Right now, you’ve got the opportunity to recognize your favorite bike commuter. If you know someone whose commitment to their bike commute is inspiring, nominate them for the 2020 Bike Commuter of the Year Award.
As part of the annual Bike to Work Day celebration, each county crowns one dedicated cyclist Bike Commuter of the Year. You have until March 27 to let us know who you think should receive the title.
The nomination process is incredibly simple: submit the nominee’s name and a quick explanation of why they should win and you’re done!
If you stopped by a Contra Costa Energizer Station on Bike To Work Day, or perhaps the Bike Happy Hour at Todos Santos Plaza, check out our photo gallery – you might see yourself or someone you know!
Contra Costa’s 2019 Bike Commuter of the Year
Contra Costa County’s 2019 Bike Commuter of the Year is John Cunningham!
A longtime cyclist, John is a Principal Planner for Contra Costa County’s Transportation Planning Division who quite literally walks the talk. Aware of the increasing need for infrastructure improvements, John works tirelessly to make commute routes throughout the county safe and expeditious for cyclists and pedestrians.
John cycles daily from his home in Lamorinda to his workplace in Martinez. “In the dry months my commute gets me out in nature; my preferred route takes me through Briones Regional Park.” But he is far from being a fair-weather rider; John cycles to work in the wind and rain, in the cold and dark days of winter, and even during the East Bay’s brutal summer heat. His coworkers find that pretty impressive.
“He has increased our department’s awareness of the need for new infrastructure for cycling, as well as expressing a commitment to combating climate change and reducing air pollution. Why, just the pictures on his office wall of cycling efforts have increased interest for taking up the hobby,” explains his colleague Anna Battagello.
Keep up the good work, John, and happy Bike to Work Day on May 9th!
Tips: Getting Ready to Bike Commute
Don’t feel like you’ll be ‘road ready’ in time for Bike To Work Day? Preparing to bike commute isn’t as difficult as you might think. Taking a little time to get familiar with your bike, figure out how to carry your stuff & find a good route (or even a bike buddy) can make things much easier.
If commuting all the way from home to work seems daunting, it’s not cheating to make the distance more manageable by adding BART into your commute. Although bikes are now allowed on BART at all times, there are some rules to be aware of, which include:
Bikes are never allowed on crowded cars
Bikes are not allowed in the first car
Bikes are not allowed in the first three cars during commute hours
Folded bikes are allowed in all cars at all times
Bicyclists must use elevators or stairs, not escalators
511 Contra Costa’s Bike Mapper is an innovative bicycle mapping system designed to find the flattest, most direct, or fastest route anywhere in Contra Costa. Read more about the 511CC Interactive Bike Mapper here, or check out our selection of free paper and online bike maps.
Warm Up with Classes or Group Rides
You’ll find everything from social rides to classes geared towards improving your confidence on the bike on our Bike Events page.
Video Highlights from Bike To Work Day 2018
Wondering what Bike To Work Day is like? Check out the video below.
Video credit: Ford Tivakul
Employers: Tips on Encouraging Bike Commuting
If you’re an employer and want to inspire more of your employees to commute by bike, we can help! You’ll find some great strategies on promoting bike commuting year-round at in the official Bike To Work Day Employer Toolkit.
Energizer Station Map: Contra Costa
Find a station along your route and plan to stop for refreshments, good cheer, and free swag.
Bike To Work Day (BTWD) is coming! Be sure to mark your calendars for May 9 to join us and thousands of other Bay Area commuters in biking to work.
Our BTWD information page has all the resources you’ll need to get started, including:
Locating Free Stuff:Check our map to find an Energizer Station on your route to work, so you can stop to enjoy snacks, encouragement, a free BTWD bag, and cool swag.
Easy Routes: Use the 511CC Bike Mapper to build your ideal bike commute based on your preferences, including avoiding hills.
Tips & Tricks: Preparation for BTWD isn’t that difficult, and we’ll walk you through it so you can have fun on one of the most enjoyable commuting days of the year.
Party Time: There are Bike Happy Hours at the end of the work day on May 9. They’re free, you’re invited, and you’ll find them (marked in yellow) on our map.
Warm Up with Classes or Rides: You’ll find everything from social rides to classes geared towards improving your confidence on the bike on our Bike Events page.
