Immersing ourselves in Bike Week

Melissa and I could not wait for the first week of May. We had our calendars ready (well Google Calendars), our watches set, and our bikes all cleaned up. We were ready to start May with the big, the bold, and the wheely fun Bike Week.

This past year Melissa and I have been collaborating with the City of Santa Cruz, People Power, Ecology Action, and other related organizations. We've given our efforts in tabling at multiple events throughout the year, volunteering with Elise Ehrheart of Ecology Action in teaching elementary school children how to properly ride their bikes to school with the Bike Smart! program, and co-facilitating bike-commuting workshops with Amelia Conlen of People Power. All these events we partook in were to contribute towards our main goal: to increase bicycle ridership in Santa Cruz.

Melissa, our friend and favorite volunteer Hasti, and me at Bike Night First Friday

We started our week off last Friday (May 2nd) at the Ecology Action and People Power sponsored event "Bike Night: First Friday at the Museum of Arts & History." This event was the big kickoff of Bike Week! It was fun night filled of bike-related arts and crafts stations, a group-led bike ride downtown, live music from local artists, bike-blended ice cream, and free helmets! Melissa helped people deck out their bike with decorations for Bike Week while I helped lead the bike ride downtown. I had to to keep people to the right side of the road to ensure that we weren't impeding traffic too much! Overall it was a successful night!

On Saturday, Melissa hosted a Bikes & Food Justice Fest on campus to promote students to become more aware of this mode of transportation and get some free strawberry bike-blended smoothies! At this event, people learned about the importance in Food Justice and how it's related to sustainable transportation. I helped table about our project to heighten the importance of bicycling! 

Bike valet by People Power at Open Streets

On Sunday, Melissa volunteered at Capitola's "Open Streets" event. It was  day filled with music performances, arts and crafts, and People Power's exhibit on the importance and safety that cycletracks or protected bike lanes can bring in our town. Since Santa Cruz has two of these protected bike ways, this exhibit was advocating the importance of them and the encouraging people to support having of more in the local communities.

Bike Week World Cafe

On Monday, Melissa and I participated in a UCSC World Cafe by having the theme be about bikes (since Monday was the official beginning of Bike Week)! We made bike-blended smoothies, talked with students about cycling and its benefits, and got people stoked about the upcoming events! On Tuesday, Melissa helped volunteer with UCSC Transportation and Parking Services to give away free helmets to ensure people who are biking remain safe!

Bike to Work Day on May 8

Celebrating Bike to Work Day with a beer at Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing with one of our mentors, Amelia Conlen.

IT WAS FINALLY THURSDAY! The reason Bike Week was so important for the both of us was it allowed us to measure if our goal of increasing bicycle ridership was being reached in Santa Cruz, specifically on Thursday when it was Bike to Work/School Day. To measure our success, Melissa and I volunteered alongside the UCSC Cycling Team in giving away free breakfast to bicyclists who biked up to school. We all had such sensational and awe-inspiring conversations with the vast amount of cyclists who stopped to chat and eat some of the food we offered. From bike cruisers, to mountain bikes, to road bikes, Melissa and I were both so proud to see so many people ditch their cars and bike that day. To end the great day, we both went to Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing to help donate $1 from our pints of beer (hehe) to Ecology Action and Bike Week programs for all their hard work this week.

Santa Cruz Bike Party takes over the Wharf!

On Friday, Melissa and I wanted to bring all this bike awareness towards some hard earned fun! We joined People Power in a massive Santa Cruz Bike Party that was themed (Bike) Empire Strikes Back with many local community members, students, and families in the streets of Santa Cruz. We all biked from downtown to the Wharf, along the San Lorenzo River, up to Mission Street, around Safeway, and back downtown. We were all motivated to bike the night away by the speakers blasting dancing music and everyone dressed in Star Wars costumes.  

