A Visible Biker on a Foggy Morning Commute...

Actually a pretty pleasant ride in today- the fog seems to muffle sound a bit like snow, so it seemed quiet, at least until we got closer into town and joined the flow of car commuters. It was definitely a day for yellow jackets and bright, fully charged blinky lights though- visibility was down to about 50 yards in some places.

Welcome To Our Fresh, New Look!

Our new blog layout is designed to be easier to read and navigate. Hope you like it! I'll be updating some of the other features on the blog in the next few days as well- stay tuned and happy cycling- the weather looks good the next few days- just watch out for ice if you ride in the early morning.

A Washington State Senate hearing today of interest to cyclists...

Click here to See the Cascade Bicycle Club's blog for details...

Don't Be an "Invisibiker"!

The days are starting to get longer, but it is still dark early in the evening, and I still see un-lit cyclists riding in the dark every day(many in dark clothes as well). I'm probably preaching to the choir here, but if you or someone you know are cycling after dark without lights, please reconsider. It may be trendy, you may feel like you are flying under the radar, or may feel you just can't afford the expense or don't have time to get to the bike shop. Please just stop and think for a minute.

• Inexpensive LED bike lights are widely available (you don't need the fanciest one!)
• A front and rear LED light and batteries are much cheaper than an ER visit.
• In dark clothes and without a light, you are INVISIBLE to drivers. Not a problem for you? Wait until one turns left in front of you, or pulls out from a side street into your path.
• It is considerate of other users of the road to be visible, and your consideration benefits all cyclists.
• It's the Law. In Washington State you must have a white light on the front of your bike and a red rear reflector if you ride after dark.

Thanks for not being an "INVISIBIKER"!

BCC 2011 on Facebook

We've added Facebook to our array of communication tools- check out our page here: BCC2011onFB .
For now, the most exciting or different thing about our FB page is that I am gradually posting photos there relevant to the BCC. Check out the albums there to see photos of BCC events, "Bikes of Thurston County",

and other photos of interest to the local bike commuter.

"View From the Saddle" on this morning's commute...

It just seems like you see more from your bike!



BCC News: Preparations in Full Swing

Now entering its 24th year, the Bicycle Commuter Contest encourages community members of all ages and abilities to use bicycling as a means of transportation, and gives rewards and recognition to novice and veteran bike commuters alike. We're looking forward to all of our great events this year and we hope you'll join us! We're off to a running start with preparations for BCC 2011. Dates are set for our major events:

• Earth Day Ride: Saturday, April 23, 2011 (more info to follow about time and place)
• Wrencher's Ball: Friday, April 29, 2011 (BCC registrants get a free bike safety check)
• National Bike to Work Day: Friday, May 20, 2011
• Award Ceremony: Saturday, June 25, 2011 (more info to follow about time and place)

Stay tuned here for frequent updates, news and bicycle commuting tips and stories. Get important BCC news and updates emailed directly to your inbox by signing up for our e-newsletter. Just send me an email at dgreen@intercitytransit.com and I'll add you to our list! (We never share your contact info with anyone)

A window on the world, past and present...

 You can carry almost anything on a bike... China, 1987

If only we had parking issues like this! Holland, 2010

                                                     

2010 BCC Survey Results

280 people responded to our 2010 BCC Survey. 90% of them had participated in the BCC. Here are some highlights of their answers to our questions:

The top 3 motivations for participating in the BCC were:

• Personal health and well-being
• Concern for the environment
• To lead by example

About 40% of respondents made most of their trips by bike already (before participating in the BCC). Of those who did not, most (33% of respondents) drove alone and many used a combination of modes of travel.

17% of respondents said that the BCC influenced them to try practical cycling, and 49% of all respondents said that it influenced them to bike more frequently.

Respondents had many reasons to feel the BCC was a rewarding experience. 48% liked the coupons, and many people commented that it is most rewarding to contribute, be a menber of a team or of the greater cycling community, and to feel that one is making a difference.

One respondent did not participate in the BCC because s/he feels that it is just for "wannabes" and fair-weather cyclists, unlike her/him, who rides year-round. Our survey results show that while many of our participants are new to bike commuting or ride more during the BCC(and those are two of our main goals), a significant number of BCC participants choose cycling as their primary mode of transportation year-round.

