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Energizer stations fuel Bike to Work Day
By Kelli Phillips Contra Costa Times
May 13, 2008
Bicycle lights and mint flavored lip balm, check.
Bike to Work Day lasts just 24 hours, but preparing for the cycling awareness event can take weeks.
"We're getting so close now," said Marci McGuire, Bishop Ranch Business Park program manager. "We're going all out. We'll be working on it (Friday) and every single day from now until probably about 10 o'clock the night before."
By Thursday's Bike to Work Day event, McGuire and her staff will have stuffed 600 backpacks with snack bars, cycling literature and other goods for the San Ramon business park's energizer station. The refueling site is one of 190 across the Bay Area and its the largest in Contra Costa County.
"Marci really does a good job," said East Bay Bicycle Coalition Chairman Dave Campbell. "Last year, she had 400 to 500 cyclists come through."
Energizer stations are set up along major bicycle commute routes where cyclists can stop for free refreshments, snacks, bicycling information and even a little encouragement. Cyclists can register for the event and pick up reusable tote bags filled with pamphlets, trail maps and other giveaways.
"By the time they get to us, some people have biked quite a few miles," McGuire said. "They come in, they get energized, we pat them on the back and send them on their way. Some even come extra early just to chat or meet up with friends."
McGuire has run the Bishop Ranch station for 10 years. "This year is going to be big, I think partly due to the price of gas, but it also lowers stress, it's healthy, it's fabulous exercise. It doesn't pollute and it really can save you tons of money."
About 100,000 Bay Area residents are expected to participate in the 14th annual Bike to Work Day, said event coordinator Cole Portocarrero.
More than 1 million Bay Area residents live within five miles of work, which is an ideal distance for biking, according to an event news release.
"It's just a real enthusiastic way to cheer on commute cyclists and those trying for the first time," Portocarrero said. "It spreads the good cheer of bicycling, there's a great community feel to the event."
Most energizer stations will be open during morning commute hours, but some will reopen for the evening commute.
A new station, opening this year at Los Medanos College in Pittsburg, plans to operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
"We're calling it Bike to Work and School Day," said Student Life Office director Dave Belman. "We have students who take morning, afternoon and evening classes. There are staff members and students who are not necessarily on a typical workday schedule so we wanted to keep it open as long as we could."
The community college has loosely promoted Bike to Work Day in the past, but Belman says the campus is making an effort to promote environmental responsibility and sustainability on campus.
To support the movement, Belman plans to ride his bike Thursday. He'll ride to the Pleasant Hill BART station, where he'll take the train to Pittsburg, and then it's pedal power from BART to the college.
"It's an enjoyable ride, I've done it a couple times."
Reach Kelli Phillips at 925-945-4745 or kphillips@bayareanewsgroup.com .
Bike to Work
Day energizer stations Antioch:
Kaiser Permanente, 5601 Deer Valley Rd. 8-10 a.m. Brentwood:
Second at Oak streets. 6:30-9 a.m. Concord:
Salvio Pacheco Square (North of Todos Santos Plaza.) 7-9 a.m.
Concord BART station, 1451 Oakland Ave. 7-9 a.m.
Bank of America, 1655 Grant St. 7-9 a.m. Danville:
Iron Horse Trail at Paraiso Dr. 6-9 a.m.
Iron Horse Trail at the Danville Train Depot/Lundardi's Market. 6-9 a.m. El Cerrito:
El Cerrito Plaza BART station, 6699 Fairmont Ave. 7-9 a.m. Lafayette:
Moraga Road at Mt. Diablo Boulevard. 6:30-8:30 a.m. Martinez:
5019 Imhoff Pl, near Imhoff Drive. 7-8:30 a.m. Pittsburg:
Los Medanos College, Student Life office, 2700 E Leland Rd. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Pleasant Hill:
Iron Horse Trail at the Contra Costa Canal Trail crossing. 6:30-9 a.m.
Pleasant Hill BART station, 1365 Treat Blvd. 6:30-10 a.m. Richmond:
Lucretia Edwards Park, 1500 Marina Way South. 6-9 a.m.
Richmond BART station, 1700 Nevin Ave. Open 6-9 a.m. San Pablo:
Complete Automotive, 13052 San Pablo Ave. 7:15-10 a.m. San Ramon:
San Ramon Transit Center, Camino Ramon at Executive Pkwy. 6-9 a.m.
Bishop Ranch Business Park, 1 Annabel Ln. 6-9 a.m. and 3-5:30 p.m. Walnut Creek:
Whole Foods, Newell Ave at South Broadway. 7-9 a.m.
Walnut Creek BART station, 200 Ygnacio Valley Rd. 9 a.m.-noon.
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