The Motherlode Bicycle Coalition (MLBC) is a project of the California Bicycle Coalition Education Fund (CalBike). CalBike envisions a California where our streets are safe, appealing, and accessible for people biking, walking, and using transit. Together, we are passionate about making California not just a better place to ride a bike, but a healthier, more prosperous, and more equitable place. CalBike works with local organizations across California to support their success and to represent their voices in Sacramento. Together, our power is impressive: more than 30,000 dues-paying members and 50 professional advocates working for bicycling.

The Motherlode Bicycle Coalition Board Members include Carl Baker, retired Cal Trans Senior Planner, Jack Becker, former Bakersfield Bicycle Executive Director, Robert Leibold, Northern California Nevada Cycling Association Bike Race Promoter, Dwight Follen, Groveland Trail Heads Chair, Nikki Grimes, Carol Ryder, Rob Williams, avid cyclists representing Amador, Calaveras, and Tuolumne Counties.

The Motherlode Bicycle Coalition was formed in August 2014 and has recently accomplished the following:

Advocated for reasonable rumble strip policies to protect cyclists in Amador, Tuolumne and Calaveras Counties.

Co-sponsored and organized bike events to promote recreational cycling, such as RideandWalk4Art and Take Five Family Open Street Ride.

Organized a bicycle safety education class for kids and adults in Tuolumne County in conjunction with outreach for the Tuolumne Active Transportation Plan.

Board Members attend and serve on several complete streets planning committees.

Trained in Street Story hazard reporting with UC Berkeley SafeTrec.

California Association of Bicycle Organization Member and CalTrans District 10 Representative

MLBC is also serving as a local stakeholder in a grant Promoting Safe Bicycle Travel Opportunities for Bicycle Tourism and Economic Development.

Promoting bicycle tourism presents an opportunity to improve bike routes for local residents and visitors in addition to increasing business through recreation. Check out the Bicycle Tourism 101 video by Path Less Pedaled. The California Bicycle Coalition and five District 10 Transportation Agencies recently were awarded a 3 year Cycling Tourism Grant to identify and analyze priority bike routes for enhancing bicycle tourism, with an eye to improving travel conditions for all modes, and for residents’ travel needs as well as those of visitors. They will make an annotated map and list of recommendations for priority improvements, basing these recommendations on expert analysis as well as on extensive community outreach to diverse area residents, including business and property owners, travel bureaus, local policy makers, bike shops and bicycle clubs, and other stakeholders. They will also identify strategies for promoting the region’s bicycle tourism opportunities and encouraging economic development around tourism. The following partners are working together: The Tuolumne County Transportation Council (TCTC), Calaveras Council of Governments (CCOG), San Joaquin Council of Governments (SJCOG), Stanislaus Council of Governments (StanCOG), and Alpine County Local Transportation Commission (ACLTC).

The MLBC’s next meeting will be held at the home of Carl and Kim Baker in Columbia, California on June 27, 2019 at 4pm. The meeting is open to the public. Call Rob Williams, 209-531-5844 for more information or to receive an agenda of the upcoming meeting.