GREENbike SLC bike share program seeking volunteer mechanics for initial build

My editorial:

This is a great opportunity, not only to practice your wrenching and learn some, too, but to put sweat and labor and time into bikes that will be enjoyed by everyone. You'll be helping that next bicycling convert to try it out, fall in love, and be happy. This is so great and I'm proud of Phil and Ben, GREENbike program directors, for this chance.


From the GREENbike SLC Bike Share program:

The bikes for GREENbike SLC Bike Share will be arriving in Utah shortly and we need some volunteers to help get them up and running. There will be a week-long bike build and we need quite a few volunteers to help with different tasks. We are in need of bicycle mechanics, people to help unpack the bikes, people to apply bike decals, and general volunteers to keep things moving.

The build shifts start on Tuesday, March 12th and will run until all of the bikes are built (Ideally, we want to be done by the end of Saturday, March 16th, but we would love to finish earlier in the week). There are three shifts available each day (8 a.m. – 12 p.m., 1 p.m. – 5 p.m., and 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.) and there will be a mandatory training on Monday, March 11th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for all interested Bicycle mechanics. The necessary tools will be provided for all of the volunteer responsibilities. In order to maximize our build time, please only sign up if you will for sure be able to make the shift(s).

The build will take place in a warehouse so please wear clothing that can get dirty and a layer to keep you warm. All volunteers should be at least 18 years of age. Sorry, but given the setting and the nature of the work, children are not allowed.

If you are interested in volunteering e-mail info@greenbikeslc.org and put the phrase “Bike Build Volunteer” as the subject line. Let us know which day(s) and shift(s) you would like as well as with which task you can help. We will send out location information once you are confirmed on our schedule.


For more info on the GREENbike Bike Share program, to like their facebook page, and to get updates on station locations, discounts, and future events and opportunities, go here!

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SLC spins 2013 as the "Year of the Bike"

On Friday, February 22nd, Salt Lake City officially dedicated 2013 as “The Year of the Bike.” Despite the lingering winter, the City is laying out the green carpet to excite the local cycling culture and get more people on bikes. With the many bicycle related events, initiatives, programs, and infrastructure improvements happening in the Salt Lake Valley within the coming year, Salt Lake City is gearing up to become even more bicycle friendly.

Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker announcing the "Year of the Bike"

Regional partners for the “Year of the Bike” include Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, the Wasatch Front Regional Council, the Utah Transit Authority, the University of Utah and the Utah Department of Transportation. Creating a buzz about bikes should illuminate the many events that will be occurring throughout the year as partners gear up to increase public awareness and improve community engagement opportunities for bicycling. Some of the events and outreach programs will assist residents in learning how to bicycle responsibly on city streets as well as rewarding current cyclists and engaging new riders.

[read more...]

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The Fight for the Golden Spike

The 1st Annual Fight for the Golden Spike hardcourt bike polo tournament took place in our dear Salt Lake City this past Saturday, November 17th. An all-day, round robin play and a tournament bracket format whittled down teams from throughout Utah and Nevada to eventually crown this victors: Salt Lake City's own Chuck Heaton, Danny Smith, and Gabriel Mejia. Salt Lake City will keep the "Golden Spike" till the next time around. It's great to see all who came out and participated or cheered and spectated. Here are our favorite shots of the day!

Phil from Team "Ball and Shaft" attacking the O-Town Throwdown team,
with Jeff in the background getting back on his bike.
(Photo by Skylar Hoellein)

Multiple Scorgasm team representing Las Vegas, NV.
L to R: Quazi, Ghabe, and Dave.
(Photo by Skylar Hoellein)

The O-Town Throwdown team from Ogden at their first polo tournament.
L to R: Dustin, Jeff, and Gage (with root beer, we think)
(Photo by Skylar Hoellein)

[read more...]

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A Plea for Safety and Courtesy: An Open Letter to All Canyon Bicyclists

Canyon Bike Riders,

You are aware of the conflicts in our Canyons as motorists and people riding vie for the same limited road space. The canyon roadways are often too narrow to provide an accommodating shoulder in which people can ride safely and comfortably, and the travel lanes are not wide enough for riders and motorists to share.

