Holiday ride to deliver cookies to Costa Mesa fire and police
Join Costa Mesa City Council Member Arlis Reynolds (and CMABS!) on Sunday December 15, 2019 as we deliver cookies to Costa Mesa's Fire and Police officers and staff.
UPDATE: Please complete this digital waiver before the ride, if you have time. It'll help us get the ride started promptly :) Many thanks to Orange Coast College, Black Market Bakery, and Mike Lingle for providing cookies!
There will be three route options:
2 mile family ride: Riding to one Costa Mesa fire station and the main police station along solely off-street routes.
9 mile intermediate ride: Riding to three Costa Mesa fire stations and the main police station along some off-street routes and some neighborhood streets.
19 mile advanced ride: Riding to all six Costa Mesa fire stations and two police stations along off-street routes, neighborhood streets, and some major streets.
Where do we start? When should I arrive?
All three ride options depart from Tewinkle Park simultaneously at 10:00am, sharp. Arrive by 9:30am for waiver signing, route explanation, and a pre-ride safety talk.
We can't delay our departure by more than a few minutes past 10:00am, as we'll have police officers waiting to help us cross Fair Drive.
Do you have route maps? Estimated ride time?
We do! Check out this page for more information on each route.
Do I need to choose which route I'm riding beforehand?
Nope! All three rides will start at the same time from Tewinkle Park, and they all follow the same route; the shorter rides just turn back earlier. We'll make it clear when we've reached each "turn back" point, so you can decide then if you want to keep going or head back to Tewinkle Park.
Is the ride kid friendly?
YES! The two-mile family ride will be entirely kid and family friendly, riding from Tewinkle Park around the Fairgrounds on completely off-street routes at a slow, casual pace. The nine mile and 19 mile routes, however, will involve riding in lanes of traffic and thus are not recommended for kids.
Do I need to register?
No registration is necessary - just arrive at Tewinkle Park by 9:30am with a bike in working condition. The ride is open to everyone!
Is there a registration charge?
All of the Costa Mesa Community Rides are free to all attendees.
How will we transport the cookies?
The Orange Coast College Food Riders will be riding with us, bringing their trailer and coolers that can hold up to 400 pounds. If you have a trailer or want to help carry cookies, please contact Marc Perkins at marc@cmabs.org.
Should I bring cookies for the Fire and Police staff?
There is no need! In fact, Costa Mesa's public safety officers have requested that all cookies be clearly identified with who made them and what is included in them. We are thus focusing primarily on cookies donated from commercial sources.
Can I bring cookies / goodies to share with other riders?
If you do want to bring cookies or goodies, sharing them with your fellow riders would be appreciated :) There's no obligation, but we'll save some trailer space for cookies brought by riders so we can use them to sustain us on our day's ride.
Can I bring toys to donate to the Costa Mesa Fire Department's Spark of Love toy drive?
YES! All Costa Mesa Fire stations are participating in the annual Spark of Love toy drive, and they'd appreciate donations of new, unwrapped toys and sports equipment. Unfortunately our trailer space may be taken up primarily by cookies, so you may need to carry your donation on your bike.
What size of items can fit into the Food Riders trailer?
The Food Riders trailer has two sizes of containers: one is 13 x 30 x 12", and the other is 11 x 18 x 15". If you do want to transport anything in the trailer (e.g., cookies to share with your fellow riders, toys to donate at the fire stations), please make sure your package will fit into one of those two sizes of container. Please note that we can't guarantee that we'll have room in the trailer (though we should have room to spare).
Are helmets required?
Helmets are required by California law for riders 17 and under. Helmets are strongly recommended for all other riders.
How can I find out more?
Contact Arlis Reynolds at Arlis.Reynolds@costamesaca.gov or Marc Perkins at marc@cmabs.org.
Want to help?
We could use help with community outreach, cookie obtaining, and more. Contact Arlis Reynolds at Arlis.Reynolds@costamesaca.gov or Marc Perkins at marc@cmabs.org.
