Women on Wheels - Marin County Bicycle Coalition

Volume 12 / Issue 3 Summer 2010
Are You One?
SEE PAGE 5
IN THIS ISSUE
Best Bike to Work Day 2
2010 Marin Bike
Commuter of the Year 3
Marin Team Bike
Challenge Winners 3
Sharing the Road on the
Marin Century 4
Become a Bicycle
Ambassador 5
Meet the MCBC Bike
Locally Challenge Six 6
New MCBC Jersey 7
Mill Valley Bike Swap 7
Bike Parking 7
<strong>Women</strong> on Wheels 8
3 Ring Cycles Bike Store 8
SR2S – Teens Go Green 9
N–S Greenway Update 10
Marin Cortina Cyclocross
Bike Review 12
Bikers Ball Date 12
The Holstein Hundred
Bike Ride 13
Free Bike Ed’ Classes 14
Biketoberfest 2010 15
Competition 15
Join MCBC 16
MCBC Store 16
BIKE LOCALLY CHALLENGE
Best Bike
to Work
Day
Ever!
SEE PAGE 2
N–S Greenway
Update SEE PAGE 10
SEE PAGE 6
<strong>Women</strong> on Wheels
SEE PAGE 8
1

BEST BIKE TO WORK DAY EVER!
PO Box 1115, Fairfax
CA 94978 • 415-456-3469
www.marinbike.org
STAFF
Kim Baenisch, Executive Director
Tom Boss, Membership Director
Jo Ann Richards,
Volunteer & Activities Coordinator
Bob Trigg, Administrator
Deb Hubsmith, Advocacy Director
David Hoffman, Director of Planning
Andy Peri, Advocacy & Outreach
Coordinator
Wendi Kallins, Safe Routes to
Schools Program Director
Laura Kelly, Safe Routes to Schools
Project Coordinator
Peggy Clark, Safe Routes to
Schools Project Coordinator
Aviva Joseph, Safe Routes to
Schools Teen Program Coordinator
Gwen Froh, Safe Routes to Schools
Teen Program Coordinator
Frances E. Barbour, Safe Routes to
Schools Instructor
Mill Valley
Marin Civic Center
San Anselmo
Vista Point
BOARD MEMBERS
Maureen Gaffney, President
Scott Klimo, Vice President
Ian Roth, Treasurer
Don Magdanz, Secretary
Matt Adams
Jerry Edelbrock
Terry Graham
Stephen Hesson
Vince O’Brien
Alexander Price
Tom Woolley
ADVISORY BOARD
Mark Birnbaum
Joe Breeze
Tom Hale
Deb Hubsmith
Jim Jacobsen
Patrick Seidler
Julia Violich
PEDAL PRESS
Editor: Kim Baenisch
Copy Editor: Connie Breeze
Design: Jeremy Thornton
Contributors: Tom Boss,
Peggy Clark, Maureen Gaffney,
Stephen Hesson, David Hoffman,
Deb Hubsmith, Wendi Kallins,
Jo Ann Richards, Bob Trigg
Larkspur Landing
Thursday morning, May 13, rolled around and nearly
100 MCBC volunteers stepped into action, preparing 17
energizer stations for the 4000-plus Marin cyclists riding
to work and school that day. Many of the stations supplied
coffee and food for the riders. Stations in San Anselmo
and at the Civic Center served waffles to grateful cyclists.
Whole Foods served delicious breakfast burritos. Mmmm,
were they good!
MCBC signed up 96 new and renewing members on
Bike to Work Day, surpassing last year’s record signup.
These members received great “thank you” gifts on the
spot, including socks, caps and t-shirts, and everyone was
entered in the Spring Bike Sweepstakes.
127 student and adult riders participated in a 3rd annual
“Bike to School” train in East Corte Madera, traveling to
Neil Cummins and Hall Middle Schools. Bevan Jones,
Marin Bike Commuter of the Year, was honored at the
great end-of-day party held at Mike’s Bikes of Sausalito.
He’s dedicated to daily bike commuting between Mill
Valley and San Francisco.
Thanks to each of Marin’s 25 teams that participated in
the regional Team Bike Challenge; the month-long commitment
isn’t always easy. Speaking of teams, the Tamiscal
Firebirds won first place in Marin with 963 points and 1789
miles ridden. The Course Aggregate team won second
San Marin
place with 889 points and rode 1391 miles. The WiserEarth
team won third place with 641 points and rode 849 miles.
WRA won first place in the region’s small-business category
for the Company Bike Challenge.
Thanks, too, to all of the volunteers who helped with
bag-stuffing, membership recruitment and station hosting.
Additional thanks to the following businesses that donated
food, gifts, banner-hanging space, coupons, or hosted energizer
stations: Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Breaking Away
Bicycles, Classcycle, Marin Bikes, County of Marin, Mountain
Biking Marin, WalkBikeMarin, Summit Bicycles,
Paradigm Cycles, REI-Corte Madera, Sports Basement,
Mike’s Bikes, WTB Freedom, Momentum magazine, Agricultural
Institute of Marin, SF Bay Trail (ABAG), Marin
County Free Library, Clif Bar, Fairfax Coffee Roastery,
Double Rainbow, Bikergo, Golden Gate Transit, Fairfax
Scoop, Starbucks, Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Broken Drum Brewery,
Noah’s Bagels, Safeway, Gestalt Haus, Marin Sanitary
Service, Mill Valley Middle School, Sir Francis Drake High
School, Redwood High School, San Marin High School,
Larkspur Ferry Terminal, O’Donnell’s Nursery, and Marin
City Golden Gate Village.
Words cannot describe the day as well as the many
photos that our volunteers took. Take a minute and check
out our Bike to Work Day 2010 gallery.
2

