May is National Bike Month--Springfield becomes Bicycle Friendly Community; list of Missouri events

May is National Bike Month

National Bike Month

And that means it's time to get out your bike and ride!

We have extra reason to celebrate this year because Springfield, MO, has been officially declared as a Bronze-level Bicycle Friendly City by the League of American Bicyclists.

Springfield joins two existing Bicycle Friendly Communities in Missouri--Columbia (Silver) and St Louis (Bronze)--and two Bicycle Friendly Businesses--REI St Louis (Gold) and Velocity Cafe & Cyclery (Bronze).

Here are just a few of the events celebrating National Bike Month that are happening across Missouri:

• St Louis
  • Open Streets & Bike to Busch, May 1st
  • Bike from Work and other events organized by the St Louis Regional Bicycle Federation
  • Drive Your Bike Challenge and Bike to Work Day events organized by TrailNet
    
    
• Kansas  City
  • Bike Week, May 17-12
  • Car Free Challenge (starting May 17th and continuing year-around)
    
    
• Columbia
  • PedNet's Bike, Walk, & Wheel Week, May 1-8
    
    
• Springfield
  • Bike to First Friday ArtWalk, May 7
  • Bike, Bus, & Walk Week, May 17-21
    
    
• St Joseph
  • St Joseph Bicycle Club Bike Month events
    
    
• Statewide
  • Ride of Silence, May 19th, 2010
  • Organize a Ride of Silence in your community
  • Have your city council officially proclaim Bike Month 
    (It's not too late--you can have them do it any time during Bike Month)

An essential part of MoBikeFed's Vision of Bicycling and Walking in Missouri is to promote more safe, healthy bicycling & walking through events like Bike Month.

Our Vision also includes the goal of having 1 silver-level and 5 bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Communities in Missouri by 2013, and an additional 5 communities working towards Bicycle Friendly Community status.