Get into the spirit of this ride!
SJBP will be raising money for the Joshua West Memorial Fund.
Joshua West, 28, of Los Gatos was killed while riding his bike in Los Gatos on Feb. 1, 2010.
San Jose Bike Party would like to remember this fallen cyclist as we ride through Los Gatos this month. We wish to pay tribute to him and in a larger sense remember fallen cyclists who have perished while riding in the saddle. We are very much a part of the communities we live in and think it is important to pause and reflect, even as we celebrate cycling each moth.
We are dedicating two actions towards this effort:
- SJBP Donation cans: 100% of proceeds going to his daughter
- We will walk our bikes past the crash site on Lark Ave, as a sign of respect
Learn more about the accident.
Ride Details:
Wheels hit the street @ 8:00 PM
Please note there has been a slight change to the start location as there is a musical going on at the Center for the Performing Arts. The new start is located nearby at the parking lot on Woz Way under the 280/87 freeway ramp across from the Children’s Discovery Museum (where the ride started in Aug 2009). The route map has been updated to reflect this change.
Start: Parking lot on Woz Way under 280/87
- Route into Los Gatos
- End: 7th & San Carlos, SJSU
Maps and Route Sheets:
March Route 26.25 miles: link
Route sheets & map: link
Pre-Ride info:
Great way to get to the start with fellow riders.
- North SJ / Santa Clara: Map
- Ride leaves @ 6:30 PM, meet in front of Peets @rivermark Lead by Ian
- South San Jose: corner of Almaden Expressway and Branham Lane
- Ride leaves @ 7:15 PM, meet lot behind the Carl’s Jr, Lead by Townie Bill
- West San Jose/Campbell: west of corner of Winchester Blvd and Campbell Ave. Map
- Ride leaves @ 7:00 PM, meet at Campbell Community Center, Lead by Ed
Parking options:
Light rail is only one block away. Pre-Rides will come from SSJ, Campbell and NSJ.
Please check the dt SJ Parking Map - click on each location, orange are $3, blue such as the Almaden lot where we are starting is $7: link
Food Vendors:
Bring money for food!
MoGo Taco truck and Quick Dog will be joining us!
Quick Dog will be donating 15% of their earnings from the night to the Joshua West Memorial Fund. They also have a veggie dog for all you GREEN eaters.
Get ready, we are gearing up for a sweet ride.
Ian Emmons
March 12, 2010
Details comming soon
man i’m excited for this one it’s gonna be a blast.
testrides
March 12, 2010
warmer spring conditions next Friday night! wootWOOT!
Ian Emmons
March 12, 2010
yep looks fantastic…
http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?hourly=1&query=95106&yday=77&weekday=Friday
ryan
March 12, 2010
Green for GO (red for STOP).
Stan The Man
March 14, 2010
In the spirit of the SJBikeParty here is a great 90 second You Tube by “People For Bikes: Why Do You Ride?” If you ride uphill, eventually you will get to go downhill…….. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEhpUov-adU&feature=player_embedded
Luey
March 14, 2010
Rounding up my troops for the green ride. Can’t wait!
Rockin Ed
March 15, 2010
Nice link Stan, I enjoyed the video and agree with it. Thanks.
Hope to see everyone out this Friday night. BIKE PARTY! Ye ha!
Tim
March 15, 2010
Can’t wait for it but does anyone know the route yet?
Billy Cool (Bill H)
March 15, 2010
Kermit…Cash Money…Irish Elves…Green Lantern…A bush…Recycling…Herb…Martians…Green light…Earth…Oakland A’s…the possibilities are endless!!!
360
March 16, 2010
How about a hint at the approximate starting point?? Or at least distance from a central downtown SJ to know whether to drive or bike to start
testrides
March 16, 2010
@360, great weather this friday! –> dt SJ to LG & back to dt SJ
Yoshi
March 16, 2010
Bring money for food! MoGo Taco truck and Quick Dog will be joining us!
Quick Dog will be donating 15% of their earnings from the night to the Joshua West Memorial Fund. They also have a veggie dog for all you GREEN eaters.
(JohnM, can you add this posts content into the ride details here and facebook?)
Townie Bill
March 16, 2010
Hey now,
A Pre-ride is planned this Friday for BikePartiers who would like to take the Green Ride from the DT SJ starting point and choose to ride in from the south side of downtown.
Pre-ride festivities will begin at 7:pm as we gather in the parking lot behind the Carl’s Jr. corner of Almaden Expressway and Branham Lane.
