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In This IssueNo Distance Can Hold Us Back – The New Year .....2Cascade Affiliated International Tours Night ...............2Come to Your Senses! ....................................................2Seattle Bike Swap ..........................................................3Major Taylor Spin-A-Thon ..............................................3Going the Distance: ........................................................3Now hiring: Bicycle Ambassadors..................................4Highlights of the year in bicycle education ...............4High Performance Cycling kickoff party ......................4Ride Leader Certification ...............................................5January Rides ............................................................. 5-6Cascade Africa Rides: ......................................................8

Policy, Planning and Government Affairs.....................9Cascade Regional Tours 2012 season ..........................9We want YOU to be a Ride Referee ...........................9Cyclist of the Month ....................................................10Tales from Viadoom and Viagloom via bike .............10January Volunteers ........................................................10Dear Miss Panniers ......................................................11Cascade Contacts ..........................................................11Membership Form .........................................................11Welcome New Members ..............................................122012 Seattle Bike Expo ..............................................12Seattle Bicycle Expo 14th Annual Photo Contest ....12

JANUARY 2012 / Vol. 42, No. 1

Seattle Bike Swap: Feb 12.Chilly Hilly: Feb. 26

Seattle Bike Expo: March 10 - 11

I’m just a bill. Yes, I’m only a bill. And I’m sitting here on Capitol Hill. Well, it’s a long, long journey To the capital city. It’s a long, long wait While I’m sitting in committee, But I know I’ll be a law someday At least I hope and pray that I will, But today I am still just a bill.

What they didn’t teach you on Sat-urday morning cartoons is that lobbying elected officials is a big

part of how bills really get passed. And this month, we have a unique opportunity for you to be a lobbyist for a day. On Tuesday, Jan. 31, hundreds of advocates like you will descend on Olympia from across the state for Transportation Advocacy Day.

We’ll gather at United Churches in the morning for guest speakers, small-group sessions, and “Lobbyist 101” training so that you get all the detailed information you need to successfully advocate for our 2012 priorities. Then we’ll group up by district and attend pre-arranged meetings with our elected officials. Face-to-face, we’ll discuss our priorities and let them know that it’s time for the Legislature to create policies that gives Washington state the 21st century transportation system it deserves.

Thanks to passionate people like you who showed up on Transportation Advo-cacy Day last year, (largest turnout to date!)

Friday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m.REI Seattle, 222 Yale Ave. NTickets: $7 ($2 off for Cascade members) @ Brownpapertickets.com

In 1897, the U.S. Army theorized that the newly developed “safety” bicycle could replace the horse as a means of troop transport (after all, tires don’t need food, water, or rest). As a result, the 25th Infantry established a Bicycle Corps to test the

overall practicality of military cycling.Twenty African American soldiers put their bicycles, their bodies, and the Army’s

theory to the test with a 2000-mile ride from Montana to St. Louis, Missouri. Draw-ing off of numerous photographs, excellent documentation left by Unit Commander Lt. James Moss, and newspaper articles by a ride-along reporter. This film chronicles their journey.

This showing of “The Bicycle Corps” will benefit Cascade’s Major Taylor Project, and will feature a special presentation on Marshall “Major” Taylor, who was just gain-ing fame as a professional African American bike racer at the same time the Bicycle Corps riders were making their trek.

Found: An ally in trail safety, the Blakely Manor residentsby Erica Hann, Community Programs Assistant

Situated on the corner of one of the most notoriously dangerous intersec-tions in Seattle – 25th and Blakely

– is an 80-resident retirement community known as Blakely Manor. Though a mostly unmarked building makes their presence easy to overlook, the seniors at Blakely have some obvious and overt concerns about safety on the Burke-Gilman Trail.

In order to access nearby University Village, or even the curb, the residents use the Burke–Gilman. And many have been unhappy with the behavior of some fast-moving, hard-to-hear cyclists with whom they share the trail. For those residents who cannot move quickly, or have problems with their hearing, using the trail can be a very frightening prospect.

Cascade’s outreach team has been work-ing with the residents to address these issues as part of a larger effort to promote trail safety in 2012 (stay tuned for more details)

Get excited because the 2012 Cascade events are scheduled to roll! We have been working hard

behind the scenes to improve the registra-tion process and offer smoother service to event riders this year.

We continue to thank you, the members of Cascade Bicycle Club, for your support by offering early event registration in Janu-ary, ahead of the crowd. Online registra-tion opens to current Cascade members on

Come advocate with us in Olympiaby Max Hepp-Buchanan, Advocacy Campaigns Manager

and joined us at many of our bills’ hearings in the House and Senate, we had a very successful session, which included passing the Vulnerable Users Bill after three years of hard work. As a citizen lobbyist, you are the most powerful tool we have to advance the pro-bike agenda at the state level. If you haven’t yet been involved in bicycle advocacy, Transportation Advocacy Day is a great way to start!

This year, we’re back in Olympia and working with the Bicycle Alliance of Wash-ington, Transportation Choices Coalition, and dozens of other organizations and community groups to create some positive change for cyclists at the state level. To read more about our 2012 legislative agenda, visit the Cascade blog (http://blog.cascade.org), or simply show up on Transportation Advocacy Day and dive right in! Here are the details:

Date: Tuesday, Jan 31, 2012Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (approximately) Location: United Churches

(100 11th Ave SE, Olympia)To RSVP, please sign up on the Trans-

portation Choices Coalition website: http://transportationchoices.org. Carpools from Seattle to Olympia and shuttles from the Lacey Amtrak station will be available.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at [email protected]. Thanks for being an advocate and I look forward to seeing you in Olympia later this month!

Bicycle Film Series

The Bicycle Corps: America’sBlack Army On Wheels

Save the date for breakfast with Blumenauer

continued on page 7

continued on page 7

We are excited to invite you to join

Congressman Earl Blu-menauer for our annual Bike to Work Breakfast!

Voted one of “The Top 25 Change Makers in American Bicycling History” by the League of American Bicy-clists, Congressman Blumenauer will share his vision for bicycling in our country and show us how we can make a difference right here at home.

Eighth Annual Bike to Work Break-fast Benefiting the Cascade Bicycle Club Education FoundationFriday, May 4, 2012, 7:30 a.m. The Sheraton, Seattle For information on being a table captain, please contact Tarrell Wright at (206) 240-2235 or [email protected]. For information on sponsorship, please contact Mike Inocencio at (206) 522-2403 or [email protected].

Event registration for 2012See full information about event and tours registration and lotteries at http://shop.cascade.org.

Tuesday, Jan. 10 and to the general public Tuesday, Feb. 7.

New lottery system for regional tours, rsvp and ride around washington

With 14,000 members, we know we can’t offer a spot on every event for ever member. To make it more equitable, regis-

www.cascade.org2

January 2012

The contents of this newspaper do not necessarily represent the views of the Club or any of its members. The views expressed are those of the individual contributors.

Submissions guidelines: Article ideas should be discussed with the Editor in advance as the publication calendar is planned two months prior to publication. Final materials are due the first Tuesday of the month, though earlier is appreciated. Articles submitted after that will be considered on a space-available basis. Queries can be emailed to. [email protected]. If you send text attachments, please format files as native MS Word files or .RTF. For line art please use an .eps format and for photos please use .jpg or .tiff format. The Courier is printed at 300 dpi, so a small 72 dpi photo will not reproduce. If you attach your name and phone number, I will do my best (conditions permitting) to discuss any major changes with you. All submissions are subject to editing for comprehension, grammar or space requirements. Please be concise!

M.J. Kelly, EditorDiane English, Editorial Assistant; Susan Hiles, Photography;

January Contributors: Kevin Carrabine, Emma Epstein, Stephanie Frans, Erica Hann, Max Hepp-Buchanan, Susan Hiles, John Mauro, Erica Meurk, David Longdon, Tom Meloy,

Peter Verbrugge, Tarrell Wright

Inserts: We have room for 6 single sheet qualifying inserts in each issue. Please contact Leah Pistorius, (913) 579-7629 [email protected], for a copy of our insert policy and request form. The request and fee are due by the first of the month prior to the desired month.

Advertising: Advertising: Display ads can be placed in the Courier. To check availability and reserve space, contact Leah Pistorius, (913) 579-7629 [email protected]

Reprints: Articles may be reprinted or abstracted in publications of nonprofit groups provided that the author and Club are credited. Please send us a copy of the reprinted material.

Membership Information: Club records and finances are available to members upon request from the club office at 206-522-3222.

So this is the new year, and I don’t feel any different,” sings Death Cab for Cutie in the first line of the first song

on their 2007 release Transatlanticism (see indie rock: Seattle). The song, ostensibly about war and unbridled wealth and greed, ends with a most hopeful and final verse, about connections – between people and between places. I quote it here, as I believe it is apropos to our board, and to the club’s mission of “Creating a Better Community Through Bicycling”:

I wish the world was flat like the old days (easy bicycling every day!)Then I could travel just by folding a map (nice – Bothell to Burien in 10 minutes!)No more airplanes, or speedtrains, or freeways (OK, we need some of those)There’d be no distance that can hold us back

LOOKING BACKWell, this is the New Year and we certainly

do feel different. The year started tumultuously, with a

special election to seat new board members; unprecedented numbers of club members voted. Eight new directors joined continuing director Joey Gray. We immersed ourselves in meetings with Executive Director Chuck Ayers and a daylong orientation in late April. We elected our officers, established several essential committees, including an Executive Committee, Finance Committee, and Leg-islative Committee. After a gathering with Cascade staff and directors, we restarted the strategic plan update process.

By early summer, the Nominations Com-mittee had vetted a slate of new candidates for the board; simultaneously, an ad hoc By-laws Task Force offered some changes to the bylaws, and in October you elected four new directors and approved the bylaws changes.

The Legislative Committee meanwhile endorsed candidates and issues and organized itself for the coming year. For most of 2011, the Board met nearly every month, and at each of those meetings, staff directors pre-sented detailed information about organiza-tion programs, accomplishments and goals for the future. In November, we approved the 2012 budget (nearly $4 million!)

At a special meeting in December, with board-elect members, we dove further into committee structure and function for 2012. It was a busy and productive start to our tenure as a new board.

Friday, Jan. 27 7 to 8:30 p.m. Seattle REI, 222 Yale Ave NWith special guests: Michael Kollins, (World Bicycle Relief “Africa Rides 2012”) Danelle Laidlaw & Ken Wright, (Tour Turkey. “Aegean to the Mediterranean”) Plus outlines of Beer, Bikes & Belgium, Vietnam Grand Tour & New Zealand Grand Tour 2013

Please join us for a very interesting night outlining the outstanding 2012/13 Cascade Affiliated Interna-

tional Tours program. We’ll cover all tours on offer for next year, from the very popular Vietnam Grand Tour and New Zealand Grand Tours to these exciting new tours:

Cascade Africa Rides: Hear about a once in a lifetime opportunity to see how one of the top NGO charities in the world changes lives through an amazing bicycle program in Africa. You’ll travel with a representative from the World Bicycle Relief program dur-ing your nine days in the politically-stable

The New Year: No distance can hold us backby Kevin Carrabine, Board of Directors

WHAT DOES 2012 LOOK LIKE? Greater transparency: You elected us,

and we are accountable to you. We welcome your involvement at board meetings, in the Cascade forums, on board/staff committees. We are committed to making the workings of the board transparent, and we want you to let us know if you do not feel this is happen-ing. Look for a regular Courier article from the board, items in the Braking News, and posts on the Cascade forums throughout the year. Contact us at any time (see the Courier or website for addresses.)

Member involvement: As we configure committee structure for 2012, we hope you will consider serving. If committees aren’t your idea of a good time, then consider vol-unteering through any of the opportunities you see in this and all issues of the Courier. Cascade events and programs rely on volun-teers, and we need you!

Staff/board collaboration: The profes-sional staff is what makes Cascade tick. They manage, direct and passionately pursue their roles and programs. The board is charged with setting goals and objectives, then stand-ing back and letting the staff do their jobs. We are committed to ensuring that Cascade staff has the tools and resources needed to do their jobs. In the coming year, we hope to become even more engaged in our under-standing of organization programs through staff/board activities and collaboration.

