Safe Streets Austin, formed from the merger of Bike Austin, Walk Austin, and Central Texas Families for Safe Streets, had their annual fundraiser back in late November. Yours truly attended their first one a couple of years ago, missed last year (though am not sure they had one), and was invited again this year. I’m filing this belated report. Don’t sue me. I know lawyers.

The big news is that they hired a new Executive Director, Diego Martinez-Moncada. I said hello, but that’s all he had time for. He’s tall, young, Latino, and used to work for Bike Share. Oh, he’s also smiley. I would be, too, if I had a name that almost sounds like that Mandy Patinkin quote from The Princess Bride: “My name ees Diego Montoya, and I chalf come to keel your fahthuh.”

Oh, and he has a full head of hair, most of my life still ahead of me, plus a new job advocating for bicycles. Sadly, I’m oh for three on those things. Hopefully he will put that hair and teeth to good use and does a good job of putting bike safety issues back on the map, that is, in front of City Council.

Speaking of the devil, there were actually four Austin City Council Members present. Being politicians, of course they had to talk. One who is leaving due to being term-limited didn’t speak. Basically they all said the same things, which could be summarized as this: “Good job kicking our butts, keep doing it.” Of course that’s an oversimplification. Whadya want, a freakin’ transcript? It was a party. Jeez. Holiday spirit much, Scrooge?

On a more somber note, two speakers were sad. One was the widow of former City Council Member Chris Riley. He died a few months ago of cancer; he was just over a year and a bit older than this dude. As a CM, he co-wrote the Bicycle Master Plan, which is still the guide for City projects–if they get funded by bond elections, usually. If he were alive, he’d probably gently tell me that was incorrect, and why, in a kind way.

As a board member of Bike Austin, and later SSA, he was a loud, clear voice for making cycling as transportation better for everyone. He was also a subscriber, and sometimes reader, of this blog. I knew Chris some, well enough to be able to text him. Unfailingly optimistic, his presence was sorely missed at the party. His wife presented an award to a volunteer in his name, so his legacy will live on. You should pause and go read this article in the Austin Monitor. The other sad speaker was a survivor of a person killed by a car while walking.

What else can I tell you that’s not a bummer about dead people? As you can see from the group photo, it was not a huge group but it was festive. Free booze doesn’t hurt. It was good to see the other staff person, Adam Greenfield, a nice British gent who’s been working on trasportation issues in Austin for some time. I thanked him profusely for inviting me.

Oh, yeah, I had a cool “Strava flyby.” As I was standing at the bar to get my can of sparky agua, I heard a voice behind me say, “I happen to know the dude.” I turned, and looked up. He was taller than I remembered, a little greyer, but still thin and fit, with the same mischievous grin and smiling eyes.

Surprise! It was an old riding pal from the Hill Country Ride for AIDS (the Ride Marshall, actually) and the Don’t Fear the Finger 1400 Miles prostate cancer awareness rides. (You may also want to read or re-read one of my related pieces, The Wheel of Life: Biking with the Ghosts of AIDS, which is a favorite and one of my better essays, methinks.) Tall, black/grey, and handsome wanted to thank me for turning him on to Yoga With Adriene, our local Austin YouTube sensation A Dude has met. She has a Yoga for Cyclists program that he was benefiting from. I should look into it myself. He excused himself since he had a date to return to upstairs, but it was cool to see him and know I’d helped him indirectly.

Also I happened to speak with a woman from Waymo, the driverless Google cars menacing our streets. I’d had an issue just the previous day with one of their spooky white robocars parked in the bike lane with a driver inside. When I stopped to take a picture, the car moved. Returning past the same intersection that night, I spoke with another driver who was quite rude and refused to tell me where I could report issues. So much for good customer service and trying to help cars WITH NO PEOPLE AT THE WHEEL from killing cyclists. Google used to have a motto which was “Don’t Be Evil.” They got rid of it. Big surprise.

Well, all in all, it was a nice gathering. It was good to see old faces and younger ones, too. Best wishes to Safe Streets Austin as they renew their work to stick it to the man, I mean gently prod City Council to enact things like City Leap, an exciting proposal to make bike lanes or bus lanes on every City-owned road within five years. Sounds good to this dude. More about City Leap.

To support Safe Streets Austin, go to this link.

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