Want to ride more but feel unsure about your skills and knowledge of how to ride our roads? Then take one of the East Bay Bicycle Coalition’s free skills classes – Urban Cycling 101!
The next Classroom Workshop in nearby Berkeley is Monday December 2.
This fun and entertaining workshop is taught by one of our bicycle safety instructors certified by the League of American Bicyclists. Learn basic rules of the road, how to equip your bicycle, fit your helmet, take a bike on transit, and avoid crashes by riding predictably, visibly, and communicating with other road users by your actions and signals. No bike required.
(Please note: All of our UC Berkeley classes are open to the public, but are also part of the BEST (Bicycle Education & Safety Training) program allowing ticketed cyclists to have their fines reduced.)
What a great opportunity to get the skills needed to ride more confidently on the road!

These classes offer great information for both beginner and experienced cyclists alike. Here’s what a few of the class’ attendees had to say:
“You know the type, aging, maybe a grey goatee, riding an expensive carbon bike, riding up to 10,000 miles a year, who the #$%^ are you to tell me anything about bike safety?  Well, that was me, and mostly still is, except that I honestly got a lot out of an EBBC, Urban Bicycling Skills 101 class, and look forward to far safer riding in the future! ”
Brian Aldrich – President, Grizzly Peak Cyclists

“I wanted to thank you for leading the Urban Cycling 101 class at Berkeley… I just bought my first bike since childhood and I was initially so overwhelmed by riding in traffic. The class was really great and I feel a lot more comfortable trying to ride my bike around. The videos were great and I loved that it was so comprehensive. I signed up for the road class, and I just joinedEBBC as a member.”
Alexis Wong, Urban Cycling 101 student and new EBBC member

Register here

Want to ride to Cal with others? Write a note here in “comments,” or put on AS&R’s Discussion List or Facebook page!

The UC Village Mixed Use Project is on the agenda of tonight’s Planning & Zoning Commission Meeting.
This developers have created a top notch cycling and walking infrastructure to encourage safe walking and cycling to and from the development. The blocks are ringed with cycling paths as well as a path on Monroe down the center and a safer crossing of San Pablo Avenue. This infrastructure will be enjoyed by those using Sprouts and the retail at the development, the residents and visitors at the senior housing facility, those who live in UC Village and other Albany residents.
The full meeting agenda is here, as are links to supporting documents.

Join us for a happy hour at our new location at Grazzy Burgers/Albany Taproom – yes, they have plenty of bike parking! This is our every other month (even-numbered months) informal get-together to talk about all things bike and ped in Albany. It’s a good chance to ask about what the city is up to and what our stance on issues is, and to meet others who are interested in issues related to human-scale transit/active transit.

Everyone is welcome.

Note that this will usually take place right before a Traffic and Safety Commission meeting, and will also be a good chance to talk about anything coming up on their agenda.

The monthly Traffic & Safety Commission Meeting, the Fourth Thursday of every month (other than holiday times, so be sure to check date here,) is a great place to make your ideas known, find out about the transportation issues and projects in Albany, and help improve things for cyclists and pedestrians in and around our town.

The agenda will be posted on the City website here.
Come on down!

Learn to bike safely and confidently with this FREE class!

Want to ride more but don’t feel you quite have the skills?
Here’s a FREE bicycle skills class given by Bike East Bay (formerly East Bay Bicycle Coalition.)
Learn basic rules of the road, how to share the road with cars on busy streets, how to equip your bicycle, lock your bike, fit your helmet, and avoid crashes by riding predictably, visibly, and communicating with other road users by your actions and signals. For adults and teens, no bike needed.
Every attendee will receive a free reflective vest for participating!

The class is FREE but requires registration, so please register here.

Come on down to pedal-power a delicious smoothie and help others do the same!
courtesy: Amy Smolens

Bring your kids to Albany Police Activity League’s Annual Bike Rodeo!

Ken McCroskey, AS&R’s master helmet adjuster and children’s brain guardian, tirelessly applies his craft
courtesy: Francesco Papalia

http://albanypal.net/id27.html

Free bicycle helmets will be given to youth participants.

Rodeo activities will include bike inspections, safety information, and a bicycle safety course. The goal of the bicycle rodeo is to encourage riders to wear helmets on every ride, to give young cyclists basic skills for on-road riding, and to teach them the rules of the road to help keep them safe. This event focuses on young riders in elementary and middle school.
AS&R will again be working with kids, showing them how to ride their bikes safely and responsibly.
We’ll also have our  ”Check for Bikes” clings on hand for parents…and the famous Bicycle Blender so everyone can pedal-power a delicious smoothie!
PLEASE VOLUNTEER: We could definitely use some help running the bike blender station and talking to parents and kids. Any takers, please? If so, please contact Amy Smolens or Ken McCroskey.

School kids learn how to cycle safely and have fun doing it, while following the rules of the road.
courtesy: Peggy McQuaid

“Study Session on General Plan Transportation Goals & Policies” is one of the agenda items. This is the next in a series of Planning and Zoning Commission Study Sessions on the Albany 2035 General Plan Update. This Study Session will cover the first draft of the General Plan goals and policies for transportation. An opportunity for public comment will be provided.
The Planning & Zoning Commission is being review and provide feedback on the proposed goals and policies… so we hope some of you will review it and give your feedback.

The updated General Plan Transportation Element is at http://albanyca.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=290&meta_id=76393

The full agenda is http://albanyca.granicus.com/GeneratedAgendaViewer.php?event_id=2e45d59b-d656-405c-bbed-9017eef80205

Come join the fun on the Ohlone Greenway!
Photo courtesy Suzanne Iarla

The City of El Cerrito hosts its Ohlone Greenway Fun Day to celebrate the recent renovation of the Ohlone Greenway, the multi-use trail that runs the length of El Cerrito and through our city of Albany, as well as Richmond & Berkeley.
The event will encourage people of all ages to ride, jog, walk or roll along the Greenway and include activities like a “discovery passport” activity and bicycle obstacle course. The celebration will include music by DJ worldOnelove, informational tables about biking & walking (including AS&R’s table!,) basic bike safety checks, a bicycle obstacle course for kids, gardening and other tips for healthy living, and more!
The festival at the Greenway and Manila Avenue runs from 9:30am- 1pm.

There is also a fun-run and ride:
The course starts at the El Cerrito Plaza BART Station “Willow Street” parking lot and finish at the El Cerrito DMV Parking lot @ Manila Avenue. All routes are along the Ohlone Greenway in El Cerrito. Route distances are approximate. The 5k route has 18 road intersection crossings. The 1 mile route has 6 road intersection crossings. Participants should use caution at all crossings.
*Riders (approx 5km) will begin at 9:15am – All riders must wear a helmet.
*Runners (approx 5km route) will begin at 9:45am
*Walkers (approx 1mile route) will begin at 10:00 am
This is a fun event, not a race. All abilities welcome!
Register here now to ride, run or walk! Same-day registration begins at 8:45 am.
The first 50 people to register will receive a free t-shirt.

If you’re not going to do the fun run, walk or ride, just come on by the Festival between 9:30am – 1pm!

I could use a few VOLUNTEERS to help me at the table – if you’d like to help at our table (especially if you live or work in El Cerrito,) please contact me (Amy Smolens) – thanks so much!