Melissa and Hasti promote bike valet

We ended our Bike Week by volunteering with Amelia Conlen, director of People Power, in having free bike valet at the UCSC music festival "Edge of Eden." We wanted to promote to student and participants a cheaper alternative to driving and taking public transportation! We got to enjoy the amazing performances of several artists, soak in the sun, and give people the freedom to have fun as we took care of their bikes. 

On the "edge of Eden" waiting for people to come valet their bikes!

Overall, this week was filled with so many amazing moments, conversations, and memories. This month has only just began, but this past week sparked the passion and drive that Melissa and I have for cycling. Come join the fun! 

UC Santa Cruz Bike Month Events 2014

Many UC Santa Cruz banana slugs bicycle year-round, but during May, which is National Bike Month, these banana slugs not only bike but also celebrate the greatest two wheeled invention known to humankind. Join the UCSC community in celebrating the bicycle at these upcoming events, and see a full listing of Bike Month events here.

Stevenson Bikes & Food Justice Fest - May 3 at 12pm - 4pm
Stevenson Main Quad, UC Santa Cruz. 
Join us for a bike & food justice fest featuring free bike maintenance, bicycle education and history, bike-generated strawberry smoothies with education about strawberry production, music, bike part art, a food justice & transportation board game, and more! At 2 PM, there will be a speaker panel and discussion about the intersections of transportation and food justice in the Stevenson Fireside Lounge.

Slug Bike Party Ride Around Campus – May 3 at 3:30pm 
Meet in Stevenson Main Quad, UC Santa Cruz. 
During the Bike & Food Justice Festival, a group will be heading off on bikes to explore easy and secret routes around campus while also touring some of the campus gardens. Bring a bicycle in good working condition, a helmet, and comfortable shoes. Bike party!

Bike Week World Cafe - May 5 at 5pm - 7pm 
Kresge Piazzetta, outside Kresge Seminar Room at Porter-Kresge Rd, UC Santa Cruz. 
The World Cafe is a weekly potluck of both food and ideas that takes place in Kresge College. The theme for this week is bicycles to celebrate the beginning of Bike Week in Santa Cruz! Join us for conversations about the revolutionary role of bicycles to empower and free people in our community, enjoy some bike generated smoothies and music, and learn some basic bike maintenance.

UCSC Bike Helmet Giveaway - May 6 at 1:30pm - 4pm 
Base of UCSC campus, corner of Bay & High. 
In celebration of Bike Week, Transportation and Parking Services is hosting the Bicycle Safety Campaign! TAPS will be surveying cyclists and handing out 200 free helmets to members of the UCSC community on first come first serve basis. Proof of UCSC affiliation required. Invite your friends if you care about them staying safe on the road! If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Julie.

Bike to Work/School Day! - May 8, 2014 at 6:30am - 9:30am 
Have you ever wished someone would celebrate your bike commute with free food? Well that’s what Bike to Work Day is all about! There will be 15 public breakfast sites for people who bike to work/school this day, with three sites at UC Santa Cruz: base of campus, top of the Bike Path, and Quarry Plaza. For more information, visit the website.

Edge of Eden Music Festival (Free Bike Valet) - May 10 at 2pm - 10pm 
Take your bike to this music festival at the UCSC East Field and receive free bike parking! Parking is limited for the event anyway, and you won’t have to worry about your bike while you enjoy the show. Learn more here.

Free Bike Commuting Workshop at UCSC - May 14 at 12:30pm – 1:30pm 
Science and Engineering Library Room 332, UC Santa Cruz. 
Come to a free one-hour workshop for UCSC bike commuters of all skill levels hosted by People Power of Santa Cruz County. We’ll cover best practices for commuting to campus, including gears, laws, and routes.

Endless Summer Bike Ride - May 18, 2014 at 11am to 3pm
Soak in the sun, practice your cycling skills and explore little-known routes around Santa Cruz on this easy 8-10 mile bike ride. $6 cost includes a picnic lunch at Twin Lakes Beach. Bring a helmet and bike in good working condition. Register online here.

IDEASS Tabling at the UC Santa Cruz Community and Arts Festival!

