Butte Bicycle Coalition

Chico’s BIKE WEEK is coming up (May 6-10) and the BBC (Butte Bicycle Coalition) met yesterday at “OPT for Fit Kids” to start organizing it.  It also started planning its participation to other bicycle-oriented events coming up this Spring.  BBC will in particular revamp its “Bicycle Energizer Stations” program during BIKE WEEK with new features and new locations designed at providing better and friendlier (still !) support to some of Chico’s growing number of bicycle commuters.

The CHICO MUSEUM will open on March 1st and until November its first “CHICO ON TWO WHEELS” exhibit.  Any Chicoan who would like to display some interesting and / or iconing piece of bicycle history is encouraged to contact the museum ASAP at (530) 891-4336.

BIKE SWAP at the CHAPMAN TOWN BIKE SHED:  Ron Toppi is hosting again its popular Kids’ bike swap day on Sunday May 20 (11a-3p) with four Sunday 11a-2p “fix-your-own-bike” workshops on March 12 & 26, April 9 & 23 and May 14.  More details to be posted later.

A new Chico’s “TOUR DES CUPCAKES” is in the works with a likely announcement at this year’s CHICO WILDFLOWER CENTURY RIDE (April 29th).  Organized by Laurie Niles, the tour will have six stations offering … CUPCAKES of course – with the purpose of making participants discover some of the lesser known among Chico’s many bicycle routes.  More details to be announced soon.

The CRUISER-BICYCLE-RIDE-TO-NOWHERE will kick off this year’s Chico Bike Week on Sunday May 6 at noon.  Organized by Bryan Fox of BOB Radio, the event will call for a day of family bicycling and picnic enjoyment in Bidwell Park.  Music and various festivities will be programmed.  More details soon.

The ENDANGERED SPECIES FAIR will happen on Saturday May 5 and BBC will have a booth there to promote cycling and nature conservation.  Videos will be displayed on a bicycle video trailer set up.

BBC will meet again soon to hammer down details about these many upcoming bicycle events.  Interested in volunteering for any of these events ?  Contact Karen Goodwin at KGoodwin@csuChico.edu

Great meeting yesterday !  Here’s the recap thanks to Jen Harris and Billie Kanter!

BUTTE BICYCLE COALITION Minutes

August 29, 2011

Introductions: Carla, Teresa, Stacy, Laurie, Pete, Greg, Jennifer, Billie, David, Todd, Dennis, David, Karen

• Still waiting on tax exempt status approval-expecting to hear within 4 weeks
• Need to recruit new board members. Currently there are 5. Stacy and Teresa are interested,
• Funding is needed for various educational projects, Bike Chico, and we need to increase membership. Currently $390 in the bank and $950 at North Valley Community Fund.

• BBC is part of Annie B’s Drive (the North Valley Community Foundation) which started Aug 1 til the end of September. Donations can be made on line at www.nvcf.org. Donations are leveraged with Foundation money. How to spread the word? Guzzetti’s Gazzette. Other ideas?

• Laurie stated on Sept 15 from 6-9 at the City Plaza, @ TNM NVCF is hosting an event for those organizations on their Annie Bs list. BBC has a table. Need staff. Bring decorations—bike sculptures, posters/photos. Donors get a t-shirt. Todd, Stacy, David, Pete volunteered. Set up at 5:30 PM

• How to develop relationships with Bike Shop owners? Table this for later.

• Pete talked about 350.org which highlights climate change. Sept 24 (Sat) “Moving Planet” take action to fight climate change. Considering a family ride beginning at One Mile through the park ending at 5 Mile with a solar cooker demo by Todd. Would include cycling info among other material. David Grau’s group also interested.

–Carol Lams “Let’s Move group also involved in promoting 350.org. Karen to determine if Carol’s group wants to have their event on the 24^th also. Have a bike parade? Need to know if there is a permit required for this type of activity. Karen to check with Katie Simmons; Pete to check on available ?; Laurie to do PSA for KZFR and KCHO; Karen to look into waivers (Shirley Adams B+G) Need to promote the Oct 5^th Walk and Bike to School Day at this event.

• “Thank you 4 Riding Your Bike” ongoing campaign. Ideas:  stickers, bells (use as a membership thank you), tags on bike. Wording: “Thanks for riding your bike” (Bike Chico.org—check out our events” ‘Bicycling—pass it on” Use postcards by placing BBC sticker over “tell us your story” “See you on the Trails” “I’d rather be biking” “Keep pedaling”

How to affix? Where to put?

How else to use the leftover cards? Dragon Graphics owner may suggest a design. See if bike shops interested in paying for it and have their name on the back.

• Oct 5 Walk and Bike Day Jen: place public posters in key locations with statistics or cycling facts. Pete reminded us that we need School District and campus approval for signs. Karen will ask Suzy Tolen if we could update the Bike Chico art for Walk and Bike day. Todd suggested a “why it’s good to cycle” essay contest
• Dennis:  word of mouth was how he got his message out when teaching kids bike safety. He also suggested school newsletters. Karen suggested putting signs in a parking lot where the cars are parked. Billie suggested getting the schools to use their neon signs. Ask Kirk about butcher paper. Jen reminded all that signs need to be taken down after they served their purpose.

