike trip of your own? Don’t miss this informative presentation!

Friday, Jan. 22

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., presentation begins at 7 p.m.Cascade Bicycling Center7787 62nd Ave. NE, SeattleFree

Thursday, Feb. 11

Doors open at 6:30 p.m., presentation begins at 7 p.m. Cascade Bicycling Center 7787 62nd Ave NE, SeattleFree

Going with the flow: cycling along Europe’s rivers

Goal setting seminar with Coach Craig Undem

5Improving Lives Through Bicycling

Vol. 46, No. 1

4 www.cascade.org

January 2016

The Cascade Bicycle Club Board of Directors meets six times per year at the Cascade Bicycling Center, 7787 62nd Ave. NE, Seattle. Board meetings are open to the public.

Board of Directors meetings take place on the third Wednesday of the month. Upcoming meetings are: Jan. 20, March 16, May 18, June 15, Sept. 21 and Nov. 16.

THE COURIER CREWEditor: Briana Orr

Editorial assistants: Diana Bryant

Layout: Sarah Kulfan

Centerspread and additional design: Tom Eibling

Photographers: Briana Orr, MarathonFoto, Heidi SchillingerContributors: Sam Alcorn, Diana Bryant, Mary Collins, Matt Handley, Meghna Jaradi, Andrew

Kopp, Shannon Koller, Timothy McCarthy, Morgan Michel, Stacey Nakagawa, Briana Orr, Kelli Refer, Stacey Williams, Aaron Swain, Brent Tongco, Alexa Volwiler

We welcome your contributions!Got an inspiring story or a great photo? We welcome submissions. The editorial calendar is planned one month in advance. If you wish to contribute an article to a future issue, contact the editor as early as possible. Articles and photographic submissions are due by the 10th of the month prior to publication. Articles submitted after that will be considered on a space-available basis. All submissions are subject to editing for content and space.

Queries can be emailed to: [email protected].

CONTACT US

Advertising: We welcome ads and inserts. To check availability and inquire about prices, please contact Briana Orr at [email protected].

Let’s be social! Follow CascadeFacebook, Instagram and Twitter.

@cascadebicycle

@cascadebicycle

cascade.org

facebook.com/cascadebicycleclub

www.cascade.orgOffice phone: 206-522-3222 Email: [email protected]

Cascade Bicycle Club7787 62nd Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98115

2016 Summer Camps registration opens Feb. 1! By Michele Finkelstein, Community Education Coordinator

Battling the drizzle and competing for gloryBy Aaron Swain, RA, LEED Green Associate at Weber Thompson

Winter tends to signal a time for peppermint mochas, couch locked Netflix binges and a general air of hibernation in the Pacific Northwest. It can feel like all guts and glory when some of us sprint the 10 seconds to our cars or spend five minutes huddled at our bus stops, but a group of Weber Thompson bicyclists decided to challenge the winter slowdown.

We made it through November, the statistically wettest month of the year in the life of a Seattlelite. For the team of 10 Weber Thompson (WT) employees that made up the WT Mossbacks team, December also marked the end of Cascade’s Ride in the Rain Challenge – another successful team-building event designed to encourage bicycle commuting, even in the dreary and drizzly conditions that Seattle’s winters can often provide.

Our goal: a minimum of five roundtrip commutes per rider, equating to a little over one day per

week. Easy, right? Now consider the Thanksgiving holiday, the volume of formal work meetings requiring either vehicular travel trips or more formal work digs, the onset of darkness in addition to the rain, and the number of team members that were either new to Seattle or new to the all-weather bike commute.

Not so wimpy after all! Our combined bike trips totaled

273, with more than 1,150 miles logged — more than double our initial goal! In addition to our riders being dedicated, they were also incredibly impactful. These logged miles and trips equate to 1,015 pounds of CO2 avoided, and 56,512 calories burned. You can’t do that in a train, plane or automobile.

Props to fellow WT Mossback team riders. We’ve weathered the worst, so let’s keep riding!Re-published with permission from Weber Thompson’s Blog,

weberthompson.com/blog.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

President Catherine Hennings • catherine.hennings@

Vice President Daniel Weise • daniel.weise@

Treasurer Alexa Volwiler • alexa.volwiler@

Secretary George Durham • george.durham@

Director at large Charles Ruthford • charles.ruthford@

DIRECTORS

Nate Glissmeyer • nate.glissmeyer@Haley Keller • Haleyw@Kevin McDonald • kevin.mcdonald@Sandi Navarro • sandin@Bill Montero • bill.montero@

Merlin Rainwater • merlin.rainwater@Tamara Schmautz • tamara.schmautz@Jim Stanton • jim.stanton@Don Volta • don.volta@Ed Yoshida • ed.yoshida@

SENIOR STAFF

Note: All email addresses are @cascade.org

Tarrell Kullaway, Senior Director of Development (206) 939-4312 • tarrellk@

Kathy Mania, Senior Director of Finance & Operations (206) 939-4321 • kathym@

Brent Tongco, Communications & Marketing Director(206) 939-4307 • brentt@

Blake Trask, Senior Director of Policyblaket@

Elizabeth Kiker, Executive Director (206) 939-4343 • elizabethk@

Barb Chamberlain, Chief Strategic Officer barbc@

David Douglas, Senior Director of Events & Rides (206) 939-4323 • davidd@

Shannon Koller, Senior Director of Education (206) 939-4335 • shannonk@

Become a bike to school leader!By Shannon Koller, Senior Director of Education

A new year has begun, and if you are still looking for resolutions about how you can make an impact on your community, here’s a great one for you...become a bike to school leader!

