What a glorious bunch of holiday lights tonight! Tonight’s ride might not have too many superlatives for it – it certainly wasn’t our longest or shortest in distance, it was neither the best-attended or sparsest (around 950 counted at Central & Westfield), BUT it was quite possibly the best received! Sidewalk observers and passers-by were in fine form tonight, with holiday cheer shared amongst all. Our ride encountered literally hundreds of amazing holiday decoration displays, including one on Glen Eyrie that included an entire brass band! Neighbors didn’t seem to mind the traffic jam for this impromptu block party – this was a piece of San Jose community at its best.
Thanks to the incredibly thoughtful route planners and the many, many BIRDs who helped to direct cyclists at complicated turns. Tonight seemed to prove that perhaps being a BIRD isn’t a patch or a qualification, but a job anyone can step into at any time. Thanks to those who jumped right in where needed and helped make the ride great – THAT is the down-home Bike Party community spirit.
One reminder: bike lights make an excellent holiday gift for casual cyclists and regular riders alike, and if tonight’s ride is any sign, this valley’s cyclists could use a LOT more bike lighting. Remember, be safe, follow the law, and ride confidently!
Happy Holidays!
We have a neighborhood-focused ride full of holiday lights this month.
There are a few important things to remember:
- Arrive on time! Wheels hit the street @ 8pm!
- Light up your bike! It’s dark, it’s the holidays, DO IT.
- Please don’t forget to follow the “How We Ride.” Make this a successful ride by keeping fellow riders, pedestrians, and cars happy and safe on their commute. We don’t want any crashes or $400 tickets.
- Bring a canned food item or two to be donated to Second Harvest Food Bank.
The route for the event is here: Scarf Ride Route Map.
Please print (1-10+) these out before the ride:
The starting and ending point of the ride is 101 Paseo de San Antonio Walk – by the SJ Rep. Please do NOT park at the starting location.
Volunteers needed! Meeting @7:30pm (prob towards the SJ Rep box office)
Its cold outside, so so cold so we are having a scarf ride!! This is an easy “costume,” and you have NO excuses not to dress up. We want to see that scarf fly like a flag!
Because of the season, we are pushing the ride up slightly earlier. Wheel’s will hit the street at 8 PM. That means, get there early!!!
Sneak peek of route and starting location:
- The ride will start and end in downtown SJ. As always, the exact starting location and route will be announced a day or two before the ride-perhaps earlier!
- The route will include a nice tour of lots of lights throughout the town (tentatively dt SJ, Willow Glen, Rose Garden, Campbell and more…)
Getting There:
- If you must use VTA, get there early. Light Rail fills up quickly. Take Light Rail early to downtown San Jose for dinner.
- If you need to park, park using the downtown SJ parking map, the orange lots are the cheapest. Or park at Tamien CalTrain and ride in; it’s only about two miles.
- If you are taking a train, the San Jose Diridon Station is the closest, but Tamien CalTrain Station has free parking – station list and map
- Ride your bicycle to the starting point! We will be announcing pre-ride meet ups with the route.
Other Important things to remember:
- We are having a can food drive. Bring a can, bring ten!! Help out those who need it this season
- We are starting early-don’t forget it!!
- If your bicycle/clothing is ill prepared for the cold wet winter weather? Winterize it. Join us for a great time at our Winter Wonderland holiday party two nights before Bike Party and get an extra SJBP discount that night only!
- Refresh yourself and your friends of the “how we ride” and bicycle laws.
Wear your scarfs this month!
Test Rides are a way that we prepare the SJBP route & train volunteers for the main ride. We need many more volunteers & we need these tasks (listed below) performed for both the Test Rides and the main ride. Your help is appreciated. For those that get up early on a Saturday, or want to catch a ride en route this ride’s for you… next Saturday, Dec. 12th, 10:00am-1:45pm
1. help market via FB, SJBP page,etc
2. send out info on FB (direct messages only)
3. print out guest list (2 per ride)
4. make & format documents – “Turn by Turn Directions”
5. create route & site captain sheets on google docs
6. recruit friends to join the test rides – or volunteer
7. lead a test route, ensure pace is good, regroups brief
(more…)
Join SJBP as we ride our bicycles to the movies!
See you there!
San Jose Bike Party has teamed up with the amazing Silicon Valley Bicycle Coaltion (the folks that brought you just about every bike trail, lane, facility, and legal right you have in this county) to promote this amazing FREE Bike to the Movies series!
Details
Where: Camera 12, downtown SJ
When: Thursday, 11/12
Tickets starting @ 6pm,
Doors opening @ 6:30pm,
Movie starting @ 6:45pm
Cost: Totally free!
Ride with us!
Bike Partiers have 3 places to meet around the area if you want company to ride to Camera 12.
Click the links for MapMyRide route links. Be sure to arrive to the start before the “leave” time to get to the movies on time!
Volunteer!
We need volunteers to help make this event great! Volunteers, of course, will have guaranteed tickets without waiting in line. Please sign up on this handy-dandy volunteer spreadsheet!
I know you’re excited, so here’s the freshly-planned March Bike Party Route Map! (It sends you to MapMyRide.) Update 3/18: This route (at version 4) is now complete and accurate!
Major destinations include downtown Willow Glen, Oakridge Mall, Almaden Expressway, and South First Street. Mileage is moderately increased from last month – up to around 16mi/26km. The regroups are really evenly spaced, from around 2.5 to 3.5 miles between.
To see the turn-by-turn directions, scroll down to the 5th comment!
