Let's Party! Help us end with a bang in 2006 and 2007

Many of your employers have hosted lunches and parties for TBC participants. Traffic Solutions has gotten several inquiries about hosting end-of-the-month parties for you hard working teams. Unfortunately, we don't have the resources to organize anything this year, but that shouldn't stop you from celebrating!

What are the best ways to celebrate the end of the Team Bike Challenge? We encourage you to use this post to organize informal happy hours or "get-togethers" for teams in your area.

Also, what kind of events could Traffic Solutions help organize in 2007? How could employers team up to host parties in their areas so that participants county-wide could celebrate the sweat, the tears and the glory?

How to Bike With Kids

Many of you regular riders out there have families and that means that you also have experience biking with your children. Tell us how you handle biking with small children and how you bike with your kids once they are big enough to ride their own bikes. What kinds of trailers or seats do you use? Do you ride out on the streets? How did you teach your children about the rules of the road? What lessons have you learned that you can share with parents who have not yet tried riding bikes for transportation with their children?

(Photo courtesy of www.Xtracycle.com--of SB County residents, of course)

Could Traffic Solutions Host a Team Bike Challenge Year-Round?

We have gotten several great suggestions about extending the Team Bike Challenge past June by allowing participants to continue to track their rides and miles after June 30th. Our Traffic Solutions team thinks this is an interesting idea, but our staff resources are limited. Comment here about ways we could design a promotion that would be self sustaining and yet interesting and motivating for current TBC participants--especially one that would help keep infrequent riders riding into the summer and beyond.
(Photo courtesy of S. McLaughlin)

Employers and the TBC

Check out these members from NINE different TBC teams. Members from 2 Turntables and a Microphone, Wheezy Riders, Wheelie Good to the Earth, Road Hogs, Road Psycos, Ducer Pedaler, Blue Steel, Global Coolers and Bikers for ITC all work on Ward Drive for the following companies:

Electro-Optical Industries (EOI), Sonatech, Inc. (STI), Channel Industries, Inc. (CII), Channel Technologies, Inc. (CTI) and International Transducer Company (ITC).

Traffic Solutions is excited to see this highly involved participation by employers in this year's TBC. Companies have gotten behind their teams by sponsoring breakfasts, lunches and picnics for participants. And we know many employers are encouraging the healthy (and sometimes INTENSE) competition between teams during the month of June.

SO WE WANT TO KNOW:
What is your employer doing to support you and the TBC? Are they cheering you on and keeping you going? How so?

Logging Mega Miles and Trips for the TBC

Do tell us how you riders are logging so many miles and trips!! Tell us about an average day that would allow you to log 102 trips in 21 days. That's almost 5 bike trips a day! We're also impressed with the next tier of riders who have logged more than 50 bike trips so far--and the infrequent riders are close behind you--the leader right now has logged 40 trips. Oh, and you leaders in the mileage contest? Over 500 miles!? Tell us about your commutes and your other utilitarian bike trips!

Summer Bike Adventures in Santa Barbara County

Summer is here and we want you to share the best summer adventures that Santa Barbara County residents can take by leaving the car at home and heading out by bike! If you have a family, tell us about bike friendly adventures for the whole family. If you're single, recommend your favorite bike date or outing with friends.

Road Hazards for Bicyclists

Help alert fellow bicyclists and staff in your local jurisdictions about hazards to bicyclists out on the road. You are the eyes and ears out there for staff and you can be of great help to them if you identify hazards and describe the location and type of hazard in productive ways. Discuss problems/hazards here and Traffic Solutions staff will help you get in touch with the appropriate staff person in your local jursidiction. The more specific you can be, the better. We also encourage you to stay positive in your comments and remember that staff sincerely want all road users to stay safe out on the road--you can help them! (photo courtesy of C. Orr)

Getting the Most Out of the Team Bike Challenge

Now that we have passed the half-way point, how do plan to maximize the next 14 days for the benefit of your team and for your own personal goals that you set out before starting?

Ask the "Advice Pedaler"

The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (www.sfbike.org) used to have a great column in their newsletter called "Ask the Advice Pedaler, Etiquette for the Conscientious Cyclist." Now that we have reached the half-way point of the 2006 Team Bike Challenge, what questions do you have about how to stay safe and courteous out on the road while biking? Ask your dedicated Advice Pedaler your questions of etiquette or your ponderings concerning your rights and responsibilities while on your trusty two-wheeler. Have you had a scary encounter or close call that you want to know how to avoid in the future? Ask the Advice Pedaler!

Let the trash talking begin!

It's Day 13 of the 2006 Team Bike Challenge. Don't you think it's time to start some friendly (and clean) badgering of other teams in the competition? Share some stories about heated competitions at your workplace or make bold statements about how your team will crush the competition. The five teams participating from Innovative Micro Technology (IMT) have some funny bike wars to share (see photo). Post them here for us all to enjoy.

Share YOUR TBC Stories

Now that the Team Bike Challenge is in full swing, we want to hear from you! We want to hear the good, the bad, and the ugly. Tell us about your experience with this heated competition and how you and your team are getting motivated to RIDE RIDE RIDE. What we are looking for here are stories about your riding experiences and team spirit. Got a digital camera with video clip capability or have a digital video camera? Think about doing a video log documenting your experiences during the Team Bike Challenge. Send us a QuickTime Movie to post on our website.