Bikestation Grand Opening, Long Beach, CA

My Trikke, black Birdie

For almost four months I have been a client of the Bikestation in downtown Long Beach. I love the convenience and helpfulness of its employees. When I recently needed some minor wrenching done on my Trikke, it was done for free.

And so I went to the grand opening, September 15, with the politicians and citizens of Long Beach. Door prizes were given out including two free one-year memberships and a basket of bike goodies as well.

Mayor Foster at Ribbon Cutting 

The Bikestation in Long Beach was the first in a chain across the USA. It is centrally located next to the blue line, the metro and the LB Transit systems. The organization was founded to make it easier to bike not only in Long Beach, but to also help those who commute using bikes.

Their mission is to make biking an integral part of the transportation mix, because with more bike usage we get cleaner air, safer streets and healthier living.

The Bikestation offers repairs, accessories, rental bikes, lockers, restrooms, changing rooms, showers, bike tours, free air and water if needed. For members they offer convenient 24/7 access to bikes stored away from home.

The Ramp

The Bikestation is Trikke friendly and is willing to work with all kinds of vehicles that are human or electric powered (no detailed repairs on Trikkes or Pon-es. For those repairs see SouthBay Trikke). Some locations have charging stations for electrics.

I guess you could say I'm a fan. While there is only one elevator working in my building of many motorized wheel-chairs, it's the only convenient option for me. Plus, I get an extra workout walking to and from the Bikestation. Thank you Long Beach for being so bike and Trikke friendly!

My Affair with Long Beach Continues On

No matter what happiness or sadness I experience, I like to share it with my fair city, Long Beach, CA. I put on my comfy shoes and walk.

I walk down Pine with all the stores and restaurants buzzing with activity and people going on about their tasks. I walk down Ocean Blvd with its traffic and lights and I continue on. Past the Convention Center and the Center Theatre. Past the protected bike lanes and cycle tracks. Past the hotels and motels. Past where I used to live on Lime Ave. Past the food stores and the WalMart.

I walk past the fountains and the water falls. I walk through high rent areas and low. I just walk. I just walk. I just...

One Trikker's Initiation

Since the separated bike lanes appeared in Long Beach, users have been harassed, yelled at and cursed. It's part of the initiation. It's part of the dues paid for use of the lanes.

And so it was bound to happen.  I was yelled at by an angry driver as I was about to get into the bike lane.

I was able to shake off the confrontation pretty quickly as I was on my way to the fundraising event at the new Bikestation at the transit mall in Long Beach, CA. I was going to be in a room filled with others who have been cursed at. In other words the users and creators of the bike lanes.

The event was a fundraiser for the California Bicycle Coalition. Dave Snyder, executive director for the San Francisco division was there.The room was also full of Long Beach movers and shakers, bike fans and even some Trikkers.

I arrived on my green Pon-e, Elekktra. I parked it with the other bikes on the top floor of the Bikestation, where members can store their bikes with 24/7 access. This is great if you want to ride a bike or Trikke to work and you can't bring it with you. There are showers for sweaty bikers on their way to meetings. There are many reasons  to utilize the Bikestation.


Even I will be using the Bikestation soon. I will be parking my Trikke there as they work on the larger elevator in my building. I expect knock-down drag-out fights with the elderly trying to fit their electric wheelchairs in an elevator that will accept very little else.

The event was casual. There was wine and beer, and some fabulous tacos were available. There were speeches. Then  several thousand dollars was donated among the attendees.

I was very happy to bring the Trikke to this event. Trikkes are becoming visible in Long Beach. It is a part of the dialogue and is in the photos. The Trikke is present. It makes me happy to see the acceptance of my funny three-wheeled vehicle in this very accepting city by the sea. Long Beach is truly a city of the future as it incorporates new ideas with the old.

Dare I say it again? I love Long Beach, CA!

