Press Release - Bike Baton Rouge presents National Bike to Work Week (5/16 - 5/20)
5/13/16, Baton Rouge, LA
Bike Baton Rouge will be offering assistance with route planning, safety advice, and group riding opportunities to Baton Rouge residents for Bike to Work Week which begins on Monday, May 16.
Bike to Work Week is a national event to encourage people to ride their bicycles to work and to learn more about the health and environmental benefits active commuting, such as bicycling, can provide.
"There's a myth that bicycling in Baton Rouge is hard or dangerous, but it doesn't have to be if you take a few steps to learn the best route - which is usually not the most direct. For someone driving a car, that might sound like a bad thing, but if you're riding a bike, it's just a few more minutes that you get to enjoy the bike ride!" said Mika Torkkola, of Bike Baton Rouge.
Torkkola added that anyone riding a bike to work (or anywhere) should follow the road rules at all times, including riding with (not against) traffic and using front and rear lights at night.
Bike to work week will culminate on Friday, May 20 with Bike to Work Day. Bike Baton Rouge will host several “Bike Trains,” including one leaving from Ingleside United Methodist Church at 7:15 a.m., stopping at City Park at 7:35 a.m., and arriving at LSU at 7:55 a.m.
Bicyclists of all ages and abilities are invited to join these bike trains which will have experienced local bike commuters leading the way and available to answer questions and offer advice on commuting by bicycle.
Bike Baton Rouge will be partnering with the Capital Heights Social Ride to put on the Bike to Work Week Hump Day Social Ride on Wednesday May 18. The ride will leave Ingleside United Methodist Church at 7 p.m. The Capital Heights Social Ride occurs every second Wednesday and is a slow paced ride often referred to as a “party on two wheels.”
For Bike to Work Week, Bike Baton Rouge will also be rolling out the hashtag #mybikestory and encouraging Baton Rouge bicyclists to share stories of their daily rides.
"Too often, people only hear about bicycling when something bad happens." said Torkkola, "We're encouraging folks to help change that perception by letting the world know how fun, how relaxing, or even in many cases, how mundane your average bike ride in Baton Rouge can be."
Bicyclists can share their stories, photos and more on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
National Bike to Work Day was first held in 1956 and was organized by the League of American Bicyclists. Bike to Work Week was originally known as Bike Week and originated in the UK in 1923. An average year-round bike commuter saves 1.3 tons of Carbon Dioxide emissions a year, and studies show that active transportation, such as riding a bike, is typically a more effective way to lose weight or improve overall health than going to the gym.
Anyone interested in participating to Bike to Work Week can find out more at the Baton Rouge Bike to Work Week Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/BRBikeToWork/) or by contacting Bike Baton Rouge at bikebatonrouge@gmail.com
Mika Torkkola
225 571 2906
bikebatonrouge@gmail.com
Bike Baton Rouge is a local non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization and has been dedicated to making bicycling trips in Baton Rouge safer and more enjoyable since 2006.