Kidical Mass ride in Wenatchee. Kidical Massive worldwide is Sept. 19 — another great excuse to roll.
We’ve egged you on for 30 Days of Biking before in April 2014 and 2015. This informal challenge has one point: Riding your bike every day. Its creators aren’t doing anything official to promote it for September, although they have in the past. We’re just picking up on the suggestion via Twitter that we push it out there to see what happens.
Riding every day in September in Washington is going to present more challenges in some parts of the state than in others. We have hundreds of thousands of acres burned and burning. People have lost homes, businesses, pets, and loved ones. Western Washington went from abnormal heat to wet and windy pretty much overnight.
So why bother?
Five reasons:
- The National Bike Challenge, which started in April, runs through September. This is the last month to get some miles in and make them count in that setting.
- The annual statewide bike/pedestrian count takes place Sept. 29 – Oct. 1 so you’ll be warming up all month for the riding days when volunteers around the state are collecting data that helps in our state policy work and the efforts of local advocates.
- Coffeeneuring is coming. Another fun, informal, just-because challenge, this year it’s Oct. 3 – Nov. 21. We’ll again encourage you to explore by bike to consume 7 cups in 7 weeks (any seasonally suitable beverage, not just coffee) as we did in 2014. You know you loved it; the participation showed on Twitter. Think of 30 Days of Biking as your training rides for those arduous coffee-shop expeditions.
- It keeps you going past the “easy” months, when the weather typically rewards getting outside, and into the tougher shoulder months. As one recent research study showed, people who choose to bike or walk for their commute are significantly more emotionally committed to their transportation choices than are people who drive or take transit.
- You’re up for it! When we promoted it in April we saw plenty of participation on Twitter and on Instagram.
Recycle Shop weekly ride in Ellensburg.
Every ride, no matter how short, counts. If you have to ride your bike around the block in the dark after you get home late on a day that for some reason didn’t include riding, you do it just to check the box. Trainer time counts too; it’s about turning the wheels. The many bike clubs around Washington state organize rides that can give you some company; check them out even if you’ve never ridden with a group.
Bonus Reason #6: Prizes and Stuff
Pledge to ride and then tell us how you’re doing via comments here, on our Facebook page, or on Twitter, Instagram and Vine with the tag #30daysofbiking and #WAbikes. On Twitter include @WAbikes in your tweet. Share a link here if you write about this on your own blog, or consider writing a guest post for us about your experience.
When you talk about it we’ll enter you in a drawing. Your prize could be a WA Bikes coffee mug, snazzy made-in-Yakima 100% recycled aluminum water bottle, coaster that says “I Bike WA,” or something else. Just remember to tag us.
And while you’re at it, remember to #WavebackWA. In addition to being the most Bicycle Friendly State, let’s make it the Friendliest Bike State.
Sign up with us and we’ll also send you some snazzy “I Arrived by Bike” business cards that you can leave behind when you make a stop along the way.
[Tweet “I’m riding #30DaysofBiking in September. Join me! #WAbikes”]
When you sign up you can also request our pocket guide to Washington state bike laws, our “Drive Aware” brochure (great to share with a non-bicycling friend or co-worker), and our “Go By Bike” tips on bike commuting.
Sign Up to Get Awesome “Bikes Mean Business” Cards and More
Put #30DaysofBiking in the comment form on the field to be entered in the prize drawing.
[Tweet “Get your I Arrived by Bike cards & spread the word while you ride #30DaysofBiking. #bikesmeanbusiness”]
Your Turn:
- What’s your usual response to this kind of “can you do it?” bike challenge?
- What would keep you from completing the challenge?
- What can you do to overcome those issues? If you post them here we can all help you work through them.
- Have you done this before? What was your experience?
- Do you keep a #BikeIt list of things you want to accomplish?