Bicyclists in Emigration Canyon,
riding up two-abreast.

Recently reported incidents of bicyclists (and motorists) failing to stop for school buses and bicyclists failing to safely pass or circumvent people on foot have resulted in the Unified Police Department (UPD) being asked to step up enforcement efforts in school zones and the canyons. The UPD also actively enforces motorists improperly passing cyclists. Canyon residents are seeking a change in the state law to require bicyclists to ride single file in the canyons.

Citizen advocates and government officials are working together to address the issues and find remedies. The bicycling community can help by sharing and observing the following points:

-- Under Utah law, cyclists as well as motorists have legal access to the road.
-- Bicycles on the road are considered vehicles and must abide by the “rules of the road.”
-- Both cyclists and motorists must stop for a school bus. Bikers may stop, dismount, and walk their bike past a flashing or stopped school bus and then remount and ride on.
-- Both cyclists and motorists must stop for pedestrians in crosswalks and both are required to safely overtake and pass a slower vehicle.
-- Riders must yield to the slower pedestrian and pass at a safe clear distance when overtaking pedestrians on the shoulder.
-- Riding single file to avoid impeding traffic is the courteous thing to do, and conforms to Utah law, “Ride no more than two abreast [on the roadway] and then only if you would not impede traffic (41-6a-1105(3b)).”
-- Groups riding in the canyons should respect the concerns of motorists and canyon residents and not ride in clumps.
-- Riders should move to the side of the road when safe to do so, allowing motorists to pass.
-- Motorists should overtake and pass the slower bike vehicles safely and at a minimum, provide 3 feet of clear space when passing.

Safe biking practice dictates that under certain conditions bicyclists should ride near the center of the travel lane, which is in accordance with Utah Law (41-6a-1105(1)(d)(vii)). This is explained in the Cycling Merit Badge Book of the Boy Scouts of America, which states:

"On roadways with narrow lanes [without safe bike lanes] . . . ride in the middle of the right lane . . . Drivers need to get the idea that they must move into the passing lane if they want to pass you. In narrow-lane conditions riding all the way to the right invites a car to try passing you in the same lane, possibly forcing you off the road."

Requiring cyclists to ride single file in the canyons fails to address the problem. Solving the problem will require all canyon road users, residents, motorists and active transportation advocates working together to secure funding for roadway improvements for active transportation in the canyons. The road shoulder needs to be widened on the uphill side to provide separate bike lanes where feasible, so that riders and motorists can safely “share the road.” In narrower sections it may only be possible to provide occasional pull-outs for slower traffic to let faster traffic pass.

Efforts to improve bike lanes in Emigration Canyon will take years to implement due to limited funding to acquire the right-of-way, mitigate the environmental impacts and build the needed infrastructure.

In the meantime please ride courteously and respect all road users – treat other users of the road as you would like to be treated.



Chad Mullins
Chair, Salt Lake County Bicycle Advisory Committee
SLCBAC website: http://www.bicycle.slco.org/

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County Voters Approve Completion of Regional Bike Paths

[Article by contributor and transportation planner, Colin Quinn-Hurst]

On Tuesday night, Salt Lake County voters approved a bond that will fund completion of the Jordan River Parkway Trail and Parley’s Trail, two major regional off-street bike paths connecting communities along the Wasatch Front. Proposition 1 was approved 56 percent to 44 percent, passing easily. Over twenty years, the $47 million bond amounts to a property tax increase of $5.73 per year on a residential property worth $238,000. The County Council unanimously supported the bond, originally proposed in 2011 by then-Mayor Peter Corroon.

