Thousand Oaks Ranks #49 on 2016 BICYCLING Magazine List of Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities

The Amgen Tour came by so fast in 2016 that it was just a blur!

Today, BICYCLING Magazine published its biennial list of the top 50 bike-friendly cities in the United States. The list is updated every other year based on data from over 100 cities and factors in miles of bike lanes and other information.

The City of Thousand Oaks made the cut at #49 this time, down from #33 on the 2014 list. The article mentions that the City gave bicycle safety education to 5,500 K-8 students over the last year, upgraded paths by providing separate facilities for bicyclists and equestrians and added green paint to bike lane intersections. However, the write-up notes that "much of Thousand Oaks' bike lanes remain far too narrow" and that only 3 out of the city's 157 miles of bike lanes contain a striped buffer to allow extra space between cars and cyclists.

Other Southern California cities on the list include Los Angeles (#24, up from #28 in 2014) and Long Beach (#28, down from #23 in 2014). The top 3 cities on this biennial list are Chicago, San Francisco and Portland.

For Class I Bike Paths in and around Ventura County, click THIS LINK.

Other local cycling clubs/groups in and around Ventura County at THIS LINK.

Mountains Restoration Trust Preserves Land in the Santa Monica Mountains

Based in Calabasas, Mountains Restoration Trust (MRT) is a non-profit land trust dedicated to preserving natural land in the Santa Monica Mountains, a range traversing from Griffith Park to Point Mugu in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. through restoration, education and land acquisition. MRT was founded in 1981.

Restoration projects are a top priority for MRT. Non-native plant invasion has been occurring in the fragile ecology of the Santa Monica Mountains since early explorers arrived with mustard seeds to mark their trails. Non-native grasses, trees and plants have found a similar home far from their lands of origin, and are a threat to native plants and animals.

Non-native, invasive crayfish in Malibu Creek eat native amphibians and fish, wrecking havoc on the creek's ecosystem. Volunteers have removed over 11,000 crayfish from the creek! MRT encourages volunteers every Thursday through Saturday to help remove these crayfish. I signed up with my kids and it certainly was fun, interesting and rewarding!

We learned how to tell a male from a female crayfish from the biologist volunteer.

After retrieving the crayfish from traps set by MRT staff, my kids helped measure their length for a long-term study.

The kids had a blast. Sign up to help at www.mountainstrust.org/events-grid.

In addition to restoration projects, MRT hosts nature walks, rattlesnake avoidance training, youth naturalist programs, summer camps, senior programs and more.

To learn more, visit www.mountainstrust.org or call 818.591.1701.

Thousand Oaks Ranked #33 on 2014 BICYCLING Magazine List of Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities

Amgen Tour of California 2016

In August 2014, BICYCLING Magazine published its biennial list of the top 50 bike-friendly cities in the United States. The list was completed based on cities with populations of 95,000 or more (roughly 300 U.S. cities are in this category) based on input from various sources, including the League of American Bicyclists.

Congratulations goes out once again to the City of Thousand Oaks for placing 33rd on this list, up from 38th on the 2012 list. Thousand Oaks was one of three Southern California cities to make the list, which included Los Angeles (28th) and Long Beach (23rd).

Keep in mind that this list was based on cities with populations of about 100,000+, which represents about 300 of the 20,000 or so cities in the U.S.

For Class I Bike Paths in and around Ventura County, click THIS LINK.

Other local cycling clubs/groups in and around Ventura County at THIS LINK.

California Child Passenger Buckle-Up Laws and Seat Belt Safety Information

Booster seats save lives! Car crashes are a leading preventable cause of death and permanent injuries in children. SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A. is a non-profit organization dedicated to child passenger safety. Its mission is to help reduce the number of serious and fatal traffic injuries suffered by children by promoting the correct, consistent use of safety seats and safety belts. The following information is provided courtesy of this organization. Visit www.carseat.org for more information.

California Buckle-Up Laws for Parents

Children under age 8 must be properly buckled into a safety seat or booster in the back seat (V.C. 27360). Exceptions:

• A child who weighs over 40 pounds and is riding in a car without lap and shoulder belts in the back seat may wear just a lap belt.
• A child under age 8 who is at least 4' 9" may wear a safety belt if it fits properly.
• Children under age 8 may ride in front if there is no forward-facing rear seat in vehicle, the child restraint cannot be properly installed in rear seat, all rear seats are occupied by other children age 7 or under, or for medical reasons.
• A child in a rear-facing safety seat may not ride in front if there is an active passenger air bag.

NEW LAW EFFECTIVE 1/1/17: Children under 2 years old must be rear-facing unless they are 40 lbs or greater or are 40 inches in height.

Having problems with your child safety seat? Don't worry, you're not alone! Visit www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/childps/CPSFitting/Index.cfm for a list of local safety seat inspection stations. Or try Safe Kids Ventura County, where you can schedule a car seat inspection in collaboration with the Ventura County Fire Department in Camarillo (Wednesdays 805.389.9748), Moorpark (Mondays 805.552.1917) and Thousand Oaks (Mondays 805.496.9035) by appointment.

Children age 8 or older may use the vehicle safety belt if it fits properly, with the lap belt low on the hips, touching the upper thighs and the shoulder belt crossing the center of the chest. If children are not tall enough for proper belt fit, they must ride in a booster or safety seat. (V.C. 27360.5)

Seat belt safety graphic courtesy of SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A.

