• WOBO is run almost entirely on volunteer power.
• We're efficient and effective and 100% of donations go into public outreach materials and programs to make Oakland more walkable and bikeable.
• Help us do more by making a donation or purchasing a WOBO annual membership (Individual - $35, Household - $50, Individual w/WOBO t-shirt - $50). To contribute or discover member benefits, visit our Donation Page.

Usually the end of the month would mean a WOBO Monthly Meeting, but not for June. Why? Because we'd rather see you and socialize with you at Oaklavía this Sunday! Don't worry, the Monthly Meeting will return next month (on July 22nd), but for now plan on coming out and seeing us on the car-free streets this weekend!

The wait is almost over! Oaklavía is this Sunday, and we want you to come out and enjoy the car-free streets! Here's the quick rundown on what you need to know as well as links to more information:

• Basic Details: Sunday, June 27th from 10am-2pm; Route runs from Uptown to Old Oakland and West Oakland.
   
• Route and Activity Stations: This week's East Bay Express pullout features a map of the Oaklavía route with the locations (and descriptions) of the various activity stations. Want to see the same map online? We've got it right here (see pages 34-35)! If you want a list of just the activities, you can find that on the Activities page at Oaklavía.org website.
   
• Wear Your Oakland: That's not a typo. We want you to show off your pride in the City, whatever that means: gay pride, A's pride, Oakland pride... it's your town and your style, so you decide!
   
• Parklets Demonstration: WOBO and the EBBC will be doing a parklets demo at Washington and 9th during Oaklavía. The demonstration will show concepts for temporarily converting parking spaces into public space as well as flexible parking concepts that allow adjacent businesses to expand out into curbside parking.
   
• Joint WOBO/EBBC Membership Available: At Oaklavía, look for WOBO or EBBC tables to sign up for a special joint WOBO/EBBC Membership for just $30! Help two great advocacy groups in the East Bay and get two memberships at a huge savings ($40 off)!
   
• WOBO Talks Oaklavía on KPFA: Earlier this week, Kassie Rorhbach, WOBO's Executive Director, was interviewed on KPFA about Oaklavía. If you want to hear more about the event and what to expect, listen to the interview here (starting at the 1 hour 40 minute mark).
   
• Ride to Pride: With two BART stations along the Oaklavía route, getting to the Pride festival in San Francisco couldn't be easier. If you're headed to SF, see what it's like to have a closed-street ride (or walk) on your way to or from Pride.
   
• Press Coverage So Far: Wondering if you should go to Oaklavía? Need some convincing? Then check out the press we've already received:
  • San Francisco Chronicle
  • Living in the O
  • Oakland Local
   
• More Info: For your Oaklavía information needs, just visit the site that bears its name – Oaklavía.org.

On Sunday, June 13th dozens of cyclists gathered for a memorial ride to honor the lives of Pete Webster and Erik Fitzpatrick – two Oakland cyclists struck and killed in May. The ride began at the ghost bike at 52nd and Market, marking the place of Pete's passing, and headed to the Laurel District from there.

The ride was not particularly easy – it was hot, and there were more than a few hills – but the entire group made it to MacArthur and Loma Ridge where we met up with some of Erik Fitzpatrick's friends, family and neighbors. Together, we decorated the ghost bike in Erik's honor. Here's a video of the event.

A special shout out to all who joined us, some of whom came from as far away as Portland and L.A. Thank You! These deaths were preventable. The untimely passing of Pete and Erik demonstrates the vulnerability of urban cyclists and the dire need for improved bicycle infrastructure in Oakland. Click here to find out how you can help support complete streets here in the Town.

Last fall, the partnership between WOBO, Oakland Urban Paths and the City of Oakland resulted in almost 100 volunteers spending thousands of hours on the stairs and paths of Oakland to survey the physical conditions of the City's unique pedestrian facilities. Many of these paths cut across winding hillside streets and connected residential areas with shopping districts, schools, recreational areas and public transit hubs.

The goal of this project was to provide the City with data to help them prioritize which stair and path repairs to get on the docket first. As a direct result of the survey data, the City has committed $150,000 in funds from the 2010 Construction budget to seven stairs and paths. Keep an eye out for these repairs:

• Fixing broken/funky handrails on Mountain Blvd at Twin Oaks Way (District 7), and stairs on Ocean View at Brookside (District 1).
   
• Installation of a pathway from Joaquin Miller Elementary School (District 4) down to Ascot and from the crosswalk at Mountain/Ascot north-ward along Mountain Ave to the Park Blvd. Freeway crossing. City begins engineering drawings this week with the plan to have new walk-able pathways installed before start of the school year in Sept. 2010.
   
• Concrete works at the Fairmont Terrace-Richmond-Kempton stairs which connect the ridge streets to Echo Creek Park (District 3) and a replacement cement bollard at Courtland between Congress - Fairfax (District 5) will allow folks a chance to take in some of the terrific creekside walks tucked throughout the city. And pending a watershed permit, the Echo Creek wooden footbridge will be replaced with a permanent pre-fab steel one.

Additionally, the Castlemont Stairs connecting students to Castlemont High and the Seneca Reservoir area, linking Thermal-Burr-Seneca, are set for an extensive two-year $200,000 repair, funded by TDA Article 3 and Measure B Bicycle/Pedestrian Grant from the County sales tax starting 2012.

Thanks to all who participated in the survey and City staff who pushed through these important projects.

Bringing Oaklavía to the City took over two years and more people power than you might imagine. Not only is it Oakland's first Ciclovía-type event, but it's the first of a great many initiatives and events we've got planned for 2010 and beyond.

