Ride of Silence; May 16, 2012


         It is not too early to  put this on your calendar —

The Santa Cruz Valley Area RIDE OF SILENCE will be held, along with 300+ other US locations, on Wednesday, May 16.

View all Arizona events on the national Ride of Silence web site

Flyer for this year’s SC Valley ride ..   http://scvbac.org/ros%202012/ros.2012.flyer.pdf

            Santa Cruz Bicycle Advocate Committee

Great AZ Bike Swap: April 14th

GREAT ARIZONA BIKE SWAP

Downtown Mesa on Main St.
6AM to 3PM, April 14, 2012

— FREE EVENT —

Sell, Show or just ride your bike through the streets of downtown Mesa during the Great Arizona Bike Swap meet. Vendors will be in the center of Main Street selling bicycles, bike parts and accessories.

Sponsored By CAzB and We-Cycle USA.

Vendor Instructions

  • Registration/Load in: 4am-6am
  • Enter on MacDonald from 1st Ave
  • NO VEHICLE IN-OUT AFTER 6am

BikeBUZZ Ahwatukee; April 7th

Come out and join members of  the CAzB for a BikeBUZZ on April 7, 2012 after a moderate 32-mile ride beginning/ending at Bagel Nosh (SE corner 48th and Warner) in the Ahwatukee Foothills. The ride begins at 7 AM and the coffee will commence after the ride,  approximately 9:30 to 10 AM. Board members of the Coalition will be available to share the mission and all are welcome to join for either the ride AND the BikeBUZZ or just for coffee.

BikeBUZZ: to help spread awareness of the purpose and work of the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists, several coffees post-ride are being planned. It’s an easy way to connect. Join a recreational ride, stop for coffee afterwards and learn more about the Coalition from its board members.

You can check in at the event on Facebook (not required).

p.s. Bagel Nosh is right next door to Curbside Cyclery; one of our many participating local bike shops that offer Coalition members a discount.

Memorial Ride for Safety XIV; Mar 24, 2012

Online Pre-reg now closed
Please register morning of event

The 2012 theme is Riding (Safely) With Friends.

Join the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists (CAzB) and many east valley cyclist, clubs and shops; and enjoy a supported ride through some of the East Valley foothills.

100K Route Description starting from Iron Gear Sports, we’ll travel south to Brown Road, then west to Country Club, to the Beeline Highway., then to the north and east. The route takes you past Fountain Hills, the Ft. McDowell Casino, then up a gentle 6 mile climb to the Bush Highway. Turning right or south, the route then travels into the Tonto National Forest past Saguaro Lake to the Lower Salt River where we make way to the 4-Way stop at the Salt River Recreation Center. Turning Left, this is the beginning of a more challenging 3.5 mile climb up Usery Pass. From the summit, riders decent down to University Drive where a right turn begins the final leg of this metric century ride. [100k route map]. Lunch is included in registration fee.

50 K route (30-mile) route leaves at the same location but cuts out the tour of Fountain Hills; traveling north to Gilbert Road, then south to McDowell Road and east towards the start/stop location.  [50K route map]. Lunch is included in registration fee.

Family Fun Ride (5-mile) route tbd. The family fun ride is FREE, just register morning of event. All participants will be required to complete a waiver, see below. Lunch is available for purchase.

Experience the East Valley Come ride with many of the east valley riders, racers, and clubs. Play in their backyard for a fun morning of riding with friends; Iron Gear Sports, Adventure Bicycles, the Brumbies, DNA Cycling Club, Tempe Bicycle, Focus Cycles, Mike’s Bike Chalet, Two-Wheel Jones/ Jetset Racing, Paragon Cycles/San Tan Racing, A-1 Bike Center , and many others. Come to their backyard and show them how it is done.

All courses begin/end at Iron Gear Sports, SW corner Power and McDowell in Mesa, AZ.

Printable 1-page brochure; or printable tri-fold brochure w/registration form.

Registration
ONLINE pre-registration now closed: Register day-of-ride. Registration begins at 7:30; rides begin at 8AM

  • $30: Members  (PMBC / GABA / ABC / CAzbike) , day of ride
  • $35: non-member, day of ride

Origins of the ride
The Safety Ride grew out of a tragic accident that Winston Benson had approximately 13 years ago. Many accidents happen each year, like this. The Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists is an organization dedicated to the continued education of bicyclists, motorists, and government officials on all issues concerning bicycling and in supporting safe cycling in Arizona.
Often you see a stronger cyclist helping another cyclist up a hill, with a hand on the back. The Hand is a symbol for those who help other cyclists. Winston Benson was known for his caring, helping persona.
We are honored to continue this tradition of this symbol. Come ride with us, your friends and have an excellent day!

