Despite what you might believe as a result of the Hollywood hype machine, the life of a non-profit grant writer can be occasionally dull. Just this morning I sat through a preliminary grant meeting that consisted primarily of reading the request for proposals out loud. We were assured that questions would be duly addressed in the forthcoming addendum, which would comply with Policy IV.3.i., as specified in Item Q.3, etc. Whew, I was worried!
Bikes for miles
Now that I have finished up what was perhaps the most lengthy bachelor's degree in history (it's a long story), I have finally begun to work as a full-time employee of SVBC. Little did I realize that this shift from school to work would also move my entire schedule several hours forward in the day. I've gotten used to early morning classes, work in the afternoon, and then studying in the evenings. I realize now that those days are gone and my circadian rhythm needs a little re-engineering.
Last night I attended a meeting of community leaders (ahem!) to discuss the Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS), how it could affect people in Santa Clara County, and how we could communicate the process to our communities. So, in the spirit of communication, gather 'round Grampa Colin's rocking chair, readers, and I'll tell you all about the transportation/land use/housing strategy that could change the Bay Area!
At the risk of inflating some office egos, I have to admit that here at SVBC I have the distinct pleasure of working with people that I actually like. I know, right? This office camaraderie is especially appreciated when we lock ourselves in a room for six hours, load up on corn syrup, and map out our schedules for an entire year, which is what we decided to do yesterday.
We are in the midst of migrating our email accounts today, so anyone trying to send us email might have encountered a problem. All direct-to-staff email addresses should work just fine, but some of our other addresses might be a bit funky for a day. Don't despair - just try again soon! You can always try calling, too.
On a personal note, I was informed that I had accumulated over 14,000 emails in a little more than two years. Finally, I've made something of myself!
What's that you say? You missed the 8:00 am Bike to Work Day/Amgen Tour of California/King of the Mountain press conference this morning? Fear not - I was there, and have pictures! When you're done looking at the pics, check out the short film made by MTC. For your viewing pleasure:
Ah, springtime - it's the most bikeable time of the year! Which, of course, means that your humble staff members here at SVBC are doing our best to keep up with everything.
Head over to the page for the Silicon Valley Bike Advocacy Summit and select one of the two dates to see the schedule. Links to all available speaker presentations are next to each speaker's name. It's like playing the home version of the Summit!
Thanks again to all the speakers for letting us share these great presentations with the cycling community!
Well, it's all over with. The Silicon Valley Bike Advocacy Summit has come and gone. It was a pretty crazy ride for me over the last two or three months. It was the first time I had planned an event, and I had more questions than answers. Were people going to show up? Were the speakers going to confirm? What should the topics be? How big does the room need to be? Where will we get extra laptops? WHAT ABOUT FOOD? IS IT ALL GOING TO FALL APART? WHEN WILL THIS TERROR END???
Many of you came out last night to enjoy a discussion of adventure cycling by author and radio personality Willie Weir. It was a great event; Willie is also a experienced actor and his tales were completely vivid and engaging.
Colin and Corinne cherish SVBC's new fridge with the most flattering of poses.
Welcome to the first of my new series featuring the wacky, weird, creative, confusing, impressive, and depressing ways that planners try to accomodate cyclists, pedestrians, and transit users.
This week, I decided to start the series strong, with an example from my own commute: the Taylor/Mabury/Highway 101 bike/ped bridge!
