It's Bike to Work Week!

It’s Bike to Work Week in Morris, Warren & Sussex counties!  TransOptions, an organization that organizes commuting options for northwestern New Jersey, is having its annual Bike to Work Week to encourage local commuters to…well, bike to work.

I don't know them, but this picture makes me laugh (credit: flickr smaje2000)

For several winter months, I harbored the fantasy that come spring, I would ride my bike to the train station each morning – about a 4 mile bike ride.  I was all psyched to try it out one spring, Sunday morning to see if my route along 202 was feasible.  While I’d love to say it worked out well, I can’t lie.  I realized a few things that trip:  1) I severely overestimated my bike riding skills and underestimated my perspiration.  2)  There’s way more traffic on 202 than I thought, even on a Sunday.  And way too many big SUVs.  (What’s up with that, people?)  3) There’s barely any shoulder on 202.  4)  I now have way more respect for bikers in the roadway.  How do all of those hard-core cyclists do it?

Perhaps you have an easier commute along a slightly less traveled road.  Or, perhaps you’re less wimpy than me (it doesn’t take much), and if that’s the case, I encourage you to try biking to work – at least once!  Biking to work reduces traffic congestion and improves local air quality (something we need around here).

From May 10-14 (sorry, I missed a day!), you can join more than a hundred other riders in the region for Bike to Work Week.  Each morning, from 7 – 9 a.m., there will be a different events in the area where riders can stop by for refreshments and information on biking to work.

The bike commuter stop locations will be held here:

• County College of Morris in Randolph on May 11
• The Green in Newton on May 12, hosted by Thorlabs, Inc.
• The Hyatt Morristown on May 13, with full continental breakfast
• The Madison Bicycle Shop in Madison on May 14, provided by Whole Foods Market Madison

It doesn’t cost anything to participate, but they do encourage you to register.  Last year they had about 130 registered riders.  All registrants will be automatically entered in a chance to win prizes such as a cyclo-computer or gift certificates to a local bike shop (Marty, is that you?)!

I’d love to hear from you if you regularly bike to work, or just hear your experiences if you’re doing it this week!

Tagged as: bike to work week, TransOptions