With rain threatening and temperatures hovering in the low 40s, the 2010 Bike to Work Day in the Seattle area on Friday was a real test of road warrior commitment for bike commuters.
The tally at the Bellevue Commuter Station, one of 44 set up by the Cascade Bicycle Club throughout the Puget Sound region, was off compared to previous years. Early indications showed that numbers were down throughout the region.
Still, a steady stream of good-natured bicyclists making the commute over the Lake Washington bridges between Bellevue and Seattle stopped to pick up water bottles, energy bars and other hand-outs. For many, rain and cold mean nothing when bicycling to work.
About 300 bicyclists
Based on the rate of cyclists passing through, Mike Ingram, a senior planner for transportation planning with the city of Bellevue, estimated that they'd see about 300 bike commuters at the station Friday morning. Ingram said that some 500 bicyclists visited the station in recent years when the weather was warmer and drier.
When the count stood at 172 shortly after 7:30, he said the rate reminded him of earlier years when Bike-to-Work was just catching on. Meanwhile, Seattle Bike Transportation Examiner blogger Millie Magner reports that the month-long Commute Challenge numbers exceed last year's record-setting numbers. Apparently Friday's downturn is just a momentary blip in an otherwise strong month for bike commuting.
Bellevue's commute station at the base of the I-90 bridge to Mercer Island was staffed by six volunteers; three representing the Cycle the WAVE bike ride in September, two from Cascade Bicycle Club and a mechanic from the Montlake Bicycle Shop.
Veteran commuters
Most of the bicyclists passing through the bike commute station appeared to be veteran bike commuters. Few needed work on their bikes, although a mechanic from Montlake Bicycles was on hand for free repairs. Everyone I talked with said they rode to work regularly.
One of those was David Showalter, pictured above, who rolled into the bike station puffing heavily. I thought it odd that he'd be so out of breath because he was riding an electric-assisted bicycle.
Showalter, who lives in Seattle and commutes to Bellevue, said he rarely uses the power-assist function on his e-bike anymore because he's training for the Seattle-to-Portland Bicycle Classic. And that bike is heavy.
Getting in shape
He explained that last year, some friends talked him into riding the Tour de Lopez. He dusted off an old bicycle he hadn't ridden in years and got about 3 miles before he wanted to quit. He considered his weight and his stamina, and realized that he had to do something to get in shape.
He bought an e-bike, started bike commuting, and signed up for the 200-mile STP in July. Now he also owns a regular road bike that he uses for weekend rides with the Cascade Training Series.
You'd never suspect that he had trouble riding 3 miles a year ago. He now puts in 100 to 200 miles a week between commuting and training.
Bike to Work activities
In addition to setting up bike commute stations around the region, Cascade also organized the 7:30 a.m. bicyclist rally at City Hall and arranged a bike ride with Mayor McGinn that was to depart from Fremont on Friday morning.
Cascade also planned the Bike to Work Day After-Party from 4-7 p.m. this evening. It's in Ballard on 22nd Street NW between Market Street and Ballard Avenue next to the Bergen Place Park.
Check out the May is Bike Month activities presented by Cascade Bicycle Club, such as F5 Bike to Work Day and Group Health Commute Challenge.
Here's a League of American Bicyclists list of other Bike-to-Work events
From some other Seattle bike bloggers:
Seattle Likes Bikes! writes about bike commuters in Seattle today
Kent's Bike Blog asks Why do you commute by bicycle? and Why don't you commute by bicycle?”
Paul at Bike Intelligencer writes about the bicycle fans at F5, which sponsors Bike to Work this year, and riding to work with Mayor McGinn.
CarFreeDays reminds us that it's bike-to-school month too
Bikejuju writes about another Bike-to-Work Day experience, people in rural Africa who use their bikes to work as charcoal haulers
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