CARLSBAD — It’s already that time of year again where people are peddling in the month of May for National Bike Month.
Although the month of May is nearing the end, it’s not too late to hop on board.
The hope of this “awareness month” is to encourage bicycling for this month and beyond.
“SANDAG is sponsoring Bike to Work Month and Bike to Work Day, to recognize biking to work and to promote employer and commuter participation this month and throughout the year,” said Rachael Shay, recreation supervisor at the City of Carlsbad. “San Diego area employers can improve mobility and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region, and around their work sites, to employees to encourage biking to work and other alternatives to the solo commute.”
Shay pointed out that the city is very involved in National Bike Month. For starters, they are taking part in the corporate challenge. In fact, this is their “corporate challenge” debut.
“We have a core group of city employees who commute by bike on a regular basis from as far away as San Diego and as close as just a couple of blocks away,” Shay said. “With the corporate challenge, we are hoping to encourage even more employees to consider biking to work.”
Shay shared that its city employees registered and signed on with SANDAG so their miles can be tracked for the month.
“We’re excited to see the results at the end of May,” she said.
And May 18, the city will be heavily involved in Bike to Work Day with some friendly rejuvenating “pit stops.”
“The City of Carlsbad is hosting two pit stop stations from 6 to 9 a.m., one at Pine Avenue and Carlsbad Boulevard and the other at Camino Hills and Faraday Avenue,” Shay said.
Last year, it was estimated that nearly 60 cyclists visited the pit stop station at the Carlsbad Boulevard and Pine Avenue seawall locale. With the new Camino Hills and Faraday Avenue location, Shay said, they are expecting a rise in numbers to about 100.
The city is involved in National Bike Month for a variety of reasons.
“Biking fits in great with our community values, especially enjoying a healthy outdoor lifestyle, reducing traffic and overall sustainability,” Shay said.
This month, the city received a proclamation for National Bike Month. Shay said the gesture was a wonderful way to receive this recognition.
“Biking is a simple way to slow our fast past lives down and enjoy the beauty around us; the health benefits are also a plus,” Shay said. “The fact that the City Council felt it was an important enough endeavor to present the proclamation shows the support that the City of Carlsbad has for the program.”
For those who were unable to take part in National Bike Month but are considering a ride in the near future, Shay wants to remind residents and even those in neighboring communities that Carlsbad has more than 45 miles of bike paths and trails. She wants people to know that these picturesque areas take cyclists along the beach and lagoons, through natural habitat, by the Crossings Golf Course, behind Legoland, past Lake Calavera, and much more.
For other riders who prefer a more relaxed peddling pace, the Village is a perfect spot to park for a bite at an eatery or do a little boutique shopping.
“Carlsbad is a beautiful community that can be enjoyed by either a leisurely family bike ride, or a challenging workout,” she said.
