July 2018
WHEEL PEOPLE Vol. 37 No. 3 July 2018
Newsletter of the Humboldt Bay Bicycle Commuters Association
P.O. Box 9054 Eureka CA 95502
Website: www.humbike.org
Email: info@humbike.org
New and Renewed Members of the HBBCA
The following are new and renewed members for 2018. Please consider joining or renewing if you haven’t already.
New Members
Korina Johnson, Arcata
Jim & Francis Maunder, Eureka
David Nims & Family, Eureka
Gaela Mitchell, McKinleyville
Wesley Chesbro, McKinleyville**
Advanced Cellular Services, Arcata
Jason Slyter, Eureka**
Renewed Members
Steven Sipma & Noreen O’Brien, Fairhaven**
Ali O. Lee, Bayside**
Chere’ Edgar, Arcata***
Dan & Carol Stafford, Eureka***
Robert Schultze & Sonja Schultze-Huff, Eureka**
Gary Scarola, Eureka
Bob & Susan Ornelas, Arcata***
Those with a ** next to their name gave an additional donation. Those with *** have given a $25 or greater donation. Thanks to all those who have joined or renewed their commitment and those who have given additional donations to support our many causes. A special shout-out to Dan and Carol Stafford who donated $100 with their renewal. They have been very generous contributors since 1995! Get on board now for all the benefits, including discounts at all the bike shops. See application at the end of the newsletter.
The Next Regular Meeting will be Held on July 23, 2018 in Eureka
The next regular HBBCA meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m., Monday, July 23, 2018, at Chapala’s Café at 2nd and C Streets in Eureka. To suggest agenda items, please contact Rick Knapp at info@humbike.org or call him at 445-1097.
HBBCA Endorses Humboldt County’s Application for Bay Trail Funding
The HBBCA Board of Directors submitted a letter of support for Humboldt County’s application for funding to build the final four miles of the trail, between Eureka and Bracut, called the Humboldt Bay Trail South Project. If successful, funding would come from grant funds under the State’s Active Transportation Program administered by Caltrans. The project is the design and environmental stage at this point and will likely be a couple of years or so before construction could begin.
Bike Month Humboldt was another successful one!
Once again, Bike Month Humboldt was a successful one. We celebrated with many of the same events as previous years, but this year the Bike Month Humboldt Coalition came up with new events, too, including a very successful bike tour of historic Eureka, with nearly 40 riders participating.
The photo above was taken by Rick Knapp on Hillsdale Street, the start of the historic tour.
New records were set for the Humboldt Bike Challenge 2018. See story below.
Several bike rodeos were held this year in communities in Humboldt County.
In the photo above, Rick Knapp fits a helmet for a toddler in Arcata
Humboldt Scores High in the National Bike Challenge
{Excerpts from a press release from Oona Smith, Senior Staff from the Humboldt County Association of Governments and longtime HBBCA member}
For Bike Month Humboldt, 210 locals took the Humboldt Bike Challenge! A goal was set by the Coalition of 15,000 miles for Bike Month (May). That was exceeded in two weeks so the goal was upped to 30,000, and that was exceeded, too, with a total of 31,880 miles ridden by the end of the month.
Almost 43,000 people rode as part of the U.S. National Bike Challenge, pedaling over 7.7 million miles during Bike Month. Humboldt came in second in the nation for communities with populations of 75,000 to 150,000, bested only by Boulder CO, which had three times as many riders participating.
Some of the top riders included:
Top Bike Commuters in Days
1st place—Dustin Helliwell (24 days rode to work)
2nd…………Luis Moroney (24 days rode to work)
3rd………….Matt Runyan (23 days rode to work)
Top Number of Bike Trips
1st place—Danielle Felsenthal (137)
2nd…………..Brian H. Rantz (102)
3rd…………..Brian Draeger (100)
Top New Riders
1st place—Lori Taketa (65 trips + 83 miles)
2nd………….Mark Jacobo (35 trips + 86 miles)
Special mention must go to the Humboldt Bay Trail Team. This spunky team gathers pledges to ride and raise money for building and maintaining the Humboldt Bay Trail. This year’s team raised $2,716 for the trail.