New board members: We enthusiastically welcome new board members Dr. Rayburn Lewis, Mo McBroom, Charles Ruthford and Ed Yoshida. Their terms start this month; participation by these four during our board/staff retreat and informally at year-end board meetings jump-started their involvement. It was appreciated and very helpful.

So what and how is this about connections and people and places? Our organization is dedicated to creating a better community through bicycling. And it is through sup-porting the passion that we all share for rid-ing – whether it be for recreation, fitness or transportation, and, above all, for fun – that we establish a cycling connection between people, between communities and between places. In a world that is not flat, where we cannot travel just by folding a map, making connections of infrastructure, places and people, and putting more cyclists on the road and trails is what we are all about. With your help, there truly is no distance that can hold us back. Thank you for your member-ship, your involvement and your support.

Cascade Presentation

Come to your senses! A celebration of bicycle travel with Willie WeirTuesday, Feb. 7 at 7 p.m. Seattle REI, 222 Yale Ave NAdvance tickets $7 ($2 discount for Cascade members) at www.Brownpapertickets .com

Traveling by bike allows you to see the world in a truly unique way. Few people know that as well as Willie Weir. His latest presentation is

based on The Five Senses. He will leave you inspired and ready to see, hear, taste, smell and feel the world from the seat of a bicycle. Be sure to get your tickets in advance, as Willie’s Seattle shows routinely sell out.

Cascade Affiliated International Tours Night

country of Zambia, doing everything from visiting schools to building bikes to actually delivering the final product. You’ll end your visit with a safari to a world class game park.

Tour Turkey: Aegean to Mediterranean Tour: This tour is produced by a local, Brit-ish Columbian company and has received high marks from many members. It’s a terrific value and a fantastic tour destina-tion- combining old world charm and world class cuisine with outstanding facilities and safe roads. It’s the first time that Cascade has offered the tour, and it’s filling up very fast!

Beer Bikes & Belgium: We are heading back to the hotbed of international bicycle road racing in glorious (and bike-friendly) Europe! This tour will combine the wonder-ful roads of Belgium, including classic Tour of Flanders routes and lots more off the bike fun. We’ll sample the very best in world beer and watch the 2012 UCI World Road race championships in neighboring Netherlands for two days!

For extensive information on all tours please visit www.cascade.org/EandR/tours/intltours.cfm.

“

“Creating a Better Community Through Bicycling” 3

Vol. 42, No. 1

Are your SRAM shifters serving as shirt hangers? Is that old Colnago collecting coats in your closet? If so,

sell that bike at the Seattle Bike Swap and help the Major Taylor Project. Once again, proceeds from the Seattle Bike Swap con-signment area will benefit the Major Taylor Project. Consignment proceeds will help start a sixth Major Taylor site this spring at Highline High School! The Major Taylor Program is also accepting tax-deductible donations of bicycles to sell at Bike Swap.

If you have a complete bike you want to sell on consignment, we will try and sell it for you for a fee ($10 plus 10 percent of the selling price). If you’re looking for top-dollar on your bike this is NOT the place for you, as bikes will be priced to move. To sell your bike on consignment, you will need to bring it to the swap between 8 and 8:30 a.m. Come to the front entrance and we will have you complete a form and pay $10 (includes entry into the swap at 9 a.m.) Return by 2 p.m. that day and we will either give you money for your bike or return your bike to you. If you would like to donate a bicycle, please contact Ed Ewing, [email protected], (206)778-4671.

Hosted by David Longdon, Co-manager of the Cascade Bicycle Club’s High Perfor-mance Cycling Team and pro-ducer of Velocity: The Seattle Area Cycling Blog.

Despite (or because of?) our consistently drippy weather, the

Pacific Northwest has perhaps the deepest bench of long distance cycling enthusiasts in North America if not the world. Our presentation features some of the strongest long-distance cyclists in the area, and offers insights into what motivates them along with a bit of inspiration for cyclists interested in doing rides longer than 100 miles.

Brian Ecker’s career highlights include top 20 finishes at USCF Elite Na-tional Championships, top 5 finishes at the Duathalon National Championships, several multisport solo category wins, and several podium finishes at the Furnace Creek 508 ultra marathon cycling race.

Brian has a reputation for paying close attention to the numbers—wattage and calo-ries—during his events. His discussion of the numbers in ultra events can also apply to riders who are perfectly content with riding centuries or double centuries.

Chris Ragsdale is an ultra distance bicycle racer who is a five-time National 24 hr win-ner and record holder, holds the 1000km road world record, and was the fastest American finisher in the 2011 Paris-Brest-Paris.

In addition to his success in solo events, Chris has been on several two- and four-man teams, which he considers to be some of the best fun he’s had on a bike. Chris will discuss competing in long-distance events as part of a team.

Mark Thomas is a veteran randonneur, past president of Randonneurs USA, and current president of the Seattle International Randonneurs, the largest randonneur club in America. Mark has completed fourteen grand randonnees (1200km or longer) on four continents, including Paris-Brest-Paris four times. In the past three years, he has completed more than 40,000km of randon-

Cascade Bicycle Club and Allstar Fit-ness will host the second annual Ma-jor Taylor Project Spin-A-Thon on

Thursday, Feb. 16. All proceeds will support our efforts to introduce the joy of cycling to underserved communities and empower the next generation of riders through the Major Taylor Project.

The Major Taylor Project is entering its fourth year and will expand to Highline High School this spring. The project has reached over 450 students in South King County, and 45 students have completed the Group Health STP. The Major Taylor Project is not only about the joys of cycling, it’s about empowerment, opportunity, youth leadership and creating possibility.

The Spin-A-Thon will be held at AllStar Fitness, 2629 SW Andover St. in West Seat-tle. You can ride for one, two or three hours. Time slots are 5 to 6 p.m., 6 to 7 p.m., 7 to 8 p.m. Your tax-deductible donation per hour can be $25 (minimum), $35, $50 or other amount. Please let us know what time and duration you would like to ride. Checks can be made out to Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation with “MTP Spin-a-Thon” written in the memo. You may bring your donation the night of the event or mail to the address below. Your donation is 100 percent tax-deductible.

You can show your support in the follow-ing ways: • Spin for one, two or three hours with a

$25/hr minimum donation

Seattle Bike SwapSunday, Feb. 12, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, 225 Mercer Street, Seattle, WA 98109General adult admission is cash-only on a sliding scale depending upon arrival time:9 a.m. to 1 p.m. – $5 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. – It’s FREE!Admission for kids under 15 is FREE all day!

The Seattle Bike Swap is coming up on Sunday, Feb. 12! If you’re in the market for a bike, equipment, or accessories, you won’t want to miss the Swap. This year will be the biggest event yet!

Now in its 16th year, the Seattle Bike Swap is a bike bargain hunter’s paradise with up to 100 vendors under the same roof. Buyers can look for great deals on new and used bike-related goods, from complete bikes to small parts. You never know exactly what vendors will bring to sell and what treasures you will find.

Are you looking for a great bike for an even better price? Check out the Bike Consign-ment area where profit proceeds support the Major Taylor Program (please see notice in this month’s newsletter).

Seattle Bike Swap: Sell your bike and help support the Major Taylor Project

Important Bike Swap Info:• Bikes to be sold on consignment will

be accepted the day of Bike Swap between 8 and 8:30 a.m.

• 10 percent of consignment proceeds go to the Major Taylor Project.

• Donated bikes can be dropped off at Cascade one week prior to Bike Swap.

• 100 percent of donated bike proceeds go to the Major Taylor Project.

• $10 to register bikes to be sold on consignment ($10 includes event admission).

• Any bikes not sold must be collected by seller at 2 p.m. (end of Swap) or bike becomes property of the Major Taylor Project.

• Consignment bikes must have ‘’Ask-ing’’ and ‘’Minimum’’ price.

Time/Location: Sunday, Feb. 12, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Seattle Center Exhibition Hall, 225 Mercer St. Seattle, WA 98109. Two blocks north of the Space Needle on Mercer St.

CASCADE PRESENTS

Going the Distance: Insights from Pacific Northwest CyclistsTuesday, Jan. 10 at 7 p.m.REI Seattle, 222 Yale Ave N, Seattle, WA

neur events.Mark will relate his passion for randonneu-

ring, or self-supported long distance cycling, which contrasts with the other presenters who will focus more on competitive events.

Mick Walsh is an ultra cyclist with a lengthy competitive resume that includes 1983 Irish Triathlon Champion, being a member of the 1987-89 Irish National Team, the 1999 Washington state Road Race cham-pion and Best All Around Rider, and the 2010 Race Across Oregon Solo Champion.

Mick has been racing bikes since he was a teen and will discuss how he transitioned from being strictly a road racer to now con-sidering himself an ultra distance competitor.

Whether you are merely curious about the personalities doing these kinds of events (are they really crazy?), are planning to do your first big event, or already have an addiction to distance events, our presentation will be both entertaining and informational.

The presentation will also include a few panel discussion topics and time for ques-tions from the audience.

Brian Ecker on the podium at the 2010 Furnace Creek 508.

Mick Walsh climbing the Yarnell Grade during the 2010 Race Across the West.

Chris Ragsdale and his sup-port team at the finish of the 2011 Paris-Brest-Paris

Mark Thomas with some randonneuring mates during the 2007 Paris Brest Paris.

Major Taylor Spin-A-ThonThursday, Feb. 16, 5 to 8 p.m. , Allstar Fitness, West Seattle

• NEW Sponsor-A-Spinner: collect dona-tions and keep you on the bike for three hours

• NEW Sponsor a Student-Spinner: di-rectly support a student on the bike

• NEW Match-A-Spinner: work for an organization that will match your support? Pledge your support and have your organization match your effort.

If you are not available to attend, you can still help the Major Taylor Project by send-ing a donation.

Get ready for a fun, exciting, and sweat-filled evening! To register and for more information, contact Emma Epstein, Major Taylor Project Outreach Program Assistant at [email protected], (206)957-6960.

Mail donations to: Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation, 7400 Sand Point Way NE, Suite 101S, Seattle, WA 98115. Please write “MTP Spin-a-thon” in the memo line on your check.

Come sweat and raise money at the Spin-a-Thon!

Creating your will? Revising your estate?Please consider including a gift to Cascade in your plans.

You’ve spent your years riding with the Club and helping us create

a better community through cycling. Ensure a legacy of bicycling for your children and grandchildren by remem-bering Cascade in your will. Whether you’d like your gift to go to teaching kids the joy of cycling or keeping our streets safe through advocacy, we’ll work with you to create a package that honors your interests and ensures that the programs you care about can continue to thrive long after you’re gone.

For more information and sample bequest language please contact Tarrell Wright, development director, at (206)240-2235.

PHOTO: Some rights reserved by woodleywonderworks

www.cascade.org4

January 2012

Are you passionate about bicycling? Do you have a desire to keep up-to-date on all things bicycle? Join Se-

attle’s Cascade Bicycle Club for fun Bicycle Ambassador outreach positions to increase public awareness of the Club, bicycling programs and bicycle safety issues.

Attend city and county events on bicycles to educate and to spread information about safe bicycling and bicycle commut-ing. Distribute bicycling information to city residents by bike. Help staff summer bicycle events (bike safety rodeos for kids, fairs, community events, helmet sales), set up “Bike to Market” information tables and facilitate “Energizer Stations”to support, encourage and engage bicyclists.

You must have an outgoing personality, bicycling experience, and be willing to initi-ate conversations with people to talk about bicycle safety. Knowledge of safe bicycling and cycling in Seattle desirable. Training and some equipment provided. See http://www.cbcef.org/ride-ambassadors.html for more information about our program.

DETAILS: 10-15 hours/week, must be able to work at least one weekend day and

On Saturday, Feb. 4 from 3 to 5 p.m., Cycle U will host a Team High Performance Open House

at the Cycle U West Seattle store. The shop is located at 4550 Fauntleroy Way SW. The party is for team members, their friends, and anybody else who would like to learn more about Cascade’s High Performance Cycling program. Light refreshments will be served.

Besides socializing, topics to be discussed include:What Team HPC is all about

Team benefits from our relationship with Cascade and Cycle U• 2012 Team goals and initiatives • Cycle U coaching clinics. Potential

clinic topics include pacelines, climb-ing, group ride safety, cornering and descending, etc.