New Father Selected as 2010 Marin Bike
Commuter of the Year
Bevan Jones loves to ride his bike rain or shine. Bevan Jones
is committed to riding his bike daily from Mill Valley to
his job in San Francisco. On days that are really nice
he will take the mountain bike and ride over the
mountain instead of the road. Especially impressive
is the fact that in preparation for the birth
of his first child (due in late June), he’s ridden to
every doctor’s appointment and birthing class.
This means he rode to the city in the morning,
back to Marin for the appointment, then back
to the city until he was done with work, and
finally back home to Marin in the evening.
Bevan simply is committed to riding
and loves it. The thought of
taking the car has never even crossed his
mind. He is a great inspiration to all of his
friends and family, and an amazing role
model for young bike riders everywhere.
During this year’s Bike to Work
Week, Bevan was named the
Marin Bike Commuter of
the Year. He was honored
with numerous gifts
at the Bike to Work
Day end-of-day party
at Mike’s Bikes of Sausalito.
Tamiscal Firebirds Win Marin Team Bike Challenge
Congratulations to the Tamiscal Firebirds, Marin’s firstplace
winner of the 2010 Team Bike Challenge, a Bay-Areawide
contest sponsored by the Bay Area Bicycle Coalition.
The Tamiscal Firebirds earned 963 points in the contest.
They rode 1789 miles and logged 8020 cycling minutes
during May. Extra kudos to them for persevering during
the rainy month.
The team consisted of Principal John Carroll (Big Wheel),
graduating seniors Karla Lopez and Cannon Dill (Novices),
teacher Peter Parish (Veteran), and parent Eve Bernstein
(Expert). They were honored with gifts donated by local
businesses.
The team members really enjoyed earning the microachievement
medals—new this year. It was a great incentive
for them to do more riding. Both of the students on
the team plan to ride their bikes while at college next year.
All appreciated the separated bike paths that made their
rides safer and easier.
John Carroll is moving on to the Tamalpais High School
District office for the next school year, but hopes to participate
on a Tamiscal team again next year. John kept the
team focused with his inspirational blog postings.
SOME EXCERPTS:
“We are where we want to be… on top of the heap in
first place in points and in miles. I feel blissfully like the
Grinch standing atop mount Crumpet waiting for the
Whos to wake up and see that Christmas isn’t coming
this year… Next week is bike to work week. We get
extra points (medals) for riding all five weekdays, so
be sure to do that.”
“Hey there my fine flame-feathered friends, I have a little
riddle for you.
Q: What goes “Boom!” and makes one’s opponents
run for cover?
A: A Cannon, that’s what.”
“And our very own Cannon Dill just went off like the
proverbial shot heard round the county… Bagged the
200-mile medal and with a little help from the other birds
pushed our lead to an impressive 114 points. I’m talking
points not miles. When we look at the mileage scores
there’s not much to do but smile. How does a 488-mile
lead sound? It sounds good to me. By the way, The Big
C tells me that today’s report is a first installment. Hit
us again, Cannon.”
In all, 25 Marin teams participated in this year’s competition.
They included teams from County of Marin; Kaiser
Permanente, Webcor, CSW/ST2 Engineering Group,
Marin County Free Library, WRA, WiserEarth, OneSun,
Mike’s Bikes, Tamalpais High School District, Guide Dogs
for the Blind, and more.
Thanks to all of our 2010 participants for choosing the
bicycle as your transportation of choice throughout the
month of May. You’ve developed a great habit for life!
Tamiscal Firebirds: Karla Lopez,
John Carroll, Eve Bernstein, Peter
Parish and Cannon Dill.
3

Safety measures are
in place to create an
enjoyable experience for
Marin Century riders and
community members.
Sharing the
Road on the
Marin Century
Over 2500 riders will be enjoying the
beauty of Marin County on Saturday,
August 7, as they participate in Marin
Cyclists’ annual award-winning and this
year eco-friendly Marin Century and Mt.
Tam Double. With that many riders on the road on one
day, it becomes imperative for everyone to be extra careful,
conscientious, and courteous to other riders and users
of the roads.
MCBC and the Marin Cyclists have teamed up this year
to create a short video to demonstrate safe group cycling
and the RIDE RIGHT skill. Narrated by local cyclist, IJ
columnist and CycleTo.com editor and publisher, Bob Cullinan,
the video explains cyclists’ need to be aware of traffic
on the roads and to RIDE RIGHT when it’s undesirable to
impede traffic flow. Etiquette for passing other cyclists and
transitioning from a group into single file are also covered.
You’ll be able to watch the video if you register to ride
the Marin Century because it will be running at registration
on Friday night and Saturday morning. MCBC
hopes this video will be the first of several bicycle safety
videos that we can create to reach Bay Area cyclists with
safe cycling information. We give a huge thanks to Marin
Cyclist member and photographer Michael Sexton of
SextonArts.com for his camera and script savvy which
made this video possible.
As for the Marin Century itself, the rides go through
gorgeous Marin scenery including rolling hills, bovine
sightings, Mt. Tamalpais, and the Pacific coast line. This
year you can expect more CHP personnel at major intersections
aiding with traffic and bicycle safety. In addition
“Shadows” photo by Dirck Brinckerhoff
you’ll receive detailed course maps, well-marked turns,
and sag/safety vehicles for unexpected events. Course
rest stops provide snacks, drinks, restrooms and first aid
(don’t miss MCBC’s lounge at the Nicasio rest stop!), and
a hearty lunch awaits you at Vallecito school when you’ve
finished your ride.
It is the responsibility of each rider to have a well maintained
bicycle, all necessary repair equipment including
a pump and extra tubes; sunscreen, and enough power
gel and water to make it between aid stations. Riding in
a group is suggested, and helmets are always mandatory.
Riders are required to obey all traffic laws. That means
stopping at all stop signs. CHP will ticket riders that do
not stop. Riders also need to watch speed limits, as CHP
will ticket riders for speeding. Also, wearing head phones
or ear pods to listen to iPods, MP3 players or radios are
extremely dangerous while riding, and riders using such
devices may be cited by the CHP.
These safety measures are in place to create an enjoyable
experience for Marin Century riders and community
members. By putting these skills into practice we can all
ride safer. MCBC and the Marin Cyclists thank you for
making safety a priority on your ride!
4

