2010 W.O.W. | Photo credit Dave Ho (dho designs)

Women on Wheels (W.O.W.) is returning to Gregg’s Greenlake Cycle (7007 Woodlawn Ave NE) on Thursday, March 1, 2012, 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

W.O.W. is a celebration of women and cycling. Entry, food, drinks and raffles are all free.

Tracey Gramenz will be the keynote speaker.

Tracey is the founder of Raw Retreats and a well versed bicycle guide.

Tracey has spent the good portion of the past ten years on the saddle.  After retiring early from work as a bilingual family therapist, she hit the road and started professionally guiding luxury bike tours in America’s west (think Zion, Banff, Glacier, Crater Lake, San Juan Islands).  When not guiding others, she has spent her fare share of nights in the tent during extensive, self supported bike tours through Portugal, India, Italy and New Zealand.

The M.C. will be Kat Sweet, the Youth Program Coordinator at Cascade Bicycle Club and the Director for Trips for Kids Seattle.

Sign up for Women on Wheels here.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2012.

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Post tags: bargain alert, cycling, local businesses

photo credit: Daehyun Park

The “Bikes for Books” reading program is still underway at the Green Lake Branch Library (7364 E Green Lake Dr N).

Children in first through third grades have been reading books all fall for a chance to win a bike, helmet and lock.

Participants can enter their names into a drawing one time for every ten books that they have read between Monday, October 3 and Saturday, December 3, 2011. Each entry requires a short oral book report to to a librarian on one book. One girl and one boy will win.

A prize drawing will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, December 5 at the Green Lake Library. Winners must be present to win.

“So far only a few entries have trickled in,” Children’s Librarian Joanna Trefethen reports, adding that those kids that do get entries in will have a great chance to win.

“Bikes for Books” is funded by the Green Lake Masonic Lodge #149. For more information about the contest, contact Joanna Trefethen at (206) 684-7547 or joanna.trefethen [at] spl.org.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: contest, cycling, kids, library, literary

The street will remain open to traffic, but the lanes will be shifted to one side.  On-street parking will be restricted. Crosswalks and sidewalks will remain open.

Doug Bambrick, who has been a long-time advocate for a “road diet” on Linden Ave N, is hosting a community meeting about the street early this week.

Doug would like to see more room for pedestrians, as well a bike lanes, on Linden Ave N. He is hopeful that a community group can work together to communicate with SDOT about the re-striping that is done on the street following the paving project.

If you would like more information about the community meeting, please contact Doug at seattlejz [at] yahoo.com.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: cycling, traffic

There’s a lot going on this Halloween in the Green Lake neighborhood.

There will be a free Fall Pumpkin Swim at Evans Pool tomorrow evening (Friday, October 28, 2011), 7 p.m. – 8 p.m. The event features games, prizes and pumpkins in the pool.

The Green Lake Tacos Guaymas is hosting their annual Halloween Costume Party tomorrow night (October 28).

A Halloween Midnight Mystery Ride is planned for late tomorrow night (October 28). The costumed bike ride begins at 11:30 p.m. at the southwest corner of Green Lake, near the Aqua Theater.

On Saturday (October 29), 12 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., there will be a free all-ages harvest potluck on the deck of Evans Pool. Community members are invited to bring a dish to share with their neighbors and pool staff.

The First Annual Cider Fest at Freeway Estates Community Orchard is planned for Saturday (October 29), 2:00 p.m. – ­ 5:00 p.m.

Saturday night (October 29) brings a Halloween costume party to Little Red Hen (7115 Woodlawn Ave NE). Prizes will be awarded at midnight.

Meerkats, hippos, elephants, bears and more will do the annual smashing and chomping of pumpkins and scurrying through jack-o’lanterns at Woodland Park Zoo’s Pumpkin Bash on Saturday and Sunday (October 29 and 30).

Meerkats enjoy the zoo's Pumpkin Bash. Photo credit: Ryan Hawk/Woodland Park Zoo

On Sunday (October 30), the annual Corgi Halloween Costume Parade Around Green Lake is planned for 11 a.m. Look for dozens of corgi dogs in costume.

