Bike Month check-in (and snacks, snacks, snacks)

Whew, Bike Month is so busy! I’m way behind logging miles, blogging about biking, and organizing future bike events. Instead of doing any of that, just a quick check-in about today’s bike stuff to feel like I’m accomplishing something.

I barely left the house today, yet it was still such a bike-filled day. I hosted a Family Biking Seminar run by Morgan Scherer of Familybike Seattle, so that brought three new bike friends and two current bike friends right to me.

But before the seminar, I had to get snacks (note: if you want to host a seminar–which you should! email Morgan: morgan@familybike.org–it is not a requirement that you provide snacks) so I made a quick trip to the grocery store. On the way back I had the pleasure of running into the Move Seattle levy walking tour. I’d meant to get my housecleaning and snack shopping done yesterday so I could join the beginning of the walk, but I spent all day riding bikes so it was great to still have the oppportunity to wave to Andres Salomon of Northeast Seattle Greenways, pull over and chat quickly with first Bob Edmiston of Madison Park Greenways and then Cathy Tuttle, Executive Director of Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, and ding my bell at City Councilmember Mike O’Brien. I saw them on a quiet side street, which of course was nice, but I’m sure my big bike full of groceries would have had more of an impact (not literally, though) if we had to share the sidewalk as I pedaled safely across the freeway between me and the grocery store.

As Morgan and I were outside cleaning up bikes after the seminar, Henry of LionTail Cycles and Maya happened to bike by. I lured them in with the promise of leftover snacks. Naturally, it worked! Snacks are important.

My family biking friends, Suzi and Diane, just made a video called “Family Biking: Stories, Challenges, and Tips” as part of Cascade Bicycle Club’s Advocacy Leadership Institute (I graduated from the first round of ALI–it’s awesome and you should sign up if you’re in Seattle) and a friend teased me about mentioning snacks so often. I intend to keep a close eye on his snack intake on future group rides.

And just one last little snack plug! Yesterday I participated in Streets + Beets, Alleycat Acre’s annual fundraising bike ride. A couple miles into the ride, I met Megan of the road spoke and we pedaled the whole thing (plus an extra bit to see the gorgeous Maury Island Marine Park overlook) together. She’s just starting out on an amazing journey, but I didn’t realize until getting home and checking out her website that she appreciates the importance of snacks, too! Her first post mentions “snacks, snacks, snacks” as one (well, three) of the necessities of life.