On April 12th, Melissa and I had the wonderful opportunity to table at the UC Santa Cruz Community and Arts Festival. This festival invited students to present the research and projects they have been working on this past academic year. Melissa and I were fortunate enough to be able to table at this event so we packed our bags with our previous newsletters, bike maps, a simple CO2 emission calculator, and other bicycle-related resources we have used for our project and got ready to immerse ourselves with the variety of people downtown.

We weren't ready for who we'd talk to and what we'd talk about! Melissa and I talked to avid, confident cyclists who gave us suggestions on our bicycle-commuting workshops, we gave advice to people who want to incorporate cycling into their daily commute, a man asked us about our project's importance and why cycling mattered in Santa Cruz, but overall so many people acknowledge our project and applauded us for our efforts. It was an amazing experience to be able to educate and talk with the people who reside in the same the city we've both lived in for four years. Although, we've had numerous outreach events that we've promoted our project at, this event was exhilarating and an educational occasion for us too.

Bicycle commuting community-building through conversation (Pedaling Periodical)

On St. Patrick's Day, March 17, a dozen bicyclists gathered in the People Power office in downtown Santa Cruz to discuss bicycle commuting tips, tricks, and laws. Hosted by People Power of Santa Cruz County and the UC Santa Cruz Bicycle Transit Team, this was the first of five community workshops happening every third Monday of the month from March until July.

The workshops are designed to educate new bicycle commuters, as well as remind and refine seasoned commuters' understanding of bicycle laws, best practices for all weather, and safe strategies for getting to work, school, errands, and back home safely on a bicycle. An article in the Good Times provides an overview of the workshops here.

Upon arrival, participants were asked to fill out a one-page survey about their current bicycling habits. The team coordinating the workshops will be compiling this data and comparing it to two post-workshop surveys one month and three months after the workshop. The purpose of comparing data is to identify the effectiveness of the workshops in encouraging more bicycling, as well as to be able to calculate carbon emissions reductions from miles biked instead of driven. The workshops are made possible by the UC Santa Cruz Carbon Fund, which funds projects on-campus and in the community that will reduce carbon emissions. 

The first twenty people to attend the workshops will receive a free bike light. Only about eight people attended the first workshop, so if you're looking for a new bike light, you might consider attending the next workshop on April 21. Front, white bike lights are required by law for night riding, and back red lights are required by common sense (the law does require rear reflectors for night riding, but a light's way more effective). 

In addition to bike lights and the survey, participants could take a free bike commuting tips half-sheet and if they do not already own one, a Regional Transportation Commission bike map. The map can also be downloaded online here.

The People Power office is located at 703 Pacific Avenue, and it has a big bike commuting workshop flyer on the window in addition to other information about bicycling. Right around the corner is the Bike Church, a tool cooperative where you can learn to fix your bike and also purchase parts.

Amelia Conlen, Director of People Power, led this first workshop, providing an outline and overview to bicycling law, best practices, and safety tips. Throughout the presentation, participants were encouraged to ask questions, share stories, and talk to one another about concerns and suggestions they have. Sitting at a table together helps to facilitate the dialogue, and it was clearly helpful to have community members talking among each other to identify solutions to challenges they face. 

At the beginning of the workshop, everyone shared their name and current bicycling habits. One woman had never bike commuted before, but she was interested in giving it a try. Another woman is an employee at UC Santa Cruz who has only biked to campus once. She is interested in making it her regular commute. Because everyone in the room knew a little about others in the room, people were able to share specific tips that they knew that might help others. When you get a slice of the community talking about bike commuting, you realize that we have the solutions to our problems within the collective knowledge of everyone in the room. It's pretty empowering to realize that!

Amelia had a whiteboard set up with a drawing of an intersection to demonstrate different ways to make left turns. Everyone had suggestions for methods they use to feel more comfortable among traffic, and it often depended upon location and comfort level as to the method people chose to use when turning left.