• Todd:  use the BBC website as a portal to receiving a disc from a business. Ideas:  like a “QR” code like Farm Star Pizza. Per Stacey this is a way to get a longer message out. Todd, encouraged reaching out to riders along a bike path. Todd suggested a bike mural; find an artist to donate the time.

Local celebrities, Chamber of Commerce campaign “Why I Bike?” is something Katie Simmons at Chico Velo has been working on.

• Bike safety tips inserted in the bike routes maps. Karen, Pete, Laurie did this for handing out during the WRECtacular event. Could the safety info be included in the revised map? (some is already)

• Website:  need help and ideas. Dave: chainlink. org (Chicago)—social network started by his niece for all things cycling oriented. Jen suggested recruiting a Chico State class to make the updating the website an ongoing project. Greg mentioned a need for an umbrella site for all things bike. Laurie and Greg to ask the City or the Chico State campus (note not clear on this)

Laurie stated once tax exempt, can use “wordpress” to update website. Wordpress is web-based software to maintain a site. A Bay Area agency assists non-profits to update their sites. Billie volunteered.

• Meet Dave Synder on Thurs, Sept 1 at 7 PM at no host dinner at Malvinas. Dave is the Exec Director of the California Bike Coalition. He will be at K & Ps on Tues and Thurs nights. If you want to meet with him during the day, contact the Goodwin/Hollingsworths.

• Have a Facebook presence.  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Butte-Bicycle-Coalition/116846711668259 Friend us!

• CA Bike Summit in Los Angeles Nov 5. Anyone want to go? Karen might.

• 99 Corridor Tour—dates: Sept 7 and 9 at 8 AM. Billie and Dennis interested. Karen will contact Ron Baker to suggest these times.

• Pete is developing a bike curriculum to take to into the schools. Would like volunteers. Billie said she was trainable.

• General agreement to meet monthly on Mondays until further notice. 1200 Park might be better spot, though less tasty.  (Karen adds: OPT for Healthy Living is available! At 1311 Mangrove)

Notes by Jennifer Harris, Billie Kanter and Karen

Karen Goodwin, MS
Nutrition Education Specialist
OPT for Healthy Living (formerly OPT for Fit Kids),

Center for Nutrition & Activity Promotion
1311 Mangrove Ave Ste B
Chico, CA  95926
530-898-5678

Starting Monday, 20th the Shed will hold it’s first BICYCLE MAINTENANCE CLASS.

It is a 3 class series, each class is 1 1/2 hours in length. 6pm – 7:30pm

LOCATION:  the shed is located by CHAPMAN ELEMENTARY.

SCHEDULE:
Monday 20:  Gear and Brake Systems/Adjustments
Tuesday 28: Bearing Assemblies/Adjustments
Tuesday July 12:  Wheel Trueing (skipping the first week of July for vacations)

Bring your own Bike or work on a Donated Bike! Classes are on a Donation Basis.  Class is limited to 5 per/series so RSVP.  Thank you.

Ron
chapmanshed@gmail.com

Summary:
The Bike Swap is a Community Event for children who have out grown their bicycle to be able to come swap that bike for one that will fit them.  The Shed Neighborhood Bike Shop in Chapman, in conjunction with the Butte Bicycle Coalition, collects donated bicycles for this event.  We need volunteers to help fix these bikes and make them safe to ride.  The day of the Event, we need volunteers to help fit bikes to children who need them.

Ongoing work shops at the Shed:
Tuesday nights – now thru May 17th, come help fix bikes from 5pm-8pm

Day of Event – May 21st 10am – 3pm
Volunteers sign up times are for 2 ½ hour shifts, if you would like to and can sign up for all day, please do!

Set-up Crew 8:30am – 10am: Need about 4 to 5 people to help set up ez-up tents, tables, mechanic station and bike staging area.

Stations during event:
Check in table – Checking children into event, handing out bike swap info form.

Check-out table – Checking children out with a new bicycle!

Helmet fitting – we will have helmets to size children with, if you don’t know how to fit a helmet, we teach you pretty quick!

Bike Fitting – 2 or 3 people to help parents and children be sure they select a proper fitting bicycle.

Mechanics – 2 people bikes need to checked, valued and, if possible, fixed to be traded back out that day.

Any questions, please respond by email to:   chapmanshed@gmail.com

Thank you and see you all on Saturday,

Ron

A new bicycle adventure film “Ride the Divide” will be shown on April 12th at 6 and 8 pm at the Pageant Theater in Downtown Chico as a partial benefit for the Butte Bicycle Coalition.

Ride the Divide is a feature-length documentary about the world’s toughest mountain bike race.  It chronicles the story of several mountain bikers who attempt the 2,711-mile race named the Tour Divide along the Continental Divide in the Rocky Mountains.  The movie was named the Best Adventure Film at the 2010 Vail Film Festival.

This film has become an instant cycling classic, and made its television premiere in September on the Documentary Channel.  But the Adventure Cycling Association said the film should be seen on the big screen:  “The cinematography is stunning!” Added UpaDowna, “Ride The Divide is one of the most inspiring real cycling movies … in a long time.”   Epic Riding summed the movie up as follows:  “In a word? Fantastic. In more words?  Moving, funny, inspiring.”

Tickets are $10 in advance online at:
www.IMAthlete.com/Events/RideTheDividemovie
and $15 at the door before screenings at 6 and 8 pm on April 12 at the Pageant.

Please help spread the word.