May is National Bike Month and the official month for celebrating all things bicycle-related. Whether it’s for exercise, entertainment, conserving gas, or whatever, it’s a great time of year to get on your bike and pedal around town.
The League of American Bicyclists supports the cause and provides useful information on everything about cycling and how you can celebrate this occasion. Check out http://bikeleague.org/bikemonth for more information.
To cyclists, this may be a big celebration, but it can be a way for anyone to get involved in their community. Personally, I support National Bike Month by riding around the University of Texas at Austin campus with my friends. It’s our way of celebrating the end of finals and the beginning of summer.
Around the UT-Austin campus, they kicked off National Bike Month by having a “Bike to UT day.” The University hosted an event with free food and prizes for those who participated in the event. I noticed signs all around campus urging students to ride their bikes to class as a community event and a way to promote a healthy environment.
Around greater Austin, there are a whole host of events celebrating National Bike Month. Such as, fueling stations for riders to stop and enjoy food or drinks to fuel up before, during, or after their ride. People have access to bike maps that show them how to best navigate through the city.
Austin cyclists also can become involved in “bike trains,” or groups of cyclists who ride together throughout the city. Local bike shops can get involved as well, and help riders make sure their bikes are in tip-top shape. You can see how Austin is participating in National Bike Month by visiting this website: http://biketoworkaustin.org/bike-month/.
I’ll make sure to keep an extra eye out while driving this month, because the Austin bike lanes are already pretty busy with riders. This city has amazing accommodations for cyclists, with their own safe, blocked off lanes that give them freedom to ride and provides safety from cars. Simply put, Austin is a great place to be during National Bike Month!