The Bay Area’s 25th Annual Bike To Work Day is less than 3 weeks away, and there’s a lot to get excited about!
What’s In Store
Free Stuff on May 9th: If you know anything about the biggest bike commuting day of the year, you probably know bike commuters can visit Energizer Stations on the way to work. It’s your chance to pick up a Bike To Work Day bag filled with goodies, plus you can grab some snacks and encouragement. Check out our Energizer Station list & map to find an Energizer Station on your route to work.
Pledge to Ride & Enter to Win a Trip to Alaska: That’s right, if you sign our Pledge to Ride form, which lets us know you’ll be biking to work May 9, not only will you automatically be entered in a drawing for a spiffy new 2019 Bike To Work Day t-shirt, you’ll also have the opportunity to enter a drawing for a trip to Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, courtesy of Exodus Travel and Alaska Airlines. Find out more!
Party Down After Work on May 9: At the end of the work day, we want to celebrate you for biking to work! Swing by a Bike To Work Day ‘Happy Hour’ for lots of fun: enjoy free live music and more at Bike Concord’s Bike Party at Todos Santos Plaza from 4-8pm, make free fruit smoothies on 511 Contra Costa’s Blender Bikes from 4-6:30pm on the Iron Horse/Canal Trail intersection in Walnut Creek, or check out the new Richmond Business Hub & Food Hall starting at 4:30pm. You’ll find the Happy Hours marked with a yellow icon on our Energizer Station map.
Stay in the Loop
We’ve got lots of news about Bike To Work Day to share between now and May 9, so make sure to stay connected! Bookmark our Bike To Work Day information page, which gets regular updates, and follow us on Twitter or Facebook. We’ll see you out biking to work on May 9!
“By riding my bike to work I save money, stay healthy, and reduce my stress levels at the same time.” –John Cunningham
Contra Costa County’s Bike Commuter of the Year for 2019 is John Cunningham!
A longtime cyclist, John is a Principal Planner for Contra Costa County’s Transportation Planning Division who quite literally walks the talk. Aware of the increasing need for infrastructure improvements, John works tirelessly to make commute routes throughout the county safe and expeditious for cyclists and pedestrians.
John cycles daily from his home in Lamorinda to his workplace in Martinez. “In the dry months my commute gets me out in nature; my preferred route takes me through Briones Regional Park.” But he is far from being a fair-weather rider; John cycles to work in the wind and rain, in the cold and dark days of winter, and even during the East Bay’s brutal summer heat. His coworkers find that pretty impressive.
“He has increased our department’s awareness of the need for new infrastructure for cycling, as well as expressing a commitment to combating climate change and reducing air pollution. Why, just the pictures on his office wall of cycling efforts have increased interest for taking up the hobby,” explains his colleague Anna Battagello.
Keep up the good work, John, and happy Bike to Work Day on May 9th!
If you’re not a regular bike commuter, here are some tips to help you get ready to ride:
1. Make sure your bike fits you properly. Bike size, saddle height and forward/backward position and handlebar height all play key parts in making you comfortable on your bike. If you know someone who can help you with all those measurements, great. If not, your local bike shop can easily help you get a great fit.
2. Get comfortable riding your bike. For many new cyclists, the biggest challenge is just getting comfortable riding – not to mention riding in traffic. Start by riding on quiet streets or empty parking lots, and then test out your skills riding with car traffic. Take it slow and steady and you’ll get the hang of it easily.
3. Remember the rules of the road. Bikes are subject to the same traffic rules as cars. That means stopping at traffic lights and stop signs, yielding to pedestrians, using “turn” signals to indicate where you’re going, etc. And be very aware of what drivers, other cyclists and pedestrians are doing. That’ll keep you safe and make your ride lots of fun.
4. Ride with friends or colleagues. One of the best ways to get into the groove of riding is to ride with others. Have friends who already ride regularly? Ask them to help you train. Have colleagues who ride to work? See if you can ride with them. They can all teach you some of the tricks to safe, fun riding and help you build your confidence in the meantime.
5. Be safe. Riding at night? Be sure to “light up” – flashers on the back, lights on the front – so you can be seen coming and going. How about a little extra protection just in case? Gloves for your hands, helmet for your head. If you happen to fall – even at a very slow speed – you’ll be glad to have coverage to absorb the impact.
