Thousands will trade cars for bicycles

Cascade Bicycle Club, a leader in creating more livable communities through bicycle advocacy, events, education and commuting programs, announces the Group Health Commute Challenge which takes place May 1-31, 2008 and Starbucks Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 16, 2008. The events are produced by the Club’s Education Foundation and coincide with National Bike Month, which was established in 1956 by the League of American Bicyclists to promote cycling as a healthy, economical, practical and eco-friendly form of transportation.

• Starbucks Bike to Work Day is Friday, May 16. From 6 to 9 a.m., bicycle commuters can stop at one of 42 commute stations located throughout King, Snohomish and Kitsap counties to receive a free water bottle, maps, snacks, commuting information, and have bikes checked by bike shop sponsors (list of commute stations available online or by request). From 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. the Starbucks Bike to Work Day Rally will be held outside Seattle City Hall where there will be music, speakers, and free Starbucks coffee. In 2007, Starbucks Bike to Work Day rallied a record breaking number of more than 19,000 commuters biking as an alternative to other modes of transportation.

Online info at: www.cbcef.org/btw/btw_day.html

• Bike to School Day is Friday, May 16. Along with adult commuters, elementary and high school students will also take to two wheels on May 16. In 2007, 2,356 kids participated in Bike to School Day alone. A total of 1,004 students rode throughout Bike to School Month in 18 schools riding a grand total of 10,053 trips. Elementary school students will record trips on a paper tracking sheet; high school students will participate in an online commute challenge.

Online at: https://www.cbcef.org/btw/bts.html

During the month-long Group Health Commute Challenge, teams of riders will test their bike-commuting mettle in a friendly competition to see who can commute the most by bicycle. In 2007, riders enthusiastically embraced the challenge and rode a collective 1,002,449 miles to and from work. Last year, 1,238 teams with 7,523 total members participated. Participants can track the carbon dioxide and money saved by not driving on the Commute Challenge Web site. Registration will remain open throughout May to anyone who commits to ride five times or more during the month. Prizes will be awarded to winning teams and individuals based on most miles commuted, most new riders, most days commuted, etc.

Online at: https://www.cbcef.org/btw/cc.html

More information about these events and Cascade Bicycle Club is available online at www.cascade.org.