Are you seeing green?

Have you noticed an unusually high amount of green on the Walnut Creek streets? No, it’s not St. Patrick’s Day – it’s the LimeBikes taking over downtown! This is Walnut Creek’s new bike share program, which can be accessed through an app, and is an interesting idea.

This will only be a one-year pilot program for the dockless bike share provider, so make sure you take a spin on one while the weather is nice this summer! LimeBike is a Bay Area-based startup that has advanced the bike share program to be dockless, so all you have to do is lock the bike in place where you finish riding, and let the next user unlock it with their phones.

Of course, the bike share program isn’t entirely free. The app on your smartphone will give you access for 30 minutes for $1, and 1 hour for $2. You can find a bike on the map and unlock it from there too. It’s completely built-in to our everyday lives, since everyone knows how to use their maps app (or Pokemon Go, for that matter!).

So, you’re probably wondering how safe the LimeBikes are? Each bike has an anti-theft alarm, double kickstand, and a headlight. It’s a law for anyone under age 18 to have a helmet on, but LimeBike does not require anyone over that age to wear one.

I think this is a pretty cool idea. A lot of different cities in the Bay Area use bike share programs, and I’ve even heard of some places doing dockless scooter shares! It still makes me laugh as I am driving around town seeing all these bikes in random places – once you see one, you keep seeing them. The Bay Area is a center for healthy-living, so another human-powered vehicle option can’t hurt. Have you tried LimeBikes yet? We would love to hear what you think!

It’s not too late to jump on the Walnut Creek summer bike challenge!

Are you an avid biker? Is that your summertime physical activity of choice? Even if that’s not the case, you might want to give this cool bike challenge in Walnut Creek a try!

It’s a great way to force yourself outside to enjoy the beautiful Bay Area summer weather, get a little exercise, and be environmentally-friendly all at once. Basically, there is a Walnut Creek Summer Bike Challenge that asks you to download a challenge card and complete it before the summer is over.

Destinations include Cream in downtown Walnut Creek (what better motivation for going on a ride is there than having ice cream at the finish line?), Heather Farm and Civic Park.

If the exercise, enjoyment and gas savings aren’t enough incentive, there are also prizes! Some squares on the challenge card offer instant prizes or free stuff upon completion, and the program’s grand prize is an iPad.

Other Bay Area cities hosting a challenge like this are Brentwood, Martinez, Oakley and Pleasant Hill. Give it a shot and explore our wonderful little town in a whole new way. It’s a heck of a lot cheaper than a SoulCycle subscription!

Art Town: Bike Watchers

Walnut Creek isn’t just becoming a hot spot for dining options and to live – it’s also quickly filling up with quirky, mesmerizing art! That’s probably because city ordinance says 1% of any new construction project budget must be dedicated to erecting public art or donated to a public art fund.

Check out this new piece next to the Teleferic/Rooftop/Vineyard Vines building:

Take a stroll around town, you will be amazed at all the art there is to see … one just needs to be observant. Enjoy!