If you live in the Cambrian Park , Robertsville, Almaden, or Blossom Valley neighborhoods, please join us. We will travel through Willow Glen to DT SJ. The ride will be a pleasure and beats the heck out of driving and parking.
Casual, warm-up pace is planned. Good cheer will abound. Look for the smiling green guy on the well lit Townie.
Get your bike party started with us!
We roll at 7:15.
Datum!!!
March 16, 2010
Respect the road!!! Respect the drivers!!! Respect the other riders!!! Respect!!!
Frenchie
March 16, 2010
Looking forward to great weather and a great ride!!! Lots of friends coming this time!!!
LaVics
March 16, 2010
Link: http://liveridesj.tumblr.com/post/452740742/what-the-dilly
This month’s ride sounds great.
David Rodriguez
March 16, 2010
I’ll be bringing my Green!!!
Spliffer
March 16, 2010
I’ve been getting so many queries from my friends about Friday’s Bike Party than I can shake a stick at.
So, I get the feeling that this Friday’s Bike Party will be a cycling community tour de force.
To all my brethren recently emerged from hibernation, Bike Party welcomes you all with wide-open arms back to the fold.
Grab your bicycles and get with the SJBP Fun-Bunch.
SJBP is the greatest gift to the South Bay, the whole Bay Area, Northern California, the whole state of California, the U.S.A.; heck, — to all Planet Earth!!!!
Ohhh… I am soo lovin’ it my brethren!
JE T’AIME Bike Party!
JE T’AIME!!!!!!!!!!!!
testrides
March 16, 2010
Got any pics? Post em here or on the Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=369915144469
@Spliffer, so right, the weather is sooo nice it’s gonna be hella crowded in SJ and you’ll have a nice view of dt SJ from the starting point.
Some think the best way to get to BP is on a Pre-Ride. We have 3 of em – from SSJ, NSJ and Campbell.
Light rail is only a block away too – either Discovery Museum or Conv Ctr stations!
If you must drive, there’s plenty of parking downtown, and plenty to eat downtown. So prep your bike Wed or Thurs, head home Friday, pick up the bike and head downtown and get stuff to eat from MoGo or QuickDog at the start or 50+ places to eat in dt SJ!
Parking is $7 where we are, $3 in the “orange” lots on the map below: http://www.sjdowntownparking.com/parking_map.html
Bill
March 16, 2010
Just a suggestion: whoever’s putting together the map and route sheet, it would be great if, on both docs, you can mark the memorial spot, so riders know when it’s coming up.
Rapid Robert
March 16, 2010
Happy St. Patty’s Day laddies! Remember the theme o’ the green. And we’re damnin’ the salmon, the GREEN light’s for jammin’!
testrides
March 17, 2010
@Bill — we will, plus we’re asking BIRDs and others to help before, during and after this spot.
Anyone that wants to help with the Start, Regroups, Key Intersections and the Memorial section on Lark is welcome to join our volunteer meeting… look for us surrounded by a number of bikes in a circle about 7:15-7:30pm.
The more help the better… thanks for making BP great everyone!
Rockin Ed
March 17, 2010
Nice… Now we are talking, we have turn by turn directions posted above! 2 days till rock & roll time.
bmxer
March 17, 2010
ride bmx
testrides
March 17, 2010
@bmxer — have you ever ridden on the santa clara pal bmx track? be a cool place for sjbp to go?? maybe start nearby??
Jahlaen
March 17, 2010
Friends, I detect a raging and contagious “Spring Fever” within the Bike Party Community.
What a great time to revisit our safety concerns and put the message out that we need to make significant and permanent strides in the most important area of “SAFETY ON THE STREETS”.
Now, this Friday, we will pay “homage” to a fallen bicycling-brethren Joshua West. This loving father-gentleman was cut down while doing everything right and legal a bicyclist should do while in traffic.
We sholud honor his memory by continuing to do “the right thing” by obeying the traffic laws as it pertains to riding our bicycles on metro streets. I think that should be the gist of the SJBP requiem to Mr. West.
With rumors swirling about the San Francisco Chief of Police threatning to shut down “Critical Mass”, the SJBP community needs to be proactive in improving our relations with the greater community — primarily law enforcement — from contention to cooperation in order to squelch any such rumors from diffusing southward to San Jose.
**** I nominate Rockin Ed to be SJBP “Ambassador of Safety” or, “Safety Czar”. His main focus will be to implement the SJBP safety policy by developing a series of inovative and shrewd tactics to diffuse the most frequent and simplistic violations.
