justin.schneider@heraldbulletin.com
A chill in the air did not stop Anderson residents from celebrating a rite of spring.
Bicycle season got under way Friday as more than 100 Anderson residents took to the streets — by bike and by foot — for the third annual “Bike to Work Day.”
According to April Phillips of Anderson Community Development, more than 120 residents gave their cars a rest, braving temperatures in the mid-30s to reach their Friday morning destinations. Phillips said T-shirts given to the first 100 to register disappeared quickly.
“This represents a 100-percent increase in participation over last year,” Phillips said. “I’ve heard there were other people that didn’t register; they just had a contest amongst themselves.”
The event coincides with National Bike Month and National Bike Week, which is May 14-18. Many opted to walk rather than cycle.
Anderson Mayor Kevin Smith, who encouraged city workers to participate, walked the 1.6 mile from his home to the Anderson City Building.
“It something more of us should do every day; the parking lot at city hall looks empty,” Smith said. “Anderson residents will have even more opportunity to ride their bicycles when we get the White River Trail extended to the west later this fall.”
Stephen Rybolt and Rex Upshaw of Spoke & Wheel bicycle club were at the Anderson City Building on Friday, providing weary cyclists with orange juice and water. They checked in bicycles and watched over them during the day.
“We have close to 100 members, including racers and casual riders,” said Rybolt, who maintains the Spoke & Wheel Web site. “We have weekly rides, monthly rides and special events. This is a good opportunity to let people know what we do.”
“We have a lot of organized rides where people can set their own pace,” said Upshaw of the club that was formed around 20 years ago. “Our club motto is ‘No one gets left behind.’”
Rybolt said some Bike to Work Day participants cycled from Fishers to Flagship Enterprise Center. Others traversed just a few miles from nearby neighborhoods to the city building.
“That’s OK if they’re only coming a mile or two,” Upshaw said. “The important thing is they’re on a bike. I do almost all of my errands around town on my bike.”
On July 28, Spoke & Wheel will team with the Delaware Cycling Club for the seventh annual Great Greenway Tour. The event gives riders the opportunity to ride the Cardinal Greenway, Indiana’s longest paved rail trail.
At noon, cyclists and city officials gathered at Anderson Town Center for the announcement of the winning company and a door-prize drawing.
Phillips announced that the Madison County Prosecutor’s Office earned the 2007 trophy for participation, with 17 employees riding or walking to work Friday. Saint John’s Health System finished second with 13.
Kim Rogers-Hatfield of JobSource rode her bicycle 1.3 miles to work on Friday. She picked her Trek 700 for its purple color and said Friday marked her first ride of the season.
“This is the first time I’ve been out this year,” she said. “My secret is to find roads with the least amount of hills.”
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Spoke & Wheel
Bicycle Club for Madison County and surrounding areas
- Weekly rides: Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday
- Monthly rides: Spring, summer and fall
For more information: www.spokeandwheel.funurl.com
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John P. Cleary
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John P. Cleary
Discussion
5:46 p.m.: Cycling season arrives with Bike to Work Day
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