Bay Trail Team Fundraisers:
Oona Smith $1,258.50
Greg Jaso 643.00
Emily Sinkhorn 332.50
Nancy Stephenson245.00
Brian Draeger 187.00
Elaine Hogan 50.00
The Humboldt Bike Challenge was organized, launched, promoted, monitored, galvanized and obsessed by the Bike Month Humboldt Coalition. Humboldt’s customized website for the National Bike Challenge was made possible by generous sponsorships from the Mad River Community Hospital and the Open Door Community Health Centers, advocating for active transportation and health and wellness.
A total of 27 teams were enrolled this year, each with a maximum of 8 members. A total of 11 teams exceeded 1,000 miles of riding during Bike Month. The winning team, “Team Derailed,” logged 2,718 miles.
HBBCA Endorses Caltrans’ Grant Application for the Annie & Mary Trail
The HBBCA has endorsed grant funding for the Annie & Mary Phase 2 project from Blue Lake to Glendale. The project will transform the unused rail line into a Class I bikeway. When completed, people will have a safe and comfortable way to walk and bike from Blue Lake to Arcata, and connect to other non-motorized facilities throughout the region.
HBBCA Comments on the City of Eureka’s Draft EIR on the General Plan Update
The HBBCA’s new Director of Planning, Alexis Kelso, has been busily reviewing the City’s Draft Environmental Impact Report on the City’s Draft General Plan Update to see how supportive both are with respect to establishing a walkable and bikeable community. She has found that the mobility element policies do not seem to integrate with land use policies in a way that will support and increase in walking and biking. She has developed a series of recommendations for improvement which are included in a letter that will be sent to the City.
Zeke Smith of “Team Derailed” hoists the team winner’s trophy, manufactured by HBBCA member, Mark Mueller
Who to Call When You See a Safety Concern (Rev. 4/2018)
The HBBCA checked with agencies in the Humboldt Bay region to determine appropriate contact personnel to respond to bike-related issues. If you see a condition that needs to be corrected in order to improve safety or convenience for cyclists such as a pothole in a bike lane, accumulated debris on a roadway shoulder, the need to re-stripe a bike lane, the need to clear vegetation encroaching on a shoulder, or a street light that is out, call the responsible agency/person listed below. Of course, if you see a condition that requires immediate attention, like a stop sign knocked down, call 9-1-1. For non-emergency conditions, the following contact information is provided:
Caltrans
Betty Totten, Customer Service Liaison
441-5655 www.dot.ca.gov/d1/contactus.html
County of Humboldt
Wendy Meeks, Dispatcher
445-7421 wmeeks@co.humboldt.ca.us
Abandoned Vehicles: Wally Williams,
County Sheriff’s Office, 268-2509
City of Arcata
Melanie Dabill
Public Works Administrative Assistant
825-2128 mdabill@cityofarcata.org
Abandoned Vehicles:
Arcata Police Dept. at 822-2424
City of Eureka
441-4203 publicworks@ci.eureka.ca.gov
Abandoned Vehicles:
eureka-policeabatement@ci.eureka.ca.gov;
phone 268-5232
HBBCA Board of Directors (Rev. 1/2018)
President---------------------- Rick Knapp
445-1097(h) email: info@humbike.org
Vice-President---------------- Brett Gronemeyer
845-2117(h); 445-6578 (w)
Secretary/Treasurer---Gail Popham,
707-502-8030(cell)
Director of Planning-----Alexis Kelso, 445-6397(w)
Director of Publicity ----open/available
Contact Rick Knapp if you are interested in filing a vacant Board position.
Please Join or Renew Your Membership for 2018
The HBBCA is working to improve and encourage bicycle commuting. Your $5.00 annual dues, paid on a calendar year basis, will help pay for youth helmets, bike racks, this newsletter, the website, BikeSmart promotions, “Bike Month” activities, prizes, postage, insurance, etc. And, it will help demonstrate your commitment to our goal.
With your membership card, you may request the following discounts on bike parts and accessories: 10% at Revolution Bicycle Repair; 15% at Adventure’s Edge; 10% at Pacific Outfitters, and 15% at Sport and Cycle. Membership cards include stickers on the back showing discounts offered by the various bike shops.
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Mail to HBBCA, P.O. Box 9054 Eureka CA 95502-9054