The Green Lake Irwin’s Neighborhood Bakery and Cafe (301 NE 65th St) will be hosting a costume contest for children of all ages on Halloween (Monday, October 31), 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. Contest winners will receive $10 and $25 gift certificates to Irwin’s.

Bethany Lutheran Church is hosting a “Trunk or Treat” in the church parking lot (7400 Woodlawn Ave NE) on Halloween evening, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Treats and hot cider will be available. For more information, call (206) 523-4454 or email secretary[at]bethanyluth.org.

Many homes around the neighborhood are welcoming trick-or-treaters (here’s our map). Of special note is the annual haunted house at 315 NE 60th St. The theme this year is Zombie Dodgeball, and the doors are open 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Also be sure to check out the decorations at the Tavis Residence, near the corner of Corliss Ave N and N 64th St:

Don’t forget that the North Helpline Food Bank is asking volunteers to collect food and personal care items while they trick-or-treat.

The annual Naked Pumpkin Run is scheduled for 9:21 p.m. on Halloween night.

On Tuesday, the day after Halloween (November 1), Greenlake Kids Dentistry is hosting their annual Halloween Candy Buy-Back program, 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Dr. Troy Hull at the 2010 Halloween Candy Buy-Back event at Greenlake Kids Dentistry

Seattle Police Department Crime Prevention Coordinator Terrie Johnston shares the following Halloween safety tips:

Know your trail: What route will you take? Don’t take short cuts through alleyways, back yards or parks.
Whose homes will you visit? Advise your parents of your plans.
Is there an adult going along? If not, tell parents with whom you’ll be. Stay together w/your group and have a plan should someone get lost.
Only trick or treat at homes with front porch lights on.
NEVER enter the house or car of a stranger.
When will you be home? Carry a cell.phone & call if you will be late .
Carry a flashlight or light sticks. It makes it easier to see and shows you where you are going. Reflective tape/material is a good idea to add to your costume.
Make up is safer than a mask, which can make seeing difficult.
Drivers have a hard time seeing you at night, so cross the road carefully and stay on main streets/sidewalks. Use crosswalks, and wait for a walk signal. Never cross from between parked cars.
Be careful of open flames from pumpkins and candles, as they can catch your costume and long wigs on fire.
Are your shoes safe and comfortable for walking?
Have your parents check out your candy when you get home before you eat any.

For the Ghosts who stay at home
Greet treaters at the door.
Remove obstacles from sidewalk, porch and steps.
Keep a light on, so treaters can see where they are walking.
Use your peep hole and look outside before opening the door.
Don’t leave your pet out in the yard on Halloween.
Be mindful of pets around lit pumpkins.
Chocolate is poisonous to animals, as is tin foil or candy wrappers.

Remember you can call 9-1-1 to report suspicious or criminal activity, 24 hours a day.

And, a reminder that extra law enforcement will be out this weekend and on Halloween looking for impaired drivers. Patrols will begin Friday evening. According to Public Health – Seattle & King County, nearly half of all national highway fatalities on Halloween night in 2009 involved a driver or a motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher.

Thanks for the tips, Kristen, Martin, Carl and Tracy. Have a great weekend and a wonderful Halloween, everyone!

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: building community, cycling, dogs, halloween, kids, local businesses, party, safety, swimming, zoo

Rebekah Gruenig reports that a bicycle was found this morning (Monday, Oct. 3, 2011) on a parking strip in north Green Lake.

Is this bike yours? If so, drop us a line at tips [at] mygreenlake.com and we’ll let you know the exact location.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: cycling, lost and found

Participants are allowed to enter their names for the drawing once for every ten books they read between Monday, October 3 and Saturday, December 3, 2011. Each entry will require a short oral book report to to a librarian on one book. One girl and one boy each will win a bicycle and a helmet.

A prize drawing will take place at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, December 5 at the Green Lake Library. Winners must be present to win.

“Bikes for Books” is funded by the Green Lake Masonic Lodge #149.