According to SafetyBeltSafe, most kids need to ride in a booster seat until age 10 to 12. Using a booster instead of just a belt prevents 45% of crash injuries. If your child isn't using a booster, try the following simple 5-step test:

1. Does the child sit all the way back against the auto seat?
2. Do the child's knees bend comfortably at the edge of the auto seat?
3. Does the belt cross the shoulder between the neck and arm?
4. Is the lap belt as low as possible, touching the thighs?
5. Can the child stay seated like this for the whole trip?

Answering "no" to any of these questions indicates your child needs a booster seat.

Consequences for not properly buckling up children under age 16:

• Parent gets ticket if child under 16 is not properly buckled up.
• Driver gets ticket if parent is not in the car.
• Cost of ticket could be more than $500 per child (including penalties) and $1,000 per child for a second offense. And a point is added to your driving record.

Related information:

• Older babies and toddlers should ride in a rear-facing convertible seat until they are at least two years old.  Check seat instructions for maximum weight (30-45 lbs).
• Children should ride in a safety seat with a harness as long as possible (40-90 lbs).
• Children who have outgrown safety seats need a booster for proper belt fit (usually age 10-12)
• Auto insurers must replace safety seats that were in use or damaged during a crash.

Refresher on other vehicle and safety laws:

• Drivers and passengers 16 or older must be properly buckled up. Drivers can be ticketed for not wearing a seatbelt and for each unbuckled passenger. Passengers may also be ticketed if not properly buckled up. Fine is more than $100 per person, with penalties. (V.C. 27315)
• Pickup truck passengers must be properly buckled up. The driver may be ticketed for letting passengers ride in the back of the truck. No exemption for camper shells. Cost of ticket can exceed $250, including penalties. (V.C. 23116)
• Children up to 6 years old may not be left alone in vehicle if the health or safety of child is at risk, the engine is running, or the keys are in the ignition. The child must be supervised by someone at least age 12. Cost of ticket can exceed $500. (V.C. 15620)
• Smoking in vehicle is prohibited if child under age 18 is present. Ticket can exceed $500.
• Children under age 18 who are skating or riding a bicycle, scooter or skateboard must wear a properly fitted and fastened helmet.
• All motorcycle drivers and passengers must wear a helmet that meets federal standards, fits correctly and has the proper label.

The Parent Project® Training Program for Parents of Adolescent Children - Upcoming Ventura County Classes Available

The Parent Project® was created for parents with difficult or out-of-control adolescents between the ages 11 and 19. Parents learn and practice specific prevention and intervention strategies for destructive behaviors - truancy, alcohol and other drug use, gangs and other criminal behavior, running away, violence and suicide. Parents are self-referred or can be referred to Parent Project classes by officers in the field, juvenile detectives, diversion programs, court systems, mental health professionals and school officials.

This program is available locally in various Ventura County locations.  Many programs are free or charge only a small fee for a Parent Project workbook. Sessions generally are 10 weeks.

Some upcoming local Parent Project classes as of January 2016 are below. Providers and costs vary. Click the link above to register online for most classes, or call the phone numbers below.

• Camarillo: Camarillo Police Department is offering Monday night sessions 3/14/16 to 5/23/16. No charge for sessions. Workbook $20. Call 805.388-5155
• Moorpark: Moorpark USD is offering Spanish language classes 1/5/16 to 4/26/16 on Tuesday nights from 6:15-9:15PM
• Oxnard: Free Spanish language classes 3/3/16 to 5/12/16 from 6-9PM at Channel Islands High School and 2/2/16 to 4/12/16 at Pacifica High School (both Spanish and English)

Additionally, Loving Solutions is a program designed for parents of 5-10 year olds with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD/ADHD) offered locally from time to time.

Previous sessions have also been offered in Simi Valley, Ojai, Thousand Oaks, Ventura and Westlake Village. For more details about the Parent Project program, visit www.parentproject.com.

Ventura County Fire Department Offers Free Car Seat Safety Inspections

For those of you with kids looking for some help in ensuring your child safety seats are properly in place, consider the Ventura County Fire Department Child Passenger Safety Program.

Members of the Department are trained and certified through the National Highway Transportation Safety Association as a Car Seat Safety Technicians. The Program educates parents on proper use and installation of child safety seats. The department provides free car seat inspections, installation guidance, product recall checks and informative literature.

Program locations are near the Camarillo Airport, CHP Ventura, Thousand Oaks, CHP Moorpark and Moorpark Family Resource Center. More information at this link.

Volunteers from the VCFD Child Passenger Safety Program are knowledgeable and friendly!

More on California child passenger seat belt laws and safety information

Sweet Escapes In and Around Ventura County

"Sweet Escape" by Chuck Trunks

Looking for something to do around Ventura County but also looking for money missing from your wallet? Not to worry, there are plenty of escapes that won't cost you an arm and a leg around town. In fact, our mission in life here is to ensure you have hundreds of inexpensive, fun options in Ventura County and surrounding areas!

Free upcoming local events

Free things to do

Free kids' activities

Kids eat free deals

Get free food and stuff at Ventura County area eateries

That should get you started...but here's some more:

Family events

Upcoming 5K/10K events

Send your kids to a local summer camp

Go on a bike ride

Swimming and water play around Ventura County

Visit a local farmers' market

Go bowling

Throw a birthday party for your kid

Visit a museum

Not enough choices? Continue exploring Conejo Valley Guide and I can guarantee you'll find something fun to do.