November 2015

 WHEEL PEOPLE            Vol. 34  No.  6             November 2015

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 2015
 
New Members
 
Justin Fricker, Arcata**
Martin Smukler, McKinleyville**
 
Renewed Members
 
Will Dvorak and Carole Beaton, Eureka***
 
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.   Get on board now for all the benefits, including discounts at all the bike shops.
 
The Next Regular Meeting will be Held November 16th in Arcata
 
The next regular HBBCA meeting will be held at 6:00 p.m., Monday, November 16th, at Carmela’s Mexican Restaurant, 13th and G Streets in Arcata. Dinner is optional.  Agenda items may be suggested by emailing:  info@humbike.org.   
 
At this meeting, we will discuss the fact that attendance at recent meetings has been very low, generally the same 4-5 at each meeting.   Are there ways to increase interest?
 
Annual Bicycling Calendar Included with this Newsletter
 
Each year, the HBBCA provides its members with a Bicycling Calendar so that daily bicycling miles can be recorded.   As you may have heard, Rick Knapp kept track of his miles on a calendar just like this every year since 1974 when he became a bike commuter.   It is with this rudimentary tool that he was able to determine that he had achieved 100,000 bike miles on July 4, 2015.   You can do it, too, maybe better.   But, if you don’t keep track you will never know what you have accomplished. 
 
Foster Avenue Extension Ribbon Cutting Held in September
 
In case you haven’t experienced yet first hand, below is a nice aerial view of the new Foster Avenue Extension which was officially welcomed into existence by the City during a September 14, 2015 ribbon cutting.

  
Manila Shared Use Path Project Funded
 
From County Supervisor Mark Lovelace’s Facebook:
 
"The County of Humboldt and Caltrans have received $1.7 million to build a separated bike and pedestrian shared-use path alongside Route 255 in Manila. The path will run along the west side of the highway from Dean Street to Carlson Drive, providing a safe linkage between the Manila Community Center, Redwood Coast Montessori School, Willow and Dunes Daycare, public transit and school bus stops, and the Humboldt Coastal Nature Center. The funding will also provide for a public education campaign to encourage bike and pedestrian safety. The project is anticipated to be completed in October of 2018."
 
Another Side of Rick: Two to Tandem
By Cara Barnes
 
Most of you know Rick Knapp as the President of HBBCA, but I know him as Captain Rick and probably spend more time looking at his backside than most of you.
 
Some years ago I gave up my old mountain bike and the antique Schwinn Continental that had been passed around in our family as my vision had deteriorated to the point that I no longer felt safe riding independently.  A few years ago my interest in cycling was renewed when a used purple Santana tandem, dressed up with hot pink accessories, entered my life.  This spring Rick enthusiastically took on his new alter ego as Captain Rick after a chance meeting at a local bike shop.
 
There are a few tricks and techniques to learning how to ride a tandem as well as a lot of teamwork.  If you are not familiar with tandem talk, the person riding in front is known as the Pilot or the Captain and the person in back is called the Stoker.  Although Rick is a super cyclist, he had to learn the Primary Rule of Tandeming, “The stoker makes no mistakes.”  Captain Rick has creatively added a few new words of his own to the tandem lexicon such as “Quack-Quack”, which means that I should duck so he can use his helmet mirror to look at something behind and to the right (like a freeway on-ramp).
 
While I cannot claim to be a true bicycle commuter, time on the tandem means the click, click of changing gears and feeling for my water bottle.  Time on the tandem means smelling the eucalyptus trees near College of the Redwoods and hearing the geese in the fields off Highway 255.  Next time you are on your bike think about the myriad of sights, sounds and smells you just can’t experience the same way from the inside of a car!
 
City of Eureka Updating Bike Lane Symbols
 
At long last the City of Eureka has its own stencil of a helmeted bike rider with lane arrow so that they can refresh disappearing bike lane markings.   At the suggestion of the HBBCA, they have begun redoing those on Henderson and on Wabash, some of the most invisible in the City.   Hopefully, over time, others will be done.   Previously, they were only done when stripping contractors were contracted to do them.   Usually, stripping was redone, but bike lane symbols were not.  If you see other areas you think should be done, phone or email the City contact listed in this newsletter.
 
Bike Party Humboldt Hosting Bike Party on Friday the 13th!
 
Bike Party Humboldt is hosting their November Bike Party Ride on Friday the 13th. This month the ride will be in McKinleyville. They will be starting, and ending, the ride at Central Station, 1631 Central Ave. The ride starts at 7pm (after dark). This is a slow, leisurely ride of bicycles equipped with lights for both decoration and safety! For more information, go to the "Bike Party Humboldt" Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/BikePartyHumboldt/
 
 
Letter
 
Dear Rick (likely similar cards were sent to HBBCA members Patricia-Anne WinterSun and Oona Smith),
 
Thank you so much for your willingness to pitch in where needed in order to make the Latino Bike Rodeo such a success.
 
It’s fun to work together to nurture the next generation of HBBCA members.
 
Sincerely, 
 
Melanie Williams, Bikesthere.com
 
Who to Call When You See a Safety Concern (Rev. 9/2015) 

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
Mark Suchanek, Deputy District Director
445-6393 Mark.Suchanek@dot.ca.gov
Dan Ramirez, Maintenance Manager
(for maintenance-related concerns)
445-5327 daniel.r.ramirez@dot.ca.gov
 
County of Humboldt
Wendy Meeks, Dispatcher
445-7421 wmeeks@co.humboldt.ca.us
Abandoned Vehicles: Wally Williams,
County Sheriff’s Office, 268-3629
 
City of Arcata
Alynn Zdawczynski,
Public Works Administrative Assistant
822-5957 azdawczynski@cityofarcata.org
 
Abandoned Vehicles:
Arcata Police Dept. at 822-2424
 
City of Eureka
441-4203 publicworks@ci.eureka.ca.gov
 with copy to: shutchison@ci.eureka.ca.gov
 
Abandoned Vehicles: Mary Kirby
mkirby@eurekapd.org, 268-5232
 
HBBCA Board of Directors (Rev. 3/2015)
 
President---------------------- Rick Knapp
445-1097(h) email: info@humbike.org
Vice-President---------------- Brett Gronemeyer
845-2117(h); 445-5390(w)
Secretary/Treasurer---Gail Popham,
445-5204(w)
Director of Publicity-----open
Director of Planning-----open
 
Please Join or Renew Your Membership for 2015  
 
The HBBCA is working to improve and encourage bicycle commuting.  Help make it happen by joining now or renewing your membership for 2016.   
 
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, 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% (or more) at Henderson Center Bicycles; 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.
 
Enclosed: $_____dues    $_____donation
 
Name_______________________________________________
 
Address_____________________________________________
 
______________________________________________________
 
Phone__________________(h)______________________(w)
 
____I’d rather receive my newsletter by email.   This is my neatly printed email address:
 
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Mail to HBBCA, P.O. Box 9054 Eureka CA 95502-9054