We are very excited to announce that the Team Alameda “away weekend” of riding is officially happening for 2022!  We are going to hit the roads around the Russian River, and will have our “base” be downtown Occidental.  

The dates are October 14th (Friday) to 16th (Sunday).

The Occidental Lodge, which is in downtown Occidental and close to several restaurants, has set aside a block of rooms for us - see https://www.occidentallodge.com/. To get one of the reserved rooms, please call them and tell them that you're with Team Alameda. There is no special discount for Team Alameda, but they set rooms aside for us. Their phone number is (707) 874 3623.

If you would rather stay somewhere else in the area, or you didn’t jump on the reservations in time and the Lodge is all booked up, here are other options in the area:

• Inn at Occidental (really close by)

• Inn at the Tides in Bodega Bay

• Lots of other hotels and AirBNBs in Guerneville

We will have multiple options for riding, both distance and pace, and will do our best to make sure that everyone has options for refueling along the way.  We are organizing a SAG (support) car.  We hope that you consider joining us for a fun weekend of riding.  Please let us know that you are intending to join in on the fun by dropping us an email at away2022@teamalameda.org, and let us know if you booked a room at the Lodge.

Your "Away Ride" Organizing Committee (Tracy, Emil, Klaus, Janet, Kurt, Mike)

We have reserved the Harrison Center at Lincoln Park again, on September 18th, for our annual TA picnic. 

We are looking forward to celebrating all of our members and enjoying a lovely catered lunch.   More details soon.

There was some interest this year in Team Alameda having a presence at the Alameda 4th of July parade; however, we just didn't have the time to rally the troops and make it happen.  That said, the Alameda Recreation & Park Department is looking for volunteers to help out if you have some time.

They are "...interested in some people volunteering at the staging area along Lincoln Ave. If still interested, I am looking for volunteers for staging area to assist parade entries as well as monitor access along Oak street for the VIP’s or help along Park Street for crowd control. If volunteering, you would need to be at City Hall parking lot at 7:45 am for a debrief and chosen assignment. "  

Please reach out directly to Patrick Russi via email to prussi@alamedaca.gov to help out.  Thanks.

Team Alamedans -

We have one more opportunity for you to try on sample gear to check for sizings and materials before we pack up all the gear and send it back to Voler.  It will be this coming Sunday, June 5th, between 2:00-5:00pm.  You can simply stop by 1101 Morton Street (on the corner of San Antonio) during those hours on Sunday - no need to notify anyone.  

Also, a reminder that the window for ordering new gear closed at Midnight on June 10th.  Please reach out to President@teamalameda.org if you have any questions.  Thanks!

Hey Team Alamedans!

Our member, Isabella DeMatos, will be leading the annual Ride of Silence ride this coming Wednesday evening.  We are very honored to have Alameda be represented on the map for this important, International ride which is held in honor of those who have been injured or killed during a bike ride.

Please join us at 6:45pm in front of the Kaiser Building on Central.  We will be riding slowly and in complete silence for 9 miles through the streets of Alameda.  

Thanks, and we look forward to seeing a great turn-out for the annual Ride of Silence.

Hey Team Alamedans! 

We are very excited to announce that we have a new TA sponsor – Flying Embers, straight from Ojai California. 

They are fine purveyors of refreshing drinks, and their “sparkling botanical teas and hard seltzers are made with simple ingredients but packed with complex flavors.  Handcrafted with adaptogens, superfruits, and whole plant botanicals, [their] organic recipes are lighter, brighter, and audaciously bolder.”  You can find their refreshing products at local grocery stores around Alameda, including the Grocery Outlet on Buena Vista where our member, Kal Ghanem, was able to connect Flying Embers with Team Alameda (thank you so much, Kal)! 