We are hosting a happy hour on Wednesday, Jan. 13 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Cascade Bicycling Center so that you can meet and learn from parent champions and Cascade staff who have been promoting active transportation to school with great success. Learn how to set up a bike rodeo community event, start a student safety patrol or implement best practices for getting kids ready and excited for Bike Month in May.

Ride in the Rain Challenge was a success!By Mary Collins, Outreach Manager

4,282 people from age 8 to 85—including cargo biking parents, students, retirees and everyone in between—demonstrated that anyone can bike during the rainiest month of the year, not just the hardiest among us.

Together participants logged 91,000 trips and 468,000 miles, burned 22 million calories, offset 400

tons of carbon emissions, and made our world a little cleaner, brighter and happier by biking in November. And, 244 people were inspired to try biking for the first time as part of the Ride in the Rain Challenge!

Thanks for joining us in our first Ride in the Rain Challenge — you inspire us to ride all year long!

We’re not the only ones gearing up for a record-setting Bike Month. Student Sustainability Ambassadors representing six school districts around King County have already started planning for Bike to School Month in May. These middle and high schoolers are focused on initiatives that promote sustainability and will be implementing bike encouragement programs throughout their school districts in the coming months. We’re eager to support their efforts and to see them take participation rates for this age group to record levels in 2016.

Last year’s campers, beaming with pride.

While December brought record setting rain and darkness, Solstice has passed, and we can start looking forward to the bright, sunny summer days.

Registration for Cascade Summer Camps opens Monday, Feb. 1, and slots fill up mighty fast! Campers and parents have raved about our summer camps, especially some of our specialty offerings.

And thanks to support from people like you, we will have the Traffic Garden and Fix-it Garage at Cascade Bicycling Center constructed in time for our campers!

Due to popular demand we’ve expanded capacity on all of our specialty camps:

Gearheads Bike & Sail CampAges 9-11, half day of biking, half

day of sailing, in collaboration with our neighbors, Sail Sand Point.

Girls GearheadsAges 9-11, girls-only bike camp

with topics in confidence, positive choices and peer relationships.

NEW Gearheads & Urban Riders Mountaineer Camp

Ages 9-15, we’re partnering with our neighbors, The Mountaineers, to offer the ultimate dream camp: climbing, navigation, hiking and biking!

***All campers must be ready to ride on two wheels (please, no training wheels)!Register at cascade.org/learn/youth-camps. If you have questions, email Michele at [email protected].

“This is my favorite camp I’ve been to all summer. I love bicycling.”-2015 camper

Cascade Summer Camps

For ages 6-15Cascade Bicycle Club in

Magnuson ParkRegister at cascade.org/

learn/youth-camps

PACES: A rotating paceline skills and fitness programby Timothy McCarthy and Alexa Volwiler, Cascade Ride Leaders

Riding in a group can offer the opportunity for each rider to work off of others with grace, precision and purpose, combining for team effort in a way that’s far more powerful than any individual. But simply riding in a group—while enjoyable in any form—doesn’t make this happen.

Enter pacelining. That’s what enables a group to ride faster and farther with less energy and a great sense of camaraderie.

This April, Cascade introduces a training program that we’re calling PACES. PACES stands for:

Powerful, Adaptable, Cohesive, Efficient and Smooth.

These words inspire the program. We use them as touchstones—characteristics that we seek as we ride together.

PACES is a 10-ride series that will teach and then help you finesse paceline skills—including rotating the leader—while building fitness. Multiple PACES will be offered

between 16 and 22 mph.Each PACES ride builds in distance

and speed from the previous, and the series ends with a 100+ mile graduation ride. You’ll get in great shape—but that’s just a side benefit. PACES will ground you in strong individual riding skills, effective group riding practices and beautiful, efficient pacelines fine-tuned through practice and experience with other riders working toward the same goals.

This serious training program requires an equally serious commitment from all involved.

Participants will be expected to attend the entire program—no more than two absences in order to graduate and get your certificate.Registration for PACES will open Thursday, Jan. 12 at cascade.org/paces. For more in-depth information, contact series organizers Timothy McCarthy or Alexa Volwiler, at [email protected].

5 - 5:30 p.m.

5:30 - 6 p.m.

Happy hour/networking

Welcome/resources for starting and sustaining programs

Schedule

Concurrent sessions

6 - 7 p.m.

6 - 7 p.m.

6 - 7 p.m.

Starting a bike/walk to school program—learn tips from experienced leaders about starting a program or a walking school bus or bike train

Bike rodeo community event—learn how to organize a community event and set up bike skills stations (hands-on demo)

School crossing guard training—learn how to serve this important safety role in your community or organize a student safety patrol (presented by Dan Coon from AAA Washington)

RSVP to Clarissa at [email protected].

New Benefits for Cascade Donors!By Ariana Rundquist, Development & Membership Manager

Starting in January, if you give $40 or more a year to Cascade Bicycle Club, your donation also includes a membership.

As we detailed in past issues of the Cascade Courier, the Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation

is now, simply, the Cascade Bicycle Club. And gifts at all levels remain tax-deductible.

Find out more at cascade.org/donate or call Ariana at (206) 939-4331.