• The team discount program includ-ing discounts on Specialized bikes and products, Felt, Garmin, Speed-play, etc.

• Fitness performance testing program for members.

2012 Ride scheduleFive years ago we announced the forma-

tion of a new program within the Cascade Bicycle Club. Cascade’s High Performance Cycling (HPC) was developed to match the interests and needs of cyclists who like to ride fast, hard, far, and climb hills, but without a racing focus. The HPC program is committed to helping strong cyclists chal-lenge themselves to improve their skills and fitness.

We teach bicycling to kids and adults to pass on our love of bicycling and to work at creating

a better community through bicycling.Some students, ages eight to ten, in

Cascade’s Basics of Bicycling program in the Edmonds School District, talked about how they felt:

Jamal: Today my class got to ride and I felt fresh in my clothes like I was on a hot air balloon. I felt fine steering and confident as we were riding beside traffic cones in a circle. It was awesome!

Anna: When I got on it first, I was a little scared; when I started I felt happy and the blood flowing in my body. The helmet felt like nothing. Biking in the gym was fun.

Melerie: At first, I was nervous, because I’d never been on a bicycle before and put my hands on the handlebars, it felt kind of slippery. I then feel I’m safe because I had a helmet on, but I felt frightened. Once I got the hang of it, I started to ride it with my feet on the pedals. When I go straight home, I am going to ask Mommy and Daddy to buy me a bike!

Toby: Today my class got to ride bicycles in PE. When I got on I knew it was going to be easy, but I went slow so I could see how to adjust my next turn. I had a great time!

Sadie: I learned how to ride a bike!I love the comment above about feeling

like being on a hot air balloon – we provide excitement and fun in our programs while teaching safety and skills. Our programs this year reached more than 26,000 students, 900 adults with classes, and 3,000 people of

Now hiring: Bicycle Ambassadors

Bicycle Ambassadors help spread the joy of bicycling throughout the community. Join the team!

two days per week through summer. Dates: Training in March; position runs mid-April through Aug. 30. These are paid positions.Mail or email resume and cover letter by Feb. 6 to Serena Lehman: [email protected] Bicycle Club Education Foundation7400 Sand Point Way NE, Suite 101SSeattle, WA 98115

Highlights of the year in bicycle education by Julie Salathe, Education Director

all ages with helmet sales and giveaways.In the last several years Cascade has made

a big effort to reach out to groups that have fewer resources for biking and less oppor-tunity to bike. Programs include the Major Taylor Project (high school bicycle clubs for disadvantaged and low-income stu-dents – see the December Courier for more details), Trips for Kids Seattle (mountain bike trips for disadvantaged kids), the Scrapers programs for students in the low-income and transitional housing at Magnuson Park (students learn maintenance skills while earning bikes that they decorate). Cascade also sponsored CANBIKE Seattle – Lose the Training Wheels Camp, a joint project of Northwest Special Families and the Down Syndrome Community, to teach individu-als with disabilities to ride conventional two wheel bicycles and become lifelong indepen-dent riders.

We continue to expand summer camps, including mountain bike camps at Duthie Hill Park and Wheelie Fun camps for ages five to eight, as well as providing assemblies and safety talks for schools and groups. Bike Skillz and Thrillz rodeos continue to be popular, and Bike to School Month and Day has great participation.

Bicycling is, according to Brandon, one of our Edmonds students, “The best thing ever!”

Thanks to Janice Corbett, member of Edmonds Bicycle Advocacy Group and Lynda Fisher, principal of Madrona K-8 in Edmonds, for compiling the quotes.

High Performance Cycling open house and kickoff partyby Tom Meloy and David Longdon, Cascade members

HPC riders should:• Be committed to improving their fit-

ness and cycling skills.• Be able to, or desire to ride at the

Cascade strenuous effort level.• Possess the endurance to ride over 50

miles.• Be comfortable with, or desire to mas-

ter paceline riding techniques.Cascade and Cycle U offer an HPC team

program with a focus on High Performance Cycling, not racing.

Cycle University focuses on teaching riders of all levels how to improve rapidly. It is run by former pro Craig Undem and a staff of professional coaches. Cycle U offers everything from private lessons to indoor spin classes, and is also a Specialized and Felt Dealer.

For more information, or to sign up and join the team, see the High Performance Cycling page listed under Daily Rides at www.cascade.org, or the Team Page at www.CycleU.com. You can also sign up at the party on Feb. 4. The cost is $100 per year. Cascade membership is required, as well as the purchase of a team jersey.

Our primary goal for 2012 is to continue developing “HPC Powered by Cycle U” as an entity that offers a fun way to not only improve your cycling, but to do it in the company of professional coaches, and other riders with similar interests.

We hope to see you at Cycle U. Look for HPC team members in their team jerseys, and feel free to ask them more about the program.

Get the latest news online•Stories,updatesandhappeningsarepostedregularlytothe

Cascade Bike Blog: blog.cascade.org

•LikeusonFacebook:www.facebook.com/cascadebicycleclub

•FollowusonTwitter:www.twitter.com/cascadebicycle

•TheCascade Courier is now published online at www.issuu.com/cascadebicycleclub.

•Ifyouwishtoopt-outofreceivingthepaperversionoftheCourier, give us a ring at (206) 522-3222, and we’ll help you out.


Vol. 42, No. 1

Ride Leader CertificationThursday, Jan. 5 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at the Cascade Office Class size will be limited to 15, and you must be registered to attend.

Have you cycled on five or more Cascade Free Daily Rides this year or last? Would you like to lead your own rides? Become a certified Cascade Ride Leader!

Attend our next training sessions. To register, email [email protected] with your name, member number, phone (work, home, or cell). Find more information on becoming a Ride Leader at http://www.cascade.org/EandR/Ride_Leader_Info.cfm

Questions? Email [email protected]

Cascade Bicycle Club Ride ClassificationFOR MORE RIDES SEE WWW.CASCADE.ORG AND CLICK ON FREE DAILY RIDES CALENDAR. LOOK FOR WEB-ONLY LISTINGS.In order to pick the rides that suit your skills and energy level, use the following guidelines:• PACE: The speed on level ground without breaks:

Easy: Under 10 mph Leisurely: 10-12 mph Steady: 12-14 mph Moderate: 14-16 mph Brisk: 16-18 mph Strenuous: 18-21 mph Super Strenuous: 22+ mph

• TERRAIN: These descriptions should be considered in the context of the pace and length of the ride:

Mostly Flat: Trails and/or mostly flat roads with a possible gentle upgradeRolling: Climbs are short and easy, not too numerous.Some Hills: A few short steep hills, some moderate upgrades and/or longer gentle climbs.

Hilly: Many true hills, but none outrageous.Extremely Hilly: Steep & long climbs with grades >9% and/or mountain passesUnlimited: “Out of category”; only for those very sure of their ability to climb any grade, any length at the advertised pace. Off Road: Significant unpaved sections.

• MAP: Whether a map or cue sheet is provided.

• REGROUP: None and Occasional regroup categories expect experienced riders who can fix their own mechanical problems and follow a map/cue sheet if they are separated.

• RAIN: Weather conditions that cancel the ride.

Helmets are required on all rides. When using a cell phone you must pull off the road/trail and STOP. Put away all earbuds/headphones/music devices before the ride starts.

All riders are required to sign a waiver form. Rides are cancelled or are no longer considered Cascade rides in the event that the ride leader does not show up or does not provide a waiver form for signatures of riders. Riders are expected to be ready to ride at the time listed (i.e. that’s not the time to drive

into the parking lot with a full bladder and empty tires) and to ride in a safe, courteous, legal manner. Riders are expected to cooperate with the leader(s) and ride within the advertised pace. If unsure of your ability to keep up, try a slower level ride to get an idea of ride paces. For “Hilly” rides, consider choosing a pace down from your usual level. Unless indicated, it is not necessary to RSVP the ride leader to participate in a ride.

Riders should: be able to ride at a strenuous effort level on the flats and in the hills; possess the endurance to ride more than 50 miles; be comfortable with, or have desire to, master paceline riding techniques.

Youth riders may also join regular club rides. Permission must be obtained from the ride leader at least 24 hours in advance for youth to join a regular club ride. Children 15 and under must be accompanied by parent or legal guardian OR must have parent/legal guardian sign a consent form designating a guardian for them on the ride; youth ages 16-17 may ride without a parent or guardian

with advance permission of the ride leader AND a signed parental consent form (available at www.cascade.org) which must be given to the ride leader at the start of the ride.

Cascade does not sponsor or endorse any non-bicycling activities that people may participate in while on these rides. Each cyclist is responsible for his/her conduct and decisions while on a Cascade ride.

Cascade membership and activities are open to anyone able and willing to participate in a safe, courteous and cooperative manner and in support of the purposes of the club. Ride information is also available at: www.cascade.org. Only Cascade certified ride leaders may post and lead Cascade Daily Rides. See Ride Leader Information on our website or email the Rides Chair at [email protected].

JANUARY RIDESFor a complete list of this month’s rides, visit www.cascade.org/calendar and look for web-only posts.

Sunday, Jan 1Please check the Cascade Internet Daily Rides Calendar for possible WEB-ONLY ride listings.

Monday, Jan 2

MUMPS: Do The Lake40-60mi•Moderate•Hilly•NoMap•Frequentregroup•10a.m.•TracyOwenStation/LogboomPark,Kenmore•Steadyraincancels•CraigMohn,425-890-5234cell, 425-313-3669

The basic route is a counterclockwise loop of north Lake Washington with a food stop en route. If the Burke-Gilman Trail closure is still in effect, the option to join the group in Leschi will be somewhat later than usual - contact the ride leader for more details. Distance and route may vary to suit weather conditions and group. A brisk pace group may be added only if a certified ride leader volunteers to lead it. Check with leader if weather appears questionable.

TueSday, Jan 3

TREATS: No Treats todayJan Johnson, 425-672-0617

Treats is taking a holiday break. See you next week.

WedneSday, Jan 4

WRUMPS: Does Monroe40mi•Moderate•Hilly•Map•Occasionalregroup•10a.m.•LewisParkinMonroe•Steadyraincancels•SueMatthews,206-687-9338

Let’s go to the Sultan Bakery - but before we get there we’ll earn their generous meals. Plan on a hilly ride - pace slows dramatically going up - but up we will go! Route NOT tandem friendly. Weather may dictate route change. No sweep.

ThurSday, Jan 5

Northern Exposures30mi•º•Hilly•Map•Occasionalregroup•11a.m.•18021AlderwoodMallPkwy•Steadyraincancels•KenCondray,425-745-1159, [email protected]

Meet at 11 a.m. at Gregg’s Cycle at 18021 Alderwood Mall Pkwy. Take I-5 north to Exit 183 and go left on 164th St SW to Alderwood Mall Pkwy. Take another left to Alderwood Cycle located on left across from the Keg. (DO NOT PARK IN FRONT OF SHOP). Use

spaces by street and south parking lot. We will do a 30-mile ride at Steady/Moderate pace. Moderate to high traffic is expected, good biking skills required! Contact [email protected] if have any questions.

More Cycle Tuesdays 25-35mi•Super strenuous•Somehills•NoMap•Occasionalregroup•5:45p.m.•GeneCoulonPark/NexttoKiddValley,Renton•Ice/snowcancels•TomBaker,425-221-0631,[email protected]•BrianOhlemeier,425-985-6980 cell

Year-round training rides for one day STP riders. Rides stress safety, cooperation and group riding skills. Fast pacelines with regroups from Renton to surrounding areas. Large turnout splits into multiple groups. ** No parking in Coulon parking lot. Lights required.

RIDE LEADER CERTIFICATION6:30p.m.•CBCOffice,7400SandPointWay NE, Bldg 138, Seattle

Did you cycle on 5 or more Free Daily Cascade Rides this year or last? Would you like to lead your own? Become a certified Cascade Ride Leader. Attend our training session (pizza included). Please first read the basic requirement list on the Ride Leader Information page on our website: http://www.cascade.org/EandR/Ride_Leader_Info.cfm. RSVP three or more days prior to the class to [email protected] with your name, member number, phone (work, home or cell). We’ll order pizza and soft drinks, and make up packets by this RSVP list. If 3 or more RSVP’s have not been received by 3 days prior, the class will be cancelled. Bring pen/pencil and a list of the 5 most recent Cascade Free Daily Rides which you have participated in. Any cancellations at the last minute should phone the office at 206-522-3222. Questions? Email [email protected]

Friday, Jan 6

FRIDAY RIDERS: Go to Queen Anne/Magnolia etc.

