Have fun and learn something about our furry brethren at the same time at the culminating event of Bear Awareness Week, May 12-18.

Groovin’ for Grizzlies:
7 p.m. to midnight Friday (May 16); all ages until 10 p.m.
In the Bear Garden at Boundary Bay Brewery and Bistro, 1107 Railroad Ave.

$10 advance tickets, available at Boundary Bay Brewery, the Community Food Co-op and Village Books.
$12 day of event, $2 off at the door if you show your bike to work sticker.
Kids 10 and younger get in free.

Event includes music, bbq dinner, children’s activities (make your own bear head) and information booths. Included in the entertainment lineup are Jordan Rain’s Yogoman’s Wild Rumpus complete with hula-hoops, blues man Wisconsin Slim, and to finish off the night Joel Ricci’s new funky dream child, Lucky Brown. Plus emcee comedy duo, Krissa Woiwod (Lil Griz) and Rose Oliver (Ole’ Dirty Bearstard). For dinner the Bear BQ will be open serving up salmon sandwiches, organic beef burgers, bratwursts and veggie burgers.

Learn more about bears:

Grizzly Bear Outreach Project Web site: Learn about all things grizzly including history, behavior and biology, identification, tips for coexistence, bear safety and how to report a sighting.

Conservation Northwest Web site: Learn what you can do to help the recovery process for the dwindling number of grizzlies in the North Cascades (estimated to be fewer than 20 bears). And, learn so much more about other wildlife and habitat issues.

Lots of bike events happening this week:

Ride of Silence/Celebrate Trail Bridges: 6 to 8 p.m. May 14. Meet at Fairhaven Village Green and ride to Whatcom Falls Park and back to honor the memory of cyclists and pedestrians injured or killed on our roadways through motor vehicle crashes. The ride also celebrates trail bridges that help improve safety and accessibility for all. Free. Contact: 671-BIKE (2453), www.everybodyBIKE.com.

Bike to Work and School Day: Bike or walk to work or school on the 16th of May and get treats, food and a chance to win great prizes. Just stop by any Celebration Station between 6:30 and 9 a.m. Click here for a list of locations. Bike fun all day: 7 a.m. Pancake Feed at the HUB community Bike Shop. Noon: Annual Tricycle Relay Races at City Hall. 5 p.m.: Prize Drawing Celebration at Boundary Bay and Family Celebration at Mallard Ice Cream. Get more details at MtBakerBikeClub.org everybodyBIKE.com or call 671-BIKE.

Bike to Work and School Day evening celebration: 5 to 7 p.m. May 16. Boundary Bay Brewery and Bistro, 1107 Railroad Ave. Show your “I Biked” sticker and get free entry for music, fun and prize drawings. Volunteer recognition. Contact: 671-BIKE (2453), www.everybodyBIKE.com.

Pedal Fest: Adaptive Cycle Expo: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 17. Bellingham City Hall, 210 Lottie St. Try an assortment of bikes for people of all ability levels and special needs including handcycles, recumbent bikes that ease back pain, three- or four-wheeled bikes with extra stability, tandems for those who want a guide while cycling. Bikes for kids and adults and skilled staff available for advice. Free. Contact: Bellingham Parks and Recreation, 778-7000, www.everybodybike.com.

Women’s weekly road rides are starting again this weekend. Meet at Kulshan Cycles, 100 E. Chestnut St. at 8 a.m. Saturday. Both rides cancel in heavy rain.
Group 1: 1 hour 45 minute ride, 18 miles at a fun 12-14 mph pace, south to Chuckanut Drive, left on Samish Way to the gas station by the freeway and return.
Group 2: 25-mile ride at 14-17 mph pace, south to Chuckanut Drive, left on Samish Way, around Lake Samish and return.
Contact: 733-6440, www.kulshancycles.com.

Here’s what’s happening this weekend. Get out and have some fun!

