Friday, May 18, 2007

Bike training

Yesterday's Bike 2 Work Day event had a special trophy ready for Thomas T. Pleasants ("TT") who has been riding a bicycle to his job as an engineer for Amtrak for 14 years!

While in Carbondale, he rides from the motel to the Amtrak station, then loads his bicycle on the train to use it when he gets to Chicago!

TT couldn't make it to lunch at Town Square Pavilion yesterday, so I caught up with him at the station this morning, May 18 -- which happens to be Bike to Work Day in many other U.S. cities in the U.S.

Thursday, May 17, 2007

B2W5

Today's Bike 2 Work Day event at Town Square Pavilion was attended by about 25 people, pictured here.

The prize for longest distance ride to work went to Stace England, of SIH, again this year. Stace pedalled 17 miles to work this morning.

The prize for the organization with the most people riding went (again this year) to the SIU Microbiology Department, with 7 people riding to work this morning, inspired by Donna Mueller.

Two Special Awards were also given by Mayor Cole to two people who have promoted the cause of bicyling in Carbondale: Sheila Simon was given a Special Award for her outstanding advocacy, while Darby McGrann was acknowledged for playing music at the event for the 5th consecutive year.

Sunday, May 06, 2007

5th Annual Bike 2 Work Day

It started as a friendly collaboration between Tom Riechmann and me, when Tom was editor of the Carbondale Times, and he rode his bicycle to the Thomas Publishing office, across the street from my house, every day. We cooked it up together, before learning it was a national event. Mayor Brad Cole was quick to sponsor the idea, now in its 5th year. The first one was in October, successive ones have been in May.

The first event was held at City Hall. After the second year, the lunch was moved to Town Square Pavilion, but the theme remains the same. Lunch for everyone, a drawing for free bicycle stuff, and trophies to the individuals and businesses who ride farthest, or have the most people riding from a group. Past winners include American Resource Group and the SIUC Microbiology Dept. Past individual distance riding winners include Kyle Harfst and Stace England.

This year's event will take place

Thursday, May 17,
Noon - 1 p.m.
Town Square Pavilion


with lunch and trophies presented by Mayor Cole.

More details will be posted here as they become available.