Become a Bicycle Ambassador –
Make the Roads Safer
for EVERYONE By David Hoffman, Director of Planning
We have all witnessed bicyclists behaving badly on the
roads – blowing through stop signs, running red lights,
or riding in the wrong direction on the road. Not only
are these behaviors incredibly dangerous, but they leave a
lasting negative impression on people everywhere.
Here at the Marin County Bicycle Coalition (MCBC) we
routinely get calls from unhappy residents who are frustrated
with seeing bicyclists break the law. Unfortunately,
bicyclists who are rude or ride dangerously do not only
endanger themselves. They make all of our lives a little
more difficult, as hostilities between drivers and cyclists
can escalate at the drop of a hat.
I was recently involved in a road rage incident where
two cyclists riding ahead of me cut off an SUV. The SUV
driver then attempted to “give me a lesson” by aggressively
trying to run me into parked cars. This bad driver behavior
should not be condoned for any reason. Additionally, the
driver did not realize that I was not connected with the
cyclists that had “wronged” him. In his mind I was.
The MCBC is working diligently with the County of
Marin, our cities and towns, and Sonoma Marin Area
Rail Transit (SMART) to build improved bicycle facilities.
Good progress is being made, but we encourage everyone
who bike rides on streets and pathways to actively promote
safe bicycling through their actions each and every day.
The MCBC requests your help. Please become a Bicycle
Ambassador. It’s quite simple, really. Here’s what we’re asking:
❥ ❥ Stop at stop signs: When approaching an intersection
with stop signs, please come to a stop. If you make
eye contact with the other drivers, give them a polite
wave or a smile.
❥ ❥ Stop at red lights: Don’t ride through red lights. Many
intersections in the County now have bicycle detection
devices in the pavement or on a pole-mounted
camera that will detect you and trip the light. Just look
for the little bike symbol painted on the ground – it
shows you where to position your bike. If you know
of an intersection where you can’t trip the light with
your bike, send us an email; we’ll do what we can to
have it added to the list of installation locations.
❥ ❥ Don’t ride “contra-flow”: This means against traffic.
It’s really dangerous because drivers don’t expect
anyone to travel in the wrong direction in the lane
and might not respond to your presence in time! Go
with the flow.
❥ ❥ Obey the law: If you ride with others who are behaving
badly, don’t go with their flow. Respect the rules
of the road and ask the riders in your group to obey
the traffic laws.
❥ ❥ Spread Share the
Road: MCBC implements
a Share the Road
(STR) campaign that is
teaching cyclists and motorists
to co-exist safely. Contact our STR
program coordinator, Peggy Clark
(peggy@marinbike.org or 415-456-
3469 x 8#), to have some Share the
Road stickers mailed to you; then, hand
them out to people you know and meet.
Learn more about Share the Road at:
www.walkbikemarin.org.
❥ ❥ Support better bicycling facilities: Join the Marin
County Bicycle Coalition if you’re not already a member.
MCBC has been working since 1998 on the road
and pathway projects that are making our streets
safer every day, but we are dependent on your support
to continue our work. Membership is our singlemost
important source of income. If you’re already
a member – thank you! Now encourage your friends
and colleagues to join, too.
Bicycling provides an alternative to traffic congestion,
improves public health, reduces greenhouse gas emissions,
and provides economic benefits to communities. Along
with supporting MCBC, being a Bicycle Ambassador is
the best way to improve safety on our public roads, build
support for cycling, and get everyone to Share the Road.
STOP AT STOP SIGNS:
When approaching an
intersection with stop
signs, please come to
a stop. If you make eye
contact with the other
drivers, give them a polite
wave or a smile.
5

Five riders Nakiesha Koss, Lea
Snowden, Peter Meringolo,
Delanie Kern, and Jason Walsh
with MCBC’s Executive Director
Kim Baenisch. (Below) Sixth rider,
Anjuli Elias gets outfitted at Tam
Bikes.
Bicycling is good for your
health, relieves traffic
congestion and reduces
carbon emissions. Studies
have shown that trips of
less than three miles are
often quicker by bike, and
urban trips of five-toseven
miles usually take
about the same time.
Follow the Bike Locally
riders on Facebook
SIX BIKES, SIX RIDERS, SIX MONTHS
Meet the MCBC Bike Locally Challenge Six!
The Marin County Bicycle Coalition hosted a press event
for the Bike Locally Challenge (BLC) at Iron Springs Brewery
in Fairfax on Tuesday, June 1. We introduced our six
participants to the public as they began their six-month
transformation from fossil-fuel-burning to calorie-burning
commuters.
We set up each of these novice bicyclists with a brand new
Globe bicycle, a Mentor (personal trainer) and accessories
to help them achieve their goal to ride a bike for local trips
to work, school, shopping, and for errands. The six riders
range in age from 26 to 70, have varied professions, live in
five different communities in Marin, and will make trips
all across the county and into San Francisco.
The goal of the Bike Locally Challenge is for these six
riders to inspire many others to try cycling for local trips.
Bicycling is good for your health, relieves traffic congestion
and reduces carbon emissions. Studies have shown
that trips of less than three miles are often quicker by bike,
and urban trips of five-to-seven miles usually take about
the same time.
“This is just a grand experiment. I love to ride and I’ll
happily take anyone else to the sport of cycling,” said BLC
Mentor Ross MacLeod.
BLC rider Peter Meringolo said, “I needed a push to get
going. I have three little boys, I’m trying to balance a career
as a lawyer, which is very demanding; it seems much easier
to hop in the car. But I’ve discovered that it’s not even that
hard to ride a bike. It’s much more enjoyable, it’s way less
stressful and you meet interesting characters along the
way. I’ve enjoyed it the first two weeks and look forward
to the next six months and beyond.”
BLC rider Nakiesha Koss said, “I really enjoy riding, but
I didn’t know how to do everything, so my mentor has
shown me the ropes and now I feel like a more confident
cyclist. Now I plan to do more than just short jaunts to
the coffee shop, I want to go grocery shopping and I’ve
already gone on a bunch of bike rides with friends, which
is a wonderful way to share time together.”
Lea Snowden said, “I had never won anything in my life,
so when MCBC called to say I was selected for the Bike
Locally Challenge I was so excited about it and called all
my friends.” When asked what she hopes to achieve from
he Bike Locally Challenge, Lea said, “I want to get a tight
ass,” to which a fellow rider said, “You already have one!”
BLC rider Delanie Kern said, “I commute by car from
San Anselmo to Novato every day; that’s a 30-mile round
trip. I couldn’t think of a reason not to try bicycling that
distance, but felt I couldn’t do it on my own. The challenge
not only provided a bike and a mentor, but a commitment
to ride for six months, which will make it a habit and then
I’ll do it all the time.”
The BLC riders are Nakiesha Koss, Anjuli Elias, Peter
Meringolo, Lea Snowden, Delanie Kern and Jason Walsh.
Watch them as they overcome obstacles and change their
ways, discovering how easy and convenient bicycling
locally really is.
The Bike Locally Campaign is made possible by the
generous contributions of Globe bicycles by Specialized,
custom bags from Timbuk2, GPS devices from Garmin,
and ride tracking from Plus3network.
6