Aly Tyree, one of the student interns on the Bicycle Transit Planning Team, expressed her enthusiasm about the workshop: "By having people with a range of confidence in cycling, we really got to see the reasons why people bike compared to the reasons why people do not. I think by having some bicycle advocates at the workshop they became positive enforcers for the people who want to increase bicycling in their lives. It was overall a fantastic event and I had such wonderful conversations with everyone that showed up!"

The first workshop was certainly a success, and all people who bike commute or are considering it are encouraged to attend a future workshop. These free community workshops take place every third Monday of the month until July, from 6-7 PM at 703 Pacific Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz.

If you are an employee or owner of a business in Santa Cruz County and you'd like to have a free bike commuting workshop take place at your business during the lunch hour, please contact People Power at 831-425-0665 or email Amelia.

We hope to see you April 21st! 

Trail blazing: Santa Cruz mountain biking news (Pedaling Periodical)

Wondering what's going on in the exciting mountain biking world of Santa Cruz? From trail building to discussions about the new CEMEX property to some major festivals coming up, we've put together some news for you!

"Karen Kefauver, Spin City: Mountain bike team launches as part of Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Search and Rescue team"
"What happened to him could happen to any cyclist or hiker: He had taken a wrong turn, backtracked, crossed a creek, got disoriented and ended up spending one of the coldest nights of the year in the woods. 'He thought he was going to die,' said Morse." Read the full article on the Santa Cruz Sentinel here.

"Hundreds turn out for meeting on Cemex planning"
Santa Cruz Sentinel reports: "Hundreds of county residents filed into the Hotel Paradox Wednesday night to offer their views on the opening of the Cemex Redwoods, a massive expanse of wilderness that cascades from the peaks of the Santa Cruz Mountains nearly to the sea." Read the full article here.

Flow Trail at Soquel Demonstration Forest 3/30 & 4/8 Dig Days
Want to help build the flow trail at Demo? Join Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz for two upcoming dig days!

Volunteers digging at the new Flow Trail in the Soquel Demonstration Forest.
Photo credit: Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz

Vote for the Flow Trail at Demo: April 7-20
Bell Helmets and IMBA are hosting a contest for $100,000 for three trail building projects through the Bell Built contest! The currently-being-built Flow Trail at the Soquel Demonstration Forest has made the finalists list for the west coast. You can vote for it online here April 7-20! Learn more about the Flow Trail on the Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz website here.

Trail work opportunities at four different trails in the area
Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz has trail work opportunities quite often. Visit their website for a calendar listing of trail work days at places like the Flow Trail, Emma McCrary, and Wilder Ranch. Find out more here.

Santa Cruz Mountain Bike Festival: April 5-6
"The Santa Cruz Mountain Bike Festival was created by Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz to celebrate the world class mountain bike facilities, riders, and cycling industry of Santa Cruz county, and to raise funds to support local bike projects. This family-friendly eco-conscious event continues to grow year after year with the generous support of our sponsors, volunteers, and community—and our success testifies to the depth of the mountain bike culture in Santa Cruz county." It takes place in Aptos Village. Learn more on the website here.

Sea Otter Classic: April 10-13
"Mountain bikers, cyclocrossers, road racers and air junkies all converge on Laguna Seca and Fort Ord in Monterey for the biggest bike festival in central California. Four days of races, demos, slalom contests, fun events like the first-ever Night Ride sponsored by Magicshine and a ton of kids' activities make for serious fun. This is a qualifying event for the National Mountain Biking Championships, so big players will be here, and national gear companies will be strutting their best stuff." Learn more on the Hilltromper website.

Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz is a more comprehensive resource than this blog post, so we encourage you to visit their website and like them on Facebook for the latest scoop.

Bicycle Outreach at UCSC Earth Summit (IDEASS BTPT 2013-14)

Last Thursday, our team joined a number of other student organizations in tabling at the Campus Earth Summit at UCSC. The event featured not only tabling, but also inspiring speakers, spoken word performances by the incredibly inspiring duo Climbing PoeTree, and workshops throughout the day. There was also free food and music powered by a bicycle generator! 