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 <option value=”non-member pre-registration”>non-member pre-registration $30.00 USD</option>
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By completing the information and paying the registration fee I acknowledge that the registration process is not complete until the morning of the Event when I complete and sign the “Release and Waiver Form”. Anyone under the age of 18 wishing to participate must have a parent or guardian present to sign the Release and Waiver Form.<br />
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BikeBUZZ at Joe’s Farm Grill, Gilbert

Come out and join members of  the CAzB for the first BikeBUZZ on March 10, 2012 after a ride from Joe’s Farm Grill to Usery and back. The ride begins at 7 AM and the coffee will be at 10 AM.

Help spread awareness of the purpose and work of the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists, several coffees post-ride are being planned. It’s an easy way to connect. Join a recreational ride, stop for coffee afterwards and learn more about the Coalition from its board members.

The first BikeBUZZ is scheduled for Saturday, March 10, 2012. A ride will leave from Joe’s Farm Grill at 7 AM for 32 miles of moderate riding and will conclude with coffee at Joe’s Farm Grill at 10 AM and some discussion about bicycling in Arizona. Bring your suggestions and concerns.

Chandler Centennial Family Bike Ride; Volunteers Needed

We’ll be needing some volunteers to chaperon the 7.4 mile family ride that starts at 9:00AM. It’s a great opportunity for some in the East Valley to ride to the ride, volunteer, and ride home. Linda and Bob B will be working the SAG stop at the turnaround point so you can come by and make them jealous that you are riding and that aren’t! Contact Bob B if you can help: bobb@cazbike.org

Check out the Chandler Century jerseys with the CAzB logo on the back left pocket. These will be available, but in very limited quantities, so they will likely be gone very quickly if not before ride date. I understand there may be a re-order if there is large demand, so ask about that if you want one and get aced out. Our logo will also be on the t-shirts.

Full Details on the Chandler Centennial Family Bike Ride being held 3/31/2012

Meet Bob Beane

Bob Beane

Bob is the Coalition’s President. 
My first memories of riding were on a green tricycle when I was two or three years old. Next, I was riding a 20” J C Penny bike when the training wheels came off at about age 5. Before long, my mother was giving me a quarter to ride to a local grocery in our Indiana small town to pick up a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread (I had a basket on the front, so this was as easy as it was fun).
In my later grade school years, my brother and I went everywhere by bike. We also did the equivalent of mountain biking over construction-related dirt piles on our fatter-tire 26” Sears bikes. I broke an axle doing that, so I think that qualifies as serious MTB-ing (for kids).

My first “bicycle advocacy” decision was made when summer-working for the owner of a picture frame shop in Richmond, IN. I bartered for his red Columbia 10-speed (which he had lost interest in after graduating from college and entering the working world) in exchange for two week’s wages (about $235). I wanted to ride to work rather than relying on getting access to the family car, and this was the perfect solution. That bike went with me to prep school in Massachusetts, and it was my source of escape and exploration for two years in the foothills of the Berkshires.

For most of my early adult life, bicycling was forgotten. Then, I moved to Arizona. In the process of recovery from a five-year illness and life-saving surgery, I rediscovered the bike. A neighbor, Winston Benson, was a quite serious and accomplished cyclist. And, a friend at work, Kerr Spencer, sold me a Trek mountain bike to help fund his purchase of a road Kestrel. It all came together and the bike bug bit…big time.

I began to ride a new Trek 1200 on the road for distance and time, very slow and short at first. But, the challenge of metric centuries and the newly discovered El Tour de Tucson were magnetic. Somehow, in the space of two years, I lowered my El Tour 75 mile time from 6:30 to 4:59.

Then, Winston died in a cycling accident in Scottsdale. My friend, cycling hero (Senior Olympics National Silver Medalist) and mentor was gone. I didn’t sleep for a week. That is when my bicycling advocacy passion began.

In subsequent years I helped put on the “Memorial Ride for Safety” for the CAzB. Rich Rumer and Bill Lazenby were mentors and friends. It was a given that we would work together on this ride each year. One year, we also had a “summit meeting” between Rich, myself (a PMBC officer at the time) and the president of ABC, and agreed that clubs would put on rides and help fund the CAzB out of our proceeds. The CAzB would be the advocacy organization and the clubs would focus on rides and channeling some money their way.

I eventually joined the board of the CAzB and was later encouraged to run for president. I have simply taken on this role out of a sense of duty to Winston and other cyclists who have been injured or killed. Also, I do it because of a desire to make Arizona a safer place for all bicyclists. Jean Gorman, Richard DeBernardis, Rich Rumer, Bill Lazenby, Reed Kempton, Matt Zoll, Mike Sanders, Sterling Baer, Daniel Paduchowski, Randy Victory and many others have been my inspiration. I am far from being the complete bicycling expert, but I have read, studied and ridden since the late 1980’s (with only one PBAA platinum medal and no USCF wins, so I never really excelled on the bike), and I serve the cycling community with no agenda other than to make Arizona a better, safer and more fun place to ride. If things go as planned, I will turn over CAzB leadership to an inspired and more capable leader by early 2013. We have some significant programs to accomplish in 2012, and then the torch should be passed. That’s my plan, and I’m sticking to it…