Join Team MCBC with
a New Cycling Jersey
Mill Valley Bike Swap
Keeps on Growing!
June 5 was another beautiful day at the Mill Valley Middle School, where 102 bike shops, bicycle
retailers and individual sellers came out to buy, sell, and trade all things bicycle.
The annual bike swap is a Marin tradition that was passed on to MCBC in 2009. We are
proud to continue to provide this occasion for bicyclists to recycle bikes and accessories. We
raised over $2000 for MCBC as well.
Some of the notable businesses, organizations and individuals buying and selling included
NorCal High School Cycling League, Trips for Kids, Sky Yaeger and Gary Boulanger, Mike’s
Bikes and Ride SFO, the organizers of the SF Bike Expo. Many people attending the event
were purchasing bikes for the first time. The swap is a great place to find everything from the
perfect starter bike to the top-of-the-line carbon fiber road or mountain bike.
MCBC looks forward to continuing a bike swap in Marin for cyclists, by cyclists. We plan
an even bigger event next year. Bookmark www.mvbikeswap.com and check it next spring.
Have you seen the new MCBC jersey on the roads
or trails of Marin yet? The sporty new look was
created by Marin cyclist Rob Mesarchik of Mez
Design. Rob created our green rider logo and he
incorporated the logo and color scheme into our
new jersey design.
Show Marin County cyclists that you are part of
the team that’s making their rides safer, easier, and
more enjoyable by purchasing the MCBC kit and
wearing it proudly on your rides.
The jerseys sell for $69 each at select Marin bike
shops including 3 Ring Cycles, Mike’s Bikes and
Fairfax Cyclery. You can also purchase them online
at MCBC’s Store at www.marinbike.org. Matching
shorts will also be available online for a limited time
for just $59.
MCBC’s Bike
Parking Service
The MCBC’s valet bike parking service proves to
be ever popular. Valet bike parking allows event
participants to avoid traffic congestion and the
typical search for parking, leave their locks at
home, arrive feeling refreshed, and the service
eliminates haphazard parking of bikes on sidewalks
where they can interfere with pedestrian
access. MCBC’s 2010 valet bike parking sponsors
July
Thursday – Monday, 1 – 5:
Marin County Fair, San Rafael
Saturday, 10:
Twilight Criterium, San Rafael
Weekend, 17 – 18:
San Anselmo Art & Wine Festival
August
Saturday, 7:
Marin Century, Nicasio
September
Weekend, 4 – 6:
Sausalito Art Festival
October
Saturday, 9:
Brookside School Octoberfest,
San Anselmo
Sunday, 10:
Marin Classic, Sausalito
Saturday, 16:
Biketoberfest, Fairfax
November
Saturday, 13:
Manor Winter Fair, Fairfax
are Marin Sanitary Service and Fairfax Cyclery. Ride To These Local Events! 7

