BTA staff heads to the bridges to boost ‘Bike Commute Challenge’

Bank of the Cascades doubled the number of riders this year, and have riders in Bend, Portland and Eugene.

Ohhh look at those awful bright headlights a couple of those riders are using.

LOL, my coworker told off these two nice ladies because he hates to share the bike lanes with the 15 day a year riders that come out for Bike Commute Challenge. He said they looked rather crestfallen.

Daimler riders are shooting for “around the world” 25K miles!

Dang it, I missed cookies? : I ride that bridge every morning. I have to get my timing down better for these events. I am at 100% Challenge participation and 340 miles. I deserve a cookie.

I support any effort to encourage bike commuting, but imagine that you are out of shape and haven’t ridden a bike since high school. Is this the kind of thing that would get you to try bike commuting? I started riding four or five years ago because one summer day I was riding the bus. We were packed in like cattle, it was hot and someone’s armpit was in my face. I looked out the window and saw some pudgy guy like me in street clothes on a bike. It looked SO much more pleasant. I bought a bike and have never looked back: I now commute year-round by bike.

Things that did NOT encourage me, and turned me off from trying it? Gear-heads in Lycra, looking like they are sponsored on the way to work. Expensive bikes and bike clothes. Total jocks on bikes. Hipsters. Riders running red lights (when I was driving).

Just my opinion, but it seems to me that rather than be challenged, maybe whats needed is a campaign that points out: its for everybody. Its easy. Its fun. Its relaxing. You can wear normal clothes if you want. It beats the hell out of any other transportation method. Its actually pleasant in the rain. Overweight people like me can do it (and in short order no longer overweight).