WASHINGTON BIKES FUNDRAISER DINNERBe a part of Washington Bikes Fundraiser Dinner. Food, beverages, prizes, raffles and more, this annual party is fun for anyone in the state who loves bikes! Date TBA

CTSThe Cascade Training Series is a series of classes, seminars and a 12-week training plan designed to build your endurance in a supportive community of other cyclists.

Find out more and register At Cascasde.org/2016Events

SEASON PASSBack by popular demand, the Season Pass is the ultimate rider package. It includes an an-nual individual Cascade membership, apparel (choice of Cascade jersey, Cascade shorts, STP jersey or RSVP jersey—all available in men’s and women’s cuts) and guaranteed entry into 11 of our signature rides—including STP, RSVP, Chilly Hilly, Kitsap Color Classic and many more! $800 value for just $625. As a premium add-on, you can also select to have either a one or two digit bib number for all events. Available for a limited time, so get yours before this deal is gone! More details at cascade.org/seasonpass.

BIKE MONTH Last year more than 15,700 people from the Puget Sound and beyond logged 314,000 bike trips in the Bike Month Challenge! With Bike to School Day, Bike Everywhere Day and tons of other rides, workshops and fun events, there’s tons of things to do for all ages and all abilities!

#BikeEverywhere

CHILLY HILLY FEBRUARY 28It’s beautiful brisk biking on Bain-bridge Island for our first event of the year. It’s hilly, it’ll probably be chilly and it’s guaranteed to be fun!

RIDE FOR MAJOR TAYLORAPRIL 16A pledge ride around scenic urban South Seattle, supporting Cascade’s Major Taylor Project (MTP). MTP is a year-round youth development pro-gram focused on creating opportunities for teens from underserved and diverse communities to connect with the out-doors and establish healthy lifestyles.

WOODINVILLE WINE RIDE JUNE 12Enjoy a relaxed ride along the shores of Lake Washington. And you guessed it, there will be wonderful Woodinville wine tastings (and cheese sampling)!

RED-BELL 100JUNE 25 A beautiful, fully-supported one-day century ride from Redmond to Bell-ingham. Funds raised benefit World Bicycle Relief and Cascade Bicycle Club — more kids on bikes locally and globally! Keep an eye out for the new 2016 logo coming soon.

SEATTLE NIGHT RIDEJULY 8Summer night cruising in the city has never been this fun. Light up the evening with costumes and bike ac-cessories (safe for riding) and celebrate this great moonlight ride at the Peddler Brewing finish line party!

GROUP HEALTH

STP PRESENTED BY ALASKA AIRLINES

JULY 16-17Our cornerstone event is the largest multiday event in the Northwest. Ride through scenic valleys, forests and farmlands of western Washington and Oregon. Keep an eye out for the new 2016 logo coming soon.

RIDE AROUND WASHINGTONJULY 30 - AUGUST 6The 18th annual RAW takes us to the Inland Empire. Enjoy Eastern Wash-ington on this weeklong fully sup-ported camping tour.

RSVP I & IIAUGUST 12-13 & 13-14The name says it all! Ride from Seattle to Vancouver and Party is one of our most scenic rides, passing through stunning countryside on the way to Vancouver, B.C. in two days.

HIGH PASS CHALLENGEAUGUST 29Feel the burn on this warrior ride. It’s a challenging 114-mile ride with 7,500 feet of elevation gain through the pris-tine Gifford Pinchot Wilderness Area.

KITSAP COLOR CLASSICSEPTEMBER 25Enjoy the beautiful autumn colors around the Kitsap Peninsula on our last signature ride of 2016.

GROUP HEALTH

BIKE EVERYWHERE BREAKFASTAPRIL 20Support Cascade Bicycle Club at our biggest fundraiser of the year, the Group Health Bike Everywhere Breakfast. Use the most important meal of your day to support free and low-cost programs that improve lives through bicycling for people of all ages and abilities.

BIKE SWAPFEBRUARY 14If you’re in the market for a bike, equipment or accessories, you won’t want to miss the Swap. This huge bike garage sale will have more than 100 vendors under the same roof.

SEATTLEBIKE-N-BREWSMAY 1A match made in heaven. Enjoy this flat urban cruise and quality Pacific Northwest microbrewsfrom Schooner Exact Brewery and Airways Brewing Company.

2016 is shaping up to be an amazing year for bicycle lovers. Cascade and Washington Bikes has filled the calendar with amazing events. There's a wide array of major event and rides—something for all ages and abilities. From our classics like RSVP and Group Health STP presented by Alaska Airlines to the fun Bike Swap to our new Emerald City Bike Ride, we're excited to offer wonderful ways to celebrate biking! Many of our rides and events sell out so be sure to visit cascade.org/2016events for up-to-date information the ride and registration details.

FLYING WHEELS SUMMER CENTURYJUNE 4Keep your wheels flying this summer and be a part of Washington state’s largest century! If 100 miles isn’t in your wheelhouse, there are shorter distances for full-on fun at any speed. This year look for an exciting update to the route that gets us off of higher traffic roads up north and adds in some beautiful riding west of Lake Sammamish and down south around North Bend.

EMERALD CITY BIKE RIDEAPRIL 3Ever imaging biking through a car-free Seattle? You’ll have your chance in 2016 with the Emerald City Bike Ride. Scheduled for April 3, route details will be released the week of January 12. It’ll be the largest closed-streets bike ride in Seattle and will go on routes that cyclists have never been able to ride on before: Get ready to be a part of this momentous occasion!

