Bike To Work and School Day a Big Success!

National Bike To Work and School Day 2011 was a great day for practical cycling in Thurston County as area schools and the City of Olympia/BCC Bike Stations reported record participation and the Inter-Agency Bike Ride turned out a great crowd as well. An estimated 900 school kids rode their bikes, boards or scooters to school today in Thurston County, and approximately 275 practical cyclists were counted stopping by or passing the Bike Stations.  The Inter-Agency Ride estimates 90-100 participants representing 10 State Agencies plus Intercity Transit and City of Olympia. Pioneer School led the way among area schools with a record breaking 200  students (50%) biking or scootering to school today. Countless students walked or rode the school bus. Only a dozen or so cars entered the driveway. Go Pioneer!

The weather couldn't have been better, the cyclists turned out in droves, the crews volunteering for the events really pitched in, and event sponsors went the extra mile- thanks everyone!

Bike Station sponsors included: City of Olympia, Intercity Transit, Alpine Experience, The Bike Stand, Bike Tech, REI, Ralph's Thriftway, Batdorf & Bronson Coffee and Olympia Coffee Roasters.
 

Inter-Agency Bike Riders on National Bike-to-Work Day 2011

 Inter-Agency Ride sponsors included: Old Town Bicycles, The Bicycle Alliance of Washington,  Capitol Bicycling Club, The Bicycle Commuter Contest (Intercity Transit) and possibly others that I don't know about!

Find photos by WSDOT photographer here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/

National Bike to Work (and School) Day TOMORROW!

Ride your bike to work, school or on errands tomorrow and double your miles for the day on your BCC mileage log. Don't miss our Bike Stations from 7 am - 9:30 am at Heritage Park on 5th Ave, Ralph's Thriftway and the Eastside St. trailhead of the Woodland Trail. Details on the Bike Station page (click the link at right). See you there!

Local Schools Participate in National Bike to School Day

News from Intercity Transit: 

Bicycles of every color, and too many to contain, will be spilling out of bike racks at Olympia area schools this week.  Parking lots are likely to be calmer with less vehicle traffic, and students will arrive to South Sound schools with a little more exercise under their belts. 

Correction- Inter-Agency Ride Destination is...

Tumwater HISTORICAL Park, not Tumwater Falls Park, as stated in my latest email blast. See the Inter-Agency Bike Ride Page (right side bar at top of blog) for more details. Sorry!

2011 BCC Rider Profile #5: Alison Fuller

What Alison doesn't mention in her "e-interview" is that she is a highly motivated and inspirational BCC Team Captain at her workplace, recruiting riders, holding in-house drawings, organizing bike rides and demos and rewarding riders. Thanks Alison!

• What is your age?  31
• What is your occupation?  I work for Information Services at L&I
• How many years have you been commuting by bike?  4
• How many times have you participated in the Bicycle Commuter Contest? This year will be the 3^rd time
• How did you hear about the BCC? A friend at work
•  What is it that keeps you going, especially when the going is tough (weather, darkness, inertia, etc)?
  What keeps me going is that I never regret riding in to work. It could be a melee of elements thrown at me in the morning, wind, rain, cold and still when I get to work I feel great. Ok maybe I’m still waking up when I get there, BUT I feel good about myself that’s for sure. So the fact that knowing I feel great by riding is what keeps me going, that and the fact that I already have all the gear for all different seasons, have the bike, I really have no excuse.

Happy Sunny Friday!

First Random Drawing will be held on Monday, May 16- stay tuned!

NEW MINI CONTEST! Can you beat this??

Does your bike reflect even more years of participation in the BCC than this one? The owner of this bike received a spontaneous prize for having so many BCC stickers- can you top that? If you send me a photo of your bike with this year's sticker and at least four other past years' BCC stickers, you could win a prize too!

BCC Mini-Contest #2: Where is this?

Bike of the Week(!?)

Can you guess where this is? The first person to email dgreen"at"intercitytransit.com with the correct answer will win a prize!!! (you will have to pick up your prize at the Olympia Transit Center) The prize could be a bike light or a grocery bag pannier... good luck!
We have a winner! Congrats Irina!
The location is the new Olympia City Hall.
BUT, who knows the story of the tiny yellow bikes around town?

