May 5, 1997

Bike-to-Work Day: Pedaling alternative transportation

Ever think you might like to bike to work? If you're not already doing it, Thursday, May 22, might be a good day to start. It's the tenth annual Bike-to-Work/School Day, and a free breakfast awaits faculty, staff, and students who leave their cars behind when coming to the campus.

The bagels, coffee, fruit, and other treats are only a small taste of what's taking place May 18 through 24 for Bike-to-Work Week.

UCSC will serve breakfast at the Student Center from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 22. At 5:30 p.m., Palookaville hosts the Bike-Away-From-Work Party at 1133 Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz.

Other events include:

Saturday, May 17:
• A special screening of the movie Breaking Away kicks off the week at midnight at the Rio Theater, 1205 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz. $5 general admission, half price if you ride your bike. There will be a ticket-stub drawing for a bicycle trailer and other gifts. Valet bike parking is provided by Growing Cycles.

  Sunday, May 18:

• Ride Day. Helmets are required for all participants, regardless of age. Don't forget water and sunscreen.

• A rolling historical tour and picnic through downtown Santa Cruz, Beach Hill, and West Cliff starts at 11 a.m. at 2048 N. Pacific Avenue at the HUB for Sustainable Transportation. Learn about Santa CruzÕs transportation history from historian and cyclist Ross Gibson.

• Wandering Wheelswomen Sunday Stroll to Davenport: Group will bicycle through the oak and redwood groves of Empire and Smith Grades and down to the coast for a picnic lunch on the cliffs in Davenport. Total distance approximately 30 miles, with rolling hills. All riding styles, speeds, and levels of experience will be accommodated. Meet at 9 a.m. at Beckmann's Bakery on Mission Street. Call Laura Kummerer for more details: (408) 469-8501. Free.

• Team Santa Cruz Club Road Ride: Medium pace, route to be determined by group. No one will be dropped. Meet at 9 a.m. at the HUB for Sustainable Transportation, 2048 N. Pacific Avenue. Call Barnaby Lee with questions (408) 458-0887. Free.

• Strawberry Fields Forever VIII: Benefit ride for Global Cyclists Exchange, a program of people-to-people diplomacy with Eastern European Cyclists. Rides of 100 miles, 100 km, and 25 miles through the forests, apple orchards, and strawberry fields of Santa Cruz County. Registration is $20 in advance, $25 day of the event, and includes sag support, rest stops, chocolate-dipped strawberries, lunch, and a gift drawing. For more information and registration forms, call (408) 662-3761.

  Monday, May 19

• Women's Bike Commute Tea: This is a time for women who share a common interest in cycling to gather for tea, pastries, and good company. The group will share resources, ride ideas, roadside maintenance techniques, and bicycling activism information. A handful of speakers will illustrate the myriad of different cycling issues and interests which unite women. Afterwards, there will be tea and pastries to eat. Free, 7 to 9:30 p.m. at the Bicycle Trip, 1127 Soquel Avenue, Santa Cruz.

• "Kids 1": Effective Cycling--Bicycle Safety Lecture for Parents: 7 to 8 p.m., Live Oak Elementary School Cafeteria, 1916 Capitola Road, Santa Cruz. With Kevin Karplus, a League of American Bicyclists-certified bicycle safety instructor. Free.

  Wednesday, May 21

• Bike-to-Market Day: 2:30 to 6 p.m., Downtown Santa Cruz Farmers' Market, corner of Lincoln and Cedar Streets. Ride your bike to the Farmers' Market and be automatically entered into a drawing for free vegetables. Free. Valet bike parking provided by Growing Cycles.

  Thursday, May 22

  Bike-to-Work/School Day: Free breakfast at UCSC and other sites, including: New Leaf Community Market at Mission Street in Santa Cruz, 41st Avenue, Capitola, and Felton; the Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium; The Butterey at the corner of Soquel and Branciforte Avenues; Cabrillo College Amphitheater; Harvey West Park, clubhouse Scout Room; and at Twin Lakes Park at 7th Avenue and Murray Street. Also in Scotts Valley at Camp Evers Park, Glen Canyon Road and in Watsonville at the Downtown Plaza, corner of Main and East Beach Streets.

• Saturday, May 24: The Human-Powered Parade and Fair starts at 11 a.m. at the north end of Front Street in Santa Cruz. From noon to 2:30 p.m. is a street fair with live music, food, and bike safety and maintenance demonstrations, Front Street, Veterans Memorial Building.

For more information and a more comprehensive list of events, call the Bike-to-Work Week office at (408) 423-3773.

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