Cyclists throughout Thurston County showed great enthusiasm for commuting by bicycle last month, in spite of above-normal rainfall and below-normal temperatures. Many will receive awards for their efforts at a grand finale ceremony this Saturday at 9:30 a.m. at the Olympia Farmers Market in downtown Olympia.

Coordinated by Intercity Transit since 2006, the Thurston County Bicycle Commuter Contest is an annual spring event that encourages people to leave their cars at home and bicycle to work, school, and on errands. Driving alone takes a toll on our pocketbooks – especially now as gas prices hover near $4 a gallon – as well as on our health and the environment. Transit officials indicate that most trips made by car in our region are five miles or less, an easy distance to cover by bicycle. They indicate improvements to the area’s trail, bike and transit systems also enhance the feasibility and attractiveness of bike travel.

Now completing its 24th year, Intercity Transit’s Bicycle Commuter Contest drew 1,452 participants, of which 76 percent submitted travel log data. These reports indicate more than 13,500 bicycle trips were made, a record, and nearly 104,000 bicycle miles, cumulatively, were traveled in May. The data also shows individual participants averaged 94 miles and bicycled 13 days, on average, during that month.

Intercity Transit officials indicate involvement in the popular bicycling event went beyond the healthy participation level.  Six area jurisdictions supported the activity by proclaiming May as Bicycle Commuter Month. This included the cities of Lacey, Olympia, Tenino, Tumwater and Yelm, as well as Thurston County.

“We saw a generous level of contributions from sponsors, supporters and community volunteers - as well as enthusiasm from many jurisdictions,” states event coordinator
Duncan Green. Green indicated a record 57 organizations, most of which were local businesses, supported the 2011 effort, contributing a combination of cash, services, gift cards and coupons, and merchandise for event prizes and incentives.

Green also noted more than 25 community volunteers helped this year with related events beginning in late April.  This included leading neighborhood rides on Earth Day, repairing bicycles of registered participants at the Olympia Transit Center (this event is fondly referred to as the Wrenchers Ball), and staffing activity on National Bike to Work Day.

The finale to the 2011 Bicycle Commuter Contest occurs this Saturday, June 25, 9:30 a.m., at the Olympia Farmers Market main stage, in downtown Olympia. Intercity Transit staff will award prizes and reward participants in numerous categories.  Presentation of four new bicycles, won by participants through random drawings, will also occur.