Valley Student Making Good Use of Reg AN INTERVIEW WITH ELI MENDEZ, DRAKE STUDENT, CLASS OF _01
by Anny Owen
GO GERONIMO: What made you start using GO GERONIMO?
EM: My Mom works at home and hardly goes out. When I asked her to give me a ride to school she said, "Go and get your GO GERONIMO laminate and get out there!"
GG: How often do you use it?
EM: On average four times a week.
GG: Where do you catch it?
EM: At the bus stop in Forest Knolls.
GG: What time are you out there?
EM: At 7:30 AM and also on the way home from Drake if I miss the bus.
GG: About how many cars does it take to get a ride?
EM: At the most, ten cars go by before I catch a ride.
GG: What do you do when the car stops?
EM: I ask if they_re registered with GO GERONIMO and then I ask where they are going.
GG: How do you turn down rides?
EM: I say, "Oh sorry, I don_t want to ride with anyone who_s not registered with GO GERONIMO, and they_re in a hurry on their way somewhere and they say, "Okay."
GG: How do you feel standing there?
EM: If they_re driving by I don_t really feel anything besides just that I_m standing there waiting. If someone stops then I feel good.
GG: Do you feel like you_re doing something positive for the environment when you use the Reg?
EM: Yes, sometimes.
GG: Do you encourage your friends to use it?
EM: Yes. I was the one who got my friend Kai to start using it. He has to go to the library in Fairfax after school, so he gets a ride home from the stop right across from the library, to get back to the Valley.
GG: Do you have any suggestions that would benefit GO GERONIMO?
EM: Yes. Riders should carry small flyers to give to drivers who aren_t signed up and want to know more about it.
GG: Tell me about a memorable ride.
EM: One time I got a ride from a lady who had her dog in the car, and the dog was really rice.
GG: Will you continue to use GO GERONIMO?
EM: Yes. During the summer I could use it to go to the movies.
GG: Do you think more people will start using the Reg?
EM: Yes, because there_s more and more people getting into the seventh grade,, which is when you can start using it.
GG: How is GO GERONIMO increasing your opportunity for freedom.
EM: I can get anywhere I want.

FREE CD OFFERED TO STUDENT RIDERS
by Jasper Thelin
Beginning Earth Day, April 22nd, students who are registered riders can begin taking rides that will earn them a free compact disc (or cassette) of their choice from Bedrock Records in San Rafael.
GO GERONIMO is starting this CD give away as an incentive for students to use the Reg more regularly. Half of the 7th and 8th graders at the Lagunitas School District_s Middle School are already enrolled with the Reg and are eligible for the program. Dozens of students at Drake High are also registered with GO GERONIMO. With the warm weather on the way, catching a ride with GO GERONIMO is an easy opportunity to get a CD while getting around.
Each student rider will receive a Tally Card. To win a CD, students must have this Tally Card along with their laminate when getting rides. The Tally Card has a space to put information on each ride, including the Reg number and signature for each driver providing the lift. Once five rides are documented, the student can bring the Tally Card to the Healthy Start GO GERONIMO office at the Cultural Center and receive their gift certificate for a free CD.

HOW DOES GO GERONIMO WORK?
Registered riders can get safe and convenient rides without prearrangement simply by waiting at designated GO GERONIMO stops. Registered drivers can pick up riders while making their normal trips in and out of the Valley. Both drivers and riders have photo ID laminates. Drivers can also use their laminates as riders. All adults registered with the program live, work or have children living in the San Geronimo Valley, and have passed a background check by the Marin County Sheriff_s Department.

GO GERONIMO is an innovative grassroots approach to a community solving its own transportation needs using as its primary resource the generosity, trust and good will of its community members. In addition to the Reg, GO GERONIMO maintains a regular ride sharing schedule and advocates for bicycle improvements.

