Seattle Press on Line - Are You up to the Challenge?

Teacher Ted

Are You up to the Challenge?

By Ted Lockery

Apr 11, 2002 -- Lube your chain and mark your calendars, folks--National Bike to Work Day is Friday, May 17!

On that fateful day more than 7,000 first-time and regular bike commuters in the Puget Sound Region will join cyclists across the country in taking to the streets, bike lanes and paved trails to get to work. People of all ages, shapes and pedaling postures will pump and glide their way to downtown offices, suburban malls, public schools, factories and construction sites feeling better than they ever did driving to work and, in the process, feeling better about themselves and the ecology of the planet.

Thanks to the hard work of the Cascade Bicycle Club, organizers of our local Bike to Work Day (sponsored by WRQ), 36 commuter support stations, in neighborhoods throughout King and Snohomish Counties, will assist bicycle commuters along the way (6:00 am to 9:00 am) with refreshments, commuter information, and simple repairs. Free Bike to Work Day T-shirts, water bottles and other prizes will also be provided at these commuter stations.

Those among us who might be headed through or near downtown Seattle are encouraged to join in a celebratory bicycle parade (of thousands!) from the Seattle Center International Fountain to Westlake Center Plaza. The parade ride will start at 7:30 a.m. and culminate in an 8 a.m. rally, complete with music, refreshments, and of course, local celebrities and city officials.

Clearly, one of the Bike to Work Day goals is to have fun. Another goal is to raise awareness of the many benefits to bicycle commuting: improving physical fitness, reducing stress, saving money, and reducing traffic congestion. It's a kind of "try it--you'll like it" learning-by-doing event. And you don't have to purchase any fancy gear. All you are asked to do is to wear a helmet and light-colored or reflective clothing (lights for evening commuting).

Worried about your work clothes?

Just gently roll them (without folding) and carry them in a backpack or panniers.

You might even leave a set of clothes at work the day before.

As for a shower at work--I don't bother. I find that my sweatshirt wicks away enough of the sweat that it's not a concern.

Now that you've given May 17 some serious thought, why not get the whole office, school, floor, or department to commit? Put it on your meeting agendas. Talk it up at lunch. Get as many people from work to ride as you can and revel in your accomplishment.

You might even create a team and take what the Cascade Bicycle Club has dubbed the "June Bicycle Commute Challenge!"

Here's how it works: To accept the challenge, teams or solo participants must register with the Cascade Bicycle Club (contact information below). Each participant records and, in the case of teams, reports to a team coordinator, the number of round trip bicycle commutes they complete in the month of June (for schools the dates are May 16 to June 16). Team members (or solo individuals) who commute by bicycle eight or more times during the contest interval are eligible for a drawing. Prizes include bike tune-ups, bike gear, museum tickets, Amtrak tickets, and gift certificates. Registration forms, obtained from the Cascade Bicycle Club, must be mailed or faxed by Friday, June 12.

Groups who enjoy competition can challenge co-workers or people at other work sites. Schools, too, can challenge other schools! (Anyone want to take on Nathan Hale?)

Whether you chose to take the June Bicycle Commute Challenge, or to just focus on Bike to Work Day, is not important. Riding your bicycle to work, or supporting someone else who is going to commute by bike for the first time, is what's important. It's about being part of the solution.

Note: Seattle schools will not be open May 17, so the Bike To School day will be May 16.

For more information about Bike to Work Day (including volunteering), contact the Cascade Bicycle Club at (206) 522-BIKE, or www.biketoworkday.org . For information about the June Bicycle Commute Challenge contact (206) 522-3222 or www.cascade.org.

Teacher Ted Lockery teaches at Nathan Hale High School. He can be reached by e-mail at teacherted@seattlepress.com.

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