Bike to Work Day This Friday

Bike to Work Day takes place this Friday, and both Cascade Bicycle Club and Community Transit are hosting special events and commute stations in Edmonds.

Cascade Bicycle Club's F5 Bike to Work Day includes dozens of commuter stations around the region (including one at the Edmonds Ferry Dock), a ride with Mayor Mike McGinn, a rally at Seattle City Hall, the Ballard Block Party, and a free drawing for a bike.

Commuter stations will have free giveaways, water and other refreshments, and bicycle support services for anyone who needs a quick repair or tune-up.

In addition to Cascade Bicycle Club's line-up, Community Transit will host a number of events and bike stations in Snohomish County. The stations will offer healthy snacks, a Snohomish County Bike Map and other biking related goodies. A bike shop mechanic will provide free safety checks and cyclists can win prizes in a raffle. Community Transit will host an Edmonds station at Vatika Restaurant (102 Main Street).  

Cyclists who want to meet up with other riders can join Community Transit's Celebration Ride in Edmonds. The ride begins at 8 a.m. at PCC Natural Market at Westgate and heads to the Edmonds waterfront.

A number of Edmonds cycling enthusiasts are gearing up to participate in the day. Edmonds resident Greg Todd has commuted 20 miles to his job at in Redmond for the past three years and will be one of the hundreds passing through the Cascade Bicycle Club's Sammamish River Trail station on Friday morning.

For Todd, the benefits of being a bicycle commuter are numerous: it helps the environment, it's a way to stay active, and it's much less stressful than sitting in rush-hour traffic, he said.

“I really advocate people give it a try," Todd said. "It's not real easy, but the more you do it, the easier it becomes."