WASHINGTON BIKES SUMMITMARCH 21-22The annual two-day summit brings together advocates for bicycling and safe streets with professionals in planning, design, engineering, health, education, business, and tourism to connect and learn.

,

9Improving Lives Through Bicycling

Vol. 46, No. 1

8 www.cascade.org

January 2016

2016 High Performance Cycling Team Season kick off meetingBy David Longdon, HPC Team Manager

Ride Leader Certification Class

Saturday, Jan. 16, 3:30 p.m.Cascade Bicycle Club7787 62nd Ave NE, Seattle

Wednesday, Feb. 10, 6:30p.m.Cascade Bicycle Club7787 62nd Ave NE, Seattle

EASY PACE (UNDER 10 mph)

Please check the Cascade Free Group Rides Calendar for listings of easy rides.

LEISURELY PACE (10-12 mph)

Friday, Jan. 1Kick Off the New Year Right Ride - 2016 Edition (Leisurely)10 a.m. • 28 miles from Marina Park in Kirkland • Ride Leaders: Sandi Navarro, Stacey Williams

Friday, Jan. 8FRIDAY RIDERS: Gas Works Park to Alki 10:30 a.m. • 30 miles from Gas Works Park, Seattle • Ride Leader: Bernice Tannenbaum

Friday, Jan. 15

Friday Riders bike to Seward Park10 a.m. • 25 miles from Gas Works Park, Seattle • Ride Leader: William Lemke

Friday, Jan. 22Friday Riders: Two Lakes, Two Parks, & Maybe Some Mountain Vistas11 a.m. • 23 miles from Martha Lake Airport Park, Lynnwood • Ride Leader: Astrid Bear

STEADY PACE (12-14 mph)

Friday, Jan. 1Kick Off the New Year Right Ride - 2016 Edition (Steady)10 a.m. • 28 miles from Marina Park in Kirkland • Ride Leader: Alan Miller

Saturday, Jan. 2CHEW - South End Ride #1 (Steady)9:30 a.m. • 30 miles from Celebration Park, Federal Way • Ride Leader: Rick Urton


Tuesday, Jan. 12TREATS: Gas Works to Edmonds10 a.m. • 35 miles from Gas Works Park, Seattle • Ride Leader: Peter Hallson


Friday, Jan. 22FRUMPS: Cascade Bicycle Center-Juanita10 a.m. • 34 miles from Cascade Bicycle Club, Magnuson Park, Seattle • Ride Leader: Loretta Goetsch


MODERATE PACE (14-16 mph)

Friday, Jan. 1Kick Off the New Year Right Ride - 2016 Edition10 a.m. • 28 miles from Marina Park in Kirkland • Ride Leaders: Deborah Munkberg, Machiko Threlkeld

Saturday, Jan. 2CHEW - South End Ride #1 9:30 a.m. • 30 miles from Celebration Park, Federal Way Ride Leader: Rick Urton

Saturday, Jan. 9CHEW - South End Ride #2 9:30 a.m. • 33 miles from Celebration Park, Federal Way • Ride Leader: Rick Urton

FREE GROUP RIDESSaturday, Jan. 16CHEW - South End Ride #3 9:30 a.m. • 36 miles from Celebration Park, Federal Way • Ride Leader: Rick Urton

Saturday, Jan. 23CHEW - South End Ride #49:30 a.m. • 41 miles from Celebration Park, Federal Way • Ride Leader: Rick Urton

BRISK (16-18 mph)

Saturday, Jan. 2CHEW - South End Ride #1 (Brisk)9:30 a.m. • 30 miles from Celebration Park, Federal Way • Ride Leader: Tim Johnson



Sunday, Jan. 17Meet the High Performance Cycling Team9 a.m. • 35 miles from Sam Smith Park, Seattle • Ride Leader: David Longdon


VIGOROUS (18-20 mph)

Saturday, Jan. 2CHEW - South End Ride #1 (Vigorous)9:30 a.m. • 30 miles from Celebration Park, Federal Way • Ride Leader: Robert Onishi

Monday, Jan. 4MUMPS: Do The Lake 10 a.m. • 50 miles from Tracy Owen Station/Log Boom Park, Kenmore • Ride Leader: Craig Mohn

Saturday, Jan. 9CHEW - South End Ride #2 (Vigorous)9:30 a.m. • 33 miles from Celebration Park, Federal Way • Ride Leader: Mark Gringle

Monday, Jan. 11MUMPS: Do The Lake10 a.m. • 50 miles from Tracy Owen Station/Log Boom Park, Kenmore • Ride Leader: Craig Mohn





STRENUOUS: (20-22 mph)

Please check the Cascade Free Group Rides Calendar for listings of strenuous rides.

SUPER STRENUOUS: (22mph +)

Tuesday, Jan. 5Cycle Tuesdays5:45 p.m. • 35 miles from Gene Coulon Park, next to Kidd Valley Restaurant, Renton • Ride Leaders: Steve Else, Vincent Haag, Russ Moul

Thursday, Jan. 7More Cycle Tuesdays

Since 2008, Cascade Bicycle Club’s High Performance Cycling Team (aka “HPC”) has occupied a special niche within Seattle’s cycling community by providing a team environment for cyclists who are interested in developing their fitness and cycling skills. HPC is a team for fitter, faster cyclists who don’t focus on racing. It is well regarded as a team that rides hard while practicing safe group riding skills. HPC has over 100 members throughout the Puget Sound ranging in age from early 30s to late 60s. Our members target challenging event rides including the Chelan Century, Flying Wheels, STP in one day, RAMROD and the High Pass Challenge.

