Tricia and I joined hundreds of cyclists and pedestrians (and her fellow teacher and Kestrel rider, Lars) for the opening of the Benicia Bridge Pedestrian/Bicycle Path. It's about time. And it only cost $50 million! There were festivities that we skipped, but we did score a 15% Sports Basement coupon and a very nice commemorative water bottle.The bridge path is wonderful. It's plenty wide, and will be fun to ride on
normal days when it's less crowded. It does, however, dump you into a rather ugly industrial area of Martinez, but it doesn't take long to get out of the refinery zone and into the hills near Martinez. The Benicia side can take you into Benicia, or into another industrial zone with signs that say "Danger. Remote control rail cars." Still, I'll be riding it, and trying to find a loop that will take me to the Carquinez bridge into Crockett and back to Martinez. (Click the map to see a large readable version)
Hey Curtis,
ReplyDeleteJim Ketsdever here. I live in Martinez and am a pretty compulsive cyclist. Let's compare notes some time. I'm about to do the Bridge-to-Bridge loop for the first time. Gotta go--meeting my training partner.
Cool blog.
jim@sarawaters.com
Hi Curtis,
ReplyDeleteNice things you've written about here. Believe it or not, we are also Antioch pedelers. My husband rides to Pittsburg BART and then for a bit in Berkeley to his job every day. We just did the Napa Century/Metric last month. I'm hoping to do the full century next year. You guys look familiar, and I'm wondering if you are the couple I saw at soccer (or baseball) sign ups with your wife wearing a "Rosie the Riveter" jersey. I still admire that one.
I'm actually responding because I wanted to know if you heard of the bike collision today. I can't find anything on-line. As I was leaving for work with kids this morning, I saw a woman laying face down on the road, her mountain bike was mangled under a white van. APD was there and Fire had rolled up as we were passing the scene. With the way things were paused on the road, it looks as if the lady may have been hit while she was in the bike lane. I'm pretty worried about her condition given how she looked at the scene, and don't know how to get information. My kids were pretty shaken up in the car too, especially our teen girl who has just started to ride in the bike lanes with me. This was on James Donlon.
I hadn't heard of the Ride of Silence until seeing it on your blog. I'd love to have us participate with you. I'm also steamed over the loss of bike lanes in Antioch, as well as the lack of vegetation maintenance that makes some sidewalks more dangerous than riding the third lane. I would be interested in speaking to the city council.
Keep up the rides. It's great to know others in the area enjoy riding as much as we do.
http://bikethebridges.kintera.org
ReplyDeleteI am a Police Sergeant with the El Cerrito Police Department and supervise our Bike Patrol Unit. We are currently working on a bike ride to raise funds for the Special Olympics. If possible could you please send the attached flyer and registration link to your membership. We would love to have your club involved if you are interested.
If you are ever looking for a location for a meeting or a guest speaker please let me know. I work really hard to improve the relationship between cyclists and law enforcement in the bay area.
It really is a great partnership
Thank you for your time
Sergeant Shawn Maples
510 215-4414 ex 26
Bike the Bridges for Special Olympics
Pedal for Special Olympics and Help Change Lives!
Join us for this family friendly bicycle challenge benefiting Special Olympics Northern California. The challenge offers the family option of a 25 mile ride starting and ending at Waterfront Park in Martinez. The tougher option is an earlier start to complete two laps of the course before ending back in Martinez at the Waterfront Park Festival. The course leads riders across the scenic Carquinez Bridge and the new Benicia Bridge.
Registration fee is $40 which includes post ride lunch. Participants are encouraged to pedal the extra mile and raise additional funds which will help to provide free year round sports training and competition opportunities that our athletes enjoy.
Raise $150 and earn post ride lunch and commemorative challenge coin.
Raise $250 and earn all the goodies and a bike jersey.