Fellow bicycling enthusiast Alex Hoffman (co-teacher with Melissa for the winter quarter People Power: Engaging Sustainable Transportation Solutions class) joined Aly and Melissa at the BTPT table. We promoted bike riding in Santa Cruz, as well as encouraged visitors to the table to take a survey about their bike riding habits. We also had a map of Santa Cruz that visitors could pin their routes on using tacks and rubber bands.

We were able to tell attendees about our project, answered bike-related questions, handed out materials for safer and more informed riding (provided by Transportation & Parking Services--thanks!), and asked visitors to our table to fill out a survey designed specifically for Earth Summit. Only 13 people filled it out, so we aren't counting the results as statistically accurate by any means. But if you're curious what folks said, check out the results below. Click the image for a larger view.

Mostly students, which we expected.

Because most of them are students, most are 18-24.

High bike rate among this crowd--they did, after all, approach a table proclaiming to be about bicycles. Future surveys we conduct will be at our bike commuting workshops where we imagine there will be a number of bicycle riders, too. We conducted the survey at Earth Summit as a way to identify any confusing questions and also see what kinds of habits UCSC bike riders have.

The campus bike shuttle is fully subsidized by Transportation & Parking Services through parking fees. Yes, you heard that right. Parking fees. So to continue to subsidize and make sustainable transportation methods cheaper for us all, people need to keep driving to campus and paying for permits. Hmm... Let's envision another model for funding, shall we?

Woah, we got some experts in the house! We still want those kinds of folks to attend our workshops if they're inclined to do so--they can share stories, tips, and maybe they'll realize they could learn a thing or two themselves!

With our stellar bus system in Santa Cruz to get to campus, it's no surprise that a lot of people bus it.

Mostly split between never and every weekday. 

Did you know that about half of all trips in the U.S. are three miles or less? Three mile trips are totally manageable by bike. I call that opportunity for change!

0 means no concern, and 5 means great concern. The following questions are all in response to "What keeps you from biking to work and/or school more?"

Given the high rates of bike theft in Santa Cruz, this is interesting. Get a good lock, use a bike locker, or park your bike in high visibility locations.

Bike racks with bags on the side are the way to go, especially with our hills. It's incredible how much easier it is to carry things when they're on your bike and not your back.

Leave earlier so you can ride slower and not break too much of a sweat. If you're going up to campus, there are showers available for bike commuters in Kresge College and Kerr Hall. Check out Janet Lafleur's blog One woman. Many bicycles. for more tips like this.

You don't need the most expensive bike in the shop to bike commute. Search Craigslist or ask friends who bike. 

If you're really far away, consider taking your bike on the bus!

Time management is key, and it is possible! Besides, if you bike to work, you can reduce your daily exercise routine and you'll inevitably feel more refreshed in the mornings. Daily exercise like this is really healthy for you, and it can soon become something you look forward to.

Weather-proof your commute! It's all about getting the right gear, some fenders, and waterproof clothing. 

Such great reasons to bike! Are you still on the fence about biking to work more often? Our workshops are designed for encouraging you to get out there more and feel empowered by your decision to bike to work instead of driving. Have questions? We have answers.

Workshops begin this Monday, March 17, from 6-7 PM in the People Power Office, 703 Pacific Ave. Learn more and register here for our free workshops!

Thanks for reading about experience at Earth Summit! We hope to see you Monday!

Bike Smart: Education for young, powerful pedalers (IDEASS BTPT 2013-14)

"Education is a continual process, it's like a bicycle... If you don't pedal you don't go forward." - George Weah 

PEDAL POWER! This phrase stuck with me all day last Wednesday after Melissa and I volunteered with Ecology Action in doing Bike Smart rodeos at SC Westlake Elementary School with their 5th grade class. Elise Ehrheart, Bike Smart program coordinator of Ecology Action, was the voice behind the catchy phrase and the facilitator of these rodeos. These rodeos aimed to get students familiar with the structure of riding their bikes on city streets as well as mastering basic traffic laws. Melissa and I decided to volunteer at one of these rodeos to 1) get an idea on how many kids are interested in biking 2) to have a fun morning with kids! 

