May 17, 2006

By DANE GOLDEN
ARGUS-COURIER STAFF

Sorry, the plug has officially been pulled on your last excuse.

You bought that bike a long time ago, but frankly, you can't remember the last time you rode it. At first you were riding it quite a bit, and intended to keep doing so, but little by little, other things got in the way. Then, over the winter, it started to get light later and dark earlier. Then it got cold. Then it rained so much you thought you'd see an arc floating by. Now, the bike is hanging upside down from the garage, and hasn't been used in a long time.

But now, the sun is out, it's warm and it's getting light rather early. It's the perfect time for a Bike to Work Day, says the city's Pedestrian and Bicycle Advisory Committee, which is encouraging the local populace to get out of the car for one day and get out on their bikes.

"The main goal is to have people who don't ride to work to ride one day. And when they see they can do it, they'll ride another day and another day, and another day," said Bernie Album, a member of the committee and an organizer of the local event.

The May 18 Bike to Work Day is part of a Bay Area-wide effort to get as many people of all ages as possible riding their bikes on the same day.

Last year, Petaluma recorded 475 participants, including school students and employees. But Album thinks that figure can be bested this year.

"Last year, it looked like it was going to rain and a lot of people backed out," said Album. Fortunately for the event, it didn't rain after all, so a lot of people were still able to get to work via two-wheel transport.

Can't get to work without satisfying your caffeine addiction? No problem, there will be free coffee at each of three Petaluma energizer stations, along with a lot more free stuff, such as pastries, bagels and cream cheese, fruit, gift certificates, safety information and bike messenger bags. And, of course, more coffee. There will also be a drawing for a CamelBak Mule hydration system and other bike-related prizes from local shops.

There is a change in energizer station locations from last year. Instead of a station near Petaluma Valley Hospital, a new station has been added at D Street and Petaluma Boulevard South. And just like last year, there will also be stations at Petaluma Boulevard North and East Washington Street, as well as at the Redwood Business Park on Old Redwood Highway. The Boulevard stations will be open from 7 to 9 a.m., and the Redwood Business Park location will be open 6 to 9 a.m. There will also be energizer stations on some school campuses from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.

Several Petaluma companies with 30 or more employees will be competing for the Golden Sprocket Trophy, awarded by City Council each year to the company with the highest percentage of employees biking to work. But they will be hard-pressed to beat Sonoma Technologies, which has had the highest percentage of employees biking three years running.

Sonoma Technologies often gets about 20 percent of their employees to pedal in on Bike to Work Day, and perhaps that's not surprising -- the firm provides air quality forecasts for the Environmental Protection Agency, which are distributed via the AIRNow.gov Web site and the USA Today weather page. Cisco Systems and post office employees also consistently have high participation in the event.

And schools will be recognized as well. The committee awards a cash prize to the elementary, middle and high schools with the largest percentage of students and staff who register as bike commuters during the week. Last year's winners were Casa Grande High School (with 90 participants), Kenilworth Junior High School and Bernard Eldredge Elementary School.

So start looking for that bike helmet. Hint: It's in the garage, with the other things you've been planning to do.

(Contact Dane Golden at dgolden@arguscourier.com)

GET MORE INFO

Local organizer Bernie Album: 766-7056, cadexbike@yahoo.com

Energizer station map: www.bikesonoma.org/PDF/PETALUMAmap06.pdf

Bike to Work Day: www.bayareabikes.org/btwd

Metropolitan Transportation Commission: www.511.org

Sonoma County Bicycle Coalition: www.bikesonoma.org

BikeSafeSonoma: www.bikesafesonoma.com

Rick Moeller's cycling blog: moeller-blogs.arguscourier.com

BIKE SAFELY