Whether or not you responded to the survey, please feel free to contact me at any time with questions, ideas or feedback about the BCC!

Rutted, half-frozen slush!

Cycling condtions on the way to work this morning made me feel so fortunate to have a good bus system as a back-up for at least part of my commute today. The roads near my house were mostly covered in rutted, half-frozen slush. The bike lanes were deep with it, and navigable only with much difficulty. Cars whizzed by hurling tsunamis of heavy, dirty goosh six feet in the air and all the way to the shoulder of the road. When I was a little younger, I probably would have toughed it out and ridden the whole way, but today I decided to put my bike on the bus for the first part of my commute. That got me downtown where the melting was a little farther along, and from there I rode the rest of the way to work without difficulty, getting wet only from the rain, and from being a bit over-dressed! For more information about taking your bike on an Intercity Transit bus in Thurston county, visit intercitytransit.com

If you rode your bike to work today, or have a story to share about commuting by bike or bike-and-bus, feel free to leave a comment here on the BCC blog, or email me at dgreen"at"intercitytransit.com

Snow in the forecast...

I grew up riding my bike to school everyday (five miles through the snow, barefoot - OK not really!) in northern Illinois regardless of the weather, so I became accustomed to biking in snow and ice at an early age. Now that I am older and more brittle (if not wiser) I have decided to try studded tires for frozen slippery weather. The tires I bought came with a recommendation to ride them on dry pavement for a few miles to seat the studs before putting them through snow and ice. So this morning, with only a little black ice here and there, but snow in the forecast for this afternoon, I thought this would be the perfect day to try them out. The tires were definitely slow and a bit squirrelly on dry pavement, and sounded like a scaled-down version of studded car tires on the road. We'll see if we actually get any snow and if so, how easily I get home tonight!





The BCC Blog is open for 2011

Hello and welcome back to the BCC blog- your resource for Thurston County bicycle commuting information, support and encouragement! I'm back in the saddle and gearing up for the 2011 Bicycle Commuter Contest. We're going over the results of our survey from July 2010 and taking your responses into account. We've had some great input and look forward to implementing some new ideas to make the contest even better, more rewarding and more fun this year. Stay tuned here for news about the BCC's annual events coming up in April, and about the improvements we're planning for BCC 2011!

I'll be biking to work every day and keeping my eyes open for other intrepid winter bike commuters- let's stick together to make it through the remaining cold dark months until spring! If you are one of those year-round bike commuters and have a story to tell, road condtions to report, or just want to check in with your local practical-cycling community, feel free to leave a comment here on the blog or e-mail me at dgreen"at"intercitytransit.com. I do moderate comments on the blog, so they won't show up instantly.

Just a reminder since the days are still short and visibility can be an issue for drivers with wet or dirty windshields: Stay Visible! Bike lights are relatively inexpensive and getting better and brighter all the time. Get the brightest, best lights you can possibly afford, and mount them so drivers can see them. Reflective clothing and accessories help too. The reflectors on your bike can be a help, but also only if they are mounted and aimed properly. Reflectors work by reflecting the light from headlights directly back to the source, but they are pretty directional, meaning if they are tilted toward the ground or the sky, that's where the reflected light will go. Don't be an "Invisibiker"!

Stay safe and keep pedaling,
Duncan

BCC 2010 Survey Closed- please email your feedback!

The 2010 BCC Survey has been closed so we can analyze the responses. We still want to hear from you if you didn't get a chance to fill out the survey! Please email any comments or feedback you may have to dgreen"at"intercitytransit.com Thanks!

The Bicycle Commuter Contest is all over for 2010, but this is your chance to help us improve the BCC even more for 2011. Please take a few moments to reply to our survey by clicking on the link below or on the title of this post. Thanks so much for being a part of the Bicycle Commuter Contest this year! I'll be looking for you out on the streets this summer, and I look forward very much to seeing you again for BCC 2011!

BCC 2010 Award Ceremony, June 26

Bicycle Commuter Contest 2010 Results

The 2010 Bicycle Commuter Contest is a wrap! 1336 couragous commuters signed up, and 938 of them turned in their mileage logs, in spite of nearly twice the normal rainfall for the month, with 22 days of measurable precipitation in May. Follw the links below to see how your team fared in various categories, and who rode the most days and miles in the individual categories. Thanks again for participating, and I look forward to seeing you next year! Stay tuned to this blog for further updates and news of interest.