<strong>Women</strong> on Wheels Hit the Road
<strong>Women</strong> were riding bikes
that had been gathering
dust in their garages.
<strong>Women</strong> learned skills
that their male partners
had never been able to
teach them before.
<strong>Women</strong> gained confidence
and overcame fears by
working with other women
on their shared issues.
The Marin County Bicycle Coalition launched a new program
just for women this spring. <strong>Women</strong> on Wheels is an
educational program to teach women the skills and tools
to ride confidently for transportation and recreation. The
beginning series, which began in April, filled up quickly
with a waiting list. The women were given basic information
on bike fit, equipment, and the ABC quick check.
They were then instructed in various skills depending on
their experience level. For those who were new to biking
we used John Ciccarelli’s technique of removing the pedals
for some practice sessions, to help learn balance and
control. The class culminated with a group ride to San
Anselmo and back.
The intermediate series launched with our Basic Street
Skills class, augmented with an introduction about women
in bicycling. Bicycling was one of the great emancipators
for women in the late 19th century, giving them freedom
of movement they had not had before. In the next session
the women practiced drills to learn gearing, braking and
control of the bike. This was followed by a ride to Larkspur.
While the class was in line at Emporio Rulli for yummy
pastries, a woman asked who we were and immediately
wanted to sign up for the class!
The final two classes focused on hill climbing with practice
drills followed by a ride to San Rafael and a picnic at
Boyd Park. Participants were amazed at how easy it was
to get from Fairfax to San Rafael. Many of their fears were
overcome as they learned how to control their bikes, navigate
in traffic and make it up those hills. They are eager
for more and requested an email list so they could keep
in touch and organize more rides together.
Two bonus classes were offered in June. Basic bike maintenance
provided insights into simple mechanic skills for
keeping the bike in working order and changing a tire.
Participants also learned about appropriate gear choice.
A bonus ride to San Francisco via the ferry allowed the
women to broaden their range, combining public transit
with bicycling. The final bonus ride was to Mill Valley from
Fairfax, the longest and most strenuous ride as it required
traversing the hill on Meadowsweet Drive.
The success of this pilot program which taught 17 women
new skills ensures that there will be more to come.
<strong>Women</strong> were riding bikes that had been gathering dust
in their garages. <strong>Women</strong> learned skills that their male
partners had never been able to teach them before. <strong>Women</strong>
gained confidence and overcame fears by working with
other women on their shared issues.
In addition to repeating this excellent <strong>Women</strong> on Wheels
series next year, MCBC plans to create a class specifically
for mothers; it will combine our Riding with Youth sessions
with some of the basic training from <strong>Women</strong> on Wheels. If
you would like to keep informed of upcoming classes and
rides for <strong>Women</strong> on Wheels, email Peggy@marinbike.org.
3 Ring Cycles Focuses on the <strong>Women</strong>’s Market
3 Ring Cycles made a big move from the outskirts of San
Rafael to bike mecca San Anselmo in January 2010. This
was a leap of faith that was driven by customer prompting
and support. The new address is 538 San Anselmo Avenue;
the website remains www.3ringcycles.com.
Along with the new digs, a new element has been added:
a focus on the women’s market. Co-owner Lindsay McKenzie
is behind the new focus. With 27 years’ involvement
in the sport and industry, she is tired of hearing about
women being “intimidated,” and is very excited to cater to
female cyclists of all levels. The shop offers an environment
where women can feel comfortable and enjoy shopping
for their bike gear, be it for pleasure, fitness, commuting,
or competition.
Lindsay has already had one “Diva Night” at the store,
where gals came to shop, drink wine, and talk bikes.
There will also be women’s bike maintenance clinics
and rides, both road and mountain, which will cater to
all abilities. To get on the email list, contact Lindsay at
Lindsay@3ringcycles.com, and you will be notified of any
upcoming events and specials.
Not forgetting the testosterone in the shop, co-owner
Brad McKenzie continues to offer his USCF pro mechanic
skills and wheel-building prowess. 3 Ring Cycles has also
added Dylan Renn to the work area; Dylan comes with
a solid set of mechanic skills as well as being a Better-
Ride certified coach (www.betterride.net). They’re a well
rounded, fun crew who love what they do and are here
to share their passion!
3 Ring Cycles offers a varied selection of bikes catering
to the mid- to high-end road and mountain bike scene.
Bianchi, Look, Ridley, Argon 18 and Stevens fill the road
quiver while Rocky Mountain (Lindsay’s Canadian roots
felt the pull on this one) and Pivot satisfy those who choose
the mountain routes. More recently Haro and Masi have
been added to offer a more rounded selection for kids, city
and commuter. Salsa, Surly and Xtracycle also continue to
flourish for those looking for something more niche. The
new shop is also a boutique for bike clothing, with brands
such as Fox, Castelli, Terry, Giordana, Shebeest, Shower’s
Pass, Craft, and more coming in.
8

White Hill Middle School students Madison Lescohier, Shannon Hennessey, and Maddie Kelly with their scupture.
Sculptures Arrive in Middle Schools
Safe Routes to School’s Teens Go Green program put on
a challenge this year for all participating middle schools
to see how many green trips each class could make. The
class at each school that had the most green trips was
awarded a trophy and a class party. Safe Routes part-time
instructor Lou Goodwin created a prototype trophy made
out of recycled bike parts. She then worked with White
Hill students to make trophies for all of the schools. The
whimsical trophies were entirely eco-friendly and all of
them were made by students. Each was different and the
students named them.
The students worked on the trophies during lunch once
a week. The bike parts came out of trash cans from local
bike shops. They included chains, handlebars, and even
pedals. They also used glue and metal wires to connect the
pieces together. “I thought that it was really cool to work
with materials that are usually meant for one thing, that
we used for another,” said Meghan Garfink, one of the
students who worked on the project. “My school made
2000 green trips in eight days!” she continued. “It always
feels great to know that you are helping the environment.”
Thanks also to the many
donors of materials:
Rileystreet Art Supply (wire, glue)
Perry’s Art Supplies (wire, glue)
The Bicycle Works (bike parts)
Sunshine Bicycles (bike parts)
Fairfax Cyclery (bike parts)
Re-Cyclery (bike parts)
Transbay Security Service (tin signs)
“My school made 2000
green trips in eight days!
It always feels great to
know that you are helping
the environment.”
– Meghan Garfink
RECEIVE
20% OFF
ANY ITEM
RECEIVE
20% OFF
ANY ITEM
9

