For Immediate Release

For Immediate Release

Date: Monday August 1, 2011

From: Melissa Balmer/Media & Communications – Bikeable Communities

Tel. Cell email:

Re: Cali Bike Tours Launches Summer Staycation Wine Tasting Fun By Bike Thursday August 11th  in Beautiful Downtown Long Beach!

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Long Beach CA – Thursday August 11^th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm Cali Bike Tours in collaboration with Bikeable Communities and Bikestation is delighted to announce Long Beach’s very first Summer Wine Tasting Bike Tour. For this inaugural tour the focus will be on the wines of California. Space is limited to twenty and tickets must be purchased in advance by Tuesday August 9th at 5:00 pm.  For ticket reservations please go to: www.calibiketours.com or call (562) 334-BIKE.

The fun begins with a short loop ride of the new separated bike lanes in downtown, then the first tasting at the new Wine Down Lounge at the historic Breakers Hotel building featuring 2008 N’Oak Chardonnay, 2009 Backhouse Pinot Noir, and 2007 Coquelicot Riesling. Next the tour will ride along Long Beach’s beautiful beach bike path and then stop for the second tasting at the District Wine Bar in the scenic East Village featuring 2010 Pine Ridge Chenin Blanc + Viognier, 2009 Ken Brown Pinot Noir, and 2007 Bella Vetta Zinfandel. Flatbreads will accompany the tasting at the Wine Down Lounge and charcuterie and cheeses will accompany the tasting at the District Wine Bar. Additional food may be purchased at each tasting, however please note the tastings will last only half an hour so why not follow up the tour with dinner in downtown Long Beach? We highly recommend trying out either the Congregation Ale House or the brand new Beachwood Barbecue – both located right on the Promenade and just a short walk from the tour’s end at Bikestation.

The tour will be led by Elizabeth Williams of Cali Bike Tours and will meet at 5:30 pm in front of Bikestation at the new revamped First Street transit mall and the Promenade in downtown Long Beach.

For those who don’t have bikes readily available they can be rented at the brand new Bikestation facility for the discounted rate of $4.00 an hour. Helmets are recommended and are standard with rental at Bikestation. Bike and helmet reservations must be made by Tuesday August 9^th at 5:00 pm to ensure availability. For more information please go to: http://home.bikestation.com/long-beach-bikestation-services, or call .

For those who are driving rather than biking in, parking can be found next to Bikestation Long Beach (223 E 1st Street) off of Long Beach Boulevard.

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About Cali Bike Tours

Cali Bike Tours is the first bicycling tour company of its kind in Long Beach offering a variety of tour options for those interested in viewing Long Beach by bike. Founder Elizabeth Williams is a bike advocate, avid cyclist and novice triathlete, and long time resident of Long Beach. She is an active Century cyclist riding several centuries since 2009, including Solvang Century, Amtrak Century, and group rides to San Diego and Mt. Baldy. Elizabeth also rode in her first six-day bike tour trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles in August 2010.

As both a businesswoman with over 17 years of professional experience in corporate America, and a local, Elizabeth supports the city’s bike initiative to make Long Beach the most bike-friendly city in the nation, and is passionate about helping others enhance their quality of life by developing healthier, greener lifestyles. For more information go to www.calibiketours.com.

About Bikeable Communities

Bikeable Communities is a non-profit 501c3 advocacy organization focused on making communities safer and more connected through bicycling. Founded in the 1990’s by John and Georgia Case, the first vision of Bikeable Communities was to foster urban bicycling in the U.S. with the creation of the first U.S. public bike parking facility. The cutting edge result was Bikesation – a collaboration with the City of Long Beach, Caltrans and LA County Metro, which opened in downtown Long Beach in 1996.

Bikeable Communities is currently focused on the creation of increased bike-safe transit routes and connectivity, bicycle awareness and accessibility, and bicycle safety education throughout the greater Southern California Coastal region. For more information go to bikeablecommunities.org.

About Bikestation

Bikestation seeks to improve the quality of life in urban communities through the development and operation of bike-transit centers and related infrastructure. Bikestation envisions communities where bicycling is an integral part of the transportation system resulting in cleaner air, safer streets and healthier living.

Modeled after European and Japanese examples, Bikestation Long Beach was the first facility of its kind to open in the U.S. in March of 1996. Bikestation Palo Alto and Bikestation Berkeley opened in 1999, Bikestation Seattle in May 2003 and Bikestation Santa Barbara in 2007. Located on the same LA Metro line, Bikestation Claremont and Bikestation Covina opened in February 2010, creating the first end-to-end systemic transit line in the US. Bikestation Hillsboro, the first Bikestation in Oregon, recently celebrated its Grand Opening in October 2010. The expanded, state-of-the-art Bikestation Long Beach officially opens in September of 2011. For more information go to www.bikestation.com.