6. Carrying your stuff. There are lots of ways to carry your stuff to work. Give it some thought so you can pick the one that you like best. From knapsacks to rear racks to front baskets and much more, how you carry your stuff is as individual as you are.
Now it’s time to get out there and ride. We’ll see you on Bike To Work Day!
This post originally appeared on the blog at YouCanBikeThere.com. Click here for more information on Bike To Work Day.
Wondering what Bike To Work Day looked like across Contra Costa? Click any thumbnail below to access our gallery of photos from energizer stations across the county, or view them on Facebook. We also suggest visiting the photo gallery at YouCanBikeThere.com. (Note: As energizer stations hosts send in photos, we’ll be adding them. If you have photos to share, email them to tips@511contracosta.org!)
Walnut Creek: Iron Horse & Contra Costa Canal Trail – Hosts: 511CC, CCTA, EBRPD
Walnut Creek: Walnut Creek BART – Host: Bike Walnut Creek
Any Day Can Be Bike to Work Day
Bike To Work Day is a great time to try commuting by bike, but it doesn’t have to be the only day you give it a shot! Just remember: Biking to work is all about what works for you. Maybe the weather, or having a bike buddy, or the copious amounts of stuff you have to haul on a bike factors into your decision to cycle to work, and that’s okay!
Biking to work should be enjoyable, so pick days when riding seems fun and reasonable, then go for it. Do that and you might find yourself planning more rides to work. Just like these first-time Bike To Work Day participants.
Tips: Preparing to Bike Commute
Need help getting ready to ride to work? Preparing for a bike commute isn’t as difficult as you might think. Taking a little time to get familiar with your bike, figure out how to carry your stuff & find a good route (or even a bike buddy) can make things much easier.
Take the guesswork out of preparing with our Tips & Tricks for Bike Commuting!
Isabella Zizi: 2017 Contra Costa Bike Commuter of the Year
Bike Party is what made Isabella Zizi start riding as an adult. That’s where “I broke in my orange ’70s Peugeot and introduced it to the fun.” Those rides opened the door to her commuting by bike, and she now regularly uses her bike to commute the six miles to Gathering Tribes in Albany, a Native American arts, crafts & jewelry store.
For Isabella, biking is more than just transportation, it provides a link to her community and its history. These days she rides the Richmond Greenway, but she used to live by it before it was green. “It was just dirt and rocks, and now it has been transformed. I love the connections it provides. The edible garden, the murals, it is so cool to see everything come to life and be open to the whole community.” During rides around Richmond, she also builds connections with her neighbors and strengthens friendships with other riders.
To get further inspired, read the rest of Isabella’s story and the stories of other 2017 Bike Commuter of the Year winners at YouCanBikeThere.com!
Bike Mapper: Choose the Route Best for You
511 Contra Costa’s Bike Mapper is an innovative bicycle mapping system designed to find the flattest, most direct, or fastest route anywhere in Contra Costa. Read more about the 511CC Interactive Bike Mapper here, or check out our selection of free paper and online bike maps.
Employers: Tips on Encouraging Bike Commuting
If you’re an employer and want to inspire more of your employees to commute by bike, we can help! You’ll find some great strategies on promoting bike commuting year-round when you download the Bike To Work Day Employer Toolkit!
If you’re still on the fence about biking to work, or are biking but worried about forgetting some vital piece of gear, we’ve got 4 tips to help make it a low-stress Bike To Work Day! These suggestions originally appeared in a Time.com article promoting Bike To Work Day 2015 and they’re worthy of a re-post: Don’t get overwhelmed with tons of gear. It’s a good idea for anyone who rides a bike to know how to patch a tire. But if you get a flat and you aren’t sure how to fix it you are most like going to call somebody to pick you up. The point is that it’s not necessary to get bogged down loading up with gear in anticipation of every potential pitfall during a cycling commute. Forget cycling apparel. Wear a helmet. Other than that, no other bikewear is necessary, assuming your commute isn’t 30 miles of windy hills. “You don’t have to wear special cycling gear in order to ride a bike, everyday clothes work just fine,” advises the League of American Bicyclists. “If your bike doesn’t have a chain guard, you can keep your pants away from the chain by rolling up your pant leg or using a leg band.” Plot the most sensible route. If your bicycling commute route isn’t obvious, do a little research. The shortest ride by distance is not necessarily the easiest or smartest way to go. It’s often worth it to go a bit out of your way to hook up with trails and other paths reserved for non-automobile traffic, or at least to ride on roads with dedicated bike lines or extra-wide shoulders. [Editor’s Note: We suggest trying 511CC’s Bike Mapper to plan your route to work.] Scope out the basics ahead of time. Get a good lock and know where you’re going to park your bike during the work day. Figure out the options for grabbing a shower, or at least washing up after the commute. Perhaps there is a gym nearby to negotiate a shower fee with, or maybe there are showers at the office office.
