An earlier Claremont Courier article in May 2012, “Active Transportation in Claremont”, outlined the benefits of walking and cycling for local trips. We focus here on sponsored Claremont active transportation activities, and invite you to join any that appeal.
Safe Routes to School:
This program teaches safe pedestrian and cycling habits to elementary and intermediate school children in the Claremont Unified School District. Before this program started nearly 80% of our students were being driven to schools; contributing to traffic congestion, unsafe streets and teaching them by example that they should use cars even for short trips. Recall that a child’s first bicycle is her first vehicle and the skills required include both handling the machine and proper driving behavior. By the end of this school year we plan to complete first sessions of classroom and school yard training at nearly all of the School District elementary and junior high campuses. See more detail at http://www.claremontsaferoutes.org/.
Cycle Claremont:
Cycle Claremont is a community sponsored activity where you can learn and teach others to become better cyclists. The focal activity now is to have regular community bike rides where parents and school children ride together with coaches who teach proper vehicular cycling skills – obeying vehicle rules, signaling, being aware of other users. Cycle Claremont is open to all bicyclists in the community and the current focus is meant to compliment the Safe Routes to School program. We hope to add elementary bicycle maintenance and skills enhancement activities. Cycle Claremont needs more parents in its planning group to better focus on the most beneficial activities. See the web site at http://cycleclaremont.org/.
Get Walking Claremont:
This Claremont Senior Program sponsors Get Walking Claremont, weekly group walks that add a social dimension to this healthy exercise. All levels of walkers are accepted by using subgroups to accommodate those who prefer various speeds. The village groups meet on Tuesdays at the corner of Bonita and Yale Avenues to walk around various neighborhoods. Additional walks are at 8 AM Thursdays on the Thompson Creek Trail and at 7:30 AM. Saturdays for a walk or a hike on local wilderness paths. For more information on the additional walks, contact 909-399-5488 or send an email to getwalkingclaremont@hotmail.com.
Claremont Senior Bicycle Group:
CSBG is very active group that has been growing for over 16 years and encourages adult cyclists of all ages to ride more. There are regular rides scheduled every day of the week except Friday and Sunday. Each day has its variations with different distances and paces so that riders of all abilities can join. In addition this group schedules an out of town event every month. See http://claremontseniorbikegroup.org.
Demystifying Sustainability is an initiative of Sustainable Claremont (sustainableclaremont.org).