Overall Team Placement
Top Team Results
Individual Results

BCC Award Ceremony This Saturday!!

Saturday, June 26 at 10 a.m. - Olympia Farmers Market stage

• We'll announce the winners of the many different categories in the Bicycle Commuter Contest and award prizes (need not be present to win).
• We'll hold a random drawing for a prize for those who turned in a mileage log and are present at the ceremony.
• We'll announce the winner of the drawing for the New Belgium Cruiser bicycle (the actual drawing will be a random electronic drawing that will occur today, and the winner will be notified immediately).

In other BCC News:

• Coupons have been mailed to everyone who turned in their mileage log. If you don't receive your envelope by the end of the week (June 26), contact me and I will make sure you get your coupons.
• We'll be sending out a survey soon, to assess our success, and gather as much information as we can to improve the BCC for next year and beyond. Please participate, or let me know if you don't receive the survey by June 28.

Many thanks to everyone who participated in BCC 2010- see you on Saturday!!

2010 BCC Overall Results are taking shape!

The mileage logs are in, and we're getting a picture of the participation in this year's Bicycle Commuter Contest. In spite of below-normal temperatures and almost double the average rainfall for the month of May, participation in the BCC remained strong. One especially encouraging detail is the high percentage of riders who followed through and turned in their mileage logs: up from 55% last year to 70% this year.

Overall Statistics:

• 65 Teams (52 Returned mileage reports)
• 1336 Registered (938 Turned in mileage logs = 70%)
• 350 First Time Participants = 26% of participants (201 turned in logs = 57%)
• 968 Veteran Participants (707 turned in logs = 73%)
• 84,452 miles = 3839 Gallons of Gasoline @22mpg and 101,342 lbs. CO2 @ 1.2 lb/mile
• 11,837 commute trips
• 4.4 mile avg. one way commute, Avg.13 days per rider, Avg. 90 miles per rider

Participation by age group:

• Juniors (to 11 yrs): 301 = 23% of participants (213 Logs = 70%)
• Youth (12-18 yrs): 49 = 4% of participants (24 Logs = 49%)
• Adults (19-59 yrs): 920 = 69% of participants (553 Logs = 60%)
• Seniors (60+ yrs): 52 = 4% of participants (39 Logs = 75%) 

 Team vs. Individual Participants: 

• Team Members: 1068 (765 returned mileage logs = 72%)
•  Individuals: 269 (163 returned mileage logs = 60%)

Better Late Than Never! Turn in your Mileage Log...

If you or someone you know participated in the 2010 Bicycle Commuter Contest, and has not turned in a mileage log yet, please do! Even if you only rode one day, we want to know about it! You can return the log in person to the Olympia Transit Center, or mail it to the address on the back of the form. Thanks so much for pedaling in May!