Bike To Work Day is about having fun getting to work, so if you’ve got a bicycle, a helmet and the desire to bike to work, you can do this!
For additional information and resources, visit our Bike To Work Day page.
On Bike to Work Day, reward yourself for commuting by bicycle with an after-work street party in Concord!
The Bike to Work Day Celebration will be on Salvio Street between Grant and Mount Diablo Streets from 5-8pm. There will be free valet bike parking, live music, and demos of e-bikes & bikes built to transport kids and groceries.
In addition, Bike Concord will be providing free bike repair and EJ Phair will donate 10% of food and drink proceeds when patrons mention Bike Concord.
If you’ll be in the area but can’t stay for the party, make sure to stop by the afternoon Energizer station at Salvio and Grant, open from 4-7pm.
Want help mapping your bike ride to work? Try using the 511CC Bike Mapper!
For additional Bike To Work Day resources, including a complete list of morning and afternoon Energizer stations, click here.
For the month of May, teams will earn points for commuting & running errands by bike. At month’s end, the team with the most points in Contra Costa County will win a prize from REI!
The Team Bike Challenge website makes tracking your miles easy, plus you can challenge yourself and your friends with your personalized leaderboard.
Green bike lanes have landed in Walnut Creek just in time for Bike to Work Day! The bike lane on Olympic Blvd has been painted green on the segment between N. California and the I-680 on ramp. The creation of green bike lanes has been on the rise in the Bay Area since San Francisco’s first green lanes on Fell Street in 2010. It’s an inexpensive way to remind motorists to stay alert for cyclists, especially when drivers have to enter the green-painted area to change lanes or make a turn.
Does the painting of bike lanes help? A report on Portland’s painted bike lanes concluded:
The percentage of motorists yielding increased to 92 percent, a 27 percent increase… The overwhelming majority [of cyclists] (76 percent) felt that the locations were safer since the installation.
Given the benefits of painted bike lanes, it’s no surprise that at least 7 of the projects that made People for Bikes‘ list of the Best New Bike Lanes feature green paint.
If you want to see what the future of bike lanes might look like (or just drool over some amazing bike infrastructure), check out People for Bikes’ America’s 10 Best New Bike Lanes of 2015.
Know someone whose go-to mode of transportation is their bicycle? Someone who’d rather ride than drive? A person who uses their bike to get to work, grab groceries or take the kids to school? If so, nominate them for Bike Commuter of the Year (BCOY)!
The Contra Costa BCOY award recognizes an individual’s dedication to riding their bike for everyday transportation. If you know someone who routinely chooses riding their bike over driving, nominate them now. The deadline is tonight (Monday, April 4) at midnight… so hurry! BCOY Online Nomination Form
Ask your friends, colleagues and neighbors to form a team with you and pedal your way to a greener, healthier and happier commute while earning points and medals! There are big prizes to be had in both Challenges, plus it’s a fun and easy way to see just how much biking does for your health, budget and the environment.
Need help planning your route?
511 Contra Costa’s Bike Mapper is the innovative and open bicycle mapping system specially designed to find flat, most direct, or fastest routes anywhere in Contra Costa County. Read more about the 511CC Interactive Bike Mapper here, or check out our selection of free paper and online bike maps.
Contra Costa County Energizer Station Map
Coming Soon
Contra Costa County Energizer Station List
PM hours in bold Alamo
Iron Horse Trail at the Alamo Trail Head, 7:00-10:00 am, RPM Mortgage
Contra Costa Canal Trail at Heather Farm Park, 3:30-6:30 pm, Sports Basement
Want to Host an Energizer Station?
If you are interested in volunteering for Bike to Work Day or hosting an Energizer Station in Contra Costa County, please contact us! Find other Bay Area Energizer Station coordinator contacts here.
