Wednesday afternoon I had the pleasure of meeting with Phil Hamilton about efforts to make the Big Bear Valley more bike-friendly. He’s heading up the Big Bear Valley Trails Coalition, a group of citizens and organizations who’s goal is to make “Big Bear a community that encourages and welcomes all forms of non-motorized uses for both recreation and transportation.” Phil has assembled an impressive steering committee that includes local and County representatives, as well as the Forest Service and Caltrans. And it appears they are off to a great start, and with gas headed towards a billion dollars a gallon, the timing couldn’t be better.

One project calls for a Type 1 (separate from the road) multi-use pathway around Baldwin Lake. Another project calls for dozens of “Share the Road” bicycle road signs throughout the Valley. And another seeks to complete a Type 1 path between Division and Stanfield Cutoff, picking up from the boardwalk on Baker Pond.

As good as the on and off-road cycling opportunities are in the Big Bear, anyone who has spent any time on a bike in the Valley knows there are some areas that would definitely benefit from more cycling-friendly attention. Making the Valley more cycling-centric is also consistent with responsible stewardship of our wonderful outdoor setting.

So hats off to Phil and the other Committe members. I plan to do my part to support the effort. Oh, and remember the 4 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Ride!