His innovative and tactical maneuvers should: out-think, outflank and outwit all those “violators” who show up month after month for the sole purpose of flouting Bike Party’s rules of the road. ****
~~*Of course my tongue is in my cheek…
And some food for thought…
Bike Party Forever!
testrides
March 18, 2010
Shout out to Gary Richards of “Roadshow” fame with the SJ Mercury News for posting an article about what we’re trying to do this Friday evening.
http://www.mercurynews.com/traffic/ci_14698282
At least one SJMN reader is worried about us being safe with us going by the memorial at night. I think we all share that concern. We don’t want anyone hurt on our rides.
So please be safe, aware of your surroundings and please, please get a headlight and taillight. And if possible, a helmet.
There will be BIRDs & non-BIRDs giving directional cues all night long, not just on Lark, but at the start, the regroups and key intersections. Please listen to them.
IF you can volunteer (fun if there’s 2-3 of you) by taking over an intersection, regroup position,etc. this will allow the BIRD(s) to leapfrog to the next key point where he/she is needed.
THANK YOU!
CT
March 18, 2010
Newbie to Bike Party here…what oh what does one wear to this wonderful party…clearly the color green needs to be involved but besides that this newcomer is at a loss…doesn’t seem like normal lycra etc is appropriate for a party atmosphere
Thanks for helping out a newbie!
Ian
March 18, 2010
@CT i’d recommend Layers and lights. A helmet is probably a good idea too.
But a front light is required by law
Joshua West's Uncle
March 18, 2010
Thank you all for the respect and keeping Josh’s memory alive. It has been really tough on all of us. It is good people like you that we deeply appreciate! Drivers Be Safe!!!
Uncle Frank
Yoshi
March 18, 2010
Uncle Frank, thank you for taking the time to find us during this hard time. Your family has been in our thoughts and minds as we have planned for this month’s ride. We hope to make our communities a little safer by using this tragic incident to bring more awareness to those around us.
MedDeviceEngineer
March 18, 2010
We are leaving Los Gatos at 6:30 and heading down to meetup with the ride at 8:00.
We will be at Lark and the Los Gatos Creek trail at
6:30 to 6:35 if you want someone to ride with.
Bike Friends!
March 19, 2010
Hey everyone!
If any of you are new to Bike Party or feel intimidated for any reason, feel free to ride with Bike Friends! We’ll be gathering in the quad area in front of the Campus Villages in SJSU.
We’re a mixture of people who just love to ride bikes whether they be roadies or fixies or mtb or cruisers! All are welcome!
Join our group!
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=193660964522&ref=ts
Ernesto
March 19, 2010
This Friday will be the first time joining the BP looking toward to it.
Bike Friends!
March 19, 2010
@ Ernesto
Haha you’re in for a treat, bro!
Townie Bill
March 19, 2010
@MedDeviceEngineer:
Hey now,
The evening’s preride festivities would be that much sweeter should you choose to rendezvous with those of us embarking from the South toward downtown.
Your timing to Almaden & Branham Lane is perfect leaving Los Gatos at 6:30.
Hope to see you all tonight around 7:00 behind the Carl’s Jr. at Branham and Almaden. Rolling at 7:15.
Blessed be the green for they shall own the ride.
Spliffer
March 19, 2010
Wake up Bike Party!
Today we experience “serendipity”!
A marriage of ‘tectonic’ proportion: that is our Bike Party in conjunction with March Madness at the HP Pavilion in downtown San Jose.
This is the PARTY no clear-thinking bicyclist wants to miss!
Grab your bicycles and come down!
Lets make this a memorable event where we remember our fallen bicycling brethren, Joshua West, and give ‘hoop-visitors’ some Bike Party revelry.
All we have to do is keep it safe and utterly respectful by following the rules of the road!
Lets do it up… Bike Party!!!!!
Timmypink
March 19, 2010
Can we start now? I am so excited for tonight… riding for my friend who was hit by a car last weekend. I really can not wait to start. Thanks to MOGO taco truck for that dirty dog last night..it was awesome…
John M
March 19, 2010
Please note there has been a slight change to the start location as there is a musical going on at the Center for the Performing Arts. The new start is located nearby at the parking lot on Woz Way under the 280/87 freeway ramp across from the Children’s Discovery Museum (where the ride started in Aug 2009). The route map has been updated to reflect this change.
Steven S.