25-30mi•Leisurely•Hilly•NoMap•Frequentregroup•10a.m.•GasWorksPark,Seattle•Ice/snowcancels•BillLemke,206-284-2843

Explore some Queen Anne and Magnolia neighborhoods on and off the Boulevards and the Ship Canal connecting trail. There will be a restaurant lunch/snack stop. Senior, new, and slower paced riders are welcome. We will ride very slowly uphill and wait for walkers.

FRUMPS: Monroe to Snohomish30mi•Moderate•Hilly•Map•Occasionalregroup•10a.m.•LewisStreetPark,Monroe•Steadyraincancels•SueMatthews,206-687-9338

Just a little loop from Monroe to Snohomish. Although short, plan on a hilly route. Pace decreases rapidly on hills. We will have a short food stop in Snohomish.

SaTurday, Jan 7

Saddletime I115mi•Strenuous•Mostlyflat•Map•Staytogether•6:30a.m.•NE65thStPark&RideunderI-5,Seattle•Ice/snowcancels• Gil Flanagan, 206-524-9428, [email protected]

Stay in shape. Ride through the winter. This is the flattest ride in this series. We’ll ride to Leschi, Bicentennial Park and south in the Kent Valley to Orting for lunch, returning on rural roads east of Lake Tapps. About 2500 feet total vertical. Pace 18 to 19 mph flat no wind effort level. Sunrise 7:57 a.m., Sunset 4:33 p.m. Estimated return to start is 5 p.m. Lights required. We will try to paceline if it is dry. We will stop for flats. Lunch is at the Around the Corner Café. Ride to the start or join us at Leschi or Bicentennial Park. We will leave 65th promptly at 6:30 a.m.

Saddletime II101mi• Strenuous •Mostlyflat•Map•Staytogether•7:15a.m.•LeschiStarbucks,121LakesideAve,Seattle•Ice/snowcancels•GilFlanagan,206-524-9428,[email protected]

We had a beautiful day for this ride last year, and we were able to paceline most of the ride. We’ll do the 1st Ave S bridge in the morning and come back over Skyway. Total elevation gain for the ride is about 2000 ft. We’ll paceline if it is dry. The only hill on the loop south of Bicentennial is up South Prairie Rd out of South Prairie. Lunch will be at the Around the Corner Café in Orting. Sunrise 7:57 a.m., Sunset 4:33 p.m. Estimated return to start is 4:30 p.m. Lights are required. Ride to the start from Mercer Island or Bellevue. We will leave promptly at 7:15 a.m.

Saddletime III73mi•Strenuous•Mostlyflat•Map•Staytogether•8:30a.m.•BicentennialPark,Tukwila•Ice/snowcancels•GilFlanagan,206-524-9428, [email protected]

We’ll ride south in the Kent valley to Orting for lunch, return on rural roads east of Lake Tapps; over 30 miles on paved trails; about 1100 feet of vertical. Biggest climb is 230 feet on South Prairie Rd. at less than 6% grade. The payoff is a good run down Kersey Way. A 10-minute rest stop is planned at mile 19.5 and mile 57.3. We will stop for flats, etc. Estimated return to start is 3:15 p.m. The effort level will be 18 or 19 mph, on the flat, no wind. Cue sheets provided. Bicentennial Park is on the Green River Trail, just east of Southcenter. If you are driving take Exit 1 off of I-405 and go south on Interurban Ave/West Valley Hwy, then turn right on Strander Blvd. The park is on the right, right after the bridge. Unfortunately the bathrooms

may not be open at the start. Starbucks is 2 blocks west. Ride to the start, leave your car at home. We plan to leave at 8:30 a.m.

Country Rides: Winter Training Series #1

36mi•Moderate•Hilly•Map•None•9a.m.•SammamishValleyCycle(cornerof 85th St and 164th Ave in downtown Redmond)•Ice/snowcancels•RalphandCarol Nussbaum, 206-783-6450

This is the first of this year’s eight Winter Training Series Rides hosted jointly by Cascade and the Seattle Randonneurs. For full description of the Winter Training Series and Randonneuring see our article in the January edition of the Courier or go to the Seattle Randonneurs website (Seattlerando.org). Though there will be certified ride leaders out on the course, these are self-paced and self-guiding rides with friendly encouragement and lots of camaraderie. THERE ARE NO REGROUPS OR SWEEPS IN THIS SERIES. Please be at the start for sign-in no later 8:30 a.m. All rides start promptly at 9 a.m. We have a new route this year. The ride starts at Sammamish Valley Cycle in Redmond and goes up Novelty to Old Woodinville-Duval Rd and into Carnation where we will take a break at Sandy’s Espresso and then return over Tolt and Union Hills to Redmond for some hot cider and cookies at Sammamish Valley Cycle. At the east end of SR-520 take the Redmond-Fall City Road/SR-202 exit; turn left onto SR-202/Redmond Fall City Road/Redmond Way; right on SR-202/164th Ave NE; the shop is at the corner of 85th Ave and 164th Ave. Please park at the Park and Ride at 83rd St and 161st Ave (2 blocks south, 2 blocks west), or QFC/Starbucks/Bella Bottega at 87th St and 161st Ave (2 blocks north, 2 blocks west) as there isn’t much parking available near the shop itself and this should be left for customers. For a Garmin-friendly map/directions, try: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=324697

Madison Park Bakery Danish & Coffee Run

40mi•Moderate•Somehills•OnlineMap•Frequentregroup•10:30a.m.•200MillAveSo.,Renton•Showerscancel•AlanLawrence, 425-891-7079, [email protected]

Ride starts at old Renton City Hall, 200 Mill Ave S and ride around the south part of Lake Washington before heading to Madison Park for a Danish and cup of coffee. Then we’ll cut across Mercer Island to return to the start. This will be a friendly ride; we’ll regroup at the top of all hills. NOTE: WE WILL ADHERE TO THE ADVERTISED PACE. Restrooms located near the start. Email or call morning of ride in case of bad weather. Sub-35 degrees cancels ride.

Sunday, Jan 8

Crepe Cruise25-35mi•Leisurely•Somehills•NoMap•Staytogether•9a.m.•GasWorksPark,Seattle•Steadyraincancels•DonMartin,206-363-9964

Come and join us with an empty stomach and $9.00. We head immediately to the nearby

www.cascade.org6

January 2012

JANUARY RIDES

Swedish Club for their Sunday pancake breakfast, then spend the rest of the day cruising the city working off all the Ham & Crepes we ate. If weather is questionable, check with leader.

Monday, Jan 9

MUMPS: Do The LakeSee MUMPS, 1/02

TueSday, Jan 10

TREATS: Winter on the Eastside~30mi•Steady•Hilly•Map•Occasionalregroup•10:30a.m.•JuanitaBeachPark•Showerscancel•JaneandDonVolta,425-828-0138, [email protected]

A HILLY ride in and out of Kirkland with a lunch stop. Route and distance are weather dependent. Ice/Snow also cancel.

WedneSday, Jan 11

WRUMPS: Kent to West Seattle45mi•Moderate•Somehills•Map•Occasionalregroup•10a.m.•RussellRoadPark,Kent•Showerscancel•JimTaylor,253-537-7356, 206-979-1941 cell

This is my traditional West Seattle to Kent route only we will do it in reverse and start in Kent. There will be a lunch stop in West Seattle at the eclectic Luna Park Cafe. Check the Cascade web site, “Ride Start Points,” for directions to Russell Rd. Park. If the weather is questionable check with the ride leader at 253-537-7356 or if no answer try cell phone at 206-979-1941. I will not be at the ride start to cancel the ride if weather not appropriate.

City Lakes & Trails32mi•Leisurely•Rolling•NoMap•Staytogether•10a.m.•MagnusonPark,7400SandpointWayNE,Seattle•Showerscancel•DonMartin,206-363-9964•DottieSmith,425-483-6586

An in-city loop ride on city streets and trails with rest/food stops. Includes a short (wide shoulder) section on Bothell Way NE and a short, steep downhill section of road. Meet and park in large parking lot at east end of NE 74th St. Please do not use parking near CBC offices. Leaders will be arriving by bike.

ThurSday, Jan 12

Northern ExposuresSee Northern Exposures, 1/5.

More Cycle Tuesdays See More Cycle Tuesdays, 1/5.

Friday, Jan 13

FRUMPS: Southern Exposure II30-40mi•Moderate•Somehills•NoMap•Staytogether•10a.m.•BrannanPark,Auburn•Showerscancel•JimTaylor,253-537-7356, 206-979-1941 cell

The ride will take us out the Green Valley Rd from Auburn, then up a steep climb as we head to the Green River Gorge and Black Diamond for lunch. For directions to Brannan Park, check the web site’s “Ride Start Points.” Call the ride leader to confirm the ride if the weather looks questionable. I will not go to the start point to cancel the ride.

SaTurday, Jan 14


50mi•Moderate•Somehills•Map•None•9a.m.•LakeForestParkShoppingCenter•Ice/snowcancels•RalphandCarolNussbaum, 206-783-6450

This is the second of this year’s 8 Winter Training Series Rides hosted jointly by Cascade and the Seattle Randonneurs. For full description of the Winter Training Series and Randonneuring go to the Seattle Randonneurs website (Seattlerando.org) and look for the WTS 2012 tab along the top. Though there will be a number of certified ride leaders out on the course, these are self-paced and self-guiding rides with friendly encouragement and lots of camaraderie. THERE ARE NO REGROUPS OR SWEEPS IN THIS SERIES. Please be at

thestartforsign-innolater•8:30a.m.Allrides start promptly at 9 a.m. This route is a brand new one starting in the Lake Forest Park Shopping Center. We start by heading north through Bothell, Brier, Montlake Terrace to Lake Martha and Silver Lake. From there it’s into Everett and then on to Snohomish via Ebbey Island and the Riverview Road. From Snohomish it’s back via Cathcart and Woodinville to Lake Forest Park. Coming from Seattle follow Lake City Way to the north end of Lake Washington to the Lake Forest Park Shopping Center at 17171 Bothell Way NE; drive all the way around the shopping center to the back (north) end. From I-5 take Exit 177 to Ballinger Way; follow main arterial for 2.8 miles to Lake Forest Park Shopping center on left. Please park on the north end of the shopping center near the Third World Book entrance. Sign-in will be at the Lake Forest Bar and Grill, 17535 Ballinger Way NE. For a Garmin-friendly map/directions, try: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=319139

Monday, Jan 16

MUMPS: Do The LakeSee MUMPS, 1/02.

TueSday, Jan 17

TREATS: Winter Roads and Trails Late Start

20-32mi•Steady•Rolling•NoMap•Frequentregroup•11a.m.•LogBoomPark,Kenmore•Showerscancel•JanJohnson,425-672-0617

ICY/SNOWY/FROSTY/FREEZING CONDITIONS ALSO CANCEL. Let’s hope for decent weather; it sometimes happens. A recreational ride sometimes on the road, sometimes on paved trail when necessary. There could be a hill and some traffic. Weather will determine the route. There will be a food stop.

WedneSday, Jan 18

WRUMPS: Magnuson Park-Edmonds36mi•Steady•Hilly•Map•Occasionalregroup•10a.m.•WarrenGMagnusonPark,7400SandPointWay,Seattle•Showerscancel•LorettaGoetsch,206-525-4714,[email protected]•Ice/snowcancel.Meetin lower/east large parking lot, NOT the one outside the Cascade Bike office. Food break in Edmonds.

ThurSday, Jan 19

Northern ExposuresSee Northern Exposures, 1/5.


Friday, Jan 20

FRUMPS: Licton Springs Ramble30-45mi•Moderate•Somehills•NoMap•Occasionalregroup•10a.m.•LictonSpringsPark,N.Seattle•Showerscancel•Dan Garretson, 425-985-8570

We will ride from Licton Springs to an unknown location. The location and distance will be determined by the weather. Licton Springs Park is at 9536 Ashworth Ave N in Seattle. Meet by the play ground. Ice or snow or a starting temperature below 40 degrees also cancels the ride.

