Getting Up to Speed

The Eugene Safe Routes to School mission is to serve a diverse community of parents, students, and organizations: advocating for and promoting the practice of safe bicycling and walking to and from schools throughout the Eugene area. More about Eugene SRTS.

Pirate Kidical Mass

Mark your calendars and start your pirate planning now!!

Talk Like a Pirate Day for kids and families
Saturday, September 18, 3:00 p.m.
Eugene Public Library, Downtown

FREE

It’s the day before “Talk Like a Pirate Day” and to get ready we’re planning a special event with the Eugene Public Library for an extra special ride to wrap up summer in a smashing way… arrrrrrg.

The ride will leave from the Sheldon Community Pool at 2 p.m. If families are interested in practicing any pirate skills such as walking the plank or diving for Davy Jones’ locker the Sheldon Pool recreation swim is open Noon-2 p.m. Once we cast off from the dock at Sheldon we will attempt to cross the brand new Delta Ponds Bike/Ped bridge which will have it’s opening day on September 11th. If the Northwest passage across the Delta waterway is impassable we will take an alternate southern route across the city’s main waterway crossing into downtown, Ferry Street Bridge. Dress-up and decoration of your ‘vessel’ is encouraged.

Join the Facebook event!

For more information, contact Eugene Public Library: 541-682-8316 or www.eugene-or.gov/library. or see http://www.kidicalmass.org

Sponsored by Eugene Public Library, Kidical Mass, Friends of the Library, and the Eugene Public Library Foundation.

August Kidical Mass: Bikes, Swimming, & BBQ

kidical_mass_logoWEB

It’s the last Kidical Mass bike ride before school starts next month and we’re planning a fun filled event! The family friendly ride will meet at the Hilyard Community Center to check out some of their cool adaptive bikes then head out on a short ride around the neighborhood before ending up back at Amazon Pool where riders will get a special early entry into the pools popular Rec. swim! Community members will have a chance to check out a family tandem, hand-cycles, or other interesting adaptive bikes and even take them for a spin on the neighborhood ride. Once the ride ends at the pool participants can refuel with a BBQ and enjoy the rest of the day at the pool. Bikes, swimming, and a barbeque; a perfect summer day!

Join us Noon on Saturday, August 21, Hilyard Community Center (2580 Hilyard)

Register HERE so we can make sure we have enough food and pool passes.

Thanks to the City of Eugene Hilyard Community Center and Amazon Pool staff for supporting the ride!

Back To School Transportation Planning & Fun!

Back to School Transportation Workshops
Thursday, August 26, 6 p.m.
Cafeteria of Monroe Middle School, 2800 Bailey Lane
OR

Thursday, September 2, 6 p.m.
Roosevelt Middle School, 680 E. 24th

Get your family ready to go to school!  How will they get there without YOU driving them?!  What transportation options do you have?  Come learn some walking, biking, busing, and carpooling tips and hear about “SchoolPool”,  Walking School Buses, the Bus Pass Program for middle and high school students, safer route selections, and more!
Experts will be on hand from point2point solutions and Eugene Safe Routes to School as well as “real” parents sharing their experiences.  Come to learn and ask questions.

StreetSkills-for-Families2

Street Skills for Families
Saturday, October 2, 10 a.m.-1 p.m.
Monroe Middle School, 2800 Bailey Lane
Class attendees will not only learn about basic traffic skills in this three hour course but also learn how to perform a bicycle safety check, properly fit a helmet, size a bicycle for a child, and  properly carry things on a bicycle. Information will also be provided about gear and clothing, use of lights, and locking a bike.  The majority of the course will be conducted indoors but the last portion will be held in the parking lot where drills and a final ride on neighborhood streets will be conducted.
This class is made for parents AND kids so all participants are asked to bring a bicycle and a helmet with them to class.  Some reduced cost helmets will be available. Anyone requiring a loaner bicycle for the class is asked to state that in the comments section of the registration form. This class is geared towards children ages 5 – 13 and is free and open to all families but registration is required: http://eugenesrts.org/events/streetskillsforfamilies
Light snacks will be provided.




WalknBike logoInternational Walk + Bike to School Day is October 6
Join kids and families around the globe and walk + bike to school on Wednesday, October 6. Make sure your school is registered today at www.walknbike.org.
Why register now? Your school will be counted among the millions worldwide participating in Walk + Bike to School Day. Plus, the first two hundred schools to register in Oregon receive FREE incentives to give away at the event, including Walk + Bike stickers, shoelaces, and a Nutcase helmet. We hope to get over 30 schools in Eugene registered this year and we have some very special treats and incentives planned at the local level so get registered and put the date on your calendar now to join in the fun! Click here to register your school.

Mountain Biking- Summer Skills for School Commuting

Summer is a time for fun, relaxation, and adventure. It can also be a great time for learning! Learning the skills to bike to school often starts in the summer when kids have more time to play and explore on their bikes. A great opportunity is coming up this month for kids to get out into the woods and practice some of those skills. Trips for Kids-CAT has a family mountain bike ride coming up on August 27th. Kids and adults alike can hop on a mountain bike and hit the best beginner trail around – The Salmon Creek Trail. This trip is for beginners and advanced cyclers alike and no experience is required.