Loving Long Beach

I have dropped more deeply in love with Long Beach over this past weekend. Long Beach opened the separated bike lanes on Saturday with more than 100 people present. Finally those selfish gas guzzlers are learning again what they should have learned in kindergarten -- how to share!

I have been reading the comments in the local papers about what people think of the new "sharrows" and most of the comments have been made by those dinosaurs that will soon be paying $6 a gallon for their right to pollute the world. That doesn't seem so smart to me.

Long Beach has provided us a way to be safer while not running people down on the sidewalks. Long Beach has given us a speedier way to get across town without having to compete for road space with a couple of tons of metal going at speeds of 40 mph. Long Beach has given us space to set aside our cars and ride our Trikkes/bikes to the store or other local errands. Long Beach has given us a chance to do something that will better our environment.

And so it is up to us now, because these separated bike lanes are a trial effort. We have 1-year to prove to the city that we love what they have done for us. And the way to do that is to lock up the car and take a ride on a Trikke or bike or whatever form of human powered vehicle you choose.

Loving Long Beach, Part ll

Charlie Gandy and John Simpson, Trikke

On Friday, April 1st, TrikkeWorld Magazine met with Charlie Gandy, in the mayor's office, to talk about Trikkifying Long Beach. That story will unfold in TrikkeWorld Magazine in the months to come.

I had arranged for Trikke Tech to bring down from Buellton, a Pon-e for everyone to ride, or should I say have a blast with. Trikke Tech just happens to be unleashing their new model Pon-e's this month, which are the lithium powered Trikkes. We were flying through the new bike lanes that Long Beach is unveiling in a few weeks. These lanes are such a gift for all who currently fight for sidewalk space.

I am not a full throttle gal, but I was racing to keep up with the guys. We flew east-bound through bike lanes that access Broadway to First street to Junipero, to horrors, a descent down one very steep hill to the beach!

I never realized how much fun it is to be terrified and thrilled all at the same time. My inner-child really had a full play day on the Pon-e. If only people could try these things...

We followed the lanes all the way through Belmont Shore, on the new Sharrow lanes. There will be fewer accidents between bikes and side-walkers, especially here in Belmont Shore.

Long Beach is a very forward thinking city, and it is thinking green.  Prediction --  there are going to be a lot of Trikkes tooling around my favorite City-by-the-Sea in time for summer.

And thankfully, we will have safe new lanes to take us where needed  for exercise or a quick stop at the market. My favorite, the corridor that runs from Alamitos to the LA River bike trail, and back. It used to be a difficult trek on a trikke with no other location but the sidewalk to ride on.

Thank you, Long Beach for making the sidewalks and streets safer for bikes and Trikkes! And thank you, Charlie Gandy for being the newest Trikke advocate!

Loving Long Beach

I am having a love affair with the city I live in, Long Beach, CA. Not only have I lived here for the last 17 years, but I don't see myself wanting to go anywhere in the near future.

There are so many fascinating parts to this city from its cultural diversity to it's tourist areas. From the museums to the playhouses. From the galleries to the painted electrical boxes on the streets.

Long Beach is a college town, my college town. It is full of young people with fresh ideas and angst. It is full of old people with memories and wisdom. Even the skyline is a combination of old and new.

And the best part is Long Beach's dedication to all things green.

We have recently been given our own bike paths in the downtown retail and residential areas. The paths are freshly laid and separated from the car lanes with a five inch curb. We have beach bike paths that are clean and fresh. And if there is not a class l path, there are ll & lll class lanes that are wide and safe.

The beach path leads to the LA river path. You can go from beaches to marshes to river beds. After a day on the trails there are many watering holes and great restaurants. And after dinner there are clubs for music or comedy or a movie. And there are so many shopping opportunities, with small boutiques to souvenir shops to WalMart.

My favorite thing to do in Long Beach is to ride my Trikke. I can get on it and just go. Anywhere. And so I introduce a new feature to the blog, JT loves LB. Look forward to pics of Long Beach from the point of view of a Trikke enthusiast, me.