BYKE BYTES: Bike More, Drive Less, Get Active

1. RAPSody Early Registration Ends July 22
2. Safe Routes Training in Mount Vernon
3. NPS Technical Assistance Grant Deadline August 1
4. Volunteers Needed for Tour de Fat
5. Seattle Heritage Bicycle Tours
6. "Re-Tired" Rugs Featured at Tacoma Art Gallery
7. Volunteer of the Month

RAPSody Early Registration Ends July 22

The Ride Around Puget Sound, RAPSody is a 165-mile bicycle ride circling the lower Puget Sound region, with approximately 9,000 feet of elevation gain, two ferry trips and an overnight stop (one-day option available). The ride starts and ends in Tacoma.

Rapsody supports the Bicycle Alliance of Washington's state-wide advocacy and education programs. This is the third year that five bike clubs have worked together to organize the event.

Don't let the ferry rides, scenery and rest stops with great food and live music fool you - this ride is hard! RAPSody has 9,000 feet of elevation gain - that's almost as much as another great Washington event, RAMROD. RAPSody starts and ends at Tacoma Community College with an overnight in Shelton. Try it in one day if you really love hills.

Cost is $80 through July 22nd, $90 until registration closes on Aug 18th. Registration includes free parking, rest stops, mechanical support, luggage transport, indoor or outdoor camping at Shelton High School, showers, ferry fare and souvenir socks. For more information, visit www.rapsodybikeride.com or call 206-577-6999. You can also register online at www.active.com.

Organizers hope to raise $25,000 to help the Bicycle Alliance support Complete Streets legislation for cyclists and garner funding for Safe Routes to School grants around the state. You can also use RAPSody to Pedal for a Purpose, raising additional money for a selected charity. People for Puget Sound is encouraging people to form teams that both ride the Sound and save the Sound.

The 3rd Annual Ride Around Puget Sound is organized and supplied by B.I.K.E.S. of Everett, Capital Bicycling Club, Tacoma Wheelmen's Bicycle Club, Seattle Bicycle Club, and West Sound Cycling Club.

Safe Routes Training in Mount Vernon

The Bicycle Alliance of Washington will host an all day Safe Routes to School training session in Mount Vernon. To register, contact James Mastin at 360.416.7876 or JamesM@scog.net.

NPS Technical Assistance Grant Deadline August 1

The August 1st application deadline for technical assistance from the Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) Program is approaching! The RTCA- Seattle office provides technical assistance to communities - at their request - in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington. Projects that connect parks and other resources, proposals that focus on health and wellness goals, and requests from communities near NPS parks are priorities for RTCA assistance. Additional information and an application can be found at www.nps.gov/ccso/rtca/application.html.

Volunteers Needed for Tour de Fat

Join us for Tour de Fat, August 12th, a Seattle-style celebration bringing together all facets of cycling and alternative transportation.

It's a beer festival pouring Fat Tire beer to raise funds for the Bicycle Alliance, but it's so much more too! Tour de Fat includes a parade in the morning, live music, a vintage bike show, bike games for kids and adults, juggling, costumes, and more.

We need several dozen volunteers to make this event successful. Volunteers are needed for the following shifts:

1. Set-up the beer garden, booth tents, banners, etc 7:30-10:30am
2. Morning ride registration 8:00-10:00am
3. Beer selling 10:30am-1:30pm or 1:30-4:30pm
4. Beer selling and tear down 2:30-5:30pm.
5. Merchandise selling 10:30am-1:30pm or 1:30-5:30pm
6. Break down event 5:30-7:30pm

If you're able to volunteer, send an e-mail to Barb or phone her at 206-224-9252 indicating your desired shift.

Complete Tour de Fat details on our Rides & Events Page

Seattle Heritage Bicycle Tours

Learn about Seattle's popular culture and get exercise at the same time! The International Bicycle Fund is offering half-day bike tours of Seattle July 10-14 (more dates to be added) departing at 9am at the Bikestation, 311 Third Avenue S. To sign up, get more info, or to inquire about custom tours, go to www.ibike.org/ibike/seattle or email them at ibike@ibike.org.

"Re-Tired" Rugs Featured at Tacoma Art Gallery

Bike Alliance member Susan Snover is the consummate recycler. As a rug weaver, Susan has made over 9000 rugs and saved over 27,000 pounds of fabric from the landfill. Now she is giving new life to old bike tire tubes as one-of-a-kind rugs. You can view her "re-tired" rugs and other unique rugs created from recycled materials at the Seven Muses Gallery in Tacoma from July 16 thru August 31.

Volunteer of the Month

Jim Hunt has been incredibly generous with his time this past year, spending many hours at the Bicycle Alliance office helping to work out the kinks in our computer network, as well as stuffing envelopes and filing. And he's become a regular at our Month End Work Parties!

Jim first contacted us because he wanted to make a contribution but at the moment was unable to contribute financially. His contribution has been exceptionally important to us.

The Bicycle Alliance is a non-profit VOLUNTEER POWERED organization. We work for you, but also, we NEED you. We have an ongoing need for office volunteers: data entry, filing and other tasks always need to get done. Our annual auction would not happen without over 100 people giving generously of their time. We need advocates in every corner of the state to work with government officials And there are always special tasks for special skills that can help the cause of bicycling throughout Washington.

The easiest way to get involved is to come to our monthly volunteer work PARTY. On the last Thursday of each month from 1pm to 8pm at our office in Seattle we have a workparty with lots and lots of yummy goodies (chocolate is a specialty), socializing and working to further bicycle advocacy in Washington. We would love to have you join us. Drop in on the last Thursday afternoon. We need your help. Call Mark at 206.224.9252 or email him at Mark's email to RSVP, to get directions or to get more information.

963 Share the Road License Plates Sold!