NORTH–SOUTH GREENWAY UPDATE 2010
When MCBC was founded 12 years
ago, one of our primary goals was to
create the North-South Greenway, a
nearly car-free bicycle and pedestrian
transportation corridor 25 miles long
from the Marin County line at the
Golden Gate Bridge through Novato. The
North-South Greenway is still a priority,
but we now can look back and see the
fruits of our labors.
Several significant portions of the
North-South Greenway have been
completed, some are being built now,
and others have been funded and are
being planned. Progress on the North-
South Greenway in the past year has
been marked by major construction on
two key projects: the Cal Park Hill Tunnel
and the Lincoln Hill Multi-Use Pathway.
Both of these projects are in the final
stages of construction. We look forward
to some celebratory ribbon-cutting
ceremonies in the months to come.
1 – SMART Rail with Trail
MCBC has been working with Sonoma Marin
Area Rail Transit (SMART) since 1999 to plan,
engineer and build a passenger train and pathway
service along the former NWP right-of-way
(ROW) for 71 miles from Larkspur Landing to
Cloverdale. The ballgame changed in November
2008 when Measure Q was approved by voters
with nearly 70% approval. Measure Q provides
$91 million for the 71-mile pathway, most of which
will be constructed by the same time that the train
starts running, estimated to be in 2014.
Since the approval of Measure Q, MCBC has
continued to work with SMART and local municipalities
on the design and construction phases of
the pathway, and for considerations such as bike
storage on the trains and bike parking and access
at transit stations. MCBC is working to ensure
that there is great bicycle and pedestrian access
to and from the SMART stations. We have also
been working with SMART to generate additional
funding streams for the project, due to a projected
funding shortfall resulting from decreased sales tax
revenue during the worldwide economic recession.
2 - Lincoln Hill Segment
This $12 million pathway project, funded by Measure
A, is nearly finished, and is scheduled to open
in the summer of 2010. Once completed, this segment
will connect Terra Linda with downtown San Rafael
and include a break-away path to Linden Lane for community
access, as well as a mini-tunnel at the top of the
hill to allow riders and pedestrians to avoid the dangerous
on-ramps and off-ramps on Lincoln Avenue.
Additionally, the Los Ranchitos bike lanes were opened
earlier this year, and provide access from North San Pedro
Road to the top of the Lincoln Hill pathway.
3 - Cal Park Hill Tunnel Rehabilitation
Yes - the tunnel is open! However, you’ll have to wait until
the fall of 2010 to ride through it as the County of Marin is
now finalizing construction on the northern and southern
approaches, including the trestle over Bellum Boulevard.
The bicycle and pedestrian pathway portion of the tunnel
is absolutely gorgeous and state of the art—we think you’ll
be impressed. We thank the County of Marin for diligently
working to resolve the final land-use issues that were delaying
the last construction phases of this very important
facility, and to SMART which is a partner on the project.
4 - Central Marin Ferry Connection Project
South of the Cal Park Hill Tunnel, the Central Marin
Ferry Connection Project (CMFC) will provide a muchneeded
crossing of East Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and
Corte Madera Creek linking up with the existing path at
Wornum Drive.
Approximately $12 million in project funding for Phase
1 of the CMFC multiuse pathway has already been designated
from Regional Measure 2 (bridge tolls), highway
mitigation funds, and MTC’s regional bike network funding.
The Board of Supervisors also allocated $2 million
from the Pilot Program for environmental review and
preliminary engineering. The project will be segmented,
with a Phase 1 crossing of East Sir Francis Drake to connect
the Cal Park Hill Tunnel with the Larkspur Ferry Terminal,
and Phase 2 being the crossing of Corte Madera Creek.
The Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) recently
released a draft environmental impact report on Phase
A of the project and hosted a public meeting on June 17.
The TAM Board is slated to approve the environmental
review at their July Board meeting.
Phase 1 of the project is estimated to cost $14 million.
MCBC is working with TAM to find the additional $2 million
needed for construction. It is our hope that the project
will be constructed in advance of SMART’s projected opening
in 2014, so that a direct link can be provided from the
Larkspur SMART station to the Larkspur ferry terminal.
5 - Sandra Marker Trail
The Sandra Marker Trail provides access to several nearby
schools, including Redwood High School and Neil Cummins
Elementary School. In December of 2009 the City
of Larkspur completed a new multiuse pathway that connects
the Heather Gardens and Meadowood neighborhoods
to Redwood High School, Hall Middle School, and
Piper Park. This new ADA-compliant pathway replaces an
informal dirt path between Doherty Drive and Heather-
10

By David Hoffman and Deb Hubsmith
wood Park that had been used for years primarily by local
schoolchildren. Funding for the new pathway was from
Measure A Safe Routes to School. Some new features of
the pathway include 54 trees planted along the pathway,
a soon-to-be installed bench with a great view of Mount
Tamalpais, and a fence to delineate the pathway from the
Redwood High School property.
6 - Alto Tunnel Rehabilitation
Now that the Cal Park Hill Tunnel has seen the light of day,
re-opening the Alto Tunnel doesn’t seem like an impossible
task. Currently, the Mill Valley-Corte Madera Gap
Closure study, funded by the Board of Supervisors through
the Pilot Program, is assessing the feasibility and costs for
three possible routes: Alto Tunnel, Horse Hill, and Camino
Alto. The MCBC has been working on the Alto Tunnel
project for 12 years.
7 - Sausalito Bridgeway Bike Lanes
and Pathway Construction
The popular bike lanes on Bridgeway opened to the public
in the fall of 2003. Thanks to the Pilot Program, a study is
now underway to determine an alignment for the North-
South Greenway multiuse pathway along the railroad rightof-way
from Gate 6 Road to the Sausalito ferry terminal. In
addition, Pilot Program funds are paying for a connection
from Bridgeway to the ferry terminal.
8 – Alexander Avenue Improvements and
Increased Bike Parking in Sausalito
During the peak cycling season, estimates indicate that
as many as 1500 cycling tourists on rental bikes cross the
Golden Gate Bridge per day to explore Sausalito and the
rest of Marin County. MCBC is working with the City
of Sausalito, Caltrans, the National Park Service, and the
Golden Gate Bridge and Highway Transportation District
to improve sightlines and calm traffic on a particularly difficult
section of Alexander Avenue just as it enters Sausalito.
Our work with the City of Sausalito last year helped to
provide 420 additional parking spaces for cyclists in downtown.
LOOKING FORWARD
The North-South Greenway is an environmentally sound
and healthy transportation route.
MCBC is working to maximize on every opportunity to
work with our government partners to build the North-
South Greenway as quickly as possible. We have come
a long way, but there will be many more meetings, studies,
and reports before this vision will be fully realized.
Together, we have the opportunity to offer Marin County
a transportation facility that will improve the environment,
health, and livability of our community, while
setting a new national standard.
We look forward to riding with you this year on the
soon-to-be opened Cal Park Hill Tunnel and Lincoln Hill
pathway. These projects are significant milestones that
we can all be proud of.
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11