The bond will provide $11.5 million for completion of the Jordan River Trail. Southern JRT segments will be completed from 8600 South to 9000 South in West Jordan City, from 14600 South at the Springview Farms Trailhead to 15000 South, and from 15900 South to 16500 South around the Point of the Mountain near Camp Williams. These new segments will form an uninterrupted path to the edge of Utah Lake. The bond will also fund a new bicycle/pedestrian bridge over the rail yard between 200 South and North Temple in Salt Lake City. People who walk, bike and run on the trail currently detour eastward to 1000 West to bypass the yard. The completed Jordan River Trail will offer a 45-mile uninterrupted pathway through Salt Lake County.

The existing gap in the Jordan River Trail between 200 South and North Temple
in Salt Lake City will be bridged using funds approved in Proposition 1.
Source: Salt Lake County,
http://slco.org/parkbond/Jordan_River_Trail.html

For Parley’s Trail, $9 million from the bond will fund two new segments of shared-use pathway. One segment will link the existing path through Tanner Park to the Sugar House Streetcar shared-use path, currently under construction from McClelland Street to 500 East in Salt Lake City. A second segment will link 500 East to the Jordan River Trail, creating a continuous, eight-mile shared-use path from the mouth of Parley’s Canyon westward through Salt Lake City.

In addition to completing regional shared-use paths, the bond will fund construction of three regional parks and the purchase of land for a fourth. The parks will be located in Draper, Kearns/West Valley City, and Bluffdale, with land set aside for a future park in Magna.

Following construction, residents and visitors will be able to pedal on a continuous off-street network from deep in Davis County, through the Salt Lake Valley, and into Utah County, and eventually connecting with the Provo River Parkway.

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Lessons from Europe

Over the past two weeks, I’ve had the good fortune to travel through some great European cities: Freiburg and Cologne, Germany; Brussels, Brugge, Ghent, Leuven, and Antwerp, Belgium; and Amsterdam, Holland. In addition to sampling the local food and taking in the sights, I wanted to see firsthand why certain European cities have a reputation for being cycling-friendly and perhaps see if there were any lessons that we could easily apply to improving transportation in Salt Lake City. Given this region's enthusiasm for cycling, my expectations were high.

Salt Lake City has made great strides in recent years to make its streets and neighborhoods more bike-friendly, but there’s always room for improvement. Based on my observations of Europe and my conversations with local cyclists there, Salt Lake doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to creating a more pedal-powered future. Let’s first take a look at the local flavor of each region and then turn our attention towards some more general lessons which could serve us well.

Germany

"There are more bicycles in Freiburg than in Beijing," said our tour guide.

Whether it was true or not, it certainly felt true when I wandered the streets of this small, university city on the edge of the Black Forest. Despite the hazards associated with cobbled streets, light-rail trains, and light-rail tracks, I have never seen so many bicycles in one place in my life. Although cyclists in Frieburg come from all different walks of life, university students are clearly the driving force behind the city’s cycling culture. It seemed as though the biggest concern in Freiburg might have been finding your own bike parked among the masses of cruisers, townies, beaters, and road bikes. 

Bicycle parking in Freiburg.

Belgium

I spent the majority of my trip in Belgium. Brussels and Antwerp both boast extensive bicycle-sharing programs, but cycling did not seem quite as prevalent as in other Belgian cities. Cycling also seemed less visible in both Brugge and Ghent. However, in Leuven, a university city located just outside of Brussels, cycling was alive, well, and highly visible. Numerous college-aged residents took advantage of the cobbled, pedestrian squares and the endless miles of bicycle lanes.

Color-coordinated cycling in Antwerp.

The Netherlands

Upon arriving in Amsterdam, the first thing I noticed was cargo bikes. Within my first 10 minutes in Amsterdam, I had seen more cargo bikes than in all my years prior. In my two days there, almost every block that I walked had at least one Bakfiet or trike parked somewhere. Despite the large number of cyclists, I saw quite a few close calls between cyclists and pedestrians and numerous riding infractions that had the potential to cause injury. Many of these cyclist-pedestrian problems seemed to be due to the crisscrossing of biking and walking paths as well as the higher density of pedestrians in the downtown area. 

Bicycle parking at the Amsterdam train station.

Lessons Learned

Although each of these cities are unique, I noticed some common themes that contributed to the mainstreaming of cycling as a viable form of transportation.

