Dear friends and family,

This is me, brimming with the joy of riding my first bike. It could be you or any child. You likely remember the thrill of the air on your face as you careened on the sidewalk or in the street. Maybe you rode your bike to school or to visit a friend in your neighborhood or to buy candy at the corner store.

Bikes are freedom. There are no monthly car or insurance payments, no combustion engines to pollute the air and no noise except the wheels on the pavement and the sounds of the world around you.   

Climate change is upon us. We need to do everything we can to reduce carbon emissions. Cycling is more efficient than any other method of travel--including walking. Unfortunately, in many places children (and adults) can no longer bike to destinations in their towns and cities. The danger of sharing the road with cars is too great. Fortunately, there are cities like Davis, California, and Portland, Oregon that see the importance of bike transportation and have built safe bike infrastructure. Every city would benefit from shifting more local trips from cars to bikes. 

The non-profit Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition (SCBC) works to make Sonoma County a great place to ride a bike, through advocacy and education. They provide bike safety classes to adults and to students in our local schools.  SCBC also advocates for safe, connected bike infrastructure at our city council and county-level meetings. 

As much as I love distance road cycling and spandex, that is not SCBC's target population. The organization aims to make cycling in our county safe for people like you and me who would like to cycle to local destinations but don't because they are fearful of the real danger of sharing the road with cars. 

Imagine yourself on a bike zooming to the local food store, to work, or to a date with a friend downtown for coffee.  You ride on peaceful, bike-safe streets and on pathways protected by barriers from cars.  Your kids or grandkids ride to school or the library. The city becomes quieter and friendlier. More people are outdoors and you see your neighbors and friends as they bike to their destinations. 

This is why I support SCBC's vision and work. I hope that you will join me by donating to the organization that is working to make our community safer for all people on bikes.  Thank you.

The Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition is celebrating 21 YEARS of pedal power...and we couldn't have done it without the support of our peloton of supporters!

Help us power into our next decade by making a contribution, introducing new people to our organization, and encouraging your friends & family to GO RIDE A BIKE!