March 19, 2010
The ride is going right in front of my house! I feel like it’s Christmas…
Rockin Ed (The “Ambassador of Safety” )
March 19, 2010
Wake up everyone, 5 hours to rock and roll time! Dont forget we need to keep a good image if we want to continue our Friday night rides. Please stop at all stop lights and ride legally, dont forget your lights and helmets!
Tonights ride should be a BLAST! we expect a large turnout. Allow enough time to get to the starting point and have FUN! Who Ho, it is BIKE PARTY TIME! :~]
Autonomous
March 19, 2010
I Feel A Strong Buzz… No not like that! a SJBP Buzz.
with the magazines articles and the cycle Ppl in general… It’s in the Air. With all this attention i believe it’s important to act responsibly and show the media that We know how to Party the right way. Let’s Show Them that we aren’t a Critical Mass (tho i love them). We’re SJBikeParty!
1. Please Keep the Regroups Clean. We’ll have Black and Blue Bins for your garbage and recycling. Recycling Proceeds will be donated to the Joshua West Memorial Fund.
***At the Autonomous Booth, we don’t make much but …be sure that we love our bicycle community and we will support the fund and SJBP. Come Support. … And have fun.
@CT
Don’t know what to wear???
“Everything San Jose Bike Party Theme” On Facebook.com
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=274517403716&ref=ts
@spliffer
“SJBP is the greatest gift…on planet Earth” indeed! My Thanks goes to good ol’ Saint Nick-olaus… haha and the rest of the ya’ll also.
@townie Bill & @bicycle friends….
Great idea to form a group amongst yourself to provide a safer entertainment from the Ppl that lack that respect. Much Love.
P.S. > look out for the joust. If there is a sufficient enough space we look to provide a safer version than last time…
Peace, Love, And Bicycles!!!
Ride On!
moo
March 19, 2010
It looks like the weather will be great and we might have a fantasic turnout for this ride. That makes it even more important that we follow the rules of the road and stick to the http://www.sjbikeparty.org/how-we-ride guidelines!
Above all, use common sense and be courteous to those that we share the road with, including cars and fellow riders.
Jo
March 19, 2010
With the warm weather and the good cause there will be a lot of new riders out.
If you have ever ridden with SJBP before please take pride and responsibility for the ride. That may mean reminding newbies to ride sober and stop at reds.
The reporters will be out there tonight, show them the great respect you have for riders, drivers, the road and the laws.
Stay safe and ride on!
ryan
March 20, 2010
Here’s our first mention in the press from tonight: http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/south_bay&id=7341039
it’s very brief. hopefully it’ll be followed by more.
Spliffer
March 20, 2010
I am still shaken by our encounter with that driver from hell who was so out of control that he almost took out numerous bicyclists. Mercifully, for us, he was only stopped when he rear ended another car.
I think it was perhaps a miracle or, the grace of God that there wasn’t mayhem on the streets of San Jose last night. I am sure that many of the
bicyclists who witness the incident would agree that we encountered the motorist from hell — an authentic, raging, out of control maniac ,like non we have ever encountered during Bike Party. This maniac showed total disregard for for human life and would have relished running over innocent people.
I am happy he was arrested and I hope he gets the book thrown at him.
If he never gets to operate a motor vehicle again, it will be too soon.
That was scary, scary stuff my brethren…
Erik
March 20, 2010
Hats off to all the people that made the ride/memorial go over so well, I am not gonna name any names cause I will undoubtly forget someone, thanks to the route organizers, birds, and everyone who made this night so great…
Anonymous
March 20, 2010
I live in Los Gatos and was enjoying the spirit of your March 19th, Friday night bike party ride until I saw numerous people drinking beer and THROWING THE CANS ON THE STREET! You call yourself a “Green” organization and the participants of your event commit an environmental violation by littering.
As a result of this, I’m going to complain to the LG police department. That kind of behavior is NOT cool. Clean up your act bike party people!!
Signed,
Really Disappointed
Erik
March 20, 2010
#52 Anonymous… there are always going to be bad apples…As a member of bike party for the last ten months, We try our hardest to keep people from littering, be disruptive. We ask people to stick to the “How we ride” rules. unfortunately we our all volunteers and sometimes its tough to stop all of the shenanigans…sorry to disappoint you.
anon
March 20, 2010
@Anonymous
SJBP does not condone riding under the influence, littering, or any behavior like so. However, since it is an open event, anyone can join in, including those that choose to drink and litter. I do fear that a confrontation with the police is going to happen sooner or later…somehow I wish everyone would abide by the basic rules of how we ride.