FOUND ITEMS (left at Wrenchers Ball)

After the Wrenchers Ball dust had settled, we found that two items had been left behind: a coily combination lock and a clip-on type rear fender. If one or both of these items belong to you, please email me at dgreen"at"intercitytransit.com and describe your item and I will get it back to you pronto!

2011 BCC Commuter Profile #4: Tyler Greathouse

Tyler rides for the "Wheels of Industry" team, with Captain Extraordinaire, Alison Fuller!

·         What is your age?

I’m 34.

·         What is your occupation?

State Worker.

·         How many years have you been commuting by bike?

I’ve been commuting, on and off, for roughly 4 years.  My bike usually hibernates during the winter.

·         How many times have you participated in the Bicycle Commuter Contest?

This will be my 2nd year, and I’m really excited!  The contest is a great motivator! Thank you Intercity Transit for organizing this event.

IMPORTANT Regarding mailed-in registrations

The 2011 BCC is off to a great start! We have well over 1000 registrations in our files already, with several large teams still to submit their lists. Now it's time to ride and record your miles!

IF YOU MAILED IN YOUR REGISTRATION and have not received your Mileage Log, coupons and sticker in the mail, please e-mail dgreen"at"intercitytransit.com and let us know you need your materials.

You can download a PDF version of the Mileage Log, but I would like to know if you did not receive yours, and I will need to send you your coupons and sticker.

Thanks so much for participating in the Bicycle Commuter Contest!

First Mini Contest! Guess this place!

We Have a winner! The location is Sherman St NW and Garfield Ave. Congrats Paul! Next mini-contest coming soon...
The first currently registered BCC 2011 participant to email me at dgreen"at"intercitytransit.com with the correct location of this photo (street/cross-street) will win their choice of a front or rear LED bike light!
Good luck!

BCC Sponsor Offerings- and, It's not too late to register for the BCC!

It's not too late! Register for the Bicycle Commuter Contest by May 6 to be sure you are included in random drawings for great prizes! You can register after that, but your chances of winning a drawing will be lower.

Check out these offers from two of our sponsors!
ROSSER CHIROPRACTIC Cyclis's Stretch Class
REGISTER FOR THE BCC and get free admission: 6pm to 7pm, Wednesday, May 4, 2011- Stretching Techniques for Cyclists: A class designed to target muscles and joints used in cycling. All levels of fitness are invited! No charge, but class is limited to first 20 to RSVP.  Call or email Dr. Andy Rosser  at 754.6499 or andy"at"rosserchiro.com


THE BEAUTY TEMPLE Discount for BCC participants who arrive by bike!
Arrive for your rejuvenating and beautifying appointment at this soothing sanctuary on your bicycle, and receive a per-mile discount for the miles your traveled to get there. The Beauty Temple offers holistic, eco-friendly salon and spa services with a unique and healing twist. Call 357-0275

2011 BCC Rider Profile #3: Jenya Campbell

*    What is your age? 35

*    What is your occupation? Production Supervisor for Batdorf & Bronson Coffee Roasters
*    How many years have you been commuting by bike? I started Biking in May of 09, specifically for the 2009 Bicycle Commuter Contest

*    How did you hear about the BCC?  I found out through my job at Batdorf & Bronson

*    What got you started bike commuting? A co-worker & dear friend (and avid bicycle commuter) suggested I attempt the BCC in 2009, it was this experience that made me realize it was possible to continue biking, even after the Contest.

Wrenchers' Ball a Success- now check out the Tacoma Bike Swap!

Our incredible team of over 20 volunteers performed safety checks and minor repairs on 109 bikes belonging to Bicycle Commuter Contest participants and signed up 60 new particiapnts at today's Wrenchers Ball event! Thanks so much everyone!

Check out the Tacoma Bike Swap- Saturday, April 30, 10-2

Wrenchers' Ball and Random Prize Drawings- Coming Up! Plus, get your Undrivers License!

