From left, club President David Akin, Craig Norton, Mike Bennett, Mike Pretz, Gary Grieder, and Mark Hamilton all ride bikes or motor scooters to meetings every Monday.

Lodi-Tokay Rotary give up cars for bikes

What started out as a “why not” idea in April has turned out to be a regular Monday tradition. Members of the Lodi Tokay Rotary Club were fed up with high gas prices and started riding bicycles and walking to their regular Monday meeting in Woodbridge. City Bicycles helped kick off the challenge by donating a bike tune-up that was won by News-Sentinel Publisher Marty Weybret. The club offered a case of wine as an additional incentive in an end of the year drawing. Soon word was out among the community. Sierra Adventure Outfitters contributed a kayak adventure pass for one lucky drawing winner who will get the use of any kayak of his or her choice.

Members of the club decided to carry on in the new presidential year and ridership now averages five to seven members walking, riding bikes or motor scooters of less than 200cc every Monday. Members report that they are so pleased with the experience that they are riding all over town for business, errands, other meetings and pleasure trips like out to dinner and the Farmer’s Market.

In addition to some great exercise, members of the Lodi Tokay Rotary have saved an estimated $370 in overpriced gasoline (just on riding to weekly meetings), reduced air pollution and learned more about the traffic and the condition of city streets, bike racks and cross walks on the busiest arteries in town. Mark Hamilton, Ron Williamson and Mike Bennett report that the livability of Lodi is readily apparent when touring tree-lined neighborhoods and beautifully maintained homes and yards at modest speeds on a bike.

Club members have also “bike toured” some of the playgrounds and parks that were recently cited as substandard as part of the planning for the club's 2008-09 campaign for “Play Spaces for Kids.” If more people discover the pleasure and economy of biking around town, possibly the city planners and Council may be inclined to expedite more bike-friendly streets and bike lanes. Lodi businesses may discover a whole new meaning in the term “rack em’ up” when it comes to bike riding shoppers. Craig Norton has observed that baskets and cruisers are now very cool for both young and not-so-young riders all over town. For more information about donating an incentive, call Ron Williamson at 368-8590.