A big THANK YOU to our local Energizer Station hosts!
On Thursday, May 14, over 100,000 people across the Bay Area commuted by bike in celebration of Bike to Work Day! The Bay’s 400-plus energizer stations saw more than 51,000 riders stop in or ride by on their way to work. In Contra Costa, morning energizer station hosts counted over 3,585 cyclists!
Even with the threat of rain, thousands of people still grabbed their bikes for the commute to work – some for the very first time! 511 Contra Costa wants to thank all the participants for making this another successful Bike to Work Day and for helping reduce CO2 emissions! We’d especially like to thank the hosts and all the volunteers who helped coordinate and staff the energizer stations throughout Contra Costa. By providing encouragement, snacks, mechanical assistance, and even shelter from the rain, you helped make bike commuting a reality for so many!
If you participated in Bike to Work Day and want to keep commuting by bike (or want to try bike commuting for the first time), we’ve got resources that can help make it fun and easy. Visit our biking page for a guide on how to become a bike commuter, to sign up for a BikeLink (bike locker) card, to learn about taking bikes on transit, and to find out how you can get a cash reward for making the switch to commuting by bike! We collected all our Bike to Work Day photos in the galleries below. If you volunteered at a Contra Costa County energizer station or stopped by one on your commute, check below and you might just see yourself! (Click any photo to see a larger version.)
Bike to Work Day 2015 was a huge success and we’re thrilled about how many people got involved. Whether you participated this year or not, we hope to see you on your bike next year… if not sooner!
ENERGIZER STATIONS
Alamo: Iron Horse Trail at Stone Valley Rd West – Hosted by RPM Mortgage
Photo courtesy Michele O.
Antioch: Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center – Hosted by Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center
Antioch: Delta de Anza Trail at Lone Tree Way – Hosted by the City of Antioch & Sutter Delta Medical Center
Brentwood: Marsh Creek Trail at Central Blvd – Hosted by East Bay Regional Parks District
Brentwood: Ron Nunn Elementary School – Hosted by Ron Nunn Elementary School
Brentwood: City Park – Delta Pedalers Bicycle Club
Concord: Cambridge Elementary School – Hosted by Monument Impact
Concord: Concord BART Station – Hosted by Bank of America & County Connection
Danville: Iron Horse Trail at Sycamore Valley Rd – Hosted by The Studio
Photo courtesy Michele O.
Danville: Iron Horse Trail behind Lunardi’s/Danville Train Depot – Hosted by Street Smarts San Ramon & the Town of Danville
Photo courtesy Michele O.
San Ramon: Iron Horse Trail at Bollinger Canyon Rd – Hosted by Sunset Development Company, City of San Ramon & Whole Foods Market
Photos courtesy Michele O.
Walnut Creek: Iron Horse Trail between Broadway & Newell Ave – Hosted by Whole Foods Market
Photo courtesy Michele O.
Walnut Creek: Iron Horse & Contra Costa Canal Trail intersection – Hosted by CCTA, 511 Contra Costa & East Bay Regional Park District
Walnut Creek: Ygnacio & Contra Costa Canal Trail Intersection – Hosted by Encina Bicycle Center
On Bike to Work Day, reward yourself for commuting by bicycle with an after-work street party in Concord!
The Bike to Work Day Celebration will be on Salvio Street between Grant and Mount Diablo Streets from 5:30 to 8:30pm. There will be live music, games and face painting for kids, as well as educational booths about biking and safety.
At the Celebration, County Supervisor Karen Mitchoff will deliver a countywide Bike to Work Day Resolution on behalf of the Board of Supervisors. In addition, Bike Concord will provide free bike repair and EJ Phair will generously donate 10% of food and drink proceeds when patrons mention Bike Concord or Bike East Bay.
For help mapping your bike ride to work, try using the 511CC Bike Mapper. To locate morning and afternoon Bike to Work Day Energizer Stations, click here.
Bike to Work Day is almost here! Whether you’re already committed to riding or need a tiny bit more motivation, we’ve got the lowdown on Energizer Stations that should not be missed! Antioch
• Deer Valley Rd & Wellness Way (Kaiser Permanente Antioch Medical Center) – 6:30-9:30 am: Giving away free bike bells! Pleasant Hill
• Contra Costa Canal Trail at Gregory Lane – 7:30-8:45 am & 4-6 pm: Raffle to win a $25 gift certificate towards a fitness or dance class with Pleasant Hill Parks & Recreation.
