EVENT UPDATE: Great participation across the Keweenaw! Here in Calumet we saw over 175 students and staff from the CLK Elementary school who braved the cold and rode their bikes to school Thursday morning! Many riders stopped by the aid stations, and we’re looking forward to hearing about the fun at other stops across the Keweenaw.
What an amazing turnout and thank you to all the students, teachers, staff and volunteers who helped make this day a great success! Post your pictures from any location online on your page, or share them with the Keweenaw Bike to Work Day Page. Let more people know about the fun of biking, recreationally or as a commuter!
Local cyclists will take to the streets Thursday, May 28 to celebrate the seventh annual Keweenaw Bike to Work Day. The event, coordinated by Bike Initiative Keweenaw (BIKE!), a local bike-advocacy group, aims to raise awareness of bicycle commuting as a transportation alternative, bike safety, and the importance of sharing the road.
Bike commuters, and other non-motorized travelers including pedestrians, are invited to visit one or more of eight rest stops in Houghton, Hancock, Calumet, Lake Linden and South Range on their way to or from work or school. Volunteers at each station will offer free refreshments, bike safety booklets and giveaway items, advice on bike commuting routes and gear, and, in some cases, even simple bike fixes like topping off tire pressures and checking brakes.
Six stops will operate from 7-9 a.m. and 4-6 p.m., at the following locations:
- In Houghton, on the Waterfront Trail east of the lift bridge, and near the Michigan Tech Outdoor Adventure Program building on Townsend Drive,
- In Hancock at McGann’s Building Supply parking lot,
- In Calumet on Highway 41 near the CLK School in the morning and at Cross Country Sports on Oak Street in the afternoon,
- In Lake Linden at the Lake Linden Park gazebo,
- And in South Range at the BP station.
Two additional stops, on Campus Drive in Hancock near UP Health System-Portage, and at the corner of Sharon Avenue and Portage Street in Houghton, will be staffed during the peak hour of 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.
Bike to Work Day co-coordinator Curt Webb said the event has grown by adding one new site per year and enjoys great community support.
“This year’s new stop is at the MTU Credit Union on Sharon Avenue,” Webb said. “The Houghton Middle School Builders Club, a youth service organization, is sponsoring it.”
Webb said that rain or shine, the event will be a success if it reminds people to operate both bikes and motor vehicles safely.
“Cyclists need to obey traffic laws and wear bright clothes so they are visible to motorists,” Webb said, “and drivers should watch for cyclists and pedestrians along the roadway and at intersections.”
There is no fee to participate and no registration required.
While you’re tuning up your bike for Bike to Work Day, why not join our local Bike Challenge? Over 200 Keweenaw riders have already signed up for 2015!
Click the photo below for more details on how to join.