REVIEW: Marin Cortina Cyclocross Bike By Tom Boss
$2,300. 19.5 lbs (w/o pedals)
Holstein 100
17th Annual Bike Ride
Sat., Aug. 21, 2010
100, 67, 35 & 15 Mile Routes
Stunning rural scenery
along coastal hills of
West Marin and Sonoma
Challenging ride with full
support and mostly organic food
Benefits
West Marin Senior Services
Registration and info:
www.wmss.org/holstein
Ph: 415.663.8148
If you are into cycling as much as I am,
you probably have at least three bikes.
There’s your road bike for the long
weekend rides, your mountain
bike for the off-road experience,
and your townie/
commuter bike for getting
around locally in style.
Once you have these
three bikes you start looking
into your next cycling
adventure. One logical choice
is the cyclocross bike, a hybrid road
bike designed for off-road riding. Cyclocross started in
Europe back in the early 1900s and became popular in
the US in the 1970s. It is currently experiencing a revival
as more and more people are riding bikes and looking for
new ways to cycle.
Our friends at Marin Bikes sent over a Cortina for
MCBC to test ride and review. The Cortina is Marin
Bikes’ top shelf cyclocross offering and is appropriately
named after the Italian mountain town tucked up in the
Dolomites.
Over the course of winter and spring I’ve had a chance
to ride the bike on a variety of surfaces, including the
roads of West Marin, the narrow trails at Tamarancho,
and the fire roads of Mt. Tam. I even took it to a Surf City
Cyclocross race in Santa Cruz, where I finished dead last
or DFL, a badge of honor in cyclocross racing I’m told.
The Cortina is a real treat to ride. It is lightweight and
spec’ed with just the right balance of durable quality parts,
including SRAM Rival and Force components, FSA carbon
cranks and a Mavic Aksium wheelset. This is the
first bike I’ve ridden with a complete SRAM drivetrain
and I’ve been impressed with its flawless shifting and
simplicity of design. For example, my road bike has Shimano
shifters, which have separate paddles for up and
down shifting, where the SRAM Rival levers have just
one paddle handling both directions. Clean design and
one less thing to break.
The Triple Butted 6069 Aluminum tubeset frame
matched with a carbon fork up front provides a comfortable
ride, while keeping the bike on course. I especially
like the shape of the FSA Wing Pro Compact handlebars,
which offer a great variety of hand positions and stability
when hitting rough patches of trail and fire road. I’m not
sure if it’s intentional, but the cable routing on the bars
offer a perfect palm rest for your hands when you’re riding
in the upright position. This bike just feels dialed!
The bike also looks great – the black and orange paint
scheme is subtle, yet still turns heads. I think it’s because
the orange accent is reminiscent of the distinctive 1960s
Schwinn Coppertone color.
Now that I’ve had the bike for a while, it will be hard to
give it back to Marin. I find I make up rides just to take it
out. I think up perfect combinations of on-and-off road
routes. I also find myself grabbing it when going on long
commutes, where I’m not sure I’ll be riding on smooth
pavement the whole way. It’s nice to know that if you’re
riding along on the road and you find an off-road shortcut,
you can take it. If you’re thinking about purchasing
a cyclocross bike, I think you’ll be happy with the Marin
Cortina.
BIKERS BALL 2010
The Marin County Bicycle Coalition is heading back
to Servino in Tiburon on Saturday, November 13, to
celebrate another successful year of making Marin’s
rides safer and a heck of a lot more fun. Stay tuned
for details regarding whose music you’ll be dancing
to, what fabulous auction items are on the block, and
what special guests might be in store.
12

Not Over the Hill: Onward and Upward in the
Holstein Hundred Bike Ride
Charlie Monty grips the handlebars of his road bike today
and trains for the upcoming 17th Annual Holstein Hundred
Charity Bike Ride, which is coming up on Saturday,
August 21. He started riding his 10-speed in the 1960s
around San Anselmo. He is now retired from owning Monte’s
Chapel of the Hills, and will continue his long-distance
ride tradition with the Holstein Hundred at Tomales High.
The mission of the 17th Annual Holstein Hundred Bike
Event is to make people’s lives better through participation
in sport and recreation, and through celebration of
an active outdoor lifestyle. The event benefits West Marin
Senior Services (WMSS), which has been coordinating
the Meals from Friends Program for over ten years. This
program delivers 170 hot meals per month to homebound
seniors in West Marin. It is all volunteer- and donationbased.
Local restaurants and individuals volunteer to prepare
hot, well-balanced meals.
The Holstein 100 was created to reach out to more people
and develop additional resources for WMSS. The organizers—who
love happy cows—have for 16 years been
committed to sustainable development of the Holstein
Hundred Bike Ride. Holstein Coordinator Nancy Rumsey
says that the event uses local-farm organic food and
involves local businesses, which benefit from the added
exposure to out-of-town riders. Most of the riders come
from San Francisco, Marin, and Sonoma counties, she
says, but some come from Sacramento, Central Valley
towns and Reno. The average age of the riders is 49 and
the oldest rider is 85 years old.
Charlie Monty knows that during the Holstein Hundred,
around the next turn in the road will be the best homecooked
breads and friendly West Marin Senior Service
volunteers. He notes that he will ride some of the route that
the Tour de California riders took in past years. Charlie
and many of the Holstein riders may pay attention to the
milestones in their lives by counting miles over the hills,
but here in West Marin it’s more a matter of catching your
breath and seeing where you’re going next. Take a deep
breath… not too deep. Smell the hillside full of Holstein
cows smiling back at you.
Ride the Holstein Hundred Bike Ride with the start
and finish at Tomales High School in Tomales, CA, on
August 21, 2010. Choose from 15-mile, 33-mile, 67-mile
or 100-mile routes. The 100-mile route is a good, challenging
route with 6000 feet of elevation. It compares to
the Marin Century in difficulty. Register online, ride and
stay the afternoon for lunch and music. Call West Marin
Senior Services 415.663.8148 or click here.
Charlie Monty photo by Joan Corbett.
13

