This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Shifting Gears for Bike to Work Day

Commuters expected to shake up their routines for Bike to Work Day on Thursday

Commuters will be hanging up their car keys and dusting off their bicycles in preparation for Thursday's Bay Area's 16th annual Bike to Work Day, a public campaign that encourages commuters to get out of their cars and onto their bicycles.

San Ramon will have "energizer bike stations" throughout the city, allowing bicyclists to snack on refreshments and recharge their batteries while socializing with friends and fellow cyclists.

Darelene Amaral, transportation analyst for the city of San Ramon, said that she'll  be working at a popular energizer station at the transit center at the Iron Horse trail and Iron Horse Middle School, handing cyclists water, snacks and a "Bike to Work Day" bag.

Find out what's happening in San Ramonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"It's a very popular day," Amaral said. "I get a lot, a lot of bicyclists stopping at my energizer stations. All the energizer stations are really busy." Amaral said commuters that stop by her station come from neighborhoods around town or bike from Pleasanton or further cities.

Spike in Popularity

Find out what's happening in San Ramonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Bike to Work day has increased in popularity over the years in part because of the increase in gas prices, but also because some people are looking for commute alternatives that promote individual and communal wellness.  

Amaral, whose occupation surrounds helping locals find alternatives to single-car commuting, said that she has noticed that more and more people are looking for ways to get out of their cars, be it through van car pooling, busing or cycling, 

Marci McGuire, the program manager of the Bishop Ranch Transportation Center, is also hosting an energizer station. McGuire said she has seen up to 600 bicyclists pass through her station throughout the years.

The Bishop Ranch station at the trail and Bollinger Canyon Road, open Thursday from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and also from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., loads up cyclists with free refreshments, a free Bike to Work bag, an assortment of biker maps, safety lights and even mint lip balm.  

The station will host activities that include a demonstration of an electric bicycle, promoted as an alternative for beginners and social cyclists. The electric bicycle has a tiny motor with a batter pack on it, so if the cyclist gets tired, they can click it into electrical assist and it will pedal independently. 

"You can use it as an assist on a hill, and it's just another way to get a whole different crowd on a bike," McGuire said. "Some people get on a bike for the physical activity, others want to be in the fresh air and the social activity. This is just another opportunity for a whole [other] group of people to be out there experiencing bicycling." 

But Not for Everyone

Although Bike to Work Day is getting more popular, many Bishop Ranch employees said they won't participate because of their long commute.

"I live in Oakland [and] I wouldn't know how to get here from there," said Joetta Dancey an employee of the AT&T location in Bishop Ranch.

Cycling to work is also a challenge for those who use work out of their car.

"I'm in field sales, and my territory is from Pleasanton to Martinez, Brentwood and Antioch," said Kent Miller, who works for Pacific Medical in Bishop Ranch. "My car is my office." 

Still, the Bike to Work Day campaign is convincing more commuters to put away their car keys and jump on their bicycles.

"We get more bikers every single year," McGuire said. "I don't think what people realize is anything within 15 miles of your work site is a bicyclable distance. All the buses that come to Bishop ranch have bike racks, and those who work in Bishop Ranch get a free pass from us."

Attracting Young Commuters

Bike to Work Day attracts more than just 8-to-6ers commuting to Bishop Ranch.

Students at Iron Horse middle school also take advantage of the energizer station near their school.

"I'm looking forward to Bike to Work day because I love free food," said Dylan Stalcup, a 12-year-old seventh-grader at Iron Horse.

Oliver Speltz, a 13-year-old seventh-grader at Iron Horse, said that his dad will be riding his bike to work on Thursday, and the two of them will be stopping by the Energizer Station along Iron Horse trail.

"I ride my bike to school because it gives me more freedom and it gives me exercise," said Speltz.  

If You Go

Maps are available on-line on Contra Costa County's transportation website, www.511contracosta.org, or on the campaign's site, www.youcanbikethere.org.

Click here to find a range of cycling resources, including bike maps and locations of area bike lockers.

 

 

 

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?