EE: The City of Cupertino held the 11th annual Fall Bike Fest on Saturday, Sept. 28. At 9 a.m., booth owners set up a variety of different stations, and volunteers helped run throughout the event. From blending smoothies with bikes to creating wheel art, every booth played a key role in reducing energy consumption and informing both kids and adults on how to live a sustainable life, including the garbage sorting booth.
SM: We’re basically just giving out multifunctional device (MFD) guides which act as our sorting guides. It basically says what is compostable, what’s recyclable and what unfortunately has to go into the trash. I also think this is a way for the public to see just how much trash or compost they are generating in family events like this.
EE: At 10:45 a.m., faster bikers set off on the 10 mile park tour ride. Traveling through Cupertino’s green spaces, the tour ride both started and ended at the Civic Center Plaza. Bikers during the ride rode in one group called the “Bike Bus,” which many said helped heighten the community feeling of the event.
KM: Well, you’re biking with a whole group, and it’s just a lot of fun. You’ve got a lot of company out there and you’re seeing the parks, so it’s just a really nice experience that builds community.
EE: Shortly after at 11:15 a.m., bikers ranging from young children to elders embarked on the 2.5 mile Family Fun Ride. Beforehand, all bikes were checked to ensure safety on the tour, and families lined up for their helmets to be checked as well. After bikers finished the 2.5 mile tour ride, they received raffle tickets and ice pops as a reward. Master of Ceremonies Bruce Hildenbrand helped to liven up the event, but was amazed at the energy of the kids interacting with the booths.
BH: This is such a great event. To see the kids, all the enjoyment, all the energy, to really turn them on to such a great thing that bicycling is. It’s been a part of my life for many years, and so to really get the kids involved is really great. Just to see the energy and the excitement on their faces is really cool.
EE: Throughout the event, people of all ages interacted with booths set up by a surplus of organizations, from Safe Routes to School to Community Cycles of California. Kids were able to get their face painted, try to bike as fast as they can, and other activities that involved bicycling. Ultimately, people attending the event believed that the Bike Fest played a key role in establishing a tighter community, spreading awareness about sustainable energy and informing the public about the power of the bicycle.
BH: The bicycle is really an empowering tool. When you reach a certain age, you kinda want to be independent. You want to be able to do things on your own, and that’s what a bike does for you. You can go down and hangout with your friends. You can go do this and go do that, and you don’t have to worry about having your parents drive you somewhere. So the bike is really a tool for empowering you to be a young adult and an independent person, and I think it’s great. To do it safely and to do it responsibly, that’s what it’s all about.