SaTurday, Jan 21


63mi•Brisk•Moderate•Hilly•Map•9a.m.•StanwoodHaggensShoppingCenter/SE corner of Intersection of Hwy 532 and 72ndAveNW•Ice/snowcancels•Ralphand Carol Nussbaum, 206-783-6450

This is the third of this year’s eight Winter Training Series Rides hosted jointly by Cascade and the Seattle Randonneurs. For full description of the Winter Training Series and Randonneuring go to the Seattle Randonneurs website (Seattlerando.org). Though there will be certified ride leaders on the course, these are

self-paced and self-guiding rides with friendly encouragement and lots of camaraderie. THERE ARE NO REGROUPS OR SWEEPS IN THIS SERIES. Please be at the start for sign-in no later 8:30 a.m. All rides start promptly at 9 a.m. This is also an SIR Populaire. If you plan to participate make sure you bring a pen to fill out your Control card! For more information on Populaires go to the SIR website. Beautiful, low traffic, and rolling route around Camano Island, including a dip down to Camano Island Park. Be sure to bring some extra water and food as services on the island are limited, but there is a Starbucks and deli at the Haggens awaiting our return. To get to Stanwood, take I-5 north. Take Hwy 532 west (towards Stanwood and Camano Island). Go 4.5 miles. When you see a large, modern shopping center on your left, this is the start. We’ll be in Haggens parking lot–please park in the part of the lot furthest from the store and nearest to McDonalds.

Sunday, Jan 22

Bellevue/Issaquah/Mercer Island Loop37mi•Moderate•Somehills•OnlineMap•Frequentregroup•10a.m.•NewcastleBeachPark•Showerscancel•AlanLawrence,425-891-7079, [email protected]

The ride will start at Newcastle Beach Park (405 to Exit 9-Turn West towards lake and take a right to park). We’ll go out May Valley Road to Issaquah, up Newport Road and then around Mercer Island for a friendly, winter ride. Frequent regroupings. Strictly moderate. Rain, snow, ice or sub-32 degree temperature cancels ride. Call the ride leader in the morning to confirm if weather looks questionable.

S.P.O.K.E.S. (Sunday Pedalers On Kinda Easy Streets) Cinnamon Rolls or Bust

~20mi•Leisurely•Somehills•Map•Frequentregroup•Noon•LoehmannsPlazain Factoria-corner of SE 36th ST & 128th AveSE•Steadyraincancels•MichelleBurton, 425-890-4936 cell

We will start at Loehmanns Plaza in Factoria, gathering at the Starbucks near QFC. We’ll head towards Seattle on the I-90 Trail, take a loop around part of Mercer Island and then continue to the end of the I-90 trail. Brunch will be Hi Spot Cafe (1410 34th Ave). Our return will be straight back along the I-90 Trail. Whatever direction you are coming down I-90 towards Factoria, turn into Loehmanns Plaza at corner of SE 36th ST & 128th AVE SE in Bellevue.

Monday, Jan 23


TueSday, Jan 24

TREATS: Gas Works to Edmonds30-35•Steady•Hilly•Map•Staytogether•10a.m.•GasWorksPark,Seattle•Ice/snowcancels•PeterHallson,425-673-4816Let’s go for lunch in Edmonds.

WedneSday, Jan 25

City Lakes & TrailsSee City Lakes & Trails, 1/23.

WRUMPS: Woodinville to Snohomish for Lunch

43mi•Moderate•Somehills•Map•Occasionalregroup•10a.m.•Woodinville(seebelow)•Steadyraincancels•KenCondray, 425-745-1159, [email protected]

Join Ken for a moderate 43-mile ride from Woodinville to Snohomish for lunch and continuing on lower Snohomish River Rd before returning by way of Lowell River Rd through Mill Creek to Woodinville. Drive north or south on I-405 and take 522 toward Monroe; take first exit, 131st Ave NE, and go right crossing 175th St and continuing for about 3 blocks; park on left side by soccer fields. Contact Ken if you have any questions.

ThurSday, Jan 26


Friday, Jan 27

FRUMPS: Bellevue-Redmond Loop40mi+/-•Steady•Hilly•NoMap•Occasionalregroup•10a.m.•RobinswoodPark,Bellevue•Showerscancel•JackCrumley,425-746-5321•GeorgeMeredith,425-823-4924 This ride will take us through some of Bellevue’s residential areas, past Microsoft, then down to Redmond. We’ll climb over Education Hill, ride through Farrel McWhirter Park, go south on East Lake Sammamish PKWY to Issaquah then up SE Newport Way and back to the start. The exact route is yet to be determined but plan on something in the 40-mile range with a few steeper hills. Ice/Snow also cancel. To find Robinswood Park take I-90: for those coming from the west use Exit 11B toward 148th Ave SE; for those coming from the east take Exit 11 toward 156th Ave SE then follow the signs to 148th Ave SE; go north on 148th Ave SE then turn Right on SE 22nd St, then right into Robinswood Park’s north parking lot.

SaTurday, Jan 28Country Rides: Winter Training Series #470mi•Brisk•Hilly•Map•9a.m.•TopFoodsParkingLot/Snohomish•Ice/snowcancels•RalphandCarolNussbaum,206-783-6450 This is the fourth of this year’s eight Winter Training Series Rides hosted jointly by Cascade and the Seattle Randonneurs. For full description of the Winter Training Series and Randonneuring go to the Seattle Randonneurs website (Seattlerando.org) and look for the WTS 2012 tab along the top. Though there will be certified ride leaders on the course, these are self-paced and self-guiding rides with friendly encouragement and lots of camaraderie. THERE ARE NO REGROUPS OR SWEEPS IN THIS SERIES. Please be at the start for sign-in no later 8:30 a.m. All rides start promptly at 9 a.m. This is a counterclockwise loop from Snohomish to Marysville via Ebby Island, then north via Happy Valley and Sylvana to Arlington and then back along beautiful Burn Road to Machias and back to Snohomish. From SR-9 take the 2nd St exit and continue east to Ave D. Continue approx. 1 mile to Top Foods at 1301 Ave D, Snohomish. Please park in the SW corner of the large lot–away from the store. For a Garmin-friendly map/directions, try: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=324697

Sunday, Jan 30


Monday, Jan 31

TREATS: Ride to Alki33mi•Steady •Somehills•NoMap•Staytogether•10a.m.•GasWorksPark,Seattle•Ice/snowcancels•DavidBordewick,425-822.8546, [email protected]

Rain also cancels. Ride from Gas Works Park to Alki for Lunch-bring $. We’ll ride over Capitol Hill and Sodo to Alki and return via Waterfront/New Ship Canal Trail.


Vol. 42, No. 1

Found: An ally in trail safety, the Blakely Manor residentscontinued from page 1

Event registration for 2012continued from page 1

and make the Burke-Gilman Trail a friendlier and safer place for all users.

Throughout this project, one of the things which has been most surprising to me is the warmth and welcoming treatment we have received from the residents, despite the na-ture of their complaints. At our first meeting, I have to admit I was a little nervous about how residents would react, and whether things would devolve in to a blame game in which Cascade was the obvious scapegoat. Al-most exactly the opposite happened; however, although we certainly heard our fair share of complaints and stories about less-than-stellar interactions with bicyclists, all comments were given respectfully, and with a side of delicious homemade pastries generously of-fered by our hosts. As we were leaving, one of the residents informed us that this was one of the best meetings they had ever had, and we were escorted to the door (and our bikes) by a lovely gentlemen named Mike.

For me, it was inspiring to see how quickly the residents accepted us as allies instead of simply lumping us in with the “fast and fearless” group of cyclists they have such a negative feeling about. I am really looking forward to working with the Blakely Manor residents over the course of my AmeriCorps term, and hope we can transform their image of cyclists from flying shapes in black spandex to the friendly, accessible and safety-minded folks that I know we are!

In the meantime, please take extra care to pass the Blakely Manor area (2401 Blakely) with extra caution, and keep your eyes out for Mike, Betty and the other older users of the Burke-Gilman Trail. With your help, our trail safety efforts will transform a negative perception into positive reality.

Interested in volunteering with this project? Contact Erica at [email protected].

tration for the 2012 regional tours, RSVP1 and RSVP2 will be handled by a lottery system. Each lottery will remain open for ap-plication for several weeks, and you must be a member to participate in the lotteries. You can enter a lottery at any time until it closes, and there is no advantage to registering on the first day. Lottery draws will be random.

We know you want to do these events with your friends and family members. The RSVP

lotteries will allow you to have up to six cur-rent members per entry. Regional tours will allow up to four per entry. This way, if your lottery entry is drawn, everyone in your party will get into the event.

We expect RSVP1, RSVP2 and the re-gional tours to sell out during the lottery. In order to participate in the lottery and advance registration dates, your Cascade membership must be current.

www.cascade.org8

January 2012

DATE: September 15 - 23, 2012GROUP SIZE: 8 min., 12 max.COST: $3,150 per personSingle Supplement $300ITINERARY: 9 days / 8 nights

Africa Rides offers an exclusive opportu-nity to connect with World Bicycle Relief recipients while experiencing the spirit of ingenuity and hope that comes with a bicycle. During this ten-day adventure you will partner with assemblers to build your own bike which you will then ride along-side entrepreneurs, healthcare workers, and students as you learn their stories and see the profound impact two wheels can make in rural Zambia. This unparalleled access paired with a world class safari excursion provides a truly life changing experience you will cherish forever.

HIGHLIGHTS: • Build a World Bicycle Relief bike

with a local assembler• Learn how bicycles are being used

to create thriving businesses in rural Zambia

• Experience a one-of-kind distribution ceremony at a local school

• Witness the difference a bicycle makes for a girl student as you jour-ney with her to and from school

• Discover the beauty of Africa with a safari adventure at the close of your trip

GENERAL ITINERARY

SEPT. 15 | ARRIVE IN LUSAKA, ZAMBIAArrival in Zambia | Welcome reception and dinner at portico italian restaurant

Arrive in Lusaka during the day and World Bicycle Relief staff will meet you at the Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka and transfer you to our Lusaka hotel. In the evening we will have a trip ori-entation briefing followed by cocktails and a Welcome Dinner.

SEPT. 16 | VISIT COMMUNITY PROJECT AND SUNDAY CRAFT MARKETSunday craft market | Dinner at World Bicycle Relief house

We will visit a local community project such as the Chikumbuso Women and Or-phans Project, a program based in an urban slum on the outskirts of Lusaka. Through education and micro-enterprise, Chikumbu-so creates opportunities and provides hope. Their projects include a training program, school and micro-enterprise development. We will spend some time here interacting with women and children from the sur-rounding area. Later we visit the Sunday craft market for an opportunity to purchase Zambian handicrafts.

With more than 70 languages spoken throughout Zambia, song and dance often break language barriers and welcome people. Tonight, traditional drummers and danc-ers will welcome the group as you enjoy a Braii (African barbeque dinner) at the World Bicycle Relief House.

SEPT. 17 | PROGRAM ORIENTATIONTour of World Bicycle Relief assembly plant | World Bicycle Relief bicycle build

Your day starts with a tour of the World Bicycle Relief Assembly Plant to meet the people who have built more than 40,000 bicycles since our inception in Zambia! While there you will visit the World Bicycle Relief offices to meet with a representative of World Bicycle Relief. Not only will you re-ceive an in-depth overview of our work, you will also learn about our dynamic partner-ships. After lunch you will assemble the very bicycles you’ll be riding in the field. Once the bicycles are built, we will return to the hotel for refreshment and relaxation before a delicious dinner out with the group.

SEPT. 18 | COMMUNITY SITE VISIT – CAREGIVERSMeet HIV/AIDS caregivers and ride World Bicycle Relief bikes to client households

Today, you will put the World Bicycle Relief bicycle you built yesterday to the test! Together with HIV/AIDS caregivers, you will ride through rural Zambian villages where you will see how clients are cared for and hear firsthand stories of people living with HIV/AIDS. You’ll see how a bicycle can literally provide a lifeline to those suffering from HIV/AIDS, a disease that affects more than 14.3% of the Zambian population.

