Getting There

JUMP, the bike-share company, is still filling out its fleet of 900 electric-assist bikes in the Sacramento region. Are swarms of electric-assist scooters lurking around the corner, waiting to invade as well? The scooters entering the national scene are the small-wheeled, stand-on variety that made a splash with kids and some adults years ago, not the Vespa-style motor scooters.

It’s easy to take the American River Parkway for granted, but it wasn’t easy to create. River Park resident Frank Cirill fought many battles to establish and protect the parkway. At its inception, there were fights to buy land and acquire easements. Along the way, there were conflicts over denial of public access to the Fair Oaks Bluffs, Cal Expo’s attempt to build a large parking lot near the river, and East Bay Municipal Utility District’s scheme to take American River water.

It’s hard not to notice the stylish, brand-new, bright-red JUMP bikes around town. Their color and design jump out at you. The bikes have a basket, bell, chain and skirt guards, an integrated lock, and head and tail lights. The seat height is adjustable. A small electric motor zips you along at speeds up to 15 mph. With a full charge, the bikes have a range of 30-plus miles.

Most people shop at Costco like they’re survivalists stocking up for Armageddon’s aftermath. They purchase massive quantities and trundle the goods to their cars via ginormous carts and wheeled pallets. Recently, I needed only a single item that I knew Costco carried. I was unsure about finding it anywhere else. I thought, “Why not bike to Costco, get a little ride in and enjoy the trip?” I found out why not.