Peninsula Moves!

By Will Reisman, @WillReisman

Another good reason to use public transit: Due to unexpected surge in gas prices last week, California now has the dubious claim of being the costliest state in the nation to fill up your car. Gas prices in the Golden State reached an average of $3.86 a gallon last week, according to the latest fuel report by AAA. The trade organization cited tightening supplies in California for the jump in prices, as local refineries were unable to meet unexpectedly-high demand for petrol. Fortunately for commuters in the Bay Area, regional public transportation agencies can provide a cheaper, more environmentally-friendly mode of traveling. In fact, a family that downgrades from two cars to one car can save nearly $10,000 a year by using public transit as an alternative, according to the American Public Transportation Association.

Fly Over to the Berkeley Kite Festival: One of the largest gatherings of amateur aviation enthusiasts in North America will take place this weekend with the staging of the 30^th annual Berkeley Kite Festival. The two-day event will take place from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday at Cesar Chavez Park in Berkeley, a gusty park on the Bay renowned for its favorable kite-flying conditions. The weekend festival will feature kite-making sessions, flying lessons, appearances and speeches from industry experts and “humongous” homemade kites—some bigger than houses and longer than trains. The event also includes the West Coast Kite Championship, a competition pitting sport kite-flyers against each other. Cesar Chavez Park is about a 1 ½ mile walk from Capital Corridor’s Berkeley Train Station on University Avenue.

“Pedalfest” Takes Place Jack London Square in Oakland: The East Bay Bike Coalition will host its “Pedalfest” celebration at Jack London Square in Oakland this Saturday. The free event will have live music, daredevil stunts from professional cyclists, food trucks, safety training sessions and tutorials for beginner bikers looking to get acclimated to their first set of two-wheelers. There will also be plenty of bikes—from vintage models to new, state-of-the-art wares—on display at the gathering, which is schedule for 11 a. m. – 7 p.m. on Saturday. There will be free valet bike parking at Broadway and Embarcadero for event attendees, and Jack London Square is a short walk from local ferry, train and bus services.