Hey did you ever want to support the Bike Kitchen and share some bike love at the same time? Someone suggested we make gift certificates available and we thought that was a great idea.
You could put some money towards a bike for a friend or relative. Or you might consider donating a gift certificate with some instructions… ‘for a kid in need’ or ‘for anyone who really needs a bike but who doesn’t have cash or time to volunteer’, and leave it up to staff to keep an eye out for a deserving patron.
Our Monday night lead mechanic Tim also volunteers with the Redwood Coast Mountain Bike Association. He wanted to share an event that will benefit the Annie and Mary Rail Trail which aims to connect Arcata and Blue Lake along the Mad River.
Cyclocross, (not cyclecross), is a short track race usually a mile or so long. The participants ride laps as fast as they dare for a predetermined time and whomever is in the lead when time is up is the winner winner chicken dinner. We will have a 30 minute race, a 60 minute race, and a couple abbreviated rides for the kids in between. The track for the Mad Scramble is about 3/4 mile and relatively flat and there are no big climbs. It’s open to all – beginners, intermediate, and experts alike. The track is simple enough that even kids can ride most of it. There are a couple features that will likely be cause for all but the more experienced riders to dismount, but that’s part and parcel for this type of race. It’s open to all types of bicycles too. Some will ride there cyclocross specific bikes, and some will ride mountain bikes, and everything in between. I’ve ridden the course on my commuter bike with street tires on it. AND, because it’s a short track venue, it’s a great spectator sport and fun to watch too. AND, there will be some food for the riders after the race.
The Bike Kitchen’s new mural is pictured with folks who helped make it possible: Emily Sinkhorn, bike kitchen coordinator and RCAA staff; Mark Weller, Jefferson Community Resource Center director; Gus Clark, artist/muralist; John Humphrey, bike kitchen volunteer and assistance muralist; and Heidi Benzonelli-Burden and Richard Evans of the Westside Community Improvement Association. (RCAA — Contributed)
The Community Bike Kitchen, a hands-on bicycle repair and learning
hub located at the Jefferson Community Center in Eureka, now has a new
mural thanks to a collaboration of local community organizations and a
local artist. The mural was designed and painted by local artist
Augustus “Gus” Clark and made possible with support from the bike
kitchen, the Jefferson Community Center and Park and the Westside
Community Improvement Association.
The mural captures the joy of bicycling and the natural beauty that
abounds on the North Coast. Clark at first planned a small mural square
with Bike Kitchen volunteers but was so inspired by the large blank wall
and the community energy of the Bike Kitchen that the project quickly
expanded.
“I had a great time, the process was alive, and I got to practice a few new techniques,” he said.
This new mural joins the other colorful, community-oriented features of the Jefferson Community Park in Eureka.
Eureka’s local bike kitchen, a project of Redwood Community Action
Agency, opened in June 2013 as a place where people could learn bike
maintenance skills and find low-cost or no-cost used bicycles. For over
six years, the Bike Kitchen has thrived as a hands-on workshop,
providing tools, space and mechanics’ knowledge for bike repair and also
volunteer opportunities to earn a new set of wheels.
The Bike Kitchen is currently open three days a week — Mondays and
Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays, 2 to 4 p.m. and is located on
the south side of Jefferson Community Center campus (1000 B St.) in a
little yellow building off Clark Street in between A and B streets.
Update! Our Saturday open hours are shifting to the afternoon – 2-4pm! We are hopeful that these afternoon hours are more accessible to the community, particularly with daylight savings starting this weekend. Monday & Tuesday open hours will remain 6-8pm. Please spread the word!
Don’t let the dust on this site fool you, we’re very busy working on bikes and getting them out into the community. Planning a makeover on this site, but in the meantime you can keep up with us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CommunityBikeKitchenAtJeffersonSchool/
Until then…
The Fisher family recently stopped by to pick Mom up a new chain.
The Community Bike Kitchen has moved to our new location within the Jefferson Community Center and we are so thankful for the space! The stand alone building is located along Clark Street directly behind the main Jefferson Building and is just what we needed to increase our storage capacity and provide our volunteers and members with plenty of space to work on bikes. Here’s a few pictures of the new space. Be sure to come down and check it out! We are now open Monday, Tuesday and Saturday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m.
We have a large selection of refurbished bicycles that you can take home by
either making a cash donation or by volunteering your time to earn credits!
Our awesome team of volunteers is available to train and assist you with bike repairs
Bikes and repair training are available for youth and adults
Eureka Bike Kitchen 