Cascade Bicycle Club is hosting a family-friendly Moving Planet Seattle – Wallingford to Lake Union ride next Saturday, September 24th. Oodles of Wallingfordians are predicted to meet at the Wallingford Center (1815 N 45th St) at 11:00 a.m. and arrive at South Lake Union Park (860 Terry Ave. N) at noon. The ride will be easy and paced for riders of all ages and ability levels. Riders will regroup after the 3:30 p.m. aerial photo for a festive ride back to Wallingford.
As non-Wallingford parks go, I like South Lake Union Park. I’d like it more if it had on-site food and more bathrooms, both of which will be remedied next Saturday during Moving Planet.
More about Moving Planet Seattle from CoolMom:
Moving Planet Seattle is part of a worldwide rally on September 24, to demand solutions to the climate crisis! Thousands of citizens are expected to turn out to show our decision makers that the time has come to move beyond fossil fuels. Join us!
Join the fun and bring the family!
Some of the kid-friendly opportunities include: play with mini-yacht flotilla in the pond, play in the spray park, hula and ball toss with SDOT (Seattle Department of Transportation), watch Skate Like a Girl and Stand-Up Paddleboards, get an Undrivers License, and much more. Check out the Family Bike Expo where you can try out different bike hauling options. Kids and adults can participate in the 1-2 p.m. People Powered Parade around the park on their bike, stroller, skates, wheelchair, stilts, unicycle, jumprope, or feet and of course all can be part of the giant aerial 350 photo at 3:30.
Biking is one of the easier way to get to the event without using fossil fuels, but Wallingford residents Zsa Zsa, Jasper, and Jade will stilt walk to the event so feel free to get creative!
I’m trying to find a map of the route so I know what streets to avoid during this event. Oddly, the website for the event doesn’t describe the route or provide a map. Does anyone here have that information?
Hi Jack, I just checked with ride leader Cathy Tuttle and the ride will head south on Wallingford Ave to Gas Works Park, then along the Burke-Gilman Trail (and a few blocks of 40th St) to the University Bridge and down along Eastlake Ave to South Lake Union.
Thank you, Madi!
There are some of out there who are handicapped, and treated like trash because we do not have the ability to ride a bike. I have stage 4 cancer, lost the use of my left leg and have to use a cane to walk. I am getting upset at the fact that when I drive past someone on a bike, or walk across a crosswalk, I get treated like trash, Twice, bikers have run into me, or hit my cane as I was walking, and they were going through a red light, which gave me the right of way. They don’t even stop to see if I am oK, or to apologize.
enough is enough. If you want to ride a bike, go ahead, but don’t punish innocent people because they are not. Also, don’t make a federal case out of the fact that you are healthy, and punish those of us who are not so fortunate.
In my opinion, bikers are CRUEL!
Sandy, I am so sorry you’ve had these negative and dangerous experiences with bicyclists, and even more so that you’re fighting such a terrible disease.
I went to Cascade Bicycle Club’s “Call for Safer Roadways” press conference ( http://blog.cascade.org/2011/09/we-can-do-better/ ) last week after which they posted rules of conduct for drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians ( http://blog.cascade.org/2011/09/we-can-do-better-2/ ).
These are Cascade’s suggested rules of conduct for bicyclists:
* Slow down, and look twice. The minute you’re shaving off your commute by racing down the trail and blowing traffic signals can cost a life, possibly your own.
* Follow the rules of the road. Be an ambassador of best biking conduct. Be predictable, be visible, and be vigilant. Stop at traffic signals.
* Make eye contact and signal your intent. Drivers want to know what you’re doing. Making eye contact will help you see who isn’t looking for you.
* Look for pedestrians. It is a cyclist’s responsibility to yield to pedestrians.
I know this is no guarantee that all bike riders you encounter will immediately start acting the way they should, but I believe Seattle will experience a trend towards safer and friendlier bikers.
I’m sorry you’ve had those experiences, Sandy. Though for me, the opposite was true. I had to walk with a cane for part of last year. When I finally got to toss the cane aside after surgery, I kind of missed it. People didn’t know I was unstable if I didn’t have the cane in front of me, and they didn’t give me the extra room I often got when using the cane. Sounds like people aren’t seeing yours. Maybe a paint job or reflective tape would help people see you better? But there are always jerks, as you know. Be safe & keep your eyes peeled for those who aren’t lookin’ out for you!
Thank you, Madi. At least someone is making bikers aware.
Chris, I only walk across the street or a block to a block and a half. I have to drive everywhere. I do look and am very careful. My surgeon explained that if I fall, I will definitely lose my left leg because there will be nothing to attach my prosthesis to, if the area where the screws are attaching my leg are damaged. Thanks for the thought, though.