Backyard Habitat and Native Flora Fair, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at Fairhaven Village Green. Includes a native plant sale, presentations, garden tours, information booths and displays, and a guided spring introductory plant walk from 1 to 3 p.m. Free.

Mini-compost class, 9 a.m. Saturday at Greenways Transfer Station, Lakeway Drive and Woburn Street. Repeats at 9 a.m. May 24 and 7 p.m. June 4 or June 18. If none of these times fits your schedule you can gather a small group and schedule a class. Free. Registration required. Contact: 676-6736, joycej@wsu.edu.

Pump-You-Up booth, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Bellingham Farmers Market, continues through June. Get your flat tires fixed for free, get advice about good bike routes for commutes and order a free or low-cost helmet.

Astronomy Day, 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday at Boulevard Park. Learn about astronomy, view the sun safely, observe the moon, or enjoy the night sky after sunset with members of The Whatcom Association of Celestial Observers. Event cancels for rain or significant cloud cover. Free.

Guided snowshoe walk to Artist Point, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Naturalist David Bean shares information about avalanche safety and the snowy spring environment of the North Cascades on this moderately strenuous climb to Artist Point. For information call 734-7270. $28. Includes snowshoes and poles. Registration required. Contact: Whatcom County Parks and Recreation, 733-2900, whatcomcounty.recware.com.

Want to learn more about experiential and environmental education? The Adopt-A-Stream Foundation’s Streamkeeper Academy presents a 2-day workshop appropriate for teachers, camp leaders, scout leaders, parents and others working with kids.

“Rediscovery, As If The Earth Matters, an Environmental Educator’s Institute” will be offered May 21-22 and again July 17-18 in Everett.

Find out more at the Streamkeeper Academy Web site. The workshop costs $150 and includes lunch both days. Class size is limited to 40 educators. Credit Options: WWU (2 credits) and the WSTA (16 clock hours). Additional fees are required.

Speaking of environmental ed programs, you can take your kids and curious grown-ups to Birch Bay State Park for their summer interpretive programs.

The first programs offered this season are:
-Wet-n-Wild Beach Walk at 10 a.m. May 17
-Hunters of the Sky campfire program at 7 p.m. May 17 or May 24
-Birch Bay Archeology campfire program at 7 p.m. May 23

All programs meet in the Wildlife Theater in the upper day use area. See the outdoors calendar Fridays in The Herald for more event info.

My co-worker, Tony Briggmin, sent me a link to the Zero Pollution Motors Web site with information about what he hopes will be his next car … a car that runs on compressed air! Tony says, “If it’s the real deal, I can’t wait.”

India’s largest auto manufacturer, Tata Motors, hopes to have the cars on the road in India by summer 2009. The ZPM Web site says they will begin taking reservations in “early 2008 for U.S. deliveries of the compressed air vehicle in early 2010″ and the cars will retail for less than $18,000.

Cute, huh? About the design, the ZPM Web site says:

The six-seat Compressed Air Vehicle zips through urban streets and highways. It is roomy, adaptable, convivial, and comfortable. Its innovative swivel front passenger seat makes it possible to turn around to face rear seat passengers. It’s modular design and assembly allows for both commercial and private uses.

Here is some introductory info from the ZPM Web site:

Pure Driving: The Revolutionary Compressed Air Vehicle

If you can, imagine a vehicle that runs on air, achieves over 100 gas-equivalent mpg and over 90 mph, has zero to low C02 emissions, seats six, has plenty of space for luggage, cuts no safety corners, and costs no more than an average economy to mid-size vehicle.

This is the expected performance of the revolutionary compressed air vehicle that Zero Pollution Motors (ZPM) is introducing to North America. The vehicle is powered by the Compressed Air Engine (CAE) developed by Motor Development International (MDI), a 15-year old company based in Nice, France, and headed by inventor and Formula One race car engineer, Guy Negre. ZPM is the exclusive representative for MDI in the United States.

Here’s another link to a Popular Mechanics story about the car.