HPC is a perfect fit for riders who are:• Committed to improving their

fitness and cycling skills • Comfortable with, or desire to

master pace line and group riding techniques

• Looking for compatible cycling buddies who regularly do long, scenic, challenging rides

• Able to or desire to ride at 18 mph or faster

• Capable of riding more than 50 miles

The 2016 kick off presentation will include:• An overview of Team HPC

including past highlights and plans for 2016

• An overview of the team’s equipment discount program with Center Cycle

• An overview of the team’s fitness discount program with Cycle University

• A presentation of the 2016 team kit (a team kit order will close approximately 10 days after the team meeting.)

This is a sampling of this month’s rides.For a complete listing, see cascade.org/calendar.

For full details of the listed rides, see cascade.org/grouprides. This is also where you’ll find ride guidelines to help you select a ride

that suits your style, skills and energy level.

For 2016 there are no team dues, but membership in the Cascade Bicycle Club is required. Members must purchase a team jersey to wear on group rides. We have a participation-based incentive discount program with our gear and equipment sponsor, Center Cycle. Center Cycle is located in Renton, is a Specialized and Giant dealership, and is the largest bicycle shop in Washington State. Each team member’s discount with Center Cycle is based on participation: the more you ride with the team the better the discount.

Join us for a “Meet the Team Ride” on Sunday Jan. 17, 9 a.m., starting at the west side of the I-90 bike tunnel in Sam Smith Park. Check the Cascade Bicycle Club’s Free Group Rides calendar for more details.

The team has a close relationship with Cycle University (aka Cycle U) as our fitness-training partner. HPC team members get discounts on ICE classes (space permitting), and the team has the use of Cycle U’s spin class facilities for weekly member-only spin sessions October through March. Tom Meloy, the team’s founder and co-manager is a Cycle U coach.

For more information see the High Performance Cycling web page at

cascade.org/high-performance-cycling.For more details or if you have questions, email Stacey at [email protected].

5:45 p.m. • 25 miles from Gene Coulon Park, next to Kidd Valley Restaurant, Renton • Ride Leaders: Tom Baker, Lola Jacobsen


Thursday, Jan. 14More Cycle Tuesdays5:45 p.m. • 25 miles from Gene Coulon Park, next to Kidd Valley Restaurant, Renton • Ride Leaders: Tom Baker, Lola Jacobsen




SELF PACED

Saturday, Jan. 9Winter Training Series (WTS) 1: Redmond - Carnation - Union Hill8:45 a.m. • 38 miles from Element Cycles, Bellevue • Ride Leaders: Carol Nussbaum, Ralph Nussbaum

Saturday, Jan. 16Winter Training Series (WTS) 2: Bellev-ue-Renton-Maple & May Valleys8:45 a.m. • 56 miles from Newcastle Beach Par, Bellevue • Ride Leaders: Carol Nussbaum, Ralph Nussbaum

Saturday, Jan. 23Winter Training Series (WTS) 3: Camano Island Loop8:45 a.m. • 51 miles from Stanwood Starbucks, Stanwood • Ride Leaders: Carol Nussbaum, Ralph Nussbaum

Saturday, Jan. 30Winter Training Series (WTS) 4: Snohomish, Marysville, Happy Valley, Arlington8:45 a.m. • 70 miles from Snohomish Haggens, Snohomish • Ride Leaders: Carol Nussbaum, Ralph Nussbaum

2016 Cascade Club toursBy Stacey Williams, Rides & Outreach Manager

If you love cycling, there is no better way to go on vacation than by bike! Cascade has some wonderful tour options through the club tours program. The offerings for 2016 are varied and give you the opportunity to explore Arizona, Oregon and Washington. Registration opens Thursday, Jan. 12.

Southern Arizona TourMarch 19–26

The Arizona Escape tour explores southern Arizona, starting and ending in Tucson. The route heads south and east to explore canyons, creeks and wildlife preserves. It continues through historic towns that skirt the Mexican border, and it visits military sites, missions, national monuments and amazing caverns.

Lake Chelan - Tour LiteMay 6–8

This tour is different from other Cascade Club tours. While we will provide routes, sag support and a rest stop with snacks, we will not provide accommodations. In this way, we are able to offer an introductory low cost touring opportunity. So come along and enjoy a fun long weekend in Lake Chelan!

Mountain views, quiet roads and more await you on our Club Tours!

Peter Hallson was recently honored as an Exceptional Ride Leader! Peter is not only that, but an active and hardworking member of the Rides Committee.

Peter first started riding when he was in elementary school. The bike was his way of getting to school and meeting friends in town, as well as going to the movies and an annual school picnic at Birch Bay. As a youngster, the bike was simply a way of getting to know people.

When Peter retired in the mid-1990s, cycling became a big part of his life. Peter’s first serious bike challenge was when he was invited to ride RAGBRAI, a popular ride through Iowa that maps 500 miles over a period of seven days. This experience motivated him to keep riding and stay on the bike to remain physically fit and mentally sound.

Why does Peter ride with Cascade?

“Because it satisfies my personal desire to be involved with the cycling community and to be as

2016 Season kick off meetingSaturday Jan. 16, 5 p.m.Where: Center Cycle3950 Lind Ave SW, RentonPizza and soft drinks will be served

Ready to take on a challenge in 2016? Join HPC!