“I loved it!”,
- youth, age 12

They provide the transportation, bikes, helmets, and knowledgeable guides. Space is limited and registration is required by August 20th, so register now at http://www.eugene-or.gov/recenroll (541-682-5329 for assistance).
For more information, check out the TFK-CAT website, or call 541-682-6321. You can also see photos from previous trips at the “Gallery” on their website.

Trips for Kids-CAT & City of Eugene Outdoor Program
Family Bike Trip Around the Mountain
August 27, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM, meet at the River House (301 N. Adams St, Eugene)
Register Here

“It was super awesome!”
- youth, age 11

Blackberry Bike Jamboree & August Kidical Mass

The biggest bike celebration of the year is just around the corner!!  Be sure to join us for the Blackberry Bike Jamboree, Saturday, July 31st, at Maurie Jacobs Park.  There will be a family friendly 10-15 mile ride around the neighborhood streets of Eugene as well as  a grand celebration of Eugene’s Bikulturalism with a Human Powered Stage, music, entertainment,  bike rodeo, tricycle races, competitions, a beer garden and vendors.  More information: http://edu.eugenegears.org/bramble

Also, I just posted the registration for next months Kidical Mass ride which is a FREE Adaptive Bike & Family Swim ride!  Here’s the info and registration:

It’s the last ride before school starts, let’s make it count!  We’ll be meeting at the Hilyard Community Center to check out some of their cool adaptive bikes, do a ride around the neighborhood, and then end up back at Amazon pool where we’ll get a special early entry into the Rec. swim!  Come check out a family tandem, a handcycle, or other interesting adaptive bike- you can even take it for a spin on our ride!  Then join us for a special Kidical Mass swim and BBQ! We’ll have free and early entry into the Rec Swim (1:30-5:00 p.m.).
Thanks to the City of Eugene’s Hilyard Community Center and Amazon Pool staff for supporting the ride!
Adaptive Bike & Family Swim Kidical Mass
Saturday, August 21st Noon at Hilyard Community Center (2580 Hilyard)

Just one of the cool bikes you can try out!

Just one of the cool bikes you can try out!

Kidical Mass Ride This Saturday- Bike to Baseball!


WHAT: Kidical Mass “Bike to Baseball” Event

WHERE: Oakmont Park to the new PK Park

WHEN: Saturday, July 17, starting at 5:00 p.m.

COST: Just $5 per person, including dinner and reserved seats

REGISTER: RSVP by 7 p.m. Friday, www.eugenesrts.org/events/biketobaseball

CONTACT: Shane MacRhodes, 4J Safe Routes to School Coordinator, rhodes_sh@4j.lane.edu or 541-556-3553

The Eugene School District 4J Safe Routes to School program and the City of Eugene SmartTrips: Harlow program invites the community to the July Kidical Mass ride.

Join the growing international phenomenon that was created right here in Eugene – Kidical Mass, a monthly, rule-following, family fun-ride for kids and kids at heart. This month families can ride to the Eugene Emerald’s baseball game on Saturday, July 17. Participants will meet at Oakmont Park at 5:00 p.m. and ride as a group through the Harlow neighborhood, on low-traffic streets, to the new PK Park to watch the Ems play the Tri-City Dust Devils.

This special ride will include reserved-seats tickets to the game, a “grand slam” dinner, an appearance on the Jumbotron, and other special prizes. Tickets are only $5 per person thanks to sponsorship from Fred Meyer, the City of Eugene’s SmartTrips: Harlow program, and the Eugene Emeralds.

Interested persons should register at www.eugenesrts.org/events/biketobaseball by Friday at 7 p.m. All are welcome to come ride; kids, kids-at-heart, families, friends, and community members. Please bring your helmets and a good lock, and remember that the game ends late so also be sure to bring your lights. Please note that the Eugene Emeralds do not allow any outside food or drink into the stadium.

Summer is Coming!

Despite the weather for the past month Spring really is here and with only one week of school left Summer is right around the corner. Just a couple days from the official start of summer we’ll be holding our own “summer kick-off party”.

This month’s Kidical Mass ride will be a special “Bike & Boat the Willamette” celebration.  On Saturday, July 19th we’ll ride upriver from Sladden Park to the put-in just on the Springfield side of the river. We’ll fill up six boats with about 40 people and float back down the river. Those not floating will ride back to Sladden and start the celebration (maybe with some stops to help the boaters get a little more wet).

Back at Sladden Luna & Larry’s will be there giving out Coconut Bliss samples and Northwest Community Credit Union is setting up a great booth with bike blended smoothies and special DIY commemorative buttons for the event!

The Mayor & Bike Blended Smoothie- Sustainable!It’s going to be a great end of school/summer kick-off. Bring your kids, bring your friends, ride your bike, get wet, blend it up, DIY, and celebrate!

Here are the basic details of the event:

Sign Up

Meet at Noon at Sladden Park (100 North Adams Street, Eugene)

Ride upriver to our ‘put in’ at D-street (Off Aspen in Spfld.)

Then float back to Sladden Park (arrival around 3:30 pm). Plan to get wet!

Celebrate at Sladden!!

Lizard Juice

In honor of Challenge Month here’s a funny little video about “lizard juice” and our transportation choices: