#SeaOtterClassic, April 10-13, 2025
"The bikes are arriving in Monterey County—you may have noticed a higher-than-usual number of bikes attached to vehicles on the road lately.” https://www.montereycountynow.com/blogs/opinion_blog/as-the-sea-otter-classic-gets-underway-the-next-generation-of-cyclists-learns-how-to/article_bce5736c-4218-4ca6-96a3-e9a1ff1f8f03.html

ICYMI: Some history of SOC, who it’s for, and how to get free admission: https://bikemonterey.org/april-10-13-sea-otter-classic-2025.html

Spreckels sugar factory and sugar beet field with Mexican and Filipino workers thinning sugar beets. Monterey County, California

#Spreckels #Mexican #Filipino #MontereyCounty #California #America #undefined #photography #DorotheaLange

https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2017771832/

April 2, 2025, 6 p.m. Transportation Agency for Monterey County Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) meeting in Salinas. Public welcome to attend, in person or via Zoom or phone.

https://bikemonterey.org/monthly-meetings-tamc-bicycle-pedestrian-facilities-advisory-committee-public-welcome.html

From this eve’s ride: Grey skies, bright wildflowers!

We are grateful to John McCarthy, Esq of McCarthy Law firm in Monterey for his generous contribution today https://bikemonterey.org/about/financial-donations/donors. John asked that his contribution help support Bicycling Monterey’s Education Projects, e.g., Alternatives to Fines for Traffic Citations: https://bikemonterey.org/youth-bike-and-sometimes-receive-citations.html. (All donors are welcome to specify how they'd like their donation used—i.e., for Website and Public Outreach; Education Projects; Advocacy Projects; or General Operating Expenses.)

We appreciate donations in any amount, by check, credit card, debit card, or PP balance. To donate to the Bicycling Monterey work—a grassroots volunteer effort since 2009—go to https://bikemonterey.org/about/financial-donations.

“This is go time for #democracy,” said Erim Foster, age 56, of Carmel Valley, who organized the first (to our knowledge) protest at a Tesla site in Monterey County, per Sara Rubin’s #MontereyCountyNow 3/5/25 story: https://www.montereycountynow.com/blogs/opinion_blog/a-local-protest-movement-is-getting-organized-to-take-on-trump-2-0/article_ded5092a-fa27-11ef-8f98-3b239120276a.html

For people wondering if there are any #MontereyCounty #TeslaTakedown events, there are, per https://www.teslatakedown.com/ (where you can also locate events elsewhere):

SALINAS TESLA SHOWROOM - TESLA TAKEDOWN
Saturday, March 29, 2025 11:00 AM • Tesla Showroom •796 Northridge Drive, Salinas , CA 93906

PROTEST ELON MUSK'S ILLEGAL GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER
Saturday, March 29, 2025 12:00 PM • Tesla Dealership•1901 Del Monte Blvd, Seaside, CA 93955

If you’re going and are able, please bike, walk, skate, scoot, take #MontereySalinasTransit #bus (or bike-and-ride MST https://bikemonterey.org/monterey-salinas-transit-tips-for-people-who-bike.html), or carpool there.

"The Vistra fire in Moss Landing caught everyone by surprise. What we can learn from it?” —David Schmalz, #MontereyCountyWeekly cover story

"On Feb. 13, 2022, a similar incident occurred at Vistra’s Moss 100 facility, and this time, both #Vistra facilities were taken offline.

"Meanwhile, PG&E’s 182.5-megawatt Elkhorn facility came online in April 2022. Unlike both Vistra facilities, the Elkhorn’s batteries were not in buildings – they were in an array of 256 Tesla Megapacks on 33 concrete slabs.

In the early morning of Sept. 20 of that year, just over five months later, a fire broke out in one of #Tesla Megapacks at the facility, prompting the closure of Highway 1 and a shelter-in-place order for nearby residents. Though the fire only burned for six hours, the orders remained in effect until just before 7pm due to the risk of toxic smoke inhalation.”

https://www.montereycountynow.com/news/cover/the-vistra-fire-in-moss-landing-caught-everyone-by-surprise-what-we-can-learn-from/article_7c3112af-73d0-4ca5-a599-05e77d09963b.html

While biking the coastal trail Sunday eve, we met Salinas residents David, a teacher, and his daughter, Priscilla, home on spring break from her CalPoly classes.

Among the topics we touched on was April 10-13 Sea Otter Classic, which we think of as one big bike party! Who it’s for, how to get free admission, and history of #SeaOtterClassic: https://bikemonterey.org/april-10-13-sea-otter-classic-2025.html

From #MontereyCountyNow "As leaders in Washington take a sledgehammer to federal funding, here’s a look at local expenditures,” an excerpt on transportation:

“Funding for #transportation projects in #Monterey County are a mixture of local, state and federal funds,” says Theresa Wright, a Transportation Agency for Monterey County spokesperson. “Federal funding is critical for implementing major regional #infrastructure projects. Without federal funding it will likely take longer to get projects fully funded and construction started.

“We are not optimistic that once the projects are eligible that federal funding will be available or that there would be federal employees in place to process and implement the application process.”

https://www.montereycountynow.com/news/cover_collections/as-leaders-in-washington-take-a-sledgehammer-to-federal-funding-here-s-a-look-at/article_4f2f3f46-2b3d-48b2-967c-d204c128542f.html

Proyecto de Mejoras de la Ruta Estatal 183 de Castroville Merritt reunión de información comunitaria – Jueves, 17 de abril de 2025.