• Pleasant Hill BART Station (near bike racks) – 6:30-9 am: Free bike tune-ups, Peet’s Coffee, bagels & schmear and other snacks. San Ramon
• Iron Horse Trail at Bollinger Canyon Rd – 6-10 am: East Bay Regional Park District will be giving away free bike bells! Walnut Creek
• Walnut Creek BART Station (near fare gates) – 6-9 am: Free bike-tune ups!
• Iron Horse Trail/Canal Trail Intersection Energizer Station – 6:30-9:30 am: Free Starbucks Coffee and bike bells!
• Iron Horse Trail/Canal Trail Intersection Energizer Station – 4-7 pm: Make your own slushy on a bike-blender! (weather permitting)
The competition begins May 1, 2015 between friends and colleagues.
Need help planning your route?
511 Contra Costa’s Bike Mapper is the innovative and open bicycle mapping system specially designed to find flat, most direct, or fastest routes anywhere in Contra Costa County. Read more about the 511CC Interactive Bike Mapper here, or check out our selection of free paper and online bike maps.
BTWD is Thursday, May 7, 2014. There are a lot of energizer stations to visit in Contra Costa. All are providing SNACKS and some are providing: bike repair, smoothies, bike lights, Peet’s Coffee, slushies, and more! Stop by a few stations to say hello and for a full listing of energizer stations click here.
Here is a sneak peek at a few stations with unique attractions or giveaways. Kaiser Permanente Walnut Creek Medical Center, Walnut Creek, Corner of S. Main St & Newell Ave, 7:00-10:00 am A DIY bike repair tools for minor needs, cool bike light, and 5 Thrive Dollars!
Argent/Umpqua Bank, Concord, 1900 Grant St (Todos Santos Plaza) 3:00-6:00 pm Along with Farmers Market, inaugural bike corral bike-check in, bike station for minor repairs.
Pleasant Hill BART, near bike racks 6:30-9:00 am, hosted by REI Expert bike technician on site to provide a quick check and adjustment of brakes, drive train, tires, chain lube.
Iron Horse Trail at Bollinger Canyon Rd, San Ramon 6:00-10:00 am, hosted by City of San Ramon/Bishop Ranch Transportation Centre/Whole Foods Market Spin on the bike blender and enjoy a fresh smoothie!
Contra Costa Canal Trail off N. Wiget Ln, Walnut Creek 7:30-9:00 am, hosted by Renaissance ClubSport TEAM ClubSport will be there as will for support with any bike concerns or basic instruction if needed.
Contra Costa Canal Trail off N. Wiget Ln, Walnut Creek 4:00-7:00 pm, hosted by Sports Basement Bike mechanics on site and 10% off coupon which if used in-store you get a FREE SB water bottle.
Front of 2730 Shadelands Dr, Walnut Creek 7:00-9:00 am, hosted by Gilbane Bicycle bells while supplies last!
Walnut Creek BART, 6:00-9:00 am, hosted by Sports Basement Bike mechanics on site and 10% off coupon which if used in-store you get a FREE SB water bottle.
Walnut Creek BART, 4:00-6:00 pm, hosted by Mike’s Bikes Bike mechanic available to diagnose and do minor repairs.
Lafayette-Moraga Trail at Olympic Blvd & Pleasant Hill Rd, Lafayette 4:00-7:00 pm, hosted by Sports Basement Bike mechanics on site and 10% off coupon which if used in-store you get a FREE SB water bottle.
Ygnacio Valley Rd & Contra Costa Canal, Walnut Creek 7:00-9:00 am & 5:00-7:00 pm, hosted by Encina Bicycle Center Bike mechanic on site to diagnose/make minor repairs.
Iron Horse & Contra Costa Canal Trail intersection,Walnut Creek 6:30-9:30 am and 4:00-7:00 pm, hosted by Contra Costa Transportation Authority/511 Contra Costa Spin on the bike blender and enjoy lemonade slushies!
Peet’s Coffee & Tea, Brentwood, 5411 Lone Tree Way #L-130, 6:00-9:00 am, hosted by Schwinn City Free Peet’s Coffee to cyclists!
