Bike Week / Bike to Work Day 2011

[Melalvai]

We're doing a Bike & Walk Commuters' Day on April 29. We called it Commuters' Day instead of Bike to Work day because one of the breakfast stations is near the university and one is near the public school campus. Bike & Walk to Work & School Day seemed awkward. We picked April 29 as the Friday before graduation weekend, so that students will still be around.

This is our first ever event of this kind and I'm basing it on what PedNet has been doing in Columbia for 10 years. Anyone who arrives at a breakfast station under their own power gets free breakfast.

I hope next year, our grant will have come through and we'll have paid staff to organize it. This year, I'm organizing it with a lot of other volunteers--this during the same month that I have 4 grant deadlines. I admit it is a seriously rough month.

Good luck!

[tangentgirl]

Thanks everyone, this is all great stuff. I'll let you know what we come up with.

[Trek420]

Silly question but is there a site that has all the different dates/events? I'm trying to get some coworkers involved and it's a pretty far flung group.

[tangentgirl]

Trek, the LA site is http://www.metro.net/around/bikes/bike-to-work/, but I haven't seen any place that has comprehensive dates for different cities.

[Biciclista]

OUr bike to work month is May (and bike to work day is in May too) I have had a team every year since 2006. Lucky for us we have the largest bike club in the world right here in Seattle so they do all the organizing.

[Melalvai]

Here's my report on our Bike & Walk Commuters' Day (more pictures here):
About 100 people visited one of three breakfast stations on Friday at Brashear Park, Courthouse Lawn, and Baptist Student Union. Most of the visitors to Brashear Park were students on their way to school. Science teacher Mrs. Keck offered extra credit for students who visited the breakfast station. Hundreds of students and parents driving past on Cottage Grove stared hungrily out the car and bus windows!

Baptist Student Union had the highest turnout. Many of the Truman students had heard about the stations through facebook or word of mouth. Courthouse Lawn saw the lowest turnout, with about 20 visitors. Local musicians provided entertainment for visitors.

Mocha Hut and Downtown Grocery Stores donated gourmet coffee and free-trade coffee. Volunteers baked low-sugar muffins and cookies, and Sweet Espressions provided pastries. Donations from the Possibility Alliance and volunteers bought bananas and oranges. Other supporters included Sodexho, Grace Community Bible Church, Baptist Student Union, Steve's Garden Deli, ATSU, ECO, the Kirksville Bike Co-op, and the City of Kirksville.

A half-dozen boys bike to school almost every day. They're middle school age. I called them the Bike Brigade.

[Tri Girl]

Mel- THAT. IS. AWESOME!!! What cool kids!!!

[tulip]

Richmond's is May 20th. It's pretty small, but the city is making great progress.