Reasonably-priced, well-equipped bikes. Most of the new bikes I saw in shops were in the range of 200-400 Euros ($250-$515). The majority of bikes used in these cities are not what would be considered high-end. However, these bikes are perfectly suitable for everyday use and designed to meet the needs of most people. In addition, the majority of bikes come already-equipped with racks, fenders, chainguards, and lights. For beginners who are just starting or on a budget, it's necessary to make access to cycling equipment as easy and inexpensive as possible.

A lack of the "serious cyclist" mentality. At its core, cycling is simply what people do to get around in this part of the world. Rather than self-identifying as or being identified by others as a ‘cyclist,’ I encountered few people claiming that you must be a serious cyclist in order to make commuting by bike an integral part of your life. The lesson for us in Salt Lake City is simply to get anyone and everyone on bikes. If we consciously create a community and culture in which we embrace all people riding all kinds of bikes for all types of reasons, the end result will be, yes, more butts in seats, but more importantly, a destigmatizing of the bicycle as something ‘alternative.’ The first step is to get already-existing bikes (used or new) under anyone who shows the smallest amount of interest. The second step is to dispel the myth that you need the latest and greatest gear in order to be mobile.

More car-free/separated thoroughfares. There are three benefits that result from the separation of cars from cycling and walking infrastructure. First, when car-free areas are created, it gives biking (and walking) the upper hand. Driving is often a preferred mode of transportation in the US because it's perceived as faster and more convenient, despite its obvious drawbacks in terms of cost and safety. However, when bikes are given preferential routes and cyclists find ample parking in prime locations, it tips the balance towards cycling and away from car use. In most of the European cities I visited, cycling is simply a faster, more convenient mode of travel thanks to some thoughtful advances in cycling infrastructure. Second, this separation creates a heightened level of safety for cyclists who are primarily interested in a safe journey from A to B. Given that there are preferred routes and parking for cyclists, it makes the trip faster and allows for riding at a speed more conducive to integration with pedestrians. The infrastructure in these cities is set up for cycling and walking to coexist relatively peacefully. Integrating these two facets together in Salt Lake City would require some research, planning, and infrastructure development, but such investments are clearly possible, and I would argue, worthwhile. Third, car-free areas invigorate urban areas and make them more livable. Without cars constantly whizzing by, I witnessed people visiting, eating at streetside cafes, and generally more likely to be interacting with their surroundings. In a city that has more than its fair share of streets, some type of car-free thoroughfares could yield similar results in Salt Lake City and would likely further invigorate the downtown area.

Respectful riding. In most of the cities I visited, cyclists bridged the transportation gap between cars and pedestrians. Whether they were sharing sidewalks and pedestrian areas or riding along on-street bike lanes, there were frequent opportunities for positive interactions between cyclists, pedestrians, and drivers. The most noticeable behavior I observed while in Europe was general respect for all road users, and this seemed to be partially facilitated by cyclists. In cyclist/pedestrian areas, most cyclists engaged in cautious and restrained riding. Rather than bobbing and weaving at high-speed, there was a much slower pace, making it safer for both user groups. Any minor conflicts I observed were solved by an amicable ring of a handlebar bell. When bicycle infrastructure coincided more closely with cars, I saw almost no instances of cyclists breaking the law. Because many cyclists rode in good faith, it didn't seem like a coincidence that vehicles were more apt to stop for cyclists and pedestrians crossing streets, even when no traffic light was present.

Salt Lake City has a long way to go before we are biking at the same rate as these European cities (30% of the trips in The Netherlands are by bike). However, by learning what has worked in other locations and engaging in collective efforts to advance cycling, we can improve upon the growth we have seen in the past few years. In a city where citizens routinely suffer from air pollution, excessive or dangerous traffic, and high rates of obesity, it's crucial for the cycling community in Salt Lake City to become more engaged in promoting cycling and to find ways to reach out to those who have not yet discovered its benefits.