ONLINE RIDESHARING
by Peter Oppenheimer
As reported in the last issue of The Wheel, GO GERONIMO is going to create an interactive website with regular ongoing rides, as well as one time only "rides needed" and "rides offered." Drivers and riders would be able to log on from home, the office, or for free at the public library and hook up with each other to share rides.
Going over the hill next Friday to do errands? Why not see if any of your neighbors need a lift? Need to find a ride home for your daughter after soccer practice? Check out who_s going her way. Maybe it_s someone you know and trust. Need a ride to the auto repair shop to pick-up your own vehicle? Log on and catch a ride.
We are soliciting ideas on the many ways that a cutting edge ridesharing service like this might be useful. We are also seeking the advice of some computer savvy supporter(s) to help us design and create the website. If you have ideas or can help, please let us hear from you at 488-8888.

MARIN COUNTY BICYCLE COALITION CREATES A NEEDED MARIN BIKE MAP
The newly formed Marin County Bicycle Coalition (MCBC) is joining San Francisco and the East Bay in creating county-wide organizations which represent the interests of the Marin bicycle community.
MCBC_s first project was the creation of a Marin County bike map. This useful map lists bike routes on city streets, as well as off road bike paths on public lands. It also lists potential bike routes including old tunnels and rail road right of ways. The map will be on display at the Marin County Fair, July 1-5, whose theme is transportation. The bike route map will be available for sale after the Fair by mail order, and at local bike shops.
Public meetings for MCBC have been taking place at the Bikeadelic shop on Bolinas Road in Fairfax on the first Monday of every month beginning at 6:30 PM. Everyone is welcome to attend. For more information, to get involved, or to order a bike map, please call Chris Lang, MCBC Chair at 457-8687. GO GERONIMO_s Membership Coordinator, Debbie Hubsmith, is also on MCBC_s eight person Board of Directors.

Please help GO GERONIMO encourage Golden Gate Transit and the California State Senate to support bike racks on buses. Every other coastal transit district from Monterey to Humboldt county already has exterior bike racks on buses. Sonoma County Transit has had their racks since 1992. Thanks to citizen activism, Golden Gate Transit will soon be creating a bike racks on buses program. The question is exactly how this program will be implemented.
GGT staff are now preparing a draft policy for how their future bike racks on buses program would work. This proposed policy will be presented to GGT_s Transportation Committee on Thursday, July 2nd at 10 M, in the Board Room of the Bridge Toll Plaza.
Bus riders have waited long enough for bicycle access on Golden Gate Transit. We now need to ensure that GGT implements a comprehensive and complete program. Please write a letter encouraging the GGT Board of Directors to:

1) Install exterior bike racks on their entire fleet of buses.
2) Implement a bike policy with day and night access.
3) Create a user friendly policy. (No special permits or increased fares.)

Please fax letters ASAP to:

Mr. James Harberson, Transportation Committee Chair
Golden Gate Transit Bridge, Highway, and Transportation District
P.O. Box 9000, Presidio Station
San Francisco, CA 94129-0601
Fax: (415) 923-2013, Phone confirmation of fax receipt: (415) 923-2223
Before GGT will implement a bike racks on buses program, a bill needs to pass through the California State legislature and be signed into law by Governor Wilson. AB #1851 has already passed through the State Assembly and is now in committee in the Senate. This law would relieve any possible liability from drivers in regards to the bikes on buses program. Golden Gate Transit has expressed support for this bill. Assuming support from the Senate and the Governor, this law would take effect January 1, 1999. Please write, fax or call our Senate representative and ask him to talk to members of the Senate Transportation Committee, encouraging support of AB #1851. Please also contact the Transportation Committee Chair:

Mr. John L. Burton, State Senator, 3rd District 3501 Civic Center Drive, Room 425 San Rafael, CA 94903 Phone:(415) 479-6612; Fax (415) 479-1146
Quentin Kopp, Transportation Committee Chair 2171 Junipero Serra Blvd., Suite 530 Daly City, CA 94014 Phone: (650) 301-1721
Every letter helps a lot.
Please call GO GERONIMO with questions at 488-8888.