For more information, contact Joanna Trefethen, Children’s Librarian at the Green Lake Branch Library, at (206) 684-7547 or joanna.trefethen [at] spl.org.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: contest, cycling, kids, library, literary

Crews from the Seattle Department of Transportation will be doing maintenance work on the center islands at East Green Lake Way N & N 64th St tomorrow (Friday, September 9, 2011), 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

While work on the center islands is being done, the bicycle turn lane across East Green Lake Way N that goes through the island will be closed. All other crosswalks and sidewalks will remain open.

There will be a police officer at the intersection to assist traffic.

The center islands at this intersection were installed when a traffic signal was built in late 2007 / early 2008. At that time, the islands were filled with soil. However, no plantings were made, due to a lack of funds.

Since then, weeds have grown on the islands, sometimes to great heights.

I have a call in to SDOT about the nature of the work being done tomorrow and will update this post when I have more information.

Update, Friday, 10:10 a.m.: SDOT spokesperson Marybeth Turner reports that the medians will be paved with asphalt.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: cycling, traffic

Shortly after 9 p.m. on Wednesday (August 17, 2011), two fire engines and one ambulance were dispatched to 6014 Meridian Ave N following a collision between a bicycle and car.

According to Sonja Hardenbrook, who witnessed the aftermath of the crash, it appeared as though a cyclist flew off his bike and onto the windshield of a car, shattering the window.

Tom Fucoloro of Seattle Bike Blog says that he checked in with the Seattle Fire Department and Police Department about the crash.

Tom learned that Seattle Fire medics treated the cyclist at the scene but did not transport him to a hospital, although a third party ambulance may have.

According to a witness who was at the scene of the crash, the cyclist had injuries to his head and leg, and was taken to Harborview by an ambulance.

Seattle Police told Tom Fucoloro that neither the driver of the car nor the cyclist were under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

We also have a bit of information about the crash via twitter, from Dawn Wright, who tweeted: “my friend, who lives there, said car made left turn into fast-moving bike. Bike split in two. Scary.” Please note, however, that this report has not been confirmed with Seattle Police.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: cycling, medical emergency, traffic

The WBR Challenge is an effort to encourage people to walk, bike or ride public transit more often to get active and connect with the community.

The Seattle neighborhood(s) with the most car trips saved or car miles switched to walking, biking and riding will win the neighborhood competition.

Over 1,200 participants across the city have switched to other ways to travel and have so far saved over 150,000 miles of driving, representing about 75 tons of climate-changing pollution from going into the air.

As of August 5, Green Lake had saved 124 trips and 996 miles of driving. Green Lake was ranked #12 for number of trips switched to walking, biking or riding.

The final tally and winning neighborhoods will be announced in September.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: building community, contest, cycling, metro, traffic, walking

Seattle’s Department of Transportation (SDOT) is holding a Walk Bike Ride (WBR) Challenge this summer.

The WBR Challenge is an effort to encourage people to walk, bike or ride public transit more often to get active and connect with the community.

After signing up for the WBR Challenge, participants receive weekly emails with tips on walking, biking and riding. They can also track their individual progress and the program’s collective impact online.

Participants who switch at least two car trips per week to walking, biking or transit will earn chances to win the following prizes:

• Electric bike from e-Moto
• Apple iPad
• Night stay at Pan Pacific Hotel in South Lake Union
• $250 Zipcar gift card
• $100 Nordstrom gift card
• $100 REI gift card
• $100 farmers market gift card (accepted at seven farmers markets, including the U District, Phinney and Lake City Farmers Markets)

The more trips you report, the higher the chance you have of winning.

“Summer is a great time to try walking, biking or riding transit to work, to get to know your neighborhood and to start lifetime habits that keep you healthy,” Seattle City Councilmember Tom Rasmussen said in a press release.

The WBR Challenge is promoting a friendly competition between Seattle neighborhoods to determine which neighborhood can switch the most trips and miles to walking, biking and riding. SDOT promises to give us updates throughout the summer so that we can track where Green Lake stands among Seattle’s other neighborhoods.

Click here to sign up for the Walk Bike Ride Challenge.

©Amy Duncan for My Green Lake | Seattle's Green Lake Blog, 2011.

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Post tags: building community, contest, cycling, metro, traffic, walking