May is National Bike Month

May is national bike month. The League of American Bicyclists is promoting Bike-to-Work Week from May 11-15 and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 15. If it is not possible to bike to work or school there are other alternatives to promote staying active.

– This past February Lance Armstrong and a team of cyclist came through our town. After the cyclist left there was a community sponsored bike-a-thon downtown. Families were encouraged to come out and ride their bikes. Last year the city sponsored a family bike night inviting families to come out and ride their bikes on the bike path. To plan a community activty see the Leaue of American Bicyclist for a step by step guide on how to get started.

– I have been toying with the idea of putting on an activity for all the little kids and their families in our neighborhood in the cul-de-sac. If you have a street or court that does not generate a lot of traffic invite the kids to bring their bikes and ride around in the street. Offer drinks and snacks or better yet turn it into a neighborhood BBQ. Create buzz by talking to your neighbors and handing out flyers.

– Instead of driving to the park or store ride your bikes. As a kid we used to ride our bikes across town to the community pool. Some days it was so hot the cool water was all I could think about.

– One of my favorite family outings as a kid was our family bike rides. We try to keep that tradition going in our home. After dinner a few nights a week we enjoy a bike ride around the neighborhood or to the nearby park.

If you do not have access to a bike plan other outdoor activities such as sports, walking or gardening. Anything that gets you out as a family and active. Lets us know any ideas your family or community have to celebrate bike month. Just leave by choosing ‘Contribute’ from the Dazzledish menu at the top of the screen or by clicking ‘comment’ at the bottom of this post.