SEPT. 19 | COMMUNITY SITE VISIT – EDUCATIONDistribute bicycles to students

Rise and shine! Today you will get an early start, as many Zambians do, and shuttle to a school in a typical rural district with tall grasses, dirt roads and small villages. Most children in this region walk 1-5 miles to school, each way. Once at school, you will take part in a very special bicycle distribu-tion ceremony designed to give bicycles to young students. After equipping the children with their new wheels, you will ride home with a selected few and see how a bicycle makes it possible for many more children to attend school. You will also get a glimpse into the young peoples’ home lives and their daily chores of collecting water and fire-wood.

SEPT. 20 | COMMUNITY SITE VISIT – MICROFINANCERide WBR Bike To Meet Micro-Enterprise Clients | WBR Celebration Dinner

Today you will see firsthand how bikes can create businesses by meeting local entrepreneurs who have built businesses using a WBR bike bought with the help of a microloan. Celebrate with the group and World Bicycle Relief staff before heading out on safari the next morning.

SEPT. 21 | MFUWE, ZAMBIAZambia safari | Mfuwe Lodge game drive

This morning you will depart Lusaka for our safari. South Luangwa National Park is the Luangwa Valley’s most accessible and popular park, with the highest concentration of game in Africa. Famed for its seclusion and natural beauty, this is one of the premier wilderness areas in Africa and you will expe-rience a bounty of animal and birdlife.

You will enjoy an afternoon game drive and then return to camp for a gourmet meal. After dinner, be sure to bring your binoculars and partake in a night drive for an opportunity to spot a lion and/or hippo-potamus grazing on the tall grasses during the evening.

SEPT. 22 | MORNING GAME DRIVE | AFTERNOON GAME DRIVEZambia safari | Mfuwe Lodge game drive

Today offers a second chance for you to enjoy the abundant wildlife in Luangwa Valley. The park is renowned for its pro-lific game –giraffe, buffalo, antelope and crocodile are constant visitors to the Mfume Lodge lagoon. Guests can sometimes see el-ephants coming through the reception area! Your morning starts with an early game drive, followed by a few hours rest and a lovely lunch. In the afternoon you will have another opportunity for a game drive before your farewell dinner.

SEPT. 23 | DEPART FROM ZAMBIAToday you will travel from the Luangwa

Valley to Lusaka for your departure flight. Please make sure your departure flight from Lusaka is scheduled after 1 p.m.

ACCOMMODATIONSOUTHERN SUN RIDGEWAY | LUSAKA, ZAMBIA (CENTRAL ZAMBIA)

Southern Sun Ridgeway Lusaka is set in attractive gardens and conveniently located in Lusaka’s business district, close to embassies and government offices, and only 27km from the airport. The guest rooms are tastefully furnished and offer every modern facility, including free wireless internet.Church Road | +260 211 251666 | www.SouthernSun.com

MFUWE LODGE | MFUWE, ZAMBIA (CENTRAL ZAMBIA)

Mfuwe Lodge is an Award winning safari lodge set in the most prolific game area of the South Luangwa. It is the perfect place to enjoy excellent game viewing, recharge your batteries at the Bush-Spa, or savor the

memories of your visit to Zambia.Mfuwe Lodge |+260 216-246-041| www.mfuwelodge.com

BIKINGThis trip is about the Power of Bicycles

and the impact bicycles have on the lives of students, healthcare workers, entrepreneurs and their communities. You will be shar-ing their biking experiences while riding specially-designed durable and rugged World Bicycle Relief bicycles. During our trip, you will assemble your own bike and use this bike to ride with students and healthcare workers as they make their way to their homes, school and patients. Since you will be building your own bike (with the assis-tance of our mechanics) you can adjust the bike fittings for your personal requirements.

During the trip there are several opportu-nities to ride your newly assembled World Bicycle Relief bike and these casual rides will be approximately 10 kilometers on flat, unpaved and uneven terrain.

TRIP INCLUSIONS• Accommodation for 8 nights (Lusaka

hotel may vary)• All Meals & Beverages ( Dinner x 8,

Lunch x 7, Breakfast x 8, snacks and water)

• Internal flights within Zambia• Airport transfers and luggage as-

sistance• English speaking driver and guides• Laundry while at Mfuwe Lodge• All tipping

TRIP EXCLUSIONS• International airfare to/from Lusaka• Visa fee• Airport departure fees• Pre and Post Trip lodging, meals and

activities• Personal items purchased during the

trip• Laundry while in Lusaka

Cascade Africa Rides: Experience the power of bicycles

Member of Cascade Bicycle Club, Bicycle Alliance of Washington and the League of American Bicyclists. Sponsor of Fischer Plumbing, Thumbprint Racing, Bikesale.com, Recycled Cycles Racing,

Garage Racing, Cucina Fresca, Blue Rooster Racing, Starbucks and Lakemont Cycling Teams.


Vol. 42, No. 1

It’s been a tremendous year for our newly crafted Policy, Planning and Govern-ment Affairs Department. We’ve made

great bike-friendly changes and progress in our communities, setting ourselves up for an even better 2012. I’ll take a Letterman ap-proach here in giving you the top 10 of 2011 (cue music):

#10: The United States government still recognizes bicycling.

In yet another extension of the federal transportation bill, funding for bicycle infrastructure was kept at current levels. Not enough for many of us (about one percent of transportation funding), but far better than a reduction. We’ll see another fight in Janu-ary as the current bill (dating back to 2004, but extended over the years) expires and the House and Senate tackle another bill.

#9: State bicycle counts show that bikes still count.

In our fourth year of organizing state-wide bicycle and pedestrian counts, we’ve extended our reach. We’re now in more communities with more volunteers getting important data on bikes and pedestrians. After all, what’s not counted doesn’t count. Stay tuned for the results which should be ready early this year.

#8: Report: Biking in South Seattle can get much better.

Over the past two years, we’ve worked with the Duwamish Transportation Man-agement Association (DTMA) to come up with a report documenting the barriers to bicycling in SoDo, South Park, Georgetown and Tukwila. Guess what? There are some barriers—and likely there are some great opportunities. With what we’ve learned, we’ll be working with groups like the DTMA and the City of Seattle to make some progress in building safer bicycle infrastructure.

#7: We’re about to launch BizCycle.What is bike-friendly? How does an orga-

nization get there? We’ve spent a good part of 2011 trying to figure that out. And we’ll be launching BizCycle in early 2012: It’s a certification system for businesses to see how bike-friendly they are and it’s also a compan-ion best practices guide to show them how to make progress.

#6: We took on the Regional Council.Indeed, we believed that the Puget Sound

Regional Council’s transportation vision for the four-county region didn’t go nearly far enough for bikes and didn’t stack up against Washington’s climate law. In a bizarrely quick judgment only moments after the arguments were heard, the judge came down against us. But it sent a clear message: gov-ernments need to take bicycle infrastructure seriously. It’s now in appeal, so stay tuned.

#5: We write, we train, we win.

Through work with King County, we’ve literally writ-ten the book on Complete Streets, trained city leaders and staff with our Com-plete Streets Guide and are starting to pass complete streets ordinances—one just took effect in Burien. We also completed another similar guide and trainings and have a third and final one to go. The result: the six com-munities we’re working in will likely become far friendlier for bikes.

#4: We set a new record during Bike Month.

Another year, another record. This May, we had well over 10,000 people participate in the Group Health Commute Challenge. Double that came out on two wheels for Bike to Work Day. We continue to show that it’s one of the best days and months of the year to be on a bike: prizes, events and camarade-rie for everyone.

#3: 75 percent of bike-friendly en-dorsed candidates won election.

From Bellingham to Spokane and Ta-coma to Vancouver, we’re ensuring that bike-friendly candidates and measures move forward. We help elect these leaders because they can make a real difference on the road and trail for bikes. We did suffer a few losses this year, but we continue to grow our pro-gram and show that leaders need the support of the bicycling community to win.

#2: Vulnerable User Bill signed into law.

After three challenging years setting the stage, the Vulnerable User Bill was signed into law this year and takes effect on July 1, 2012. For the families and friends of those killed on the roadway—many of whom helped us get this bill passed—we’re able to ride a little easier knowing that justice will go beyond a traffic ticket.

#1: Burke-Gilman Legal Defense chalks up a third victory.

Again to the Hearing Examiner, again a victory. We anticipated yet another appeal from the Ballard Business Appellants and we got one. Arguments were heard by Superior Court Judge James Rogers on Dec. 16. We’re expecting another win and a chance to finally build this critical trail connection.

Thanks to our volunteers, activists and all of those (yes, you!) for writing for, attend-ing for, voting for and speaking for a vision where cycling is safe, convenient, reliable and viable for all of us. We couldn’t have done this work without you and we’re counting on you in 2012!

The Regional Tours Committee has planned ten tours for the 2012 sea-son, and due to the anticipated high

demand for these tours, registration will be held by lottery over two lottery sessions.

The lottery sessions will remain open for 16 days each, as indicated on the schedule below, and each tour will have a separate lot-tery. You can enter a lottery at any time until it closes. Since lottery draws are random, there is no advantage to registering on the first day.

Regional tours lotteries will allow up to four people per entry. This way, if your lot-tery entry is drawn, everyone in your party of up to four will get onto the tour. Also, each person’s name can only appear once in the lottery for a given tour; in other words, it will NOT be possible for one person to enter the lottery with more than one group or for the group to enter more than one time under different names.

2012 TOURSLottery Opens Wednesday, Jan. 25 and closes Friday, Feb. 10, 2012 for the follow-ing six tours:•Solvang California Spring Week (Inter-

mediate/Advanced) Meet 4/7, Ride 4/8 - 4/14

•Central California (Advanced/Intermedi-ate) Meet 4/27, Ride 4/28 - 5/5

•Yakima Hill Country (Intermediate/Ad-vanced) Meet 5/17, Ride 5/18 – 5/21

•Eastern Washington (Intermediate/Ad-vanced) Meet 5/31, Ride 6/1 – 6/4

•Willamette Valley Cruise (Steady) Meet 6/16, Ride 6/17 – 6/23

•Harrison Hot Springs Resort Tour (Steady) Meet 8/22, Ride 8/23 – 8/26 (note revised lottery date)

Lottery Opens Wednesday, Feb. 29 and closes Friday, Mar. 16 for the following four tours.• San Juan Islands (Steady) Meet 7/12,

Ride 7/13 – 7/16 • Trail of the Coeur d’Alene (Leisurely/

Steady) Meet 7/26, Ride 7/27 – 7/30• Glacier National Park (Intermediate/Ad-

vanced) Meet 8/3, Ride 8/4 – 8/11• Southern Utah National Parks (Inter-

mediate/Advanced) Meet 9/7 Ride 9/8 – 9/16

SELECTING YOUR TOUROur goal is to provide you with the

information needed to select the best tour for your skill level. You are truly the only one, however, who can determine the best tour for you. Please review the detailed tour descriptions at www.cascade.org then click on “Events & Rides” then “Club Tours.”

Tour RatingsLeisurely Tour: Mostly flat with an average of 1000 feet or less climbed per day and an average of less than 40 miles per day, with rolling or mostly flat terrain.Steady Tour: Usually less than an average of 2500 feet climbed per day and an average of less than 60 miles per day, with some hills.

Policy, Planning and Government Affairs 2011 wrap up: Top 10 listby John Mauro, Director of Policy, Planning and Government Affairs

Cascade Regional Tours 2012 seasonby the Regional Tours Committee

Intermediate Tour: More frequent hills, generally less than an average of 4000 feet climbed per day and an average of less than 75 miles per day and hilly. Advanced Tour: Frequent long climbs ex-ceeding an average of 4000 feet climbed per day and an average of 80 plus miles per day, and extremely hilly.

Note: Most of the tours are a mix of the above paces, and the ratings listed for those tours are in the order of primary pace first and secondary pace second. For example, the Solvang California Spring Week tour is an “intermediate/advanced” tour, which means that “intermediate” is the primary pace and “advanced” is the secondary pace. In other words, there are more intermediate days than advanced. For the Central California tour, which is advanced/intermediate, more days are advanced than intermediate.