Register for the Bicycle Commuter Contest and receive a free safety check of your bike by mechanics from local bike shops at the WRENCHERS BALL (Friday, 4/29). Bring your bike to the Olympia Transit Center between 7:30 am and 3pm this Friday, April 29, and pick it up by 5pm. If your bike needs extensive repairs or parts, you will be referred to a nearby bike shop. This is an event for participants in the Bicycle Commuter Contest. You must register for the BCC to qualify for the free safety check. There is a limit to how many bikes we can check out, so FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED, bring your bike early to ensure we have a chance to look at it. A NEW FEATURE at the Wrenchers Ball this year: Come to the Olympia Transit Center between noon and 4pm and get your "Undrivers License"! Undriving creatively engages people to reduce their car use - leading to reduced carbon emissions, increased health, and greater community connectedness. Get licensed to Undrive! We issue Undriver Licenses to people of all ages who make a pledge to experiment with getting around without a car. What will you discover? In other news: Hurry and register for the BCC because our new random prize drawings will start soon! Starting on May 1, we'll have periodic random drawings among all BCC registrants for sweet prizes like bike lights, reflective leg bands or even shopping-bag panniers!

What a Day for a Ride!

2011 Earth Day Market Riders

Over 100 riders from eight different neighborhoods around Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater participated in this year's Earth Day Market Ride- thanks so much everyone for coming out! Special thanks to Intercity Transit Authority member Karen Messmer for a spontaneous welcome speech, and Intercity Transit General Manager Mike Harbour for leading us all to the Market! Once we got there, nearly 70 people registered for the Bicycle Commuter Contest.

Happy Earth Day!

Celebrate today at the Olympia Farmers Market, 10- 3

or at SPSCC's Earth Day Forum, 12-2

CHECK OUT THIS WEATHER REPORT
and come on out tomorrow for the Earth Day Market Ride!

See post below for details.

Join the EARTH DAY MARKET RIDE THIS SATURDAY- here's how:

 

2010 Earth Day Riders

Volunteer leaders will lead groups of cyclists from their neighborhood to Heritage Park Fountain, arriving at 11am, THIS Saturday, April 23. Meet your neighborhood Ride Leader at one of the meeting points below- rides will depart the meeting points approximately 15 minutes after the posted meeting time. You'll bike with your group down to the fountain (across from the Oyster house), following all rules of the road. After some brief announcements including greetings from Intercity Transit general Manager Mike Harbour, we all proceed as a large group to the Olympia Farmers Market where the Bicycle Commuter Contest will have a booth set up to register participants. Ride into town, register for the BCC, meet old friends and new. Stick around for the festivities at the Market, and stay or come back in the afternoon for ArtsWalk activities and the Procession of the Species!

MEETING POINTS AND TIMES:

* South Sound Center flagpoles at Sleater-Kinney and the bike path- 10 am - Leaders Dane Clay and Yogi Fox (Yogi will be meeting a group at Cutters Coffee at the Lacey Blvd/Pacific Ave. roundabout at 9 am for coffee before the ride, leaving there at 9:30 to join Dane at South Sound Center)

* Chambers Lake Chehalis-Western trailhead parking lot(14th Av SE) 10 am – Leader Troy Warnick


* Peter G. Schmidt Elementary School, Tumwater, 10 am – Leader Joy Rogers

* Olympia High School, at bike racks on Carlyon Ave side,  Olympia, 10 am - Leader Paul Brewster

* Roosevelt Elementary School, San Francisco Ave NE, 10:15 am – Leader Kris Fransen

*The Evergreen State College, Red Square bus stop area, 10 am - Leader Chloe Stamper

* Garfield Elementary School, Garfield Ave. and Plymouth St NW. 10:15 am - Leaders Camille Hodges and Susan Lasiter


 For more information or if you would like to lead a ride from your neighborhood, contact Duncan Green at dgreen"at" intercitytransit.com
The Earth Day Market Ride is sponsored by Intercity Transit- wearing a helmet and signing a liability waiver are required.

$4.00 a Gallon? Save Money and Go Green this Spring

Intercity Transit press release on gas prices and commute alternatives...