Following is our Bike About Town column in today’s SF Chronicle written by member Anna Lebedeff about our Holiday Lights ride happening this Sunday. We hope you’ll join us on this beautiful ride!

Touring the best of the city's holiday lights. Credit: Meli Burgueño/BikesandtheCity.com

Holiday Lights Ride: Viewing the best of S.F. cheer
by Anna Lebedeff

As the seventh annual Holiday Lights Ride approaches, it’s hard to say who is more excited – coordinator Robin Marks or the more than 100 anticipated participants who are decorating their bicycles with ornaments, lights and all the trimmings.

Inspiring people to ride at night is the reason Marks started this ride, and other night rides, along with fellow San Francisco Bicycle Coalition member Nancy Botkin. For five years, they led rides through various parts of San Francisco, promoting safety, fun and friendship from the seats of their bikes.

Marks’ personal spin-off on the classic night ride, the Christmas Lights Ride, is definitely something special.

As children it was easier for us to get lost in the wonders of the holiday season. My sisters and I would split into teams of two, press our faces against the windows of the family station wagon, and count decorated homes as we rode through the city on our way to grandma’s house. Whichever team counted the most trees won.

Robin Marks has found a way to play this game throughout the month of December, then open it up to the public for one night of the best decorations that 49 square miles of city have to offer. Beginning the weekend after Thanksgiving, she trolls the neighborhoods in search of fantastic displays of holiday radiance. Every weekend, she adds twists and turns to ensure the ride varies from previous years. The day before the ride, she locks down the final details.

Two others who are awaiting this year’s ride, Volker Neumann and Melyssa Mendoza, met at last year’s Winterfest fundraiser, and crossed paths again on the Christmas Lights Ride two weeks later. They had heard about the ride through a mutual friend and thought it would be a good place to meet fellow “bikey people.”

They were right. What they found were 120 happy men, women and children, riding bikes, singing songs and frolicking through the enchanted streets of San Francisco.

Marks says she was delighted to hear that people are returning after having had a great time last year. “It’s all about meeting new people,” she said, “getting to know the city, and enjoying riding a bike in a wonderful environment.” Read the rest of this entry »

The much anticipated Winterfest party, auction and fundraiser is on the calendar for Sunday, December 5th. This party is the best of the year and there’s something for everyone who rides a bike, who needs a bike or who just loves bikes! We can hardly wait to celebrate a great year of bicycling with more than 1,000 people from all over the city.

This year, we’ve scored two fabulous grand prize raffle items that you could win:

A 2010 Limited Edition Single Speed Customized New Belgium Cruiser complete with a custom slatted wood front rack made from ‘beetle kill’ pine that was designed to fit a case of beer perfectly! Thanks to New Belgium for donating this sweet ride.

The 3rd Annual Bike Quilt is Amish-themed and was designed, assembled and stitched together by an amazing team of talented San Francisco Bicycle Coalition members.

Winterfest is only four weeks away, so start perusing our auction catalog and writing your wish list now. Auction items so far include bikes, vacations, restaurant gift certificates and much more. Thanks to our hundreds of sponsors who have already made generous donations.

Winterfest is Sunday, Dec. 5th from 6-10:30pm at SOMArts Gallery, 934 Brannan at Eighth Street. Tickets are $15 for SF Bicycle Coalition Members and $40 for non–members (includes one–year of membership). All benefits from this event fund our campaigns to make San Francisco a safer and more inviting city to ride a bicycle.