Tweed Ride + Traffic Basics Class + Safety Tip + Azusa & South LA Update

February News IN THIS ISSUE Urban Expeditions: Tweed Moxie & Mustache Ride Bike Ed: Raise Your Bike Safety IQ C.I.C.L.E.'s Community Health Rides  Safety Tip of The Month Upcoming Events on Two Wheels Urban Ex: Tweed, Moxie & Mustache Ride! Ladies and Gents, dress in your finest tweed and ride along with other dashing, distinguished, and dapper bicyclists for C.I.C.L.E.'s Los Angeles Tweed Ride on Saturday, February 25th. Our Golden Age Hollywood tour will visit several historic and famous sites. Ride with us through the beautiful grand mansions of Hancock Park, as seen in the movie "The Artist," and stop to see the famous Los Angeles Tennis Club. Our scenic route will include the landmark Sunset Blvd. Cat and Fiddle Pub, where we can reminisce and enjoy some delicious appetizers and a refreshing beverage from New Belgium Brewing. You won't want to miss this refined and retro ride! As with all Urban Expeditions, this ride is under 8 miles, family-friendly, and leisurely paced. When: Saturday, February 25th 2012 Where: Meet at Burns Park at Van Ness and Beverly Blvd (located about 2 miles from the Vermont/Beverly Metro Red Line Station) When: Meet at 1:00pm. Ride Leaves promptly at 1:30pm. What to bring: Bring water, snack and a bicycle in good working order. This ride is FREE and open to anyone, but all participants should be able to ride a bike safely with the ability to brake, change gears, and balance while stopping and starting. All participants under 18 MUST wear a helmet and be escorted by a parent or guardian. Children under age 8 should be on a tag-a-long, bike trailer, tandem, or other safe child-carrying device to participate in the ride. Raise Your Bike Safety IQ with C.I.C.L.E.'s Traffic Safety Class Did you know that you can avoid many car-bicycle collisions just by knowing how to ride properly in the street? In the class, you'll learn basic principles of bicycle and traffic safety.  For the second part of the workshop, you'll need your bike, because we'll be hitting the road for an easy ride that will put what you learned into practice. When: Sunday, February 19th Time: 1:00pm -- 2:30pm Where: Caltech Y: 505 S. Wilson, ground-floor meeting room Price: Free! This class is being generously sponsored by Caltech's BikeLab. What to Bring: Your bicycle, in good running order and a helmet. RSVP to: bike@cicle.org.  Space is limited. To attend this class you must be able to: Start your bike with confidence and ease. Balance and steer your bike Bring your bike to a smooth and controlled stop. Use your gears effectively Remove one hand from your handlebar to signal without veering. Look over your shoulder without veering. . C.I.C.L.E.'s Community Health Rides In February, C.I.C.L.E. continued its project with the County of Public Health to encourage physical activity through bicycling.  C.I.C.L.E. led two community-specific rides.  In Azusa, we led 44 children and adults on a Hidden Gardens Tour.  We discovered thriving green spaces and community gardens all in reach by two wheels.  Our final stop was at the Dhammakaya International Meditation Center.  The riders were treated to snacks, a stroll through peaceful gardens and information about meditation.  It was a wonderful day  of bicycling, gardens and mindfulness in Azusa. In South L.A., C.I.C.L.E. has been working with T.R.U.S.T. South L.A. and the CicLAvia South L.A. Host Committee on their community-focused rides.  C.I.C.L.E. assisted with a Watts Towers Ride by planning the route and leading the tour.  About 60 bicyclists rode from Augustus Hawkins Nature Park to the Watts Towers.  Once at the Watts Towers, the East Side Riders Bike Club took the lead and rode us to the Watts Labor Community Action Committee where we learned about the community services, arts, and development at the WLCAC.   Safety Tip of the Month: Before you roll, check your bike and don't forget to check yourself We should all check our bikes for mechical safety before riding.  Pre-Ride checks should include inspection of the wheels, tires, breaks, cranks, chain, and handlebar,   Often we forget that we need to check ourselves and accessories.  What should we be looking for?  Do a check for the following: 1) Loose clothng that can get caught on your bike.  Pants can get tucked into socks or tied down with a reflective leg band. 2) Make sure your shoes are tied and your laces are not too long.  Double knot if needed. 3) Are you carrying a bag?  Make sure there are no dangling straps.  Make sure your bag is not covering your lights and reflectors.  Also make sure your bag doesn't hang low enough to get caught in your wheel while riding. 4) Do your lights shine brightly?  If not, change your batteries before you get caught in the dark with no lights.  Rechargable batteries help keep you green - they save money and reduce waste! Upcoming Events on Two Wheels Feb. 11th - February 11th - East Side Riders' Ride 4 Love - Join the East Side Riders bike club for a bike ride around the Watts Community.  Meet up at 10am at 10950 S. Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90059. Feb. 12th - Community Ride in Azusa - As part of our work with the  L.A. County Department of Public Health, C.I.C.L.E. has been conducting ongoing rides in neighborhoods that previously lacked a bicyle community. Feb. 19th - C.I.C.L.E.'s Traffic Basics Class Feb. 25th - C.I.C.L.E.'s Tweed, Moxie & Mustache Ride March 2nd - UCLA Complete Streets for California 2012 Conference March 9th - C.I.C.L.E.'s ArtNight Ride - Join us for a guided bicycle tour of Pasadena and its cultural institutions. April 14th - C.I.C.L.E.'s Lorax Ride -  Support alternative transportation by joining Pasadena's Earth and Arts Festival bike ride led by C.I.C.L.E. April 15th - CicLAvia - Car-free streets open for the people to enjoy by foot, bicycle, skateboard, jump-rope and other human-powered devices.  May 14-19th - Bike Week Pasadena - Mark your calendars and get ready to celebrate the 6th annual Bike Week Pasadena, May 14th-19th, 2012.  C.I.C.L.E. and the City of Pasadena have planned a delightful week-long array of pedal-powered fun for most skill levels and age groups to promote bicycling as a safe and sustainable mode of transportation.    C.I.C.L.E. is a project of Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs (SEE), a non-profit public charity exempt from federal income tax under Section 501 (c) 3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Visit www.saveourplanet.org for more information.

This email was sent by CICLE - Cyclists Inciting Change thru LIVE Exchange, 4734 Eagle Rock Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90065, using Express Email Marketing. You were added to this list as

Express Email Marketing supports permission-based email marketing. You can change your preferences or unsubscribe from this mailing list at any time.

--

"la accion es la madre de la esperanza."

-Pablo Neruda