Month: November 2011

Meet Sheila Foraker

Sheila Foraker

Sheila is the Coalition’s Southern Arizona Representative. 
I love bicycles. If it has at least two wheels, I’ll ride it (two wheel minimum, since I haven’t figured out unicycles). Knobby, skinny, 20″ – 29,” fixed, single or geared, its all good. I love to race, but I’m cool with taking it easy on the bike path.
My first bike was a blue and white girl’s 24″ Murray Missile. When my friends were getting bikes with banana seats I wanted one, too. My parents said there was nothing wrong with my bike. Sorry mom and dad-wrong answer! I bought a can of gray spray paint, a banana seat and high rise handle bars. Off with the fenders and chain guard and on with paint, seat and new bars. Soon I was crashing with the best of them and loving every minute.
Many bikes have taken me many miles since that Murray Missile, but I’ve never forgotten the freedom it offered. As a League of American Bicyclst’s Certified Instructor, I work to revive that feeling in people I teach. Whether working with kids or adults, road bikes or mountain bikes, its all the same. Getting people on bikes is always a good thing.

Traffic Skills 101: Dec 3 THIS SATURDAY

THIS SATURDAY!
This is our Nation’s premiere street bicycling program taught by instructors certified by the League of American Bicyclists. Learn the basics of bicycle and helmet fit. Learn state bicycle laws. Learn how to predict and prevent crashes, and how to bail out as a last resort! Learn how to operate your bicycle in a skillful and confident manner, in any traffic — any time!
This class is designed to be of value to new and veteran cyclists. Class begins at 9am and finishes at 5pm. Global Bikes, 835 N. Gilbert Rd. #111 Gilbert, AZ 85234
Please visit www.meetup.com/Global-Bikes-Meetup/events/41668692/ for full information.

Meet Randy Victory

Randy Victory serves as CAzBike’s Northern Arizona Representative.

Chip & Karen Davis discussing
bicycling with Randy 

Known as “Ranger Randy,” Victory works at Dead Horse Ranch State Park in Cottonwood. He often patrols the park on his bicycle, offering his own special brand of friendly assistance to the public. Born in San Francisco, he grew up near Dallas, Texas, not far from six-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong’s childhood home. After graduating from Redwood High School in Marin County, California –the birthplace of the mountain bike, Victory began cycling in the Rocky Mountains near Denver, logging 10,000 miles a year on his bike.
In fact, he lived an entirely car-free lifestyle, handling everything from commuting to shopping, “Although I really don’t miss riding through the snow in sub-zero temperatures!”

Volunteerism comes naturally to Victory, who was a Boy Scout and later volunteered as a National Mountain Bike Patroller, a program sponsored by the International Mountain Bicycling Association. Besides trail building, he learned a lot about working with the public. “Volunteering really helped the Forest Service and the sense of fulfillment, accomplishment and service was phenomenal,” Victory says. “It also ended up leading to my current career!”
“Transportation is incredibly important to human beings. We even have a special symbol for people with mobility limitations. I’ve always believed that I should be able to freely choose my mode of transportation. If you look at our Federal budget, transportation is second only to defense. At the State level, transportation is the biggest budget item. According to the latest statistics, transportation costs for the average American household are second only to housing costs. So as you can see, we place a high regard on mobility. I’d like to help create a community where individuals actually have realistic choices about how to get to school, or work, or to the park – where they don’t just climb into a car because they’re afraid to get there any other way, or feel compelled to act as full-time chauffeurs to their kids because they feel the streets are unsafe,” Victory says.
Victory was the founder of the Verde Valley Cyclists Coalition, a bicycle advocacy group whose membership promotes “share the road” principles, education, and bicycle infrastructure integration on behalf of the local community. Learn more by logging on to the VVCC Web site, www.vvcc.us. The Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists asked him to serve on their board for a time, after Victory made three trips to the National Bike Summit in Washington, D.C. as part of the Arizona delegation. He also serves on the ADOT Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee and the Cottonwood Bicycle Advisory Committee. “We don’t accomplish anything without the people around us,” Victory emphasizes.
In the coming years Arizona will probably be a lot bigger, and one of Victory’s goals is to work toward creating complete streets – streets that address the needs of pedestrians, bikes, cars, commercial traffic, kids, people who have had DUI or other license trouble or for some reason can’t drive, the disabled and adults – not just adults in cars.
The biggest challenge for cycling is compensating for the past 50 years of no education or bad education, Victory believes. “Education is a big part of the answer to so many of the world’s problems, and cycling is no exception. We need to help non-cyclists understand that infrastructure improvements and bicycle facilities benefit the entire community, not just bicyclists, and the time to put these improvements in place is now, while the cost is still low. Retrofits can often be a burden to the taxpayer.”
Promoting the bicycle as a preferred mode of transportation, Victory advises, “Just do it! Riding a bike is patriotic! And, if you’re going to do it, remember cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as operators of vehicles. Some folks ride their bikes in a manner driven by fear. So, they ride illegally and unpredictably.”  A League of American Bicyclists Cycling Instructor, Victory advises bicyclists not to do anything on bicycles that they wouldn’t do in cars, like riding on the sidewalk or against traffic.
There’s never a dull moment in Victory’s life. “After so many years acting as a full-time bicycle advocate, it’s nice to be able to branch out.” he says. He is still active as a cycling advocate, a National Mountain Bike Patrol Instructor,  teaches beginner mountain bike classes, spends a fair amount of time riding & wrenching on bikes, and even gets to hang out at the local bike shop!
It’s not surprising that Victory’s favorite quote is Albert Einstein recalling conceptualizing the Theory of Relativity, “I thought of that while riding my bike.”

Phoenix Political Pedal Power (P4) endorses greg Stanton

During the November 1, 2011 meeting of Phoenix Political Pedal Power (P4), the responses from the Candidates for Mayor of Phoenix were evaluated. P4 sincerely appreciates the time and effort given by each candidate.

The objectives of P4 are to influence the elections and decisions of City policy makers towards the betterment of Phoenix so that our favorite mode of transportation and recreation is encouraged, education is provided on safe and effective use of a bicycle, facilities are engineered in the same way, rules of the road are enforced for all users of the roadways, and how these efforts are progressing is evaluated regularly. Some of the questions included aspects of sustainable living. Cycling and sustainability, particularly the public transit aspects, have a strong synergy. Each benefits from the other, hence this topic was included in our questions.

The members found that a few of the answers were equally in line with our objectives. At the same time each candidate’s approach to the role of City Government became apparent. We found that the preponderance of answers by Mr. Stanton were substantially more in line with our objectives. Further, Mr. Stanton’s track record of cycling considerations vis a vis question number six was clearly ahead in our judgement.

Therefore, Phoenix Political Pedal Power endorses Mr. Greg Stanton for Mayor of Phoenix and encourages anyone eligible to vote in this November 8 election to vote for him.