Bike to Work Week exceeds expectations
As the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition found out this week, the only thing better than reaching a goal is surpassing it.
The citizen’s advocacy group, which is largely responsible for organizing Bike to Work Week, said its goal for 2008 was to reach the 14,000-mile mark, more than double the mileage from the previous year.
Mission accomplished.
A registered 464 cyclists logged 15,551 miles from May 12-16, bringing smiles to the faces of Tahoe’s cycling enthusiasts.
“We exceeded our mileage goal by over 1,500 miles, and kept the equivalent of 14,000 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere,” said Karen Fink, transportation planner for the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. “Everybody really liked it, and I think it helped bring the event to the front of people’s consciousness, which is what we were hoping for.”
The third annual Bike to Work Week was held in conjunction with National Bike to Work Month (May), which was established 50 years ago by the League of American Cyclists.
In 2007, Bike to Work Week attracted 255 local cyclists who logged 6,890 miles during the five-day work week, keeping 6,300 pounds of carbon dioxide out of Lake Tahoe’s skies.
The most active company, percentage-wise, was the Nevada Tahoe Conservation District/Nichols Consulting, which reported that all 13 employees participated every day last week. The TRPA won the total mileage award, logging 1,477 miles, about twice as many than the next company.
South Tahoe Refuse, which said that 30 of its workers participated at least one day and logged a total of 420 miles, had an extra incentive for its employees.
It raffled off two mountain bikes on Friday, and gave each employee one ticket for each day it rode to work. Steve Brandsgard and Gilberto Castillo were this year’s winners.
“Hopefully this will get people motivated to use alternate ways of transportation that are not only healthy for them but also good for the environment,” said South Tahoe Refuse’s Tracy Ruger.
Bike to Work Awards Party
When: Thursday, 5:45-6:30 p.m.
Where: Regan Beach, South Lake Tahoe
Special Guest: South Lake Tahoe’s Rick Gunn, who recently completed a 34-month bicycle trip around the world
Bike to Work Week Stats
Daily Breakdown
Monday: 3,058
Tuesday: 3,680
Wednesday: 3,395
Thursday: 2,959
Friday: 2,459
Total: 15,551
Number of riders reporting miles for at least one day: 464
TEAM STATS
Most Trips/Employee
Nevada Tahoe Conservation District/Nichols Consulting (Stateline): 12.8 trips/employee (13 out of 13 riding)
Sierra Nevada Alliance (South Lake Tahoe): 9.7 trips/employee (8 out of 12)
Design Workshop (Stateline): 8.8 trips/employee (9 out of 12)
Most Total Miles
TRPA (Stateline): 1,477 miles
CTC/TBI (South Lake Tahoe): 847 miles
Heavenly Mountain Resort (Stateline): 738 miles
Integrated Environmental Restoration Services (North Shore): 696 miles
Most Miles Per Employee
Nevada Tahoe Conservation District/Nichols Consulting (Stateline): 55 miles/employee
Integrated Environmental Restoration Services (Tahoe City): 46 miles/employee
Design Workshop (Stateline): 42 miles/employee
Most Feet of Climbing (approx.)
TRPA: 45,800 feet
City of South Lake Tahoe: 34,400
Design Workshop: 29,000
Highest Percentage of Employees Riding
Nevada Tahoe Conservation District/Nichols Consulting (Stateline): 100% (13/13)
Design Workshop (Stateline): 75% (9/12)
Team Tahoe City: 71% (10/14)
INDIVIDUAL STATS
Most Rides
Tina Dressler (St. Theresa School Bikers): 58 trips
Cynthia Gillis (City of South Lake Tahoe): 29 trips
Robert Erlich (City of South Lake Tahoe): 25 trips
Adrian Tieslau (Individual): 24 trips
Nanc Wells (Individual): 23 trips
Bryan Timonere (IVGID): 22 trips
Most Miles
Heather Segale (UCD TERC): 227
Stan Hill (City of SLT): 225
Andy Coughlin (Olympic Bike Shop): 204
Francis Dixon (Individual): 136
Will Stelter (Team Tahoe City): 135
Most Feet of Climbing (approx.)
Stan Hill (City of SLT): 21,805 feet
Heather Segale (UCD TERC): 9,600 feet
Mary Bennington (Sierra Nevada Alliance): 8,040
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