Thursday, April 17, 2025
Community Information Meeting
California State Route 183 / Merritt Street, Castroville Improvement Project

https://bikemonterey.org/castroville-ca-sr-183-merritt-street-improvements-project-update.html

Sand City Police responded to a bicycle theft report from a bike-to-work commuter employed at Costco. She'd chained her bike to a bicycle rack outside Costco, and after work, found her bike missing and chain cut. https://www.kron4.com/news/california/pacific-grove-man-gets-nearly-3-years-in-prison-for-stealing-bike/

Bicycle security / bike theft-prevention tips: https://bikemonterey.org/tips-for-tourists/bicycle-safety
#BikeToWork #commuters may also want to urge their employers to provide more secure bike lockers. In Monterey County, private businesses are among those who can apply for free lockers, racks, repair stations, support kits: https://bikemonterey.org/free-bike-racks-lockers-repair-stations-or-skateboardscooter-racks.html

April 10-13, 2025 Sea Otter Classic, Monterey County’s world-renowned 4-day Celebration of Cycling.

Details on that (including how to get free admission): https://bikemonterey.org/april-10-13-sea-otter-classic-2025.html

The Salinas Valley Safe Routes to School Program has been officially adopted by the Transportation Agency for Monterey County (TAMC) board of directors and the #Gonzales, #Soledad, #Greenfield, and #KingCity city councils. We were especially interested today in the Soledad section, because we’re currently assisting a Soledad teen who received a traffic citation for riding outside a bicycle lane. Details: https://bikemonterey.org/bike-buzz-winter-2025.html

"Ultimately it’s a film that poses a question fundamental to #democracy: if we can’t understand a system that governs us, how much power do we actually have?"
https://www.countedoutfilm.com/#about

List of screenings throughout USA: https://www.countedoutfilm.com/screenings

On #PiDay, March 14, #Monterey Public Library is hosting a free screening, for teens and adults, of #CountedOut, 4-6PM. Registration required. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/monterey-public-library-counted-out-film-screening-tickets-1200335207919?aff=oddtdtcreator BTW, we won’t be surprised if @Schlining ("Turning the beauty, complexity, and wonder of the deep-sea into long strings of ones and zeros”) is among those present.
Other #MontereyCounty screenings include March 13 at #CSUMB.

From trailer: “How is it that we can use math to understand the world, and also change the world?” …“Did you know that if you insert a single statistic into an assertion, people are 92% more likely to accept it without question?”

Counted Out, from filmmaker Vicki Abeles of #RaceToNowhere.

March 10, 6 pm meetings in the Salinas Valley:
*San Ardo - Active Transportation listening session, Spanish interpretation available.
*Gonzales - Vista Lucia Specific Plan public hearing.
Details in Winter Bike Buzz: https://bikemonterey.org/bike-buzz-winter-2025.html

"NorCal Interscholastic Cycling League starts its season at Fort Ord every year….Executive Director Terry Curley says part of the appeal of biking is its #inclusivity—there are no benches, so everyone gets to ride.”

https://www.ksbw.com/article/students-mountain-bike-race-fort-ord-march-3/64020276

A partial local history: https://bikemonterey.org/monterey-county-teens-who-bike-including-mountain-bike-at-the-2017-california-state-high-school-mountain-bike-championships-and-elsewhere.html

SAVE THE DATES: April 10-13, 2025 Sea Otter Classic, Monterey County’s world-renowned 4-day Celebration of Cycling.

Details on that (including how to get free admission) and much more are in Winter Bike Buzz: https://bikemonterey.org/bike-buzz-winter-2025.html

Photo: Shot during #SeaOtterClassic 2019, members of Tahitian race team Tamarii Punaruu Cyclisme—Patrice Carpi, Teava Kaimuko, Kahiri Endeler.

"The advocacy organizations that have been working locally and regionally for years are still there, still doing good work, and more necessary than ever….Join CalBike….Join other local, regional, or national groups doing work you care about and support them with money, time, or both.”

https://www.calbike.org/action-in-a-time-of-overwhelm/?emci=661a81cd-0eef-ef11-90cb-0022482a94f4&emdi=fd32f322-b4ef-ef11-90cb-0022482a94f4&ceid=2203703

Support the California Bicycle Coalition / #CalBike’s local partners https://www.calbike.org/about_us/who_we_are/local_partners/, including Bicycling Monterey https://bikemonterey.org/about/financial-donations.

We’ve mentioned previously the widespread confusion about e-motorcycles, which are often inaccurately marketed as e-bikes. See https://bikemonterey.org/california-bicycle-advocates-call-on-elected-leaders-to-protect-e-bike-riders.html

Early this morning we published the latest issue of Bike Buzz, which mentions that and more about bikes at unsafe speeds. (See "On a multiuse trail, anytime we’re near pedestrians and others” in red box at https://bikemonterey.org/bike-buzz-winter-2025.html.)

Coincidentally, a Feb 14 afternoon story from #MontereyCountyNow / #MontereyCountyWeekly staff writer David Schmalz includes a speeding e-motorcycle rider: "Wild e-bike [sic] chase in downtown Monterey ends in major firearms arrest.”https://www.montereycountynow.com/blogs/news_blog/wild-e-bike-chase-in-downtown-monterey-ends-in-major-firearms-arrest/article_491b11ce-eb1b-11ef-b4fd-cff75c185ee6.html

Although David’s story refers to that vehicle as an “e-bike,” the Monterey Police Dept press release identified it as an e-motorcycle. https://files.monterey.gov/News-Releases/2025/25_0214-MPD-Media-Release-Firearms-Arrest.pdf

This is another example of why we and many other #CalBike partners issued this stmt: https://bikemonterey.org/california-bicycle-advocates-call-on-elected-leaders-to-protect-e-bike-riders.html