511 Contra Costa congratulates Ray Pixton as Contra Costa County’s 2014 Bike Commuter of the Year.
Ray Pixton has been biking to work since 1981 when he started working for the Contra Costa Water District. He is a construction inspector and he rides rain or shine. “It feels weird to drive a car now,” he says, “I have 3 cars and they just sit in the driveway.”
Ray’s coworkers nominated him for the award, writing that his dedication to riding to work inspired them. “It’s news to me,” said Pixton about being an inspiration to his coworkers; “I just thought I was doing my own thing.” His commute is a pleasure, he says, because the 8 miles from Concord to Pleasant Hill allow him to ride on trails alongside the canals he also helps inspect.
It wasn’t always easy though: “I remember my first ride was a 5-mile ride and I just about died, I was so out shape,” Pixton joked, “but I stuck to it.” His commitment helped him out when, in the 90s, he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. “Exercise has been a really important part of my treatment to keep my blood sugar levels down,” says Pixton.
Last year he raised close to $900 for the Tour de Cure, a 50-mile fundraiser ride for the American Diabetes Association. He’s planning on riding again this May and plans on surpassing $900. “It’s been a good goal which helps me train and gets me in better shape, but 50 miles is about my limit – I’m 61 after all!” Pixton is retiring this summer and although he’s not sure if he’s going to stop working, he won’t stop biking. “I’ll miss the commute,” he says.
In addition to an award, Ray Pixton will receive a set of Revolights and a set of Bay Trail Maps to help with his planning adventures.
Congratulations to all of our 2013 BTWD Photo and Video contest winners! Everyone who won is listed below and received a 2013 Bike to Work Day t-shirt designed by local Matthew Fleming.
Have you seen this week’s picture of the week in the Contra Costa Times? A person ponders a home-made bicycle trailer
We happen to know it’s just one of many homemade trailers built by Richard Anderson of Martinez. You can check it out at his Richard’s BTWD Energizer Station: he’ll be at the Martinez Amtrak Station between 5:15-9:30 AM or at the foot of the Martinez/Benicia Bridge (on the Martinez side) from 3:30-6:30 PM .
Photo credit: Contra Costa Times
Take our pop-up poll
What is most important to you when planning how you commute to work?
Don’t feel like you’ll be ‘road ready’ in time for Bike To Work Day? Preparing to bike commute isn’t as difficult as you might think. Taking a little time to get familiar with your bike, figure out how to carry your stuff & 
511 Contra Costa has supported cyclists and Energizer Station hosts throughout Contra Costa County since 2001 using 
4. Ride with friends or colleagues. One of the best ways to get into the groove of riding is to ride with others. Have friends who already ride regularly? Ask them to help you train. Have colleagues who ride to work? See if you can ride with them. They can all teach you some of the tricks to safe, fun riding and help you build your confidence in the meantime.
Bike To Work Day is a great time to try commuting by bike, but it doesn’t have to be the only day you give it a shot! Just remember: Biking to work is all about what works for you. Maybe the weather, or having a 
Bike Party is what made Isabella Zizi start riding as an adult. That’s where “I broke in my orange ’70s Peugeot and introduced it to the fun.” Those rides opened the door to her commuting by bike, and she now regularly uses her bike to commute the six miles to Gathering Tribes in Albany, a Native American arts, crafts & jewelry store.
Employers: Tips on Encouraging Bike Commuting
Forget cycling apparel. Wear a helmet. Other than that, no other bikewear is necessary, assuming your commute isn’t 30 miles of windy hills. “You don’t have to wear special cycling gear in order to ride a bike, everyday clothes work just fine,” advises the 
Scope out the basics ahead of time. Get a good lock and know where you’re going to park your bike during the work day. Figure out the options for grabbing a shower, or at least washing up after the commute. Perhaps there is a gym nearby to negotiate a shower fee with, or maybe there are showers at the office office.
Green bike lanes have landed in Walnut Creek just in time for Bike to Work Day! The bike lane on Olympic Blvd has been painted green on the segment between N. California and the I-680 on ramp.
Know someone whose go-to mode of transportation is their bicycle? Someone who’d rather ride than drive? A person who uses their bike to get to work, grab groceries or take the kids to school? If so, 
Add Bike To Work Day to your calendar:
Team Bike Challenge & Company Bike Challenge
Want to Host an Energizer Station?
