sanfranciscobicyclec, January 12th, 2012
The Balboa Theater was designed by the Reid Brothers in 1926. They also designed landmark buildings such as the Cliff House, the Fairmont Hotel, and the Golden Gate Park Band Shell.
By Andy Thornley
I can’t remember when I realized the Reid brothers were following me around. Though I fancy myself a student of American architectural history, it didn’t register when I learned that James and Merritt Reid had designed the Balboa Theater (1926). Nor did it ring any bells when I found out that they (and sometimes younger brother Watson) were responsible for the Fairmont Hotel (1906) and the Cliff House (1909) and the Spreckels Temple of Music in Golden Gate Park (a.k.a. the band shell, 1899).
But when the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition moved its now-former offices into a 1908 post-quake pioneer on Market Street, next to a Reid-designed pre-quake department store (still standing), down the street from a second Reid-designed store (likewise still standing) and across the street from an office building and hotel they designed (yes, both still standing), I could no longer deny that this obscure but prolific trio of Canadian architects were haunting me.
Tagged as: Bike About Town, Events, Rec Rides
sanfranciscobicyclec, September 8th, 2011
Tour leader Greg Braswell talks to riders during last year's Sewer Ride. Some brick tunnels have been directing water beneath the city's streets since the 1880s. Photo by Miles Epstein.
By Celeste LeCompte
There are a lot of places to go for a weekend bike ride in and around San Francisco – stunning oceanside paths, family-filled Golden Gate Park, hilly city routes. But here’s one you might have missed: San Francisco’s combined sewer/storm-water system, one of the many recreational rides organized and led by volunteers and friends of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition.
On Sept. 17, a group of local artists, sewer historians and organizations will lead attendees on a three-hour tour of the sewers in the Mission District. When I described this ride to some friends, I often was met with incredulous looks and questions like, “You’re going to ride your bike in the city’s poop tubes?” Read the rest of this entry »
Tagged as: Bike About Town, Events, Rec Rides
sanfranciscobicyclec, July 14th, 2011
By Regina Sinsky
The Seven Hells Ride traditionally ends on Divisadero Street, where tourists often cheer the riders up the hill. Participants can tackle the 38.5 percent grade on Broderick for extra credit.
This is our Bike About Town column, which appeared in the SF Chronicle.
Many cyclists in San Francisco go out of their way to avoid the city’s famous hills. Daniel Reider, 53, goes out of his way to ride them.
Reider invites cyclists to join him July 23 at the annual Seven Hells of San Francisco ride.
“It’s not for beginners,” Reider says. “In spite of it being a hard ride, this is the fourth year I’ve done this, and each year the group doubles in size.”
The Seven Hells ride began when a handful of Reider’s friends wanted to try a few hills with him. A bike commuter for 15 years, Reider knows the city’s hills well. While some people hit the hills for weekend fitness and training, Reider takes them on the way to work.
Tagged as: Bike About Town, Rec Rides
sanfranciscobicyclec, August 13th, 2010
City Dump offers artists a chance to divert trash from landfills
By Suzanne Ash
A "Bike Fence" Stands tall at Recology SF's Sculpture Garden.
For 20 years now, artists have been coming to the City Dump to interrupt the flow of waste sent to landfills, diverting trash to create treasures. Join the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition and Recology SF at Intersection 5M (925 Mission St.) on August 21st for a recreational bike ride and recycling and sustainability journey. Before you see the treasures that have become of the trash, the ride will uncover the progression of San Francisco’s waste — from home to heap. Read the rest of this entry »
Tagged as: Rec Rides
sanfranciscobicyclec, July 23rd, 2010
By Suzanne Ash
Saturday's "Water, Water Everywhere" Rec Ride begins at Inner Sunset's Garden for the Environment.
The term “wastewater” is just one of those things that if not properly immersed in a sustainable lifestyle, might leave you a bit baffled as to how it could be safely recycled without the use of high-tech machines operated San Francisco’s Oceanside Treatment Plant. But wastewater isn’t just what you’re flushing down the toilet—it also includes greywater and rainwater. This weekend’s Rec Ride, led by TransitionSF’s Sarah Roggero, will not only teach you some of the basics of recycling water, but it will also show you how residents are making rain and greywater usable in their homes and gardens. Read the rest of this entry »
Tagged as: Rec Rides
sanfranciscobicyclec, July 16th, 2010
Last year's riders descend Twin Peaks at the end of their journey.
Out-of-towners often ask how we can possibly bike in such a hilly city (picture classic cable car heading north, uphill on Powell). We smile knowing that most of us began with a bike map and simply memorized the routes with the lowest grade of incline; but how about trekking those hills for a change? If you’re up for the challenge, you’ll be certain to look out at the landscape below with a smile on your face after tackling those monsters. Read the rest of this entry »
Tagged as: Rec Rides