Eastern Washington 4-day TourMay 27–31

The four-day Eastern Washington tour is a 300-mile loop starting and ending in beautiful Chelan in Eastern Washington. This tour has it all—beautiful quiet roads, lush valleys and challenging climbs up several mountain passes.

Columbia Gorge & Beyond 4-day TourJune 9–13

The Columbia Gorge has been called one of the natural wonders of the world. See it up close and personal as we spend four days exploring this beautiful area from our fixed base in Hood River. Be warned: there is a real possibility of beautiful scenery overload.

Bend & Central Oregon 4-day TourJune 16–20

Mountain views, river canyons, quiet roads through scenic farmland and sunny weather highlight this four-day fixed-base tour in the Bend area. Cycle past lakes and descend past Bachelor, then enjoy the scenic bikeway to Smith Rock State Park. You’ll cycle through high desert, deep canyons and along the Crooked River. A short drive is required to some daily start points on this tour. Your tour price includes five nights of lodging.

Southern Oregon Tour Sept. 10–17

Discover some of the best of Southern Oregon! Follow the Umpquah and Rogue Rivers, climb to Crater Lake, visit historic small towns and spend your rest day in Ashland! You are sure to thoroughly enjoy the quiet roads with minimal traffic for most of this tour.Find more details and register at cascade.org/clubtours.

helpful as I can be to others,” he said. “It allows me to share the joy of cycling and experience the pleasures of being on a bike, exploring the territory. I meet a lot of great people and maintain a sound body and mind.”

Thank you, Peter, for being an Exceptional Ride Leader!

Exceptional Ride Leader — Peter HallsonBy Stacey Williams, Rides & Outreach Director

Exceptional ride leader Peter Hallson.



Women Bike: Bike shop encounters By Morgan Michel, Rides & Outreach Assistant and Nancy Helm, Cascade Member

“I had just gotten really excited about biking my sophomore year of college. I noticed I needed air in my back tire and hopped over to a bike shop nearby. I asked the man behind the counter if he could put some air in my tire. The look he gave me was pure disgust. He said something along the lines of: ‘If you want to have air in your tires you need to do it yourself.’ When I told him I didn’t know how, he rolled his eyes and said he’d get to me when he wasn’t busy. I sat there fumbling with the tire pump before leaving, without ever being helped,” shared a woman who asked to remain anonymous.

During a recent discussion of barriers that keep women from cycling, a friend told us this story about a discouraging encounter in a bike shop. And then came another story, and another. We heard enough of these stories to make us wonder: How significant are these negative bike shop encounters to the engagement of female cyclists?

A recent publication by the League of American Bicyclists titled “Bike Shops for Everyone: Strategies for making bike retail more welcoming to women” makes clear the prevalence of these experiences, noting that while women are a huge potential market for bike retail, many feel “patronized, dismissed, and even harassed” when visiting a bike shop. Furthermore, 51 percent of adult bike owners are women, yet 62 percent of them did not visit a bike shop once in 2014, versus 56 percent of male bike owners who did not visit a shop in 2014.

It is difficult to demonstrate a direct causal relationship between a negative experience and long term behavior, but the League’s report and stories shared with us suggest that an unwelcoming environment can keep women out of bike shops, and even deter some women from cycling.

“Bike Shops for Everyone” also stresses that independent bike shops across the country are struggling. With sales for men “flatlined” and

women “poised to be a huge growth market,” bike businesses cannot afford to ignore the potential revenue that women represent, according to the report.

Kathleen Emry, owner of Free Range Cycles in Fremont, has a few suggestions to make bike shops more equitable and enjoyable for women. She attributes an alienating bike shop environment to staff “not meeting the customer where he or she is in the education process,” she said. “The bike language is full of numbers and words that mean little to the average consumer.” She said her golden rule is “to assess the customer and start at the level of knowledge they are comfortable with.”

Her advice for women who have a negative experience in a shop: “Let the salesperson know what level of knowledge you have. If you feel talked down to, don’t stay silent and leave. Let the salesperson know. We want to get better! Find a shop with a style that fits your particular needs.”

Despite our many excellent local bike shops and their staff, anecdotal evidence and survey data highlights a systematic problem with sexism in the world of bike maintenance and retail. Discouraging women who bike from entering a shop damages our diverse community and our independent businesses. While there is no simple solution, a recent article on Bicycling.com, “10 Ways Bike Shops Can Welcome Women” offers a list of suggestions for bike shops wishing to improve. A few basic ones we all could benefit from: ask questions, listen to the answers and don’t assume.

Special thanks to all the women and bike shop employees who shared their experiences and knowledge with us!On Cascade’s blog, we’re going to delve deeper into this topic. Do you have experiences or ideas to share? Email Morgan at [email protected] with your thoughts.

Cascade supporter spotlight: John Dugganby Diana Bryant, Writer & Editor

At Cascade, we have a long list of supporters and community partners that help make our work possible. At the top of that list is Seattle bicycling attorney John Duggan. A daily bike commuter and supporter of cyclists’ rights, Duggan has represented hundreds of cyclists in the fight to make Seattle streets safer.

One highlight of his work is spreading awareness of the Vulnerable User Law (VUL). Enacted in 2011 and made effective in 2012, the law institutes stiffer penalties for negligent drivers who injure or kill vulnerable road users. While the law doesn’t criminalize negligent driving, it does outline a series of monetary fines, license suspensions, driver education and/or community service projects as deterrents.

