Bike to Work Week - Events and Information
Bike Parking near the Stadium at LSU
It's May in Louisiana, and the perfect time to be outside before it gets hot! National Bike to Work Week runs May 16 through May 20, and is a perfect excuse to spend a little extra time enjoying the outdoors in what we (of course) would argue is the best manner possible - riding a bicycle.
To help get you commuting by bike, we have a bunch of resources at your disposal. First and foremost is the Baton Rouge Bike to Work Week Facebook Page where you and other Bike to Work Week participants can ask questions, learn about routes, and stay on top of Bike to Work Week events.
What kind of events, you ask?
On Wednesday, join the Capital Heights Social Ride hosting a special Hump Day Social Ride that will take you and a group of bicyclists around some of Baton Rouge's lesser known paths, trails and streets before ending down near LSU at the State Bar for some drinks and dinner.
Friday is Bike to Work Day, and you'll have the opportunity to join in a Bike Train from Capital Heights to LSU via City Park. The Bike Train will roll at 7:15, be at City Park at 7:35 and get you to your final stop at LSU at 7:55 - and will be captained by an experienced bike commuter who'll be answering your questions on routes, gear and more!
Finally on Saturday, check out the Healthy BR Family Fit Day at City Park in the morning, and then head on over to the Capital Heights Kids Bike Safety Day where your little ones can learn how to operate a bike safely and how to obey some basic road rules. The Safety Day will end with a short ride around the block in the quiet and bike friendly Capital Heights area.
We expect that a lot of you will be having a great time on bikes throughout Bike to Work Week, so we'll be rolling out the #mybikestory hashtag for you to tell the world about your bike commutes. Too often we only ever here about bike commutes when something bad happens. We'd like YOU to help change the perception that bike commuting is scary by using the #mybikestory hashtag to post about how fun, exciting, or even how mundane your daily bike commute might be!
With all these extra miles you'll be riding, be sure to sign up for the National Bike Challenge and log your rides. We'll be giving away Bike Baton Rouge T-Shirts to selected participants in the National Bike Challenge.
Speaking of T-Shirts, if you haven't yet picked up your annual Bike Baton Rouge membership then we urge you to go check that out! The annual memberships come with a Bike BR T-Shirt, a set of Blinky Lights and a Bicycling Safety Guide from the League of American Bicyclists.
We hope you enjoy Bike to Work Week! If you're looking for any advice, help or support, then please shoot us an email at bikebatonrouge@gmail.com or ask us at the Baton Rouge Bike to Work Week facebook page.
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.