Previously, GO GERONIMO_s CD ridership incentive program was restricted to student riders. We_re now opening up the CD give away to all registered drivers and riders of the GO GERONIMO Express. Let_s set an example for the kids! Go out and use the program as a rider.
All of the 325 people who are fully registered with GO GERONIMO should have received a Tally Card with this issue of The Wheel. (Call us at 488-8888 is you didn_t receive a Card.) The Tally Card has a space to put information on each ride, including the Reg number and signature for each driver providing the lift. After documenting five rides, you can bring your Tally Card to the Healthy Start GO GERONIMO office at the Cultural Center and receive a gift certificate for a free CD from Bedrock Music in San Rafael.
The GO GERONIMO Reg is a great way for people to get around without using their own cars. This saves money and resources, and helps to improve our air quality. There are hundreds of Valley neighbors registered with GO GERONIMO who are driving down Sir Francis Drake, with extra space in their car, eager to give a ride to another neighbor.
Some drivers have used the program as riders when their car has broken down. Consider using the Reg even when your car is operating fine. The GO GERONIMO Reg is perfect to use when you_re meeting people in Fairfax, going to the movies, or running quick errands in town. The Reg links up with Golden Gate Transit, so you can use the program to get to work, or do just about anything that doesn_t require hauling a lot of stuff.
I use the GO GERONIMO Reg about 8-10 times each week. It_s changed my life in two ways: 1) The Reg has given me freedom without having to own an automobile 2) The Reg has enabled me to meet more people in our community, and deepen my connections with other people with whom I am already acquainted. Ride sharing also has the obvious environmental benefits of reducing harmful emissions and oil consumption by sharing rides instead of driving alone. The Reg is a win-win-win program (freedom, community and environment). I urge you to give it a try.
In the spirit of independence, GO GERONIMO will be out in full force at this year_s Fourth of July parade and bar-b-que in Woodacre - celebrating our independence (from cars, of course), and registering drivers and riders for the GO GERONIMO Registered Rideshare Program (The Reg).
Last year_s parade was a dazzling event that included GO GERONIMO drivers, riders, ride-sharing and the GO GERONIMO dancers - the first dancers ever in our Valley_s Independence Day parade!
This year promises to be an equally exciting show of freedom and independence, including the GO GERONIMO dancers and drummers, along with lots of bike riders. Come check out the action and our message for the future of transportation.
After the parade, GO GERONIMO will be registering riders and drivers from 1-4 PM at the Woodacre Improvement Club_s bar-b-que and flea market. Stop by our table for information on GO GERONIMO and other transportation options for the future.
In keeping with our general philosophy of promoting alternatives to cars and ridesharing, we are fully supporting bike riders and their efforts to make Marin a more bike friendly place. To that end, we are looking for volunteer bike mechanics who are available on the Fourth to join us at the bar-b-que and offer free bike tune-ups and biking tips to interested folks. Please call us at 488-8888 if you_re interested in volunteering to be a bike mechanic, if you_d like to be in the parade, or if you_d like to help with a registration shift.
So all you fellow seekers of a clean and uncongested future ... come along with GO GERONIMO and celebrate our:

· Freedom to choose alternative methods of transportation;

· Independence from the burdens of driving fossil-fuel burners;
· Freedom to promote health and community in our environment;
· Independence from the entrapment of the environmentally destructive oil companies;
· Freedom to use our "indispensable" vehicles wisely, and share them with others;
· And the Independence to do so.