Before the law was enacted, a negligent driver could simply walk away from a fatal collision with a minor citation or, worse yet, nothing at all. Now, negligent drivers who commit traffic infractions resulting in the injury or death of a vulnerable user may face an automatic fine of up to $5,000 and a 90-day license suspension.

But there are still measures that need to be taken to make more people, including law enforcement, aware of the law and how to apply it. Duggan says that “while the law itself and the intent behind the law is good, there needs to be a massive public relations effort aimed at educating the police, the prosecutors and motor vehicle

drivers.” Duggan thinks the law has potential

to make a significant difference in the safety of cyclists if properly utilized. He says that of his nearly 100 active cases involving cycling incidents, close to 75 percent involve serious injuries in which the VUL should apply. However, it has only been invoked in a small handful of those cases. “I think there has been an unfortunate communication failure regarding the law,” Duggan says.

But he remains hopeful. “This work is important to me because the bicycle needs to be an important tool in our overall transportation system. That is, every mile that someone uses their bike for transportation makes the world better for everyone—less congestion, less parking hassles, better environment, better health, etc. As a society, we need to encourage more people to ride their bikes for transportation and to give them the infrastructure and incentive to do so.”

Thanks to Duggan and other supporters of the VUL, we hope to see far fewer traffic injuries and fatalities, eventually reaching our goal of Vision Zero.

Next time you’re riding the I-90 trail from Bellevue to Seattle, look for Duggan and say hello. It’s his favorite commuting route.To learn more about Duggan’s practice, email him at [email protected].

Save the date for the Seattle Bike Swap!By Stacey Nakagawa, Events Producer

Cascade’s annual Bike Swap is the place to get great deals on new and used bikes, gear and clothing. This huge bike garage sale will have more than 100 vendors selling everything you need, whether you’re just getting started or upgrading to new gear.

Adult admission is only $5 for members and $7 for non-members. Kids 15 and under are free all day.

To get a head start on the bargains, an early entry ticket is available for $20 for members and $25 for non-members.

Consignment: If you have a complete bike you

want to sell, but don’t want to rent a seller’s space, we offer consignment ($10 fee, plus 10 percent of the selling price). Bikes are priced to move and all proceeds benefit the Major Taylor Project. Contact [email protected] for more info.

Sellers: Have a garage full of bike gear

you’d like to sell at the Swap? Contact [email protected] for vendor info.

Seattle Bike SwapSunday, Feb. 14, 2016

9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Seattle Center Exhibition

Hall, 225 Mercer St.

From collectables to high-end bicycle parts, the Swap has something for everyone!

Volunteer of the Month: Sam Ketts By Andrew Kopp, Volunteer Programs Assistant

Sam was nominated for her work as the Ride Start Coordinator for the Cascade Training Series. According to Stacey Williams, Cascade Rides & Outreach Director, “she was always willing to do anything that was asked, and she was a pleasure to work with.” This is a very common sentiment among those who have worked with her.

Sam hails from Denver, Colorado. She gained an interest in bicycling at a young age.

“Riding around the neighborhood was a thing in the 90s,” she remarked. “My bike had pegs on its back axle, so my friends could ride along.”

She rediscovered cycling while studying environmental science at the University of Colorado, Boulder, becoming a serious campus commuter. Her passion for bikes only grew; Sam soon completed the Denver Century

Ride, her first century, in 2013.Before Sam moved to Seattle in

2014, she had heard of Cascade’s Seattle to Portland (STP).

“We have to do the STP when we get up there,” she recalled saying before the move. She completed the ride in 2015.

Sam began volunteering at Cascade events to meet like-minded individuals.

“It had been six months since I’d moved to Seattle, and I was looking for a community,” she said. “I certainly found my people.”

That community is why she keeps coming back, volunteering for Chilly Hilly, the Cascade Training Series and the Major Taylor Project.

Through volunteering, Sam learned about our community’s immensity.

“I didn’t know how big biking was in Seattle communities,” she said. “In a lot of ways, it’s a lifestyle. And commuting and event riding aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive.”

Sam plans on volunteering or participating in every major Cascade ride next season, starting with Chilly Hilly, the event that introduced her to Cascade.

Many of our events wouldn’t be the same without Sam and her unrelenting dedication to improving lives through bicycling.

From everyone at Cascade: thank you, Sam!

John Duggan in Mount Rainier National Park, cycling on the Sunrise Road while it was closed to car traffic.

“It had been six months since I’d moved to Seattle, and I was looking for a community. I certainly found my people.”-Sam Ketts, volunteer of the month

12 www.cascade.org

January 2016

Support your fellow Cascade Member & Outrider, John De Benedetti By Briana Orr, Communications Manager

This summer was John De Benedetti’s first season as a volunteer Cascade Outrider, supporting those who need help along the way.

“It was awesome, it’s a great community,” said John. “I’ve really enjoyed it.”

John is a special education teacher at Cascade High School in Everett. Each day, he rides from Ballard to the U-District, where he hops on a bus to Everett. On Nov. 18, school was canceled due to a power outage, so John got off the bus and rode toward home from the top of Market and 56th in Ballard.

He woke up in the hospital, with no recollection of a collision.

All he remembers is that a bolt holding his fender in place was rattling that day. It’s possible that the fender came loose and got caught in the front wheel, forcing the wheel — and his bike — to stop in its tracks.