If I were to advocate four actions to help advance cycling in Salt Lake City, based on my experiences in Europe, they would be as follows:

       

      1)      Donate your old, unused bike to a friend, family member, or the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective - Get bikes into the hands of people who can use them.

      2)      Have fun while you ride and engage others in conversation when stopped at a traffic light - The more fun we have out there, the more people will want to be a part of it. Let's face it, driving isn't that much fun.

      3)      Practice a random act of courtesy to a vehicle driver while biking - Regardless of some entitlement issues, we all have to share the road. The more the tension can be eased, the safer we will be while riding.

      4)      Contact local government officials (the Mayor, City Council Members, the Transportation Division)  and decision makers (UTA) - When working on such a small scale, even a small number of people advocating a certain position can make a difference. Take five minutes to make suggestions for improvements or offer support for a decision that supports cycling.

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University of Utah rolls into Bicycle Friendly Silver designation

The University of Utah is proud to announce its designation as a Bicycle Friendly University at the Silver level. This decision involved careful review by the League of American Bicyclists, as well as local judges who are familiar with University and its peer institutions. The criteria of the award vary, but are focused on ‘the five E's’ — education, enforcement, engineering, encouragement and evaluation of cycling.

There are increasing portions of University students, faculty and staff utilize bicycles to commute to campus. Commuter Services continues to encourage and develop alternative forms of transportation like cycling. The University is also conveniently situated within a Bicycle Friendly Silver City surrounded by excellent mountain bike and road bikeways that helped contributed to the prestigious designation. The University of Utah’s Bicycle Coordinator, Heidi Goedhart commented about the award, "we are very excited to be granted the Bicycle Friendly University Silver designation. Completing the application and being reviewed was a suggestion in our Bicycle Master Plan. The in-depth application opened our eyes to some shortfalls here at the U, but it was also an opportunity for us to celebrate how far we have come in improving bicycle facilities on campus and how we have worked to embrace our growing cycling community.”

This accomplishment comes from the work of many departments inside the University of Utah as well as external entities. Campus Planning and Facilities Management, students and Professors, University of Utah Police Department, Commuter Services, Salt Lake City, UDOT and UTA and many others have all shown their devotion to enhancing the cycling atmosphere at the University.

Moving forward, the University hopes this award will be a catalyst in furthering its commitment to expanding bicycle facilities and amenities in an effort to encourage ridership. The designation as a Bicycle Friendly University will last four years before the University of Utah must reapply to maintain or improve its status. Moving forward the University has plans to expand bicycle parking areas, offer bicycle valets at more University events, expand its bicycle rental program and further develop bicycle paths and routes, and engage riders with promotions and events. To become involved with cycling efforts or for bicycle related volunteer opportunities on campus contact heidi.goedhart@utah.edu or visit the Universities Bike Facebook page at www.facebook.com/biketotheUofu

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The 2nd Annual Kopchovsky Cat This Saturday

If the headline reads a little funny, allow us to explain. This Saturday, October 27, is the second annual Kopchovsky Cat, a women only alley cat aimed at testing the knowledge and cycling skills of women in Salt Lake City. Last year saw 17 female participants with Jessica Gilmore taking the coveted prize of a custom messenger bag. If you have never done an alley cat before and are curious about them, let this be your introduction. With the outpouring of support from the nation cycling community, this year the alley cat is sponsored by Velo City Bags, Green Guru, Po Campo Bags, and Saturday Cycles.

The Kopchovsky Cat starts at 4:30 Saturday October 27 at the top of the Walker Center Parking Garage. An RSVP isn't required, but if you want to get more details, check out the event page on facebook. We hope to see many of the ladies from the Salt Lake cycling community there.

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What's Happening in SLC: A friend-raiser, winter commuting class, the clue-cat and more

If you are looking to get out an about on your bike this week there is no shortage of education, fun, racing, and genuine great bike fun in Salt Lake City.