If you have lived in our valley for any length of time, you have perhaps discovered the pleasures of a picnic under the trees in Samuel P. Taylor State Park on a hot afternoon. Splashing in the Creek is a favorite summertime amusement for many of us.
Another favorite pastime at Sam Taylor is cycling along the bike path which runs next to the creek from one end of the park to the other. Visitors from all over the Bay Area load their bikes onto their cars and come to ride on the bike path through the park. Those of us living in the San Geronimo Valley can skip altogether the messy details of loading our bikes on and off of cars. The ride to the park from our valley is short and pleasant. From the Lagunitas Store to the easternmost end of the bike path is less than one mile.
A few years ago, the County Public Works Department widened the stretch of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard from Lagunitas to Shafter Bridge, creating bike lanes in the process. After you ride to this point you leave the road and cars behind you. The bike path is just across the creek. Someday there will be a bicycle bridge here (at the Ink Wells), but in the meantime you must ford the creek. In the high waters of winter this crossing is treacherous, but during the low water flows of summer there is usually a stepping stone path across the creek. Wear shoes that you don_t mind getting wet.
Getting to the creek requires carrying your bike down a steep embankment on the right side of the crossing under the bridge or carrying your bike down a less-steep rock slope below the roadway. In either case children will need help carrying their bikes. On the other side of the creek there is a path leading up to the bike path. Turn left on the gravel path, which follows an old railroad right-of-way into the heart of Sam Taylor. You can picnic here beneath the redwoods or play in the creek or you can continue west on the bike path. Here the path joins the road through the camping area. At the far end of the camping area is a gate restricting automotive access except ranger trucks. From this point to the old Tocaloma Bridge the bike path is paved, passing through both wooded and meadow areas, always within earshot of the water splashing in the creek. There is another popular swimming hole along this stretch. When you are ready to pedal home, return the same way you came.
If you are on a mountain bike and yearn for something more strenuous, you can turn left at the Jewell Trail, a steep dirt road which climbs about a mile to it_s intersection with the Bolinas Ridge Trail. Be sure to close the gate behind you so that the cows don_t get out. At the intersection with the Bolinas Ridge Trail you will keep going steeply uphill for another hundred yards or so before the trail levels off on a long grassy ridge. The views of Tomales Bay, Mt. Wittenberg in the Point Ryes National Seashore, Blacks Mountain and Mount Barnabe from this ridge are worth the work it takes to get here.
As you ride south along the ridge from here most of the trail is over rolling hills, but there are a few short steep hills to reckon with. When you pass the big eucalyptus tree near the top of the steepest hill you are almost through climbing. Three and a half miles after leaving the Jewell Trail you will come to the Shafter_s Fire Road where you will turn left for a one mile steep downhill. This road has lots of loose gravel and some sizable ruts in it so take it slow and cautiously if you are not familiar with the road. Do not take the dirt road to the right near the bottom unless you wish to also visit Kent Lake. If you stay to the left you will soon find yourself once again at Shafter_s Bridge. Turn right on Sir Francis Drake and you are on your way home.

Critical Mass Marin conducts bike rides that are "Marin style." These fun events demonstrate cycling routes that show people how to get around Marin County safely on a bike. Critical Mass Marin rides are peaceful and perfect for the family.
Throughout the summer, we_ve been gathering on the third Friday of every month, beginning at 5:30 PM, in Peri Park in downtown Fairfax. The rides leave at 6 PM.
Critical Mass Marin is bringing the Marin County bicycle community together to unite our voices in favor of better bicycling conditions. Well marked bike routes and paths make bikes a fun and efficient mode of transportation. Unfortunately, it_s often difficult to find where these routes are located. Marin County needs better signs so that cycling is encouraged as a real transportation choice. With marked bike lanes, more bike routes, and bike racks on buses, people will be inclined to drive less, increasing the quality of life in our neighborhoods and town centers. Critical Mass rides have been bringing media attention to these important issues, helping to urge public officials to institute better bicycle transit policies.
Throughout the world Critical Mass rides are showing the needs for and benefits of sharing the road. Fairfax. Action. Team. has been organizing peaceful and friendly rides in Marin since last Spring. The phrase "critical mass" pertains to achieving a level necessary to create change on a large scale.
BIKE REPAIR 1A
GO GERONIMO is sponsoring a low-cost four hour beginning bike repair class to help you get the most out of your bike.
We will cover flat tire repair, brake adjustment, brake pad replacement, derailleur adjustment, chain maintenance, cable lubrication, and other simple service procedures. The cost will be $10 per person. At least eight students must register in advance in order for GO GERONIMO to offer this class.
The class will be held at the Cultural Center on a weekend day in August. To sign-up, please call us at 488-8888 by July 24th and let us know what days work for you. The class will be taught by Brent Harris. Ride your bike to class!

