To help you keep rolling, our friendly Bike Ambassadors can be found all over the area in the coming week, handing our prizes, bike maps, advice and air for your tires!
First up is an Energizer Station in Woodinville TONIGHT, followed by a presence at the at the first Madrona Farmers Market of the year this FRiday from 4 until 7 p.m.
On Monday, May 20, the ambassadors will be hosting Bike Month Energizer station in Renton from 4 until 7 p.m. and they’ll be along Rainier Vista from 10 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. the following morning.
Ambassadors coming to your schools and businesses:
The illustrious Cascade Bicycle Ambassadors will be blending up bike powered smoothies for events at West Seattle Elementary and Madison Middle School. They will also be tabling for a transportation fair with Commonwealth partners.
If you see them, exchange some high-fives for a great Bike Month so far!
In the coming days, keep an eye out for the Cascade Bicycle Ambassadors at Energizer Stations throughout the city.
- Sunday, May 12: 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. at the Ballard Farmers Market
- Sunday, May 12: 1-4 p.m. at the Seward Park Helmet Sale
- Monday, May 13: 4-7 p.m. in West Seattle
- Tuesday, May 14: 10 a.m. -12:30 p.m. at UW Rainier Vista
Armed with maps and safety brochures, Cascade Bicycle Ambassadors are experienced bicyclists out in the community to talk to you about safe riding, commuting options, bike infrastructure and the services that Cascade offers. They might even pump up your tires or lube your chain for you!
The energy was contagious at Bryant Elementary this morning as dozens of students, accompanied by a police escort, parents, Seattle Public Schools Superintendent José Banda, Councilmember Sally Bagshaw and Cascade staff, biked to school.
After meeting for coffee and donuts and Top Pot Doughnut on 35th Avenue NE, the bike parade made a one-mile trek south to Bryant Elementary, which together with its Northeast Seattle community has been working for many years to create an environment where it is safe, welcoming and fun to bike to school.
“Bryant is not alone,” said Julie Salanthé, Cascade’s Education Director. “There is a growing movement and interest in supporting our kids in getting to school under their own power.”
“Today is about a shared vision for our community –a vision that people of every age and ability feel safe and confident enough to ride to school and to ride in their neighborhoods,” continued Salanthé. “Cascade’s mission is “creating a better community through bicycling” but this isn’t just our mission. It’s a shared idea about our community that we all work on together, that we all participate in.”
Superintendent Banda also spoke of the importance of making it safe and fun for students to bike to school.
“In 1969, nearly half of the school-age children [in Seattle] walked or biked to school,” stated Superintendent Banda. “We need to get back to that number.”
“Today, fewer than 15 percent of kids walk and bike. Our children are less active, less independent, and less healthy, said Banda. “Research shows that kids riding or walking to school perform better in school on tasks involving concentration as compared to kids who are driven —so we need encourage more of this.”
Hoping to make walking or biking to school the first choice for families as they choose their daily transportation, Banda called on the Seattle community to make it safer for kids to get to school, by reducing the traffic chaos and conflicts near our schools each morning and afternoon. (View Banda’s full speech here.)
As many rallied at Bryant Elementary, many more were participating in dozens of events happening throughout the city. We estimate that about 3,500 kids participated in Bike to School Day events today, some trying to ride for the first time:
Alki Elementary School bike train
Bike train at Loyal Heights
Bike to School Day at Salmon Bay
Bike Ambassadors and bike-blended smoothies at Eckstein Middle School
Yoga and bicycling greatly inform each other on both physical and mental level. Both are great tools for connecting people to their bodies and to the present moment. As a yoga instructor and cyclist in Seattle, I write about the intersections I see between these two practices.
Last year I wrote and illustrated Pedal, Stretch, Breathe. In less than one year I sold out of the 2,000 copies. I’ m currently running a Kickstarter campaign to fund the second edition.
The Pedal, Stretch, Breathe book is a greatly expanded second edition, more than doubling in size and containing more stretches and exercises and a broader view of the intersection of yoga and bicycle transportation and sport.
A major new section focuses on muscle groups–particularly those heavily used by cyclists in the quads and core. A section on seasonal influences and ayurvedic principles provides guidance on activity and eating throughout the year. The nine philosophical principles of yoga are applied to bicycling. Even more poses are described, targeting the specific muscle groups used when cycling. And finally, a glossary of basic yoga and bike terms provides a handy reference. Everything is presented in a way that’s accessible to absolute beginners and regular practitioners alike in either yoga or cycling.
We’re also keeping most of the original content that has brought in glowing reviews, including the flow chart of pre-ride stretches you can do with your bike (one of the rewards includes a poster of the chart!), the “hit the wall” recovery stretches for hips and knees, tips on breathing and spine alignment, and chakra philosophy applied to you and your bicycle.
I have been teaching yoga since 2009 and riding my bicycle far longer. Riding my bicycle around the beautiful hills of Seattle has cultivated strength in my body and passion in my heart. I want to take yoga out of the studio and put it on the bike path. It is my hope to bring yoga to more bike rides and riders, showing them how to stretch without a mat and even how to use your bicycle as a prop. I’m happy to be a Cascade Bicycle Ambassador and look forward to seeing you on the bike path soon.
Int he coming days, keep an eye out for the Cascade Bicycle Ambassadors at Energizer Stations throughout the city.
- Sunday, May 5: Ballard Farmers Market and Seward Park
- Monday, May 6: 4-7 p.m. in Beacon Hill
- Tuesday, May 7: 10 a.m. -12:30 p.m. at the UW Hub
And Wednesday, May 8, is Bike To School Day! Ambassadors will be helping students celebrate biking to school at Nathan Hale High School, Eckstein Middle School and Roosevelt High School.
Armed with maps and safety brochures, Cascade Bicycle Ambassadors are experienced bicyclists out in the community to talk to you about safe riding, commuting options, bike infrastructure and the services that Cascade offers. They might even pump up your tires or lube your chain for you!
Ambassadors will also be tabling at the upcoming business fair organized by CAC Real Estate.
Cascade Bicycle Club is a non-profit organization creating more livable communities by promoting health & recreation through bicycle activities, advocacy, & education.
