Our eleventh annual Bike Week took place May 16-24th Since 1999, we have brought everybody an increasingly robust Bike Week of great bicycling events. For 2009, many of our activities returned—Bike to School Day, Bike to Work Day, a Ride of Silence—and they were joined with rides, parties, and other fun things. Check out details below.

In these times of rising energy costs, declining fitness, financial challenges, and growing obesity, a basic bicycle can provide the solution to all those while providing access to destinations for all. Bike Week 2009 paraded the benefits of bicycling before our community. Here is a listing of Bike Week 2009 events.

	May 14, UCSB's Bike to Work Day. At UCSB, it's on the bikepath up from Goleta Beach, for breakfast food, drinks and raffle prizes.
	May 15-22, Bike Week Flags, sponsored by our Bicycle Coalition. Each year our 125 handsome Bike Week flags are mounted along State Street in Downtown Santa Barbara.
	May 15, Bike Week Kick Off, sponsored by Bici Centro. Starts at 6:30 PM, with band Oso playing at 7:00. Cost is $10, with $2 discount for riding your bike. Bici Centro, 601 East Montecito Street, Santa Barbara.
	May 16, Newcomers Ride, sponsored by the Goleta Valley Cycling Club. Nobody will be left behind on this leisurely ride. Meet at Java Station, 4447 Hollister Avenue, 9:00 AM ready to pedal. Contact ride leader Doris at cyclebug@aol.com with questions.
	May 16, Children's Festival, sponsored by the Family Service Agency. This festival offers variety of sports and art activities, including bicycle helmets at the COAST booth. It's at Alameda Park in Santa Barbara, 11:00 AM-4:00 PM. Details from Jennifer Haake at jhaake@fsacares.org.
	May 16, Beer and Bikes, unsponsored. A ride for those 21 and over. Meet Chase Palm Park Carousel, 223 East Cabrillo Boulevard, Santa Barbara, at 2:00 PM.
	May 16, BBQ and Bike Show, sponsored by Bici Centro and our Bicycle Coalition. Bring and display your classic or radical bicycle. 4:00 PM at Casa de la Raza, 601 East Montecito Street, Santa Barbara. Free admission.
	May 16, Green Shorts Bike Films, sponsored by WheelHouse. This will be a showing of the Green Shorts video contest entries that relate to bicycling. At 9:00 PM, WheelHouse, 528 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara. Free admission.
	May 19, Bike to School Day, sponsored by COAST and supported by our Bicycle Coalition. Events are being arranged at individual South Coast and Solvang schools. Contact South Coast coordinator Kim Stanley-Zimmerman at ksz@linkline.com, or Solvang coordinator John Padfield at jpadfield@mac.com.
	May 19, Old San Marcos Ride, sponsored by Goleta Valley Cycling Club. Meet at the swimming pool parking Lot across from 1030 North San Marcos and enjoy a workout up Old San Marcos Road. Ride at 5:00 PM. For details, phone Robert and Brigitta 448-0636.
	May 20, Santa Barbara Bike to Work Day, sponsored by the City of Santa Barbara. This annual event is 7:00-9:00 AM. Bicycle there for free food, drinks, prizes at State and De la Guerra. Contact Sarah Grant for details.
	May 20, Ciclovias and Sunday Parkways, sponsored by the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals.This web-based seminar will take place from 11:30 AM-1:30 PM at the Granada Garage Conference Room 1221 Anacapa Street, Santa Barbara. (Take the Anacapa Street elevator to the second floor). Individuals interested in crafting a street celebration like those in Bogota and elsewhere should attend. Info from Sarah Grant, 897-2669.
	May 20, Off Road Shore Ride, sponsored by Goleta Valley Cycling Club. Meet at the Java Station, 4447 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, and enjoy a non-technical offroad ride through Hope Ranch, More Mesa, and Campus Point to Ellwood and back. Ride starts at 5:00 PM. No climbing or descending, Less than two hours, and 16-17 miles. Contact Jurij at cyclezen@hotmail.com for details.
	May 20, Ride of Silence, unsponsored. This ride commemorated those lost or injured in bicycling crashes in our area. The ride was started in Texas in 2003, and has since grown to over 250 locations worldwide. It is a slow, silent ride of about 8 miles. The ride will begin at De la Guerra Plaza, Santa Barbara at 7:00 PM.
	May 21 and May 23, Bici Centro Repair Workshops. These open shop events are from our local Bici Centro community bike program. Go there for bike repair, skill sharing, construction, and great company. Thursday 4:00-7:00 PM, Saturday1:00-7:00 PM, Bici Centro, 601 East Montecito Street, Santa Barbara. Bici details here
	May 23, Bird Refuge to Goob Loop Ride, sponsored by Goleta Valley Cycling Club. Meet at the Bird Refuge in Santa Barbara, and ride the Gobernador Canyon Loop north of Carpinteria. Ride starts at 9:00 AM.
	May 24, Java Station to Farmers Market Ride, sponsored by Goleta Valley Cycling Club. Meet at Java Station, 4447 Hollister Avenue, Goleta, and ride to Goleta Farmer's Market in the Calle Real Marketplace. Ride starts at 9:30 AM. Bring your recyclable bags.

Bike Week history

Each May since 1994, the Bicycle Coalition has promoted activities that encourage people to enjoy bicycling more. This has always included our Bike to Work Day that attracts 500-to-2000 bicyclists to multiple sites around Santa Barbara County. This not only rewards those who regularly bicycle, but it encourages first-timers to give it a chance. Also, by gathering bicyclists together, it underscores the seriousness of bicycling as a realistic and responsible way to get around.

Starting in 1999, Bike to Work Day was expanded to Bike Week. Our vision for Bike Week is to fill it with new events each year as resources permit and enthusiasm directs. We have archives of Bike Week 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 for you to look back at.