Courteous Mass – A Success!
Posted By Sam Ollinger on August 15, 2011
The first (well attended) Courteous Mass was held last Friday and was by all accounts an incredibly successful ride.
Start of the Ride
One participant took a short video of the initial group that gathered early:
The route began in Balboa Park and went uptown to the neighborhoods of Hillcrest (where the city is considering installing the first bike corrals [pdf link], North Park, South Park, Golden Hill and then into downtown San Diego before heading back up the mesa to Balboa Park where the ride began.
The ride was remarkable not just because of the number of attendees (over 200 by some counts), but also on account of it being attended by those who are actively making San Diego and California a great place for cyclists.
Jim Lundquist, the city’s Bike Coordinator rode and thoroughly enjoyed all the downhill portions of the route:
Jim Lundquist, San Diego Bicycle Coordinator.
The ride’s other participants and supporters included Arturo Viazcán of Paseo de Todos also made it all the way up to from TIjuana to offer his support and participate in the ride, Ken Eby of Bikes del Pueblo along with all the volunteers who continue to keep mid-city rolling, San Diego’s Regional Bicycle Plan architect, Chris Kluth, and Stephan Vance also of SANDAG. Another surprise out of town guest was David Snyder, the new Executive Director of the California Bicycle Coalition. I had an opportunity to talk to him and will be posting details of our conversations soon.
Stephan Vance from SANDAG (left), and David Snyder (adjusting his lights), Executive Director of California Bicycle Coalition
The ride was successful in large part because of its slow pace and frequent re-groupings. It appears that this ride will become another strong San Diego tradition.
If you would like to be a part of the next ride and to find out more details, join the Courteous Mass/Critical Manners group on facebook.
I was on this ride, and I got “dropped” while seeing if some folks needed help with a flat. Dissatisfied? Nah — I had a GREAT time. Besides, it was a first time mass ride event — I never expect those to be “perfect.” I’ll want to be in on the next one.
Tip: Please carry a spare tube in your ride’s tire size and valve type. It was a little off-putting to see someone’s ride end because the stem had been knocked out of his tube valve, and no one had a tube to share….
[...] Ladera Ranch Grand Prix; San Diego’s Trina Jacobson takes the women’s crown. San Diego hosts a successful Courteous Mass. Drivers complain about cyclists, cyclists complain about bikers. A Fairfield cyclist suffers [...]
It was a fun ride. Let’s do it again. Can we find an all-downhill ride?