To start the morning off, Elise started outlining a bike course that mirrored the intersection of High St and Moore St since that's where the school is located. This course included multiple colored cones and chalk to highlight the different actions the students should be doing when they made their way to the middle of the intersection. I was amazed at the fantastic representation of the general situations the students might experience; such as, a fake rail road track, a bike lane merging with the street, how to merge to the left lane from the bike lane, and learning how to communicate their actions with the other cyclists and cars on the road. All these skills were formatted to educate these students in their participation in their school's Bike to School day that next week. 

The day really began when we all heard loud footsteps and saw a bunch of kids running out to our bike course. Many kids had bikes of their own, but for those who didn't we gave them bikes and helmets that Elise provided. We split the kids up in different groups and started them at the four different sides of the intersection. Each side had a different focus as listed above, and when they all reached the middle they had to communicate with each other to know who went first through the intersection and who did not. 

It was such a delight to be able to see so many kids be interested in biking and learning basic laws and skills. Some kids came up to us after the rodeo expressing that they had never really rode a bike before, but after completing this rodeo they felt a lot more secure and confident being on a bike. That's something you just can't wait to hear! This is particularly true since Melissa and I are about to co-facilitate bike commuting workshops to local businesses with Amelia Conlen, director of People Power. Although, these rodeos were designed for children, there are still a lot of essential knowledge that we will also be presenting to people at these workshops especially if they too feel insecure about biking. Overall, what a joy to be an educator for a day instead of being taught! Pedal Power! 

Project Challenges/Advocacy

My project thus far has been smooth going! I’ve been getting some great footage from Tawn and have started putting it together—it’s coming together nicely. Going on the ride that Tawn put together in Aptos produced some great footage as well. We took high school kids up into Nisene Marks and rode some really fun trails. It was most of the kids’ first time mountain biking which was a blast to see and I got some really fun footage all over the trails.

Putting together the video for Green Ways to School hasn’t evoked any problems and has been a lot of fun so far. The only thing I have some concern over is how far the video will reach via the internet. We’ve talked a lot in class about the audience that our advocacy actually reaches which is often those already involved in the bike community.  The video that I’m making for Green Ways to School will go up on their website, which means that the only people who will see it are those actively searching for Green Ways (meaning that they have a prior interest in the organization and thus, in bicycling). I want the video to reach kids and parents who are interested in contributing to an eco-friendly community or who want to engage in sustainable forms of transportation but might not have the resources or might not be comfortable sending their kid off to school on a bike or on foot. I would really love to find the resources to reach this audience. I’ve reached out to the public access station here in Santa Cruz but haven’t heard back (perhaps because they’re under renovation right now?). I know that Tawn has worked with them before so that’s a great connection to have, and I’ll contact them again soon or talk to Tawn about ways of getting the video on air. Of course, posting the video to blogs and internet communities (like this one!) always helps, but again, probably won’t reach the local demographic that I’m interested in reaching. I’d be interested to hear suggestions as to how to reach this audience! Included is a sneak peek photo of the Nisene Marks ride last President’s Day weekend.

My Multimodal Adventure to the Silicon Valley Transportation Choices and Healthy Communities Summit (Green Gal)

This was originally posted on Green Gal's blog here on Saturday, February 22.

By 6:15 AM today, I was biking down the hill from campus, enjoying the moments of stillness right before the sun rose. Lights twinkled in the city below, a familiar view that has been part of my experience at UC Santa Cruz for the last four years. Most of the time when I see the city's twinkling lights, though, it's at night.

Seeing it this early in the morning dispelled any lingering desire to be in my warm bed, and it prepared me for a day of engagement with transportation issues. I was on my way to the Silicon Valley Transportation Choices and Healthy Communities Summit in Palo Alto, and this 15-minute bike ride was leg one of a multi-modal journey!