Wednesday- Want to get stoked on spokes? The ladies of the women's cycling collective, Spoke Stoke need your friendship to help build the community around women and cycling. Get hip on the cool events these woman put on and bring all your friends (regardless of gender) to Earth Good General Store 1249 South 900 East, Wednesday, October 15 from 6:00-8:30. Grab a burger from The Better Burger food truck and make new friends. Find out more details on their facebook event page.

Thursday-Riding in the winter can be as easy as riding in the summer, if you know how to winterize your bike and your body. Join Architectural Nexus at 6:30 on Thursday to learn more about how you can benefit from riding year round. 

Saturday- Looking to heckle or race your bike? Join in on the cyclocross fun and get yourself out to the Rocky Mountain Raceway for the annual Cross Out Cancer race and fundraiser as part of the UTCX series. Visit their website for more details.

 If riding fast through the streets of Salt Lake is more your style, grab your bike, $5, and head down to Velo City Bags for the Clue Cat 2. The Alley Cat starts at 4 at the Velo City Bags shop on 366 South 500 East #102. Get more details and RSVP on facebook.

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Bicycle Commuter Class Hosted By Local Architecture Firm

Architectural Nexus is hosting a free to the public bicycle commuter class this Thursday evening in conjunction with the SLC Transportation Department - tell all your friends and family.

[read more...]

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Want To Improve Cycling In Utah? Take This Survey and Help Improve Our State

The Utah Department of Transportation and Utah’s regional planning agencies are inviting you to participate in the Utah Bicycle and Pedestrian Survey. The purpose of the study is to understand biking and walking needs so that transportation agencies in Utah can better identify issues and prioritize investments to make your neighborhood streets safer and more convenient for everyone.

Currently Utah is missing out on aproximately $2 million in bicycle tourism it could make every year if we had better infrastructure throughout our state and cities. Regardless of how much cycling you do daily or weekly, it is important that the voices of all cyclists and pedestrians are heard by our state and city transportation agencies. The survey will take approximately 10 minutes, and you can enter a raffle to win an iPad at the end. The survey will be open until the end of October so please forward it to your friends and family members.

Click here to take the survey

[read more...]

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Car-free Wasatch Crest

The efficient elegance of the bicycle inspires and empowers many SLC cyclists towards a car-free lifestyle. After encountering some frustration with auto inspection/registration/parking in fall 2010, this guy experimented with seasonally parking his auto in the summer 2011. Most of us might agree that combustion of excessive amounts of petroleum is probably not the most ideal way for humans to spend our petroleum resources. All politics, altruism/idealism, impact minimization efforts aside, as imperfect, mortal human beings, we are all faced with owning some level of impact, and prioritization (interesting impact focused blog here). Personally, I struggle to conquer or substitute my 'oil burning ways' and/or desire for mountain recreation.

Recently, a very popular mountain bike route-Wasatch Crest Trail, normally requiring shuttling automobiles, has become accessible via public transit to SLC residents. I tested the route Wednesday, and took my camera along to share with y'all. Turn on the HD, and full screen this one! The fall colors were in full effect, and recent rain produced delectable forest scents and ideal trail conditions. Enjoy, explore (but know your limits), do some homework (even numbered days only) - this route has the potential to make a day very long.


$ix Wasatch Crest Shuttle from Evan Mitchell on Vimeo.

This post features a video documenting the recent execution of the car-free Wasatch Crest Trail Shuttle.  Thanks to Park City Mountain Resort adding the uphill-only Armstrong Trail, and UTA starting up the Park City Connect 902 line. The $ix Chairlift route was tested on Wednesday September 26....and it's GOOD!

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Infrastructure Update: North Temple Bicycle Lanes Progressing

I wonder who they got to pose for this! ;)

In April I highlighted some of the bicycle improvements that Salt Lake City is making along North Temple as part of the Airport TRAX line project.  One feature recently completed are the safety features on each end of the North Temple viaduct.  The rail crossings at each end present a possible crash hazard, especially on the west end of the viaduct.  Care has been taken to encourage riders to cross the tracks at closer to a right angle.

[read more...]

