Heather McGregor
Wednesday, June 26, is Colorado Bike to Work Day, and Garfield County communities will be celebrating with free coffee, snacks, giveaways and prizes to encourage commuters to switch to pedal power.
Welcome stations will be set up in Glenwood Springs, Rifle and Carbondale for the morning commute. Anyone on a bike (or other human-powered device) is invited to stop by on their way to work.
Garfield Clean Energy, CLEER (Clean Energy Economy for the Region), Glenwood Springs Bicycle Advocates, the city of Glenwood Springs, the Rifle Area Mountain Bike Organization, Garfield County Libraries and RFTA are collaborating on the event.
They’ll be offering breakfast burritos, donuts, free water bottles and other gifts.
Rifle’s station will be in front of the Rifle Library, where library staff and volunteers will be giving out free books along with refreshments from 8–10 a.m.
Commuters passing through Carbondale can stop at the station along the Rio Grande Trail behind the Carbondale Recreation Center from 7–9 a.m. In addition to coffee and snacks, there will be free titanium bike demos offered by Why Cycles.
“Bike to Work Day is a great way to celebrate our bicycle-friendly community and encourage those who typically commute by car to take an alternative way of transportation on our bike paths and roadways,” said Glenwood Springs Mayor Jonathan Godes, according to a press release.
He noted that Glenwood is a designated Bicycle Friendly Community at the silver level by the League of American Bicyclists.
According to the release, Brandon Jones, an energy consultant for CLEER and GCE said, “I see bike commuting as an indicator of a healthy community. Not only is it good for individual wellness, it also reduces traffic and carbon emissions, and helps maintain our high air quality.”
According to Jones, 40 percent of trips in the U.S. are shorter than two miles, making bicycling a great alternative way to get to work.
Business sponsors of the event include Alpine Bank, the Glenwood Springs Post Independent, Roaring Fork Anglers, SGM, Sunlight Ski & Bike, Valley View Hospital, Why Cycles, Wise Bar, Blue Spruce Coffee and the Way of Compassion Bike Project.