Terrain definitionMostly flat: Trails and/or mostly flat roads with a possible gentle up gradeRolling: Climbs are short and easy, not too numerousSome hills: A few short, steep hills, some moderate up grades and/or longer gentle climbsHilly: Many true hills but none outrageous Extremely Hilly: steep and long climbs with grades >9% and/or mountain passes

To pick your tour, simply add up the miles and elevation gain for the tour, divide by the number of riding days, and select the terrain you will be riding. Below is an example.

Example:Coeur d’Alene Tour (Shortest day 16 miles, Longest day 63 miles)Total Miles 161 divided by 4 riding days = 40 mi. daily averageTotal elevation climbed 3310 = 827 ft. daily averageAverage miles and elevation = LeisurelyTerrain = Mostly flat

Are you ready for one of these tours? Select the tour(s) that interest you and answer the following questions:• Have you ridden the advertised average

mileage, elevation gain, and pace for two to three days in a row?

• Have you been riding regularly over the last year?

• Have you ridden in bad weather (rain, cold, and/or heat)?

• Will you have an opportunity to take some training rides before the tour?

• Do you like a challenge?The more effort you put in training for a

tour, the more enjoyable your tour will be. Please keep in mind your current cycling level and how much time you have to train. Tour leaders must always consider the needs of the group. SAG support is geared toward the advertised pace. Riders who outrun that pace may outrun support. In order to create the most enjoyable tour for the entire group, leaders may ask individuals who fall behind the group to take a short sag ride to catch up.

We want YOU to be a Ride Refereeby Robin Randels, Classes Coordinator

Calling all potential Ride Referees. The 2012 riding season is nearly upon us — and now is your chance to consider becoming a Ride Ref to help educate and remind your fellow event riders to remember their manners and ensure a safe riding season for everyone.

You don’t have to be super speedy or particularly bossy to participate – just pleasant, steady and assertive. If you reffed last year, we hope that you will return and bring along a friend or three in order to increase our numbers.

As a reward for your excellent efforts, you will receive free entry into the event that you are riding (buses and lodging not included). Ride one or all three -- Chilly Hilly, Flying Wheels and the STP. Refs attend a meeting in February, and group Riding Skills training. It’s tons-o-fun!

Contact: Robin Randels, (206) 390-3945, [email protected].

www.cascade.org10

January 2012

JANUARY VOLUNTEERS

CYCLIST OF THE MONTH

MILLIE MAGNER by Erica Meurk, Staff Writer

Age: 64Occupation: Freelance writer, retiredWheels: RW 800

I grew up in a bike shop,” Mil-lie Magner told me with a grin. And it’s true. Her dad owned a

franchise with Schwinn and Harley Davidson in the 1950s, combining his two hobbies by surrounding himself with both bicycles and motorcycles.

It’s clear that this apple didn’t fall too far from that tree. Millie showed up for our interview rosy-cheeked from the cold, wearing a bike jacket in high-visibility orange with lots of re-flective tape, helmet still on her head.

Before I even asked, Millie was out of the gate, telling me about her earli-est memory on a bike.

“I vividly remember being taught to ride by two older neighbor boys. They put me on a balloon-tired 26-inch bike, and I couldn’t reach the pedals or sit on the seat. I had to bob down on either side of the bike to pedal. I remember them running alongside me shouting, ‘Pedal, Millie, pedal!’”

Since her first ride on that ill-fitting bike, she’s moved on to a succession of others. She took a three-speed Schwinn Traveler on a two-week tour in the hot humidity of central Mis-souri. This was in the 1960s, when there were few women bicyclists. A decade later, she toured Nova Scotia in cut-off jeans for a month. There have been gaps in her bicycling history, but, she told me, “I’ve always had a bike.” She added with a smile, “I just haven’t always ridden.”

These days, she’s a “utilitarian cy-clist,” a habit she picked up when she moved to Seattle in the mid-eighties. She was teaching in Bremerton and realized that she could bike from the ferry. “When I started riding again, I remember riding through Myrtle Edwards Park toward Magnolia, think-ing, ‘Dad! I’m here! I’m on a bike!’ I felt a connection to him.”

“But my bike was a 1972 Chitane, which I had had since 1972,” she said. So when she got a job at Group Health and started bike commuting daily, she invested in a brand-new silver Marin hybrid. And she rode to work nearly every day for as long as she worked there.

At the time, bicycle commuters were few and far between. So I asked what kept her going. “Health, the environ-ment and saving money are the ben-efits you tell other people,” she said. “But the real reason I ride is because it feels good.

“A lot of people ride bikes as kids,” she continued. “The bicycle gives you a sense of freedom, and reconnects you to those positive emotions. Then you have to learn some of the other issues.”

Millie has spent a lot of time think-ing about those “other issues.” During her time at Group Health, she dispensed bike-commuting advice to colleagues across departments. “People came to me for help because I was the only one they knew who bike commuted year-round.”

It was a role that came naturally to her, and she helped several of her coworkers become regular bike commuters.

“I told them to wear gear what they were comfortable riding in, whether it’s Spandex or jeans,” she said. “And I talked to them about bikes.”

She made a point of telling them that it doesn’t matter what brand of bike you have. Rather, she said, “It comes down to how you feel about the bike. You’ve got to want to get on it. If aesthetics is part of it, that’s great.”

For Millie, it’s really important that people – especially women – have access to expert advice that doesn’t talk down to them. “I went into a bike shop when I first came to Seattle and was told, ‘This is what you need.’ That attitude is false and unfair.”

She also recognizes that, for women, the barriers are different for recreational riding and commuting.

“Recreationally, there’s less concern about how you look afterward. There’s a lot of pressure on women to look a certain way. They’re worried that wearing a helmet will mess up their hair.” But, she concedes, we’ve come a long way: “When I was a kid, women didn’t do anything fun.”

These days, Millie is retired. But she’s still spreading her knowledge about bicycle-powered transportation whenever she can. She’s been a dedicated volunteer for Cas-cade Bicycle Club Education Foundation, helping fit helmets at our helmet sales. She also writes about bicycling for transporta-tion in Seattle at www.examiner.com. And she still rides a bike as much as she can.

After all, she told me, “Thinking about my hair isn’t number one.”

Nominate a cyclist of the month! Send nominations to [email protected]

During the Alaska Way Viaduct Closure in October, many com-muters were warned of potentially

catastrophic traffic congestion, jammed roadways and lengthy detours. In response, bus lines and ferries operated on special schedules and many commuters planned to work from home instead of braving the West Seattle Bridge traffic.

As we now know, these fears went mostly unrealized and the nine-day closure passed without much trouble. One of the reasons behind the relatively smooth transition was the multitude of Seattleites who chose to travel by bike instead of car. Cascade hosted three Energizer Stations - essentially booths with maps, goodies, and cheering staff members - throughout the Viaduct closure, including one immediately after the reopen-ing to encourage bike riders to keep it up despite the increasingly inclement weather and newly-available roadway.

I was lucky enough to be in attendance for two out of the three Energizer mornings, and it was pretty amazing to witness both the sheer volume of bicyclists that passed by, as well as the enthusiastic spirits of the com-muters, despite the early hour and chilly temperatures. On Wednesday, Oct. 26, we counted close to 400 bicycle commuters from 7 to 9 a.m. alone! We gave away forty brand new light sets to those riding without lights along with a couple hundred white blinky lights donated by Salal CU, and got

the chance to connect with a wide variety of riders, from those who had been commuting daily for years to those riding to work for the first time.

I joined onto a “Bike Train” Monday morning, and rode with a first-time bike commuter who was shocked at how quickly and easily he was able to get from West Seattle to his downtown office via bicycle. We were able to take full advantage of the new infrastructure along the port, and had a prime view of the Viaduct demolition, quite a dramatic sight indeed, and likely one we would have completely missed if we had driven.

Overall, this experience was one of the most meaningful I have had as a member of the Cascade team thus far. Cascade’s mission of creating a better community through bicy-cling was tangibly realized in the form of the Energizer Station, and I was able to see the experience of commuting by bike through so many different eyes and perspectives. I felt extremely lucky that my own commute followed the Burke-Gilman Trail almost exclusively, and also empowered by those who were riding on busier roads, especially during this time of increased traffic conges-tion. Congratulations to all of those who chose to ride during the Viaduct closure, and know that you have Cascade’s support during your commute, not just during May for Bike Month, but all year long.

Office VolunteersDate and Time: Wednesday, Jan. 11, 10 a.m. (4 to 6 volunteers). Task or Event: Membership renewal forms. Where: Cascade office. How Long: 3 to 4 hours. Doing What: Stuffing, labeling, and applying postage.

Tales from Viadoom and Viagloom via bikeby Erica Hann, Americorps Member

Chilly HillyDate and Time: Tuesday Jan. 31, 5 to 9 p.m. Task or Event: Chilly Hilly Packet Stuffing. Where: Cascade office. How Long: 4 hours. Doing What: Stuffing and labeling Chilly Hilly packets. Light meal provided.Contact: Contact to advise if you will be attending. Light meal provided.


Vol. 42, No. 1

CASCADE CONTACTSDEAR MISS PANNIERS?Home Page:

www.cascade.orgOffice phone: 206-522-3222 or 206-522-BIKE

Fax: 206-522-2407 Email: [email protected]

Cascade Bicycle Club7400 Sand Point Way NE, Suite 101S

Seattle, WA 98115

STAFFNote: All email address are @cascadebicycleclub.orgJenny Almgren, Education Program Assistant

(206) 694-9148 jenny.almgren@…Chuck Ayers, Executive Director

(206) 523-9495 chuck.ayers@…Craig Benjamin, Policy and Government Affairs Manager

(206) 713-6204 craig.benjamin@… Mary Collins, Americorps Member, Commute Program

(206) 861-9890 cpa@…David Douglas, Event Producer

(206) 522-BIKE david.douglas@…Diane English, Office & Member Services Manager

(206) 957-7944 diane.english@…Emma Epstein, Americorps Member, Major Taylor Project

(206) 957-6960 mtpa@…Ed Ewing, Major Taylor Project Manager

(206) 778-4671 ed.ewing@…Stephanie Frans, Manager of Commute Programs

(206) 522-9479 stephanie.frans@…Tessa Greegor, Principal Planner

(206) 204-0913 tessa.greegor@…Chris Hanger, Individual Giving Officer

(360) 402-9743 chris.hanger@…Erica Hann, Americorps Member, Community Programs

(206) 957-6623 cmpa@…Max Hepp-Buchanan, Advocacy Campaigns Manager

(206) 226-1040 MaxHB@…Mike Inocencio, Corporate Development Director

(206) 522-2403 mikei@…M.J. Kelly, Director of Communications & Marketing

(206) 853-2188 m.j.kelly@…Diana Larson, Volunteer Coordinator

(206) 852-6827 diana.larson@…Sander Lazar, Rides Program Coordinator

(206) 694-9108 sander.lazar@…Serena Lehman, Community Outreach Manager

(206) 291-4032 serenal@…Kathy Mania, Finance Director

(206) 522-4639 kathy.mania@…John Mauro, Director of Policy, Planning & Gov’t Affairs

(206) 446-3688 john.mauro@…Kathy McCabe, Deputy Director

(206) 204-0587 kathy.mccabe@…

Erica Meurk, Staff Writer

(206) 522-7517 erica.meurk@…Leah Pistorius, Communications Specialist

(913) 579-7629 leah.pistorius@…Robin Randels, Classes Coordinator

(206) 390-3945 robin.randels@…Julie Salathé, Education Director

(206) 523-1952 julies@…Elliott Sherburne, Americorps Member, Youth Programs

(206) 861-9875 ypa@…Kat Sweet, Youth Program Manager

(206) 427-3090 kat.sweet@…Anna Telensky, Events and Sponsorship Coordinator

(206) 778-6099 annat@…Kim Thompson, Event Registrar

(206) 526-1677 kim.thompson@…Alan Van Vlack, Database and Accounting Coordinator

(206) 226-1858 alan.vanvlack@…Peter Verbrugge, Event Producer

(206) 517-4826 peterv@…Tarrell Wright, Development Director

(206) 240-2235 tarrell.wright@…

BOARD OF DIRECTORSNote: All email address are @cascadebicycleclub.org

President

GeorgeDurham•[email protected] President

DanielWeise•[email protected]

MichaelSnyder•[email protected]

DonVolta•[email protected] Committee Member-at-large

EmilyMoran•[email protected]

RonSher•[email protected]•[email protected]•[email protected]•[email protected]•[email protected]•[email protected]•ed.yoshida@...