John’s collision resulted in injuries requiring cervical spine surgery. And even though he was wearing a helmet, he had a concussion and nasal fracture. And if that’s not enough, his bike is likely totaled, too.

John is now at home. Even over the phone, it is clear just how positive John’s outlook and attitude is. He jokes that the hardest part is finding things to occupy his time. He expresses how grateful he is for his caring girlfriend and friends.

John clearly isn’t deterred by his collision. “I love cycling—I’m excited to get back into it,” he said.

He’ll be putting his Outrider jersey back on, too. With six months of recovery time ahead, he should be back on the bike just in time for the height of riding season.

John’s friends and family have started a GoFundMe account to support him. The page states that funds will be used to cover his medical bills for the ER, hospital stay, surgery, outpatient care, medical needs and, if funds remain, a new bike.

Cascade Bicycle Club has supported his fund, and we encourage you to support your fellow member and Outrider as well. To support John, visit: https://www.

gofundme.com/getjohnrolling.

John De Benedetti rode STP in 2015 - and now needs your support! Photo courtesy of Marathonfoto.

Donations make our work possible—Thank you!

Foundations & CorporationsFeet FirstCity of Edmonds

BusinessesUniversity of

WashingtonSeattle Children’sO2 RainwearSKS GermanyOrtlieb USA

$5,000 +David GlickermanMel Roberts

Jim & Joyce Shedd

Norm Tjaden

$1,000-$4,999Rew AdamsGeorge &

Kathleen Durham

Jaffe-Cross Charitable Fund

Don MartinCraig McKibben &

Sarah MernerNancy

Ritzenthaler & Al Odmark

The Harry F. Barnes & Carol H. Barnes Family Foundation

$150-$999Jeff AurandDave Carlton &

Jane KuypersAngela ChabotMelinda CummingJeffrey DavisMonica DayHoward DonkinChadwick

Freeman

Rick GnehmLoretta GoetschGreg GottliebBill HannaDonna HornBarbara MottelerJames MountSusan & Jeff

PalmerJoseph RobertsRodney

RutherfordAmy ShumannJulie WadeKenneth WalkkyJohn Wendl

November Education Foundation Donor List

The Haul RoadBy Matt Handley, Cascade Member

My riding partner, Michael Toubbeh, had shared stories about his eight rides (including three solo trips and one on a Bike Friday) of the “Haul Road,” a dirt and gravel supply road for the Alaska pipeline. The descriptions were always extreme: epic, lonely, majestic, a suffer-fest, joyful, spiritual, soul destroying and rejuvenating at the same time. This summer, Clifford Chang and I joined him riding from Deadhorse (on Prudhoe Bay on the Arctic Ocean) to Valdez, and then after a ferry ride across Prince William Sound, up to Anchorage. Eleven days of riding, 960 miles.

Deadhorse is aptly named. It is an outpost of squalid buildings designed to survive the extreme conditions on the edge of the Arctic Ocean. We landed at 5 p.m., unboxed our bikes and rode to buy fuel and bear spray (sold out). We started riding out of town about 6:30 p.m., but time of day is non-issue during solstice week, 250 miles north of the Artic circle. The sun never gets within 10 degrees of the horizon. The mosquitos there are the size of horseflies, but much more plentiful. The road is mixed gravel and hard packed dirt, varying from soft to smooth to bone jarring. The North Slope, the plain north of

Clifford Chang and Matt Handley on the Haul Road.

the Brooks range, has an emptiness that has to be experienced to be understood. Tundra as far as the eye can see. After a day of riding, the Brooks Range came into view on the horizon.

Our bikes were about 70 pounds, carrying all of our gear and food to last until Fairbanks, about 500 miles. Vast landscapes, rugged and open country, and few but very interesting people. Every day was an open-ended, wonderful adventure ending in pretty spectacular campsites. One gets very skilled at getting the tent up in minutes to establish a mosquito-free zone.

The hills are a test at 12–14 percent grade, full of gravel and up to three-quarters of a mile in length. Days were filled with countless ups and downs, neither of which can be ridden fast. Eighty miles north of Fairbanks the road becomes paved, though no less difficult than the gravel. After Fairbanks, the riding takes one through the equally gorgeous Alaska and Chugach Mountain ranges.

I have enjoyed touring Washington State, the West Coast and the Sierras, but if you are looking for a challenge away from civilization, it is available to you on the Haul Road.

What is your big idea for 2016?by Kelli Refer, Seattle Advocacy & Field Programs Director

The New Year is a time to set resolutions and think big about the year ahead. We know our members are full of great ideas on how to improve lives through bicycling, and we want to hear from you. Please join us for our second annual Connect Summit where we will share our big bike-y ideas for 2016 and hear from a panel of local leaders about how to make them happen.

Connect with inspiring people who are advocating for better bikeways, safe routes to schools and livable, healthy communities for everyone. You will learn about what projects are happening around the state, region

and city from local leaders in the bike movement. You will be able to take immediate action at the summit. Learn where to show up and speak up for safer streets. Get plugged into year-long campaigns like the Center City Bike Network in Seattle and the Eastside Rail Corridor. Leave feeling full of delicious food and inspiration!

We can’t wait to hear your #BigIdea2016!

Saturday, Jan. 23 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Cascade Bicycle Club7787 62nd Ave. NE

cascade courier - january 2016

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