Salinas Youth Lead the Way in Monterey County Bike Community Firsts

I love biking Salinas!  I love the ag-town vibe of Monterey County’s largest city, nestled against the Gabilans in the beautiful Salinas Valley. I love the familiar feel of farmers and 4H-ers nearby.  And I love how Salinas is not just the seat of Monterey County government…

Salinas is a hotbed of

Monterey County bike community firsts!

What’s the latest? Salinas youth volunteers are among those  working to create Monterey County’s first Ciclovia / Open Streets event, Ciclovia Salinas. Click here to learn more and to see how you can help.

Here are some other ways that Salinas youth have been part of Monterey County bike community firsts:

• First organized public high school cycling team in Monterey County: The Salinas High School Cowboy Racing Mountain Bike Team, a co-ed team, competes in the NorCal High School Cycling League.  And to my knowledge, the SHS team is also the first organized cycling team of any public elementary school, middle school, high school, or college in the county.
• First public elementary school cycling club  in Monterey County. Monterey Park Cycling at Monterey Park School, a public school for grades K-6, leads the way for Salinas City Elementary Schools and for all public elementary schools in the county! Click here for the scoop, shared by principal Ron Dillender.
• Firstbike party in Monterey County:  Salinas Bike Party, a courteous social bike run. While all ages are invited, older teens and young adults turn out in high numbers and show that Salinas is a great place to get on your bike and have fun.  A monthly event, SBP’s party rules include following CA bike laws and showing courtesy to motorists, pedestrians, and others. SBP welcomes all types of bicycles–anyone who brings a positive vibe and cruises in tune with party rules. Click here to learn more.
• Firston-campus do-it-yourself bicycle maintenance station in Monterey County.  Yes, Salinas High School had the first DIY bike maintenance station of any elementary school, middle school, high school, or college in the county. Check out the photos below. And SHS is already inspiring schools around the nation (e.g., this bike-savvy high school teacher in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois).  SHS is  sure to inspire other Monterey County bike-friendly schools, public and private, to set up maintenance stations as well.
• First high school bike tech class in Monterey County.  This class was established at the Monterey County Youth Center, located in Salinas, on 4/15/12; click here to learn more. Youth in the class come from all over Monterey County, but currently live in our county seat. Perhaps in time other high school students in Salinas and other Monterey County cities will find bike tech classes offered at their schools too! Click here for related inspiration at Bicycling Monterey, “Bike Safety and Bike Tech Education.”

Kudos to Salinas youth

for inspiring and supporting

these Monterey County bike community firsts!

Here’s to ciclovia/open streets, school bike teams, community bike parties, on-campus bike maintenance stations,  and high school bike tech classes trending throughout the county, and nation.

Special thanks to SHS teacher Jim Warwick for the photos in this post. Thanks also go to Coach Warwick and others from the Cowboys cycling team for their support of the county’s first on-campus DIY bike maintenance station.