Kansas City's FIRST EVER Bicycle/Pedestrian Commuter Challenge, Deadline May 12th

Bike to Work Week, May 19-23, is a major event in most major U.S. cities. Let's make it a major event in Kansas City, too!

Bike to Work Week gives you the perfect excuse to Explore KC on bike, on foot, or the bus, all the while earning fabulous prizes as part of Kansas City's FIRST EVER Bicycle/Pedestrian Commuter Challenge.

Information about the event including game rules and on-line registration is now available at http://www.marc.org/bpcc/

Now is the time begin forming teams! All participants must register by May 12, 2003.


What is it?
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Participants can bike, walk, or ride the bus to work--or some combination of the three.

People can participate every day, or just one day.

One person might walk two miles to work just one day that week, and catch a ride home with a co-worker.

Another person might ride the bus into work one day (bringing along a bike using Bike-N-Bus), then bicycle home.

Another person might bicycle 5 miles to and from work, just three days of the week.

Another person might walk a mile to meet a cross-street where a co-worker picks her up to carpool.

Students can walk or bike to school (perhaps with adult supervision) rather than getting a ride with parents.

Teams can form within or across companies. Encourage your company to start a team!


Why?
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May 19-23 is Bike to Work Week (and May 23rd Bike to Work Day). Most major cities (even St. Louis!) make a BIG DEAL of this and have major celebrations. Kansas City has never done much of anything--until this year.

It's a great way to have some fun and kick off your summer fitness goals.

And it's a lot easier than you might think . . .


I don't know how! It's too far! There are too many cars!
I'll be too sweaty! It'll take too long! How will I carry my stuff?
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Actually there are large numbers of bike and bus commuters all across the U.S. They have managed to deal with all these problems and more--most of bike/bus commuters say that such problems are "no problem at all".

Kansas City cyclist Les Sires has compiled a list of tips and ideas for bike commuters that address most of these issues:

http://home.everestkc.net/bkr795/index.html

And, actually, Kansas City is a pretty nice city for bicycling; mass transit goes most everywhere within the core of the city. Here are some resources that can help you get around KC by bike/bus without worry:

• BUS BIKE RACKS. All JO buses and many Metro buses have bike racks. That's the easiest way to cover long distances with your bike, or get across major barriers like the Missouri River. Here's the KCATA's list of metro bus routes with bike racks:
  

  http://www.kcata.org/bikeroute.html

  
  
• BIKE ROUTE MAP. When bike commuting, you usually don't take the same busy streets you would use to drive to the same destination. A huge network of lesser-travelled streets gets you to the same destination with far less traffic. Here is a map showing many such routes in the KC metro area:
  

  http://brenthugh.com/jacksoncountyroutes/

  
  
• METROGREEN BIKE TRAILS. The MetroGreen system of bike trails is growing every year. In many areas of the metro area, you can cover long distances on MetroGreen trails, then connect to your final destination using quiet side streets. MetroGreen maps and info:
  

  http://www.marc.org/metrogreen/

  
  
• BIKE BUDDY. Kansas City has a "Bike Buddy" program that will pair you with an experienced bike commuter. With someone to show you the ropes, it can really be easy to do:
  

  http://www.marc.org/bikebuddies.htm

  
  
• GUARANTEED RIDE HOME. If your bike breaks down, you become ill, your child has an accident at school, or any other emergency comes up, Guaranteed Ride Home provides you a quick way home. You'll never be "stuck" because you commuted by bike or bus:
  

  http://www.marc.org/grh.htm

  
  

To learn more about the Bike/Ped Commuter Challenge, contact Aaron Bartlett at 816/474-4240, or e-mail bpcc@marc.org.