Flying Embers was just getting going when the 2017 Thomas Fire came very close to destroying the company.  After Flying Embers survived the horrible fires, the founder of the company created the Embers Foundation, wherein 1% of all the Flying Embers revenue is set aside to help first responders and affected communities.  So, when you are looking for a post-ride refreshing adult beverage, check out the Flying Embers products knowing that you will also be contributing to helping those who have been affected by fires nationwide. 

And an extra bonus:  All of their products are dry fermented, which means they are ZERO sugar and ZERO carbs!!!  Enjoy, and look for some of their products at our annual picnic in the Fall.

A message from SAN FRANCISCO BAY FERRY BAYALERTS

Effective Thursday, masks will no longer be required on San Francisco Bay Ferry. While transit mask mandates have been lifted, public health officials continue to recommend wearing masks on transit. We ask that passengers be kind to fellow ferry riders regardless of their choice whether to wear a mask on board. Outdoor seating is available on every ferry. Thank you for riding San Francisco Bay Ferry.

Hi TA!  We have received a notification about some upcoming work on Bear Creek Road (the road that makes up the Three Bears ride) in Lafayette, and thought it best to share with everyone as this is a very popular route for many of us.

East Bay Municipal Utility District’s (EBMUD) plans to remove soil from EBMUD’s storage site at the Briones Reservoir located off Bear Creek Road.  Trucks will be utilizing Bear Creek Road and Camino Pablo to and from Highway 24 for hauling activities.  

The project is planned to begin the week of April 18, 2022, and should last approximately 4.5 months, until late August.  Work hours will be Monday-Friday from 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. during the school year, and 9:00 a.m-4:00 p.m. during the summer break.  

EBMUD says that their project contractor and drivers will be expected to exercise extreme caution while hauling and in the presence of bicyclists and pedestrians. Signs will be posted to alert drivers to bicyclists and alert bicyclists to trucks. Truck drivers will be monitored for compliance with the project’s rules for speed and safety throughout the project.  

However, they are also asking that bicyclists be aware and cautious of trucks during hauling. Bicyclists may choose to plan their trip to avoid that area during the haul times, such as in the early morning, evenings, or on weekends.  

Thanks!

HEY Team Alamedans!

We are so happy to announce that we have a new Sponsor – The Electric Bike Warehouse (formerly “Island City Bikes”), a full-service electric bike retail, service, and repair center founded and run by our very own Alvin Carpenter! 

Alvin began Island City Bikes back in 2017 when he recognized the upcoming wave of demand for electric bikes.  He first concentrated on converting standard bicycles to electric bikes and, since that time, has converted nearly 3,000 standard bikes to electric.  Since founding, Alvin had to move his business twice due to quick growth and the need for ever more space.  When moving to San Leandro, at 2551 Williams Street, he changed the name of his company to The Electric Bike Warehouse. 

The Electric Bike Warehouse is the Bay Area authorized dealer of Aventon electric bikes, and also have a large selection of other electric bikes such as Eunorau, Snapcycle, Addmotor and Nakto.  They also continue to undertake bike conversions using products from the Bafang Corporation, and have a full-service repair shop for helping customers with electric bike repairs, tune-ups and safety checks.  And, the company also maintains a wonderful blog on their website where you can read and learn about electric bikes. 

Please be sure to visit their website at www.electricbikewarehouse.com and swing by their warehouse to see upwards of 40 different electric bikes from a variety of suppliers! 

There’s a new federal resource to get free FDA-authorized coronavirus test kits. At COVIDtests.gov, you’ll find information about testing and a link to the U.S. Postal Service – special.usps.com/testkits – where you can order up to four rapid tests to be sent to your home address. Or order your kits by calling 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489). Your kits will be mailed through the U.S. Postal Service within 7 to 12 days.

The tests are completely free. There are no shipping costs, and you don’t have to give a credit card or bank account number. You only need to give a name and address. Once you place an order, you’ll get an order confirmation number. If you give your email address, you’ll also get an order confirmation email and delivery updates.

Source:  https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/2022/01/its-official-get-free-covid-test-kits-covidtestsgov