Sacramento May is Bike Month 2009 Kick-off/Show-off Ride May 1

Cyclists will gather at 1:00 p.m. for the ride and media event at the West Sacramento RiverWalk Grand Staircase (by the Ziggurat building).  The Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG) will be holding a press conference at 1:00 p.m.featuring May is Bike Month Honorary Co-chairs Pierre Rivas (Mayor of Placerville) and Andrea Lapore (Hot Italian).  For information on the rides to the event, check the May is Bike Month Web site.

The Sacramento Area Bicycle Advocates (SABA) is organizing the ride to kick-off May is Bike Month and Million Mile May and to show off new bike facilities in Sacramento. The ride will start at about 1:30 p.m.  The ride is free and open to the public.

SABA, the Sacramento Area Council of Governments and the Sacramento area Transportation Management Associations are inviting everyone to ride, have some fun and promote cycling.

The ride is an opportunity to see the new Sacramento riverfront Promenade, cross the R Street bridge over I-5 and explore trails and streets in the Pocket area.   The ride will be about 20 miles long, mostly on city streets with traffic.

City of Sacramento bicycle coordinator Ed Cox will act as docent.  At scheduled stops, he will describe the recent changes and future plans

Estimated riding time is 3 hours.   Length 20+ miles.

Rain cancels.

Kick-off/Show-off Ride Route

Along Sacramento River Trail, through Seymour Park to Pocket Road.  Return via Pocket Road and Riverside Boulevard.  End at Capitol Park.

Smart Cycling Clinics

Get ready for May is Bike Month and riding a million miles (you don't have to do it all yourself) by attending a Smart Cycling Clinic.  Learn to ride comfortably and safely on the road.

Million Mile Month

May again will be Million Mile Month.  Can Sacramento cyclists once again log a million miles during the month?  They made it almost halfway in 2005, covering less than 500,000 miles. In 2006, cyclists pedaled 627,000 miles.  In 2007, the total reached 926,000. In 2008, nearly 7,000 cyclists rode 1,242,215 miles and in 2009 the total climbed again to 1,287,706 miles.

Let's break the reocrd again with more cyclists and more miles.  Everyone wins--it all means getting fitter, cleaning the air, reducing greenhouse gases and cutting traffic congestion.  Every mile you drive produces about one pound of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.  Every mile counts! 

Register and do your bit--and learn more about May is Bike Month activities.  Register now.