You can help us keep our momentum, work for change, plan great events and create a better environment for walking and biking if you renew your WOBO membership now. We've got some serious momentum going, and we want to use it to it's greatest effect. Your donation can help us do that.

Not a WOBO member? No problem! Whether renewing a membership or becoming part of the WOBO for the first time, the process is the same. Click here to go to our membership page, fill out the form and submit it. That's it! Not only will you have our undying gratitude, but we'll also send you a confirmation that we've received your tax-deductible donation. Membership packets typically go out at the end of the month, so expect to see yours in a month or less!

If you have any questions about membership (past, present or future) feel free to contact us at info@wobo.org.

Sun and good weather are here, so join us for an excursion north to the Albany Bulb! (NOTE: If this ride sounds familiar, it's not déjà vu – we had to cancel this outing in May, so we're trying again!)

This former landfill-turned-unofficial-dog-park is a great place to get a view of the Bay, check out Burning Man-esque art installations, and relax after a ride along the Bay Trail. Participants should bring a snack to share, and possibly binoculars for checking out the birds. Any and all female-identified people are invited to participate.

Please RSVP to shannon@wobo.org by Wednesday, July 7th with your name, email, and phone number (in case there are any last-minute updates). All participants must sign a waiver and wear a helmet – no exceptions!

DETAILS: Sunday, July 11 from 11am-2pm. (NOTE: This begins and and ends an hour later than previous WOW rides.) Starts and finishes at Mosswood Park, near the corner of Macarthur Blvd and Webster Street (nearest BART: Macarthur). Traveling via the Bay Trail. Approximately 14 miles and pretty darn flat. Route map (subject to change).

Want to get reminders about Women of WOBO events? Click here to join our announcements list to receive 2-3 emails per month about upcoming outings and other women-related biking and walking news.

Our first-ever Bike-to-the-Movies Night at Linden Street Brewery was such a huge success that we've already got two more movie nights in the works for this summer. We'll be showing movies outdoors in both late July and late August (the when and where TBD) and want you to be on the lookout for more information. But it gets better...

What movies we show will be up to you! In the coming weeks, we'll send out a movie night survey, and it'll be your job to vote for which movies you really want to see. (If you're not following us on Facebook or Twitter yet, now would be a good time to do so – the word will hit FB and Twitter the second the survey is ready!)

The third annual Temescal Street Cinema has arrived! So get ready to enjoy six weeks of FREE outdoor films featuring the work of Bay Area Filmmakers in the heart of the Temescal Neighborhood of Oakland (49th @ Telegraph).

East Bay Vegan Bakesale

Tasty baked treats provided by Fat Bottom Bakery, Cinnaholic, Peoples Donuts, Sugar Beat Sweets, Wholesome Bakery, Violet Sweet Shoppe, & More! Benefitting WOBO and the Berkeley East Bay Humane Society.

The Jack London Square Performance, Installation, & Film Series

The Oakland Underground Film Festival in partnership with Jack London Square presents an exciting spring and summer series of films, performances, and art installations. Join us in the amazing 33,000 square-foot waterfront Pavilion Theater (98 Broadway, Jack London Square) to enjoy some of the very best local filmmakers, projection and installation artists, musicians, and surprise guest speakers.

Sugarbelly!

Sugarbelly is a nite for women, transgender and genderqueer folks to learn to work on bikes, eat yummies, make bike crafts & build community through bike love! 1st & 3rd Wednesdays from 6:30-9pm at The Bikery, 2289 International Blvd.

Bike Love

Bike Love is an annual event promoting the cycling community in the Bay Area and as a way to raise funds for non-profit cycling organizations. 100% of the 2010 event's profits will go to benefit the Nor Cal High School Cycling League. For any inquiries or additional information , email us at bikeloveoakland@gmail.com.

Rad Massaker Alleycat

Rad Massaker 2: Just as hard! Just as long! Just as fun! BBQ finish party afterwards. Tons of prizes. Profits to be donated to charity.

Oakland Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee Meeting

Oakland's Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) committee was chartered in 1995 to advise the City on the design of bicycle and pedestrian facilities and related issues. Two-hour meetings are held in City Hall the third Thursday of the month and begin at 5:30 p.m. Members of the public are welcome to attend all or part of any BPAC meeting. For more info call (510) 238-3983 or email bikeped@oakland.net.

East Bay Bike Party

Join your fellow East Bay cyclists every third Friday for an all-ages, positive, community-building bike ride. Stay tuned to eastbaybikeparty.wordpress.com for more info!

Think your local library is cool? How about a library where you can check out bikes? It's not a dream, the Iowa City Bike Library (in, you guessed it, Iowa) does just that.

Iowa City is a college town, and the large student population meant lots of bicycles were being abandoned or brought to the landfills at the end of the school year. A citizen recognized that the surplus bikes could provide people with affordable transportation and looked for a way to get the bicycles he collected and repaired to people who needed them... thus, the Iowa City Community Bike Project (which would become the Bike Library) was born!

On a more local note, there's a new short documentary out there about Baybe Champ (the "Scraper Bike King") and the scraper bike movement. It's Scrapertown by filmmaker Drea Cooper and photographer Zackary Canepari and you can watch it online here.

Lastly, I've heard of "inside" pets (who spend their lives safe inside houses and apartments), but never an "inside" bike... until now. Definitely not the ride of choice for a damp Bay Area day. If you want to ride in style but miss the automotive option of a leather interior, now you can pay extra for a leather exterior.