SCHOOL_S OUT FOR SUMMER
It_s summer time! School_s out. Kids have different schedules and more free time. Students can use GO GERONIMO this summer and earn a free CD at the same time. (Don_t forget to bring your Tally Card with you when you get rides.) It_s easy, fun and safe to get GO GERONIMO rides.
Call us at 488-8888 if you need another copy of the suggested "Guidelines for Using the Reg." These guidelines, which were printed in the last issue of The Wheel and were distributed to all riders, include information on: 1) Possible ground rules that parents can make for youth riders, 2) Instructions on how to get a ride, and 3) Instructions on how to turn down a ride.
You_ll find that GO GERONIMO gives you freedom to travel throughout the Valley, go to Fairfax, and visit your friends over the hill. With Golden Gate Transit only leaving the Valley at 7 AM each morning, students have limited independent transportation options. GO GERONIMO provides another needed choice.

ALL DRAKE STUDENTS CAN NOW REGISTER
All students who attend Drake High School are now eligible to be GO GERONIMO riders. Previously, this community service was only open to people who live, work, or have students attending school in the San Geronimo Valley.
The idea to open up registrations to all Drake students was requested by the students themselves. When GO GERONIMO conducted registrations at Drake High in February, many students who don_t live in the Valley stated that they wanted to join GO GERONIMO to come visit their Valley friends. GO GERONIMO recently circulated a postcard asking our membership how they felt about the Drake registration option. The response was overwhelmingly positive; we received several calls expressing support and no one stated any objections.
Drake students who would like to join GO GERONIMO can pick up forms in the lobby of the San Geronimo Valley Cultural Center or at Drake High. Minors need parent consent to register, and students need to make an appointment with Healthy Start to have their picture taken for their official GO GERONIMO laminate.

GO GERONIMO FROM FOOD VILLA
You can now GO GERONIMO from downtown Fairfax! Big thanks to Food Villa for offering this major improvement. The GO GERONIMO sign is posted under the "Puccinelli" sign on the west end of the parking lot.
Here_s the GO GERONIMO protocol for catching rides at Food Villa. Riders wait on the north west corner of the intersection of Sir Francis Drake and Claus (not under the GO GERONIMO sign). Drivers see the GO GERONIMO riders, make a right at the light, and a quick left into the Food Villa parking lot. Riders meet drivers under the GO GERONIMO sign by the west exit. Drivers, please don_t turn into the exit to pick-up riders.
Thanks, and remember to patronize Food Villa, a locally owned, environmentally conscious business that sells organics!

GO GERONIMO HISTORY AND PROGRAMS
GO GERONIMO is an innovative grassroots approach to a community solving its own transportation needs using as its primary resource the generosity, trust and good will of its community members. GO GERONIMO is an outgrowth of the San Geronimo Valley Healthy Start Collaborative, a state funded initiative that addresses the needs of children and families of the Lagunitas School District. Surveys conducted during the Healthy Start planning process determined that "Better Transportation Options" was a top priority among children and adults alike. GO GERONIMO currently features three programs:

The Ride Registry, "The Reg." Registered riders can get safe and convenient rides without prearrangement simply by waiting at designated GO GERONIMO stops. Registered drivers can pick up riders while making their normal trips in and out of the Valley. Both drivers and riders have photo ID laminates, and all adults must pass a background check by the Sheriff_s Department.
The Ridesharing Schedule, "The Skedge." Regular ongoing or one-time-only rides may be arranged through consulting a bulletin board centrally located at the San Geronimo Valley Cultural Center, or by phoning the Healthy Start office (488-8888) where a ridesharing database is being maintained and updated. This program will also soon include an interactive ride-sharing schedule on a Web site.
Bicycle Advocacy. GO GERONIMO is repairing and restoring existing bike trails, planning for new trails, working to install bike racks in key community locations, and encouraging Golden Gate Transit to install exterior bike racks on all buses.