FREE BICYCLE
EDUCATION
Gain confidence riding on Marin’s roads & paths
STREET SKILLS for CYCLISTS
Cyclists ages 16+ learn their rights, responsibilities
and how to be visible and predictable. Class attendance
can reduce traffic infraction fines for bicyclists.
July 20 Mill Valley Community Center, Mill Valley
Aug. 26 Hill Community Room, Novato
Sept. 21 Marin General Hospital, Greenbrae
Oct. 19 Sausalito Parks and Recreation,
Sausalito
Nov. 9 Mill Valley Community Center,
Mill Valley
RIDING with YOUTH
Parents and kids learn to navigate streets, communicate
and rid appropriately. Kids will gain confidence
and the ability to ride independently.
Sept. 11 Terra Linda Rec. Center, San Rafael
Sept. 18 Brookside Lower, San Anselmo
Oct. 2 Tam Valley Community Center,
Mill Valley
Oct. 16 Novato Youth Center, Novato
CONFIDENT CYCLING COURSE
Learn techniques to ride more confidently. This
classroom and outdoor introduction course is perfect
for those who want to feel more comfortable riding
on streets. This course is available to all individuals
16 and up. Teens are welcome when accompanied
by a parent or guardian.
Two Consecutive Class Sessions:
Sept. 28 and Oct. 2 Tam High School, Mill Valley
$25.00 Registration fee*
*Fee will be REFUNDED upon completion of the course. If registrant
does not attend the entire course the fee will be not be refunded.
To register, learn of additional 2010 dates, times, and locations:
www.marinbike.org • streetskills@marinbike.org • 415-456-3469, 8#
RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL
Our Speciality
Concrete & Asphalt
• Driveways
• Patios
• Sports Courts
• Sidewalks
• Curbs & Gutters
• Stamped Concrete
FREE ESTIMATES
Call Al Dalecio x 2252
415-454-7011
privatework@ghilottibros.com
Please reference this ad
www.ghilottibros.com
525 Jacoby Street, San Rafael
These workshops are implemented by the Marin County Bicycle Coalition in their ongoing
effort to improve bicycle safety in Marin County. Funding is provided by the Non-motorized
Transportation Pilot Program, administered by WalkBikeMarin (www.walkbikemarin.org).
American sign language interpreters and assistive listening devices may be requested by
calling 415-499-6172 (TDD) or 415-499-6528 (voice) at least 72 hours in advance.
Paratransit is available by calling Whistlestop Wheels 415-454-0904. For bicycle and
bus routes please contact 511.org or 415-817-1717.
Lic. No. 132128
14

BIKETOBERFEST MARIN 2010
Come Celebrate the Bicycle on Saturday, October 16
Biketoberfest is quickly becoming Marin County’s signature
bicycle event and 2010 will see new activities and
growth. This year MCBC and Access4Bikes will add a
cyclocross race at White Hill School, a Family Fun Center
and an organic food mart. We’ll be bringing back the demo
fleets, so you can try a brand new bike for the day on the
roads and trails of Marin.
It’s the beautiful handmade bikes that bring out the
crowds year after year and there will be more on hand in
2010. Come celebrate the bicycle in all its forms! There
will be road bikes, mountain bikes, fixies, single speeds,
BMX, dirt jumpers and cyclocross bikes. Also townies,
commuter, hybrid and vintage bikes.
Biketoberfest wouldn’t be complete without beer! This
year’s beer tasting will feature over 30 hand-crafted beers
from 20 Northern California breweries. Mark your calendar
now for Biketoberfest Marin 2010.
WHEN: Saturday, October 16, from 11 am – 6 pm
WHERE: Fair-Anselm Plaza at 765 Center Blvd. in
Fairfax, CA 94930
WHAT: Handmade Bike Show, Brewfest (wine too),
family activities, group rides, Organic Food Mart,
Cyclocross race, vintage bike show, live music, bike
expo and much more. www.biketoberfestmarin.com
MCBC’S
CALENDAR OF
EVENTS
Win a WTB Silverado Saddle!
Answer these three questions correctly and enter a drawing for a WTB Silverado saddle for elite
road and cross country racing. Valued at $90, the Silverado’s long, flat shape enables riders to
utilize more of the nose while climbing, while the square profile distributes more weight onto the
sit bones. This saddle uses a Flex-Tuned shell, Comfort Zone, and DNA padding.
1. Which team won the Team Bike Challenge
in Marin?
2. Which new MCBC program teaches women
to ride confidently?
3. Name one Bike Locally Challenge participant.
Name
Phone
email
Address
Clue: the answers can be found inside this issue.
City
State
Zip
Mail this form to MCBC, PO Box 1115, Fairfax, CA
94978 or email your answers to joann@marinbike.org.
The drawing will be held on or around Oct. 16, the date
of Biketoberfest.
11101 State Route 1, #B
Point Reyes Station, CA 94956
Tel/Fax 415-663-8125
blackmtncycles@gmail.com
www.blackmtncycles.com
Black Mountain Cycles cross & road frames
Steel road, touring, ‘cross, and adventure bikes
Salsa, Surly, Bruce Gordon, Soma
Swobo, Ibex, Ortlieb, Tubus
Custom wheels, custom bike builds
15

MCBC STORE
Visit our online store for these items and the
new MCBC jersey featured on page 7
D E S I G N
• BRAND STRATEGY
• PACKAGE DESIGN
• COLLATERAL MATERIALS
• WEB DESIGN
MCBC Socks -
$10.00
415.258.6800
AXIONDESIGN.COM
• CREATIVE SERVICES
Certified Bay Area Green Business
MCBC Map - $12.00
A must-have resource for
anyone riding in Marin!
Men’s and <strong>Women</strong>’s Tee
shirts - $25.00
Tour de France Fun Ride
– July 18
Marin Century
– August 7
Biketoberfest
– October 16
BECOME AN MCBC MEMBER
or JOIN ONLINE:
www.marinbike.org
Name (first)
(last)
Street / PO Box
City
Zip
Phone (day)
(evening)
e-mail
How you heard about us
• $40 Regular • $60 Family • $100 Century • $250 Tour de France
For Century members and above select your t-shirt size: S M L XL
• Do not share my name with other organizations
Make checks payable to: Marin County Bicycle Coalition, P.O. Box 1115, Fairfax, CA 94978
Credit Card #
Exp. date
Signature
I want to volunteer!
• Attending public meetings
• Advocacy in your town
• Data entry
• Events
• Newsletter distribution/mailing
• Phone tree calling
• Safe Routes to Schools
• Share the Road
• Staffing an information table
• Valet bicycle parking
• Other
16