Ride into fall
Talk like a pirate, recycle your cycle during September
PIRATE’S LIFE Talk Like a Pirate Day on Sept. 19 is a perfect opportunity to dress like a buccaneer and ride. Photo: Curt Hentschke
Autumn is arriving, bringing with it a gaggle of great bicycle opportunities. I mean, on Sept. 19, who wouldn’t want to dress up like a buccaneer and go out riding on Talk Like a Pirate Day?
Three days later, on the 22nd, Viva CalleSJ returns to the streets of San Jose. Now, if you’ve never cycled routes during “street closures,” you’re absolutely going to love Viva CalleSJ. You’ll share major San Jose roads with other non-motorized forms of transportation…with not a worry in the world about cars. Between the Rose Garden and Japantown, there will be chalk art, food trucks, family activities, merchandise, live music, performances, and more. Give it a pedal!
A wonderful Morgan Hill-Gilroy tradition returns on Sept. 13: Recycle Your Cycle Day. My family prides itself on donating all of the bicycles we’ve outgrown or no longer use. It’s heartwarming to know that somebody less fortunate will be able to pedal new miles onto your recycled cycle.
How do you know if your bicycle is fit to donate? If it’s fairly clean and rust-free, and if it would take a mechanic less than an hour to make it ride ready, you have a “donate-able” bike! In Gilroy, drop your donation off at Sunshine Bicycles, 311 First St., between 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.; in Morgan Hill, collection occurs at the Morgan Hill Corporation Yard, 100 Edes Court, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Save the Dates
Sept. 7: Best Buddies Challenge, Carmel, bestbuddies.org
Sept. 14: Tour de Coop, Silicon Valley, tourdecoop.org
Sept. 21: V3 Hopfest, San Ramon, v3hopfest.com
Sept. 22: Viva CalleSJ, San Jose, vivacallesj.org
Oct. 12: Coyote Creek Cycling Classic, Morgan Hill, svmbc.org
Oct. 19: Discovery Classic Bike Event, Hollister, discoveryclassic.org
Curt “Cycle Guy” Hentschke has pedaled more than 60,000 miles of South Valley and San Benito County trails. Send your cycle celebrations to [email protected]. Check for last minute changes before attending.
- Saluting Cyclists – June 18, 2021
- An austere anniversary – March 31, 2021
- Valentine’s, Velocipedes and Verdant Ventures – February 5, 2021