Please detach form and return to: Cascade Bicycle Club •7400 Sand Point Way NE, Suite 101S • Seattle, WA 98115❏ New member ❏ Renewal

FIRST NAME MI LAST NAME M/F DATE OF BIRTH EMAIL

ADDRESS

CITY STATE ZIP

HOME PH WORK PH CELL PH

To help promote cycling, we occasionally share names with other organizations. We never share telephone numbers or email addresses, only postal addresses. May we share your name? ◊ Yes ◊ No

TYPE OF MEMBERSHIP 1 YEAR 2 YEARS GIFT SOCK SIZE OFFICE NOTES

Individual ❏ $ 35 ❏ $ 65

Household/Family* ❏ $ 60 ❏ $ 115

Supporter* ❏ $ 100 ❏ $ 195 Cycling socks S M L XL

Advocate* ❏ $ 250 ❏ $ 495 Cycling socks S M L XL

Champion* ❏ $ 500 ❏ $ 995 Cycling socks S M L XL

Student/limited income (e-news only) ❏ $ 15 ❏ $ 25

Tax-deductible donation to the CBC Education Foundation**

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Dear Miss Panniers,I received a super-bright set of lights as a

gift this year. The difference has been like night and day on the section of my commute that is pitch-dark trail; I used to be surprised by bumps I couldn’t see. These lights are so bright, however, that I worry about blinding people on the trail. Also, I’m not convinced these lights help me through downtown. Can you help me strike the right balance with my new set-up?

Aurora Ryder University Heights

Gentle Sleeter,Miss Panniers will couch her response

to your questions based on the premise of lights: to see and to be seen.

At a social event, your relative affinity for either seeing or being seen is naturally influ-enced by your personality. On a bicycle, the relative importance of seeing or being seen at night is primarily influenced by the nature of your route.

BE SEEN In many urban areas, there is sufficient

ambient light to allow you to see your path – or more importantly, hazards in your path such as potholes, glass, bottomless puddles or other people. Therefore, your lighting priority in urban areas is to be seen.

For being seen, bring the bling. Blinkie lights are an affordable and effective ac-cessory that will draw both attention and admiration. The one inviolable rule is that red lights should face ONLY backward, and white lights should face ONLY forward. Swapping these can baffle surrounding mo-torists, bicyclists or pedestrians; they literally can’t tell if you are going or coming.

Another strategy is to add visibility at multiple levels on yourself and your steed. Here is how Miss Panniers models head to toe visibility. Small forward and rear-facing blinkies adorn her helmet and bike; a blinkie on her bag adds another level in between. Reflective elements adorn moving parts such as spokes, pedals, shoes, gloves and the sides of her helmet. This ensures that she is easily visible from all directions and points of view.

Suffice it to say, while Miss Panniers is admired for her tasteful moderation, she encourages wild abandon when it comes to being seen – at least in the dark on a bicycle.

SEEOutside of well-lit urban areas and on

most regional trails, the lighting emphasis shifts from being seen by others to seeing where you yourself are going. Blinkie lights and reflectors are still very important and the multi-level approach to being seen will in-crease your safety, visibility, and bling-factor whatever you do. But in dark areas, you must be able to adequately see the path, road and any hazards.

This usually requires a brighter light set-up than most AA batteries can provide. Such lights are heavier and require recharging, but as you pointed out, the difference in effec-tiveness is like night and day.

To make the most of your bright light, be sure to install and orient it properly. Miss Panniers suggests that you do this in the dark, tilting your light slightly downward to illuminate the pavement ahead. The degree of that downward tilt should depend on your average speed. The faster you ride, the further ahead you need to see.

(That said, your average speed should also be lowered when bicycling in especially dark situations. Even the most powerful lights cannot illuminate conditions as well as day-light, and wise cyclists will adjust their speed accordingly.)

LIGHT ETIQUETTEThe angle of one’s light is also the critical

factor for courteous light use. Many cyclists orient their lights straight ahead, toward infinity. This is not only discourteous – it’s actually dangerous to yourself and oncom-ing cyclists. Oncoming cyclists may become temporarily blinded by a light angled too high. They may run off the road, into some-one else they couldn’t see in the glare, or even you. Enlightened self-interest suggests that you angle your lights carefully and courte-ously.

Some argue that blinking lights should not be used on trails. Miss Panniers must respectfully disagree on this point. In fact, she will go so far as to encourage ALL users – bicyclists, joggers, pet walkers, stroller strid-ers – to adorn themselves with lights when traveling dark roads or trails.

Nevertheless, Miss Panniers recognizes that blinking lights – just as bright lights - can also be blinding or disorienting to other us-ers. Miss Panniers suggest that you avert your eyes, just as one does when encountering high beams on the roadway.

www.cascade.org12 The Cascade Courier is printed on recycled paper. We support recycling. Please recycle this paper when you are finished with it.

Welcome New Members Diane AdamCarrie AdamsMichael AdamsJan AdamsYom AlphinAmy AlphinScott ArmstrongMary AshtonAllison AugustynElizabeth BaerSue BaerlocherMichelle BailletKathyanne BaumgardnerTricia BillesJanice BradySandra BreurerClark BrooksBradley BrozekMichael CallahamAnn CareyElizabeth ChapdelaineColin ChockMarci ClevengerMichael ClevengerDavid CohenJo CooperSteven CousinsLukas CzernieckiDan DeJesusReynaldo DelansigAileen DelansigAllyson DelansigDavid DichekHelen DichekDaniel DichekBob DinehartBlair DonaldsonJesse DonaldsonBrenda DonaldsonTealia DonaldsonBrian DorrDavid DriftmierKristin EdstromSophia EglerPaul EllisLorelei FelchlinDelaney FryeJudy FyffeFrancis GalloDeborah GalloDarci GillespieMarilyn GinneverLauren GinneverBlaire Ginnever

Susan GleasonMegan GleasonWilliam GleasonCatherine GleasonKrista GoffJill GoldmanSteven GrayMaggie GreenBetsy GreenEmma GrossmanJessica Hayden-MorrisseyRebecca Hayden-MorrisseyJohn HessWalt HillAnne Marie HolmesKen HolmesEmily HolmesB. Logan HolmesThomas HolmesRyan HooperDavid HopkinsJoe HylkemaMarcy JacobsGrace JenningsEleanor JenningsLaura JenningsCharlotte JenningsSue JoergerYoshimi KanaiStephanie KangLewis KarlDavid KieferLon KincannonKathryn KolanSuzanne KovalBrent LackeyLisa LaForgePatricia LagerweyJanet LakeJean LamontagneVivienne LawrenceNicolas LawrenceGeraldine LewisRay MakerMarnie MalpassDennis MarlowAlexis MartinDavid MattsonTom McAuleyCharles McCormickMichael McGunnigleKevin McIntyreIvy McIverJenni McWright

Michelle MedinaJames MhyreMarshall MillerJess MonillasSharon MonillasElaine MonillasSuzanne MontagneKathkeen MontezBruce MorganLana MorganTheresa MorganAnthony MorrisseyLorraine MundyStanley MungerRay MungerLynn MurphyKaren NordbyNicole OlsonTami ONeillBetsy OswaldCassandra OverbyFrank PellegriniScott PetersonStephen PhillipsWenonah PickrellBob PolkinghornSharat ReddySherry RhinehartGlenn RinghamJohn RitchieTonya RoeDavid RogersDave RoseTom RoweScott RyanMark RyderEleanor SandersKaia SandersKen SandnessRyan SangreyKaren SchobleyShannon ScottSkyler ScottScarlett ScottShawn SeegerHoward SewellMax ShalitmontagneGabriel ShalitmontagneTim ShrinerNora ShrinerMatt ShrinerNick ShrinerTonilyn ShroutHoward Shulman

Wayne SimpsonCindy SimpsonGian SinghCindy SingletonJennifer StephensonAnne StephensonSarah StephensonJonathan StibbsWilliam StruykPeter SuperJeramy SutliffTom SwansonLisa TabbutBen TalbertKaren TalbertKatherine TalbertJake TalbertEthan TalbertDaniel TalbertNishant ThakkarBetsy TodaroAndrew TodaroNina TodaroFrank TomaszewskiFay TongSharon TooleHilary TurnerTim TurnerYvonne Van DykErnie Van DykMorgan Van DykRyan Van DykDave VanDuineFred VogelCarol WarrenRonald WebbJason WelleJoni WhiteDaniel WickJason WightArleen WilliamsRichard WiltfongBrenda WordenDan WrightJoe WrightBea WrightRobert YatesVern ZanderAnton Zanotto

2012 Seattle Bike ExpoSaturday, March 10 & Sunday, March 11Smith Cove Cruise Terminal 91, Seattle

Seattle Bike Expo 14th Annual Photo Contestby Susan Hiles, Expo Photo Contest Coordinator

It’s time for you to start thinking of photos to enter in the 2012 photo contest. This year’s Bike Expo will be held at the Smith Cove Cruise Terminal 91, which has a spectacular waterfront view. If you’ve never attended a Bike Expo, you’re

in for a good time. The Expo photo contest began in 1999 and the number of photos entered has been growing every year, especially with the popularity of digital cameras.

The six categories this year will be: action; comedy; still life; people & places; black & white; and creative digital. The creative digital category is where you can have fun using your Photoshop skills! All the photos will be judged and ribbons awarded for first, second, and third places as well as honorable mention. Also, every-one who attends the Expo can vote for their favorite photo and the winner will also receive a ribbon. Kenmore Camera is returning as the photo contest sponsor.

So start taking those bike photos and watch for the Jan 2012 Cascade Courier newsletter for entry forms stating the contest rules and information. You can enter as many photos as you want but remember that they must be flush mounted or they will not be eligible for a prize. Also, there will be no entry fees again this year!

We would like all photos to be picked up on the last day of the Expo by 4 p.m. Good luck! I’m looking forward to seeing lots of photos and all the photogra-

phers! I will also be taking photos at the Expo, so “SMILE” when you see me.

Seattle Bike Expo 2012 will again bring together top industry manufacturers, retailers, tour providers, advocates and

media for two days of shopping, sampling, finding ways to get more involved, and checking out the latest products for the 2012 cycling season.

We’ll have something for every cyclist, with the newest mountain, road and com-mute bikes from top manufacturers such as Raleigh, Jamis, and Specialized; tandems from Co-Motion and Santana; electric bikes from Seattle Electric; beautiful hardwood bikes from Renovo; and fixies from new vendor, Pure Fix.

You’ll be able to plan your 2012 wardrobe with a wide range of apparel for on and off the bike, and outfit your bike with great deals on bags, lights, and accessories. You’ll also be able to sample a delicious assortment of nutrition, hydration and energy products to find your personal favorites.

If you’re looking for your next adventure, talk to tour operators and event producers offering everything from one-day rides in the Seattle area, to weeklong tours in neighbor-

ing states and abroad. Keep up with the latest in the cycling world by picking up magazines from media representatives like Momentum, Dirt Rag, Bicycle Times, Outdoors NW and Bicycle Paper.

In addition to the 150 amazing booths, we are feverishly working on securing top name speakers and presentations for this year’s Expo:

The Classic Bike show will once again adorn the entry lobby. This year’s emphasis is on beautiful handmade and crafted bicycles from around the world. Other confirmed speakers include Portland’s bike infrastruc-ture guru, Mia Birk, Seattle’s own world traveler and NPR essayist, Willie Weir, and top cycling coaches, including Craig Undem.

In the action sports zone we are featuring a Seattle Schools Unicycle festival, a unique Unicycle stunt team, plus the Ride and Glide pro BMX and Mountain bike stunt team.

We guarantee whatever type of cycling tickles your fancy you’ll find something of interest at the Seattle Bike Expo. Mark the date on your calendar now, and we’ll see you at the “Big Show!”

jan. 2012 cascade courier

Documents

seattle bike expo

seattle bike swap

seattle bicycle expo

new year

cascade contacts

long journey

long wait

transportation advocacy