May is National Bike Month and Rapid City officials are promoting cycling as an alternative mode of transportation.
During this month the city sponsors several events including National Bike to School Day, National Bike to Work day and the “Bike for Bacon” event, held at Founder’s Park.
Rapid City officials are encouraging public use of the city’s bike lanes, paths and trail systems in support of National Bike Month. Their goal is to promote cycling as an alternative to automobiles for daily commutes.
Kristy Lintz is the City Recreation Specialist for Rapid City.
She says this is the third year the city has hosted events to commemorate the month.
“We have a wonderful bike path along our greenway that we use for alternative transportation and we just want to highlight some of those features through the events that we participate in.”
Cyclists can participate in a number of events throughout the month.
Area students compete for the “Pedaler’s Prize Trophy”, awarded to the school with the highest percentage of participating students.
Lintz says despite the rainy weather, area schools still saw wide participation.
Twenty-nine percent of Corral Drive Elementary School’s students and six percent of Rapid Valley Elementary School’s students chose to cycle to class.
The week of May 13 is set aside for commuters and Friday of that week features the “Bike for Bacon” event, scheduled for Founder’s Park in Rapid City.
The event has breakfast stations along the bike path and includes pastries as well as a bacon station.
Lintz says that the event is free for any Rapid City residents who would like to participate as area businesses provide the items for these events.
“We have several sponsors that’s working with us to provide our ‘Bike for Bacon’ event on Friday, which is national bike to work day, so everybody needs to get out on May 17th and bike to work.”
The event runs from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m.