2010 Rider Profile #2: Joy Rogers

• What is your age? Screaming up too quickly on 53

• What is your occupation? Department assistant
• How many years have you been commuting by bike? This is my 3rd year
• How many times have you participated in the Bicycle Commuter Contest? This is #3.
• How did you hear about the BCC? Thru the workplace
• Describe your current average or usual commute(distance, terrain, urban/rural, etc.) 13.5 miles round trip from Tumwater (urban), uphill and down.
• What got you started bike commuting? Partly the BCC and partly the supportive environment of my workplace
• How have you adapted your habits to make bike commuting work for you? Arising an hour earlier, adjusting the morning routine, planning work attire in advance and remembering to bring in work clothes on carpool days, planning and preparing the night before for the next day.
• What are some of the benefits you have experienced from commuting by bike? My husband and I are primary caretakers for my disabled mother, so we have very little discretionary time. We normally carpool together. He works 10-hour days with Mondays off, so bicycling provides flexibility: I don’t need to drive, don’t have to wait until he picks me up after 6 p.m., I don’t have to leave work early to catch the bus, and bicycling is quicker than the bus. Since bicycling also is an excellent aerobic workout, I’m not trying to find additional time for exercise. Plus, I love the quiet, the smell, the sounds, and the views on the way to work in the morning, before the traffic and hubbub begin. And riding home after work is a fabulous de-stressor. Benefits: Combining a great aerobic workout with transportation; gaining excellent use of commute time; enjoying a positive sensory experience on the way to work and arriving happy and in a good mood that generally carries thru the day; the exhilaration of zooming downhill part of the way home; savoring the views on the return trip, arriving home calmer and less stressed; the feeling of accomplishing something positive and good, that I was able to overcome challenges; knowing I am part of the solution, contributing to the “greater good”; and saving money- that's a lot of benefits!
• What are some of the challenges you have experienced, and how have you overcome them? In the beginning: getting started, staying motivated, and just being able to make it all the way to work. Sometimes it’s a challenge just to get out of bed at 5 a.m. (part of that is not leaving all the morning “duties” to my husband, such as feeding the dogs, getting mom set up, taking out the garbage, etc.). Feeling guilty for trading the dogs’ walking time for bicycling. Time is often a challenge—it would be so much quicker/easier to carpool with my husband, but then I’d miss all the benefits and euphoria of bicycling. This year, I also am recovering from a broken leg. The first few attempts were uncomfortable and a little painful, so I had to back off and take it slower, but bicycling is helping to strengthen and improve the leg much quicker than I expected.
• What is it that keeps you going, especially when the going is tough(weather, darkness, inertia, etc)? At first, it was the contest itself (not wanting to let the team down). Then all those benefits motivate me to continue. I was a real wimp about riding in the rain…until I actually rode in a downpour (without rain pants or proper shoes). Even though I was soaked to the bone from waist down, it wasn’t nearly as bad as expected and that felt good!
• How do you choose your route(most direct, least traffic, most scenic, etc)? Usually, the least uphills and traffic. Fortunately, there’s abundant scenery on any route, and since there is less traffic, I’m able to enjoy it more.
• What style of bike do you ride to commute? Currently, it’s an inexpensive Schwinn hybrid I bought at Fred Meyer a few years ago, when hubby and I were purely occasional recreational cyclists. However, I’m seriously considering something more comfortable and fitting for commuting.
Ed. note: See the new Trek above! It's a Trek (women-specific design) 7.3XL. "Picked it up Saturday, rode it this morning. Woo hoo! The hills were a breeze in comparison to the other bike!"
• Any words of wisdom for the beginning commuter? Take one of the urban cycling courses! It’s well worth the time and money. Before I took the course, I was very hesitant to ride in traffic because there were certain circumstances I didn’t know how to deal with. The course was excellent, the instructors are marvelous, and now I have lots more confidence on the road!

Another event Saturday June 5- donate your old bike!

Celebrate National Trails Day this Saturday June 5!

Meet from Noon to 1PM at the "T" intersection of the Woodland Trail and the Chehalis Western Trail for light snacks and a celebration.
Before that, you can help restore our trail system by participating in one of three work parties:
Saturday, June 5

1. 9 AM In Olympia to put mulch mats on our newly-planted trees at the Fones Road Crossing of the Woodland Trail. Contact Jack Horton (360)
   
2. 9 AM In Lacey for invasive species removal at Woodland Creek Community Park at the east end of the Woodland Trail. Contact Lori Flemm (360)701-6814
   
3. 9 AM In Thurston County for invasive species removal at the Chambers Lake Trailhead of the Chehalis Western Trail. Contact Kerry Hibdon at (360)867-2181

Enjoy the trails: ride your bike or longboard; skate or walk. Just get to the intersection of the Woodland Trails and the Chehalis Western Trail by Noon!If you are not familiar with this location, call Jack Horton (360)789-0944 for directions.

BCC 2010 Wraps up- time to return mileage logs!

What a wet May! By my count, it rained or showered on 19 days in May. 1332 people registered for the Bicycle Commuter Contest this year, let's see how many actually rode their bikes rain or shine!

Please turn in your completed, legible mileage log by Monday, June 7 at the Olympia Transit Center, 222 State Ave NE in downtown Olympia, or mail it to:
Bicycle Commuter Contest
c/o Intercity Transit
P.O. Box 659
Olympia, WA 98507-0659

Remember to count the miles you rode in the Earth Day ride if you participated, and to count your "double" miles if you rode on Bike To Work Day, May 21. Check the box if you want to be entered to win the New Belgium Cruiser bike in our free drawing. We also have lots of great coupons for everyone who turns in a mileage log, and many excellent prizes for those who rode the extra mile or the extra day!

Don't miss the Award Ceremony at the Farmers Market on Sat. June 26 at 10am!