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Tales From The Top Tube: Riding Up City Creek

I could see the haze hanging over the valley as the work van pulled into Salt Lake. The sun hung in the sky, a glowing red orb in forest fire smoke filled valley. When I exited the van the static heat hit me. “How am I supposed to ride in this heat?” I thought to myself, “You MUST ride tonight. You need it.” I concluded. 

My phone buzzed with the arrival of a text message “When will you be ready?” Ali,my riding partner inquired. “Be there in 20”, I replied. As I rushed to my house my thoughts reflected on the days work and the multitude of tasks that awaited me at home. Bottling Kombucha, putting vegetables from my garden away, drying peaches, cleaning the apartment. My partner called to let me know she was running late as I kitted up. She and her husband arrived and we hopped on our bikes and began the climb up to City Creek Canyon.

The heat from the pavement hit us as we began our descent into City Creek from 11^th avenue. “Please, let there be some amount of shade in the canyon right now.” I thought to myself. We entered the canyon, talking about our day, laughing at our follies, and talking about the upcoming Cyclocross season. I didn’t want this ride to be a trip to the pain cave, but it is hard to look at City Creek as being any sort of pain cave when you are surrounded by such beautiful scenery.

 

We pushed are way up the canyon, saying hello to fellow cyclists as we rode. Almost as quickly as we started we made our way the six miles up the canyon and began our descent. On the way up noticed the golden fields of native grasses and green trees that seemed unaffected by the summers drought. The cool air temperature made riding up easy and comfortable. As we descended the air felt crisp against my skin, an unusual feeling for such a warm day. Making our way back into the city I realized how lucky we are to live in Salt Lake. Though many cities have incredible riding terrain, we are luck enough to have City Creek in down town. 

I often forget what a fun and scenic ride City Creek is. Shorter than most climbs, it is easy for beginner cyclists and offers much to look at when you need to catch your breath. While on another ride up the canyon on Saturday I rode into an unexpected array of fall colors. I would have sworn it was just a few weeks ago lush Kelly Green leaves filled the trees and now fiery reds and burst of bright orange and soft yellows filled their place.  My focus on my training ride was quickly consumed by my desire to take in the fall colors before they quickly fade away. 

I hope many of you will make your way up City Creek this week to experience the fall colors and escape from the city for a little while. By foot or by bike, it is an experience.

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The National Women's Bicycling Summit And What It Means For SLC

If there was a single takeaway from the National Women’s Bicycling Summit in Long Beach last Thursday, it was a clear message that cycling for transportation and sport will quickly be dominated by women, if companies will take the time to market to them and communities take the time to build programs for them.

Cycling commentator Elly Blue, Maria Boustead of Po Campo bags,  professional cyclists Dottie Bausch and Dorothy Wong were a few of the many women who spoke at the summit. The topics of the panels ranged from encouraging women to participate in the sport of cycling to how the cycling industry markets to women. 

Though each break-out session was unique in subject matter, a clear message came across all channels: we need to close the gender gap in cycling. Women need to help other women get involved in cycling and be teachers and mentors. Women need to show each other how to ride safely, fix bikes, and integrate cycling into our daily lives.  But women don’t need to just help each other, they need to help our communities. It is important that women voice their concerns over safe routes to schools, work, and throughout our city. 

With staggering numbers of children who are destined to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes before the age of 18, helping women and primary care givers learn about cycling and integrate it into their families not only solves a transportation issue, it solves a healthcare issue as well. 

So what does all of this mean for Salt Lake City? In a city where nearly 50 percent of the population is female (according to the 2010 US census), we have ample opportunities for more women to become involved in cycling and have a voice in the community. Organizations like Spoke Stoke, the Bonneville Cycling Club, Women’s Wrench Night at the SLC Bike Collective, Salty Spokes, Cycle and Style, the Sunday Morning Slow Poke Ride and even our own SaltCycle racing team offer opportunities for women to learn, grow, and stretch themselves in the saddle. 

If you have any questions or comments on how Salt Lake can continue to make cycling accessible to women and families, leave a comment below and let us know. 

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