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Eric J. Kos Tour de Tracks comes to Alameda for the first time Saturday, May 14 as part of Bike to Work week and participants can win a brand-new bicycle in the event raffle.

Representatives of the city of Alameda's Development Services Department approached the board of the Greater Alameda Business Association (GABA) in hopes of creating a low-speed bicycle tour of GABA's shopping districts that aren't on Park or Webster streets. With local bicycle advocacy group BikeAlameda (a member of GABA) throwing in its support, the event came together rapidly. The story of this event begins way back in 1864 when Alfred A. Cohen built the San Francisco & Alameda Railroad right down today's Lincoln Avenue. Cohen's line actually served as the terminus of the first transcontinental railroad, right after he sold it to the Central Pacific in 1869.

In 1878, James Fair and “Hog” Davis brought the narrow-gauge South Pacific Coast Railroad to Alameda using a trestle across San Leandro Bay onto Encinal Avenue and across town to the ferry on the West End.

The legacy of these railroads are the commercial districts we know and love today. The convenient stops, just blocks from everyone's house in Alameda, made this the dense inner suburb that is both liveable, walkable and bike-able, that also has easy commute access to the city. Without the railroads, Alameda might have remained largely undeveloped farmland, like Bay Farm Island, to be developed in a later era.

So around the train stations along Lincoln and Encinal avenues, sprung up little commercial zones that served as incubators for Alameda's tremendous small business community. These businesses communities continue to thrive today, providing walkable destinations for Alamedans of all ages.

Over the years, businesses and technology have changed, and in the post-World War II era, Alameda modernized, and the trains faded from everyday use. While the original attraction for the businesses — the train stations — vanished, the businesses became the destinations.

Essential players arrived in the form of Pagano's Hardware, Golden Needle Tailoring and Acapulco Restaurant whose founders also became founders of GABA. For nearly 30 years, this business group has aimed to represent publicly the collective voice of the businesses in these neighborhoods.

Back to the modern day, GABA, the city of Alameda and BikeAlameda want to celebrate what makes Alameda great. These train stations and their businesses make Alameda so convenient. The idea developed to have riders visit each shopping station to collect a raffle ticket for a drawing at the end of the event, and to encourage riders to grab a portable lunch at one of the many fine restaurants along the route.

Riders will sign up in Lincoln Park from 9 a.m. to noon and receive a map to guide them. Groups will begin their rides at 10 a.m. after having a bicycle check up, helmet check and being assigned a BikeAlameda volunteer. Rides will proceed along city bicycle lanes and follow standard rules of the road at a leisurely pace, without closing any streets to car traffic.

First stop on the way, High Street Station, home to Alameda instution Encinal Market, the storied Alameda Sun and the delectable Mona's Table.

From there, the tour proceeds to Versailles Station, where the esteemed Versailles Pharmacy and Encinal Hardware offer their fraternal services while Shay's Cafe tempts tastebuds just down the street.

At Chestnut Encinal Station, cyclists may visit Marti's Place or the Blue Dot Cafe for a to-go lunch or check the latest in fashion from Golden Needle Tailoring or Lilac.

Then it's off to Morton Station where culinary favorites can be had at Jay's Coffee & Tea or Little Joe's Express.

Next the riders will drop by Bay Station for a trip to Pagano's crevices, Alameda Golfworks' nine-irons or to wet their whistle at Forbidden Island.

The often overlooked Grand Station will surprise the cyclists with West Coast Dance's killer moves, the Khanh Hu'o'ng Chinese BBQ's traditional chicken soup or Gaslight Emporium's irreplacable delectables.

The last station on the tour is the diminutive Willow Station, home to the incomparable Mexican restaurant Acapulco, Whales and Friends gift store, and the city's one and only Army-Navy supply store.

At the end of the ride, everyone is invited to join up for a picnic lunch in Lincoln Park. (No meals will be provided, but to-go lunches will be on sale at multiple restaurants along the way.) During this final gathering, raffle tickets will be drawn.

All of the merchants along the route donated valuable prizes, but the grand prize, courtesy of Harry Estrada at Cycle City, is a brand-new bicycle. The only way to win is to enter the ride, find the merchants with the raffle tickets (as not everyone will have them) and hope your ticket gets selected.

This is a first-time-ever event organized by GABA volunteers Patty Jacobs, myself and former Encinal High School Teacher and GABA board member emeritus Joe Mariscal; BikeAlameda volunteer Jeff Cambra and city of Alameda volunteers Dorene Soto and Rosemary Valeska. So go easy on us.

For more information or to sign up for the ride, contact Rosemary Valeska of the city of Alameda at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 747-6891.