After biking fast down the hill with my bright yellow jacket on, I arrived at the Santa Cruz Metro Station downtown with about 5 minutes to spare. I put my bike on the bus rack, paid my $5 for the trip over the hill, and sat down to breathe. I promptly closed my eyes and half-slept while sitting and not letting my pannier bag fall over for the next hour on my way to San Jose.

As the bus pulled into the San Jose Diridon Station, I saw Green Guy's adorable red BMW 2002 (Rojito) parked in the circle waiting. (You may remember Rojito from this story!) Vehicle number three for my multi-modal journey! We took the wheels off my bike to store it in the car and then drove to the store for breakfast ingredients and coffee. We spent some of the morning with his family, and he made everyone yummy egg cheese ham muffins modeled after the Egg McMuffin but much tastier. Then we were off to Palo Alto!

Upon arriving near University Avenue, I asked Green Guy to take some photos of me with my bike for my new column "It's Wheely Easy Being Green" on Pedal Love. I modeled in front of some flowers for a few minutes, striking different poses with my beloved bike. Helmet on, or off? These are serious fashion considerations, so we took a ton of different pictures.

I still haven't decided which one I'm using for Pedal Love, but perhaps this one?

Once I felt we must have at least one good photo, we said good bye and he drove off to his job at Tesla Motors. Evidently, we're both advocates for the coolest methods of transportation, bikes and electric sports cars--but let's be honest, bikes are way cooler. I headed into the conference, which took place at the Avenidas Senior Center in downtown Palo Alto, and found a seat.

For the sake of space, I won't go into too much detail here about the conference. I will say, though, that it was awesome to be around that many transportation advocates, and it was a perfect opportunity to meet people who are working on bike advocacy and other transportation topics in the Silicon Valley. I learned about local organizations, met some new friends, and discovered potential opportunities to pursue after I graduate in June.

To learn more about the conference, please view my photo essay here.

After the conference, I biked to the Caltrain station in Palo Alto. It was only the fourth or so time I've used Caltrain, and my first time bringing a bike onboard. I had read the information online about it, but I still gravitated toward some other folks with bikes waiting at the platform. They showed me what to do, and it was so easy!

As I sat in the bike car, I glanced around at the other bikes and noticed a really cute red one (above). I snapped a photo of the bikes, and a few stops later, a fashionably dressed woman in dark purple tights, black heels, and a red coat approached the bike. I instantly recognized her as the blogger for One Woman. Many bicycles. Of course, I couldn't remember her name or the name of her blog at the time, so I didn't approach her to say hi. I receive her blog posts in my email, and I knew she lived in the area and used Caltrain between bike rides. It was cool to see her in person, especially because now we both write for Pedal Love, and she's one of only three or so Northern California writers for the site.

When I arrived in San Jose, I waited in line for my second to last leg of my journey: the Highway 17 Express back to Santa Cruz. I fell asleep on this one again, too.

Upon arriving back in Santa Cruz, I considered biking back to campus... but given my sleepiness and the paper that I have due Monday (0/5 pages complete), I opted to save my energy and waited for the bus. Fortunately, I got a spot in the bus bike rack, and then I was headed home to my dorm.

Wow, what a day filled with transportation, connections (between people and modes of transit), and a sense of community that spans the Santa Cruz and Silicon Valley communities. I feel myself being pulled somewhat toward my future in the Silicon Valley area where I'll likely move after graduating, but I also feel rooted in Santa Cruz. This morning's sunrise and a walk around my college before the sun set tugged at my heart and sense of home. It is beautiful here, the air is fresh and full of natural sounds, and I know this place. I have lived and learned and loved life in this forest for four years.

Yet, I know that I need some adventure in other places and communities, and I want to bring what I have learned and experienced on this campus and in this community to other communities. Today's conversations taught me that there are so many people in other places that are working for sustainable and just solutions; Santa Cruz is not the only place. There are dialogues and people and struggles happening in the Silicon Valley that I want to learn about and be part of, so I look forward to the future, yet I am doing my best to remain present in this coastal, redwood filled world.