On Friday, May 30, Mayor Greg Fischer and the city of Louisville want you to ride your bicycle to work. This isn’t for the cyclist that does it all the time. First-time riders can can participate in Bike To Work Day, too.
To further facilitate work day, the city has set up meet and ride stations at the following locations:
- Seneca Park - at the basketball court parking lot near the tennis courts
- Tyler Park - at the basketball court next to Baxter Avenue
- Iroquois Park - in the amphitheater parking lot
- Shawnee Park - at the Southwestern Parkway and Broadway entrance
- Southern Indiana - at the Park and TARC lot on Illinois Avenue and 9th Street
All stations have a meet up time at 7am with the exception of the Southern Indiana location where the time is 7:30am. Every rider is required to wear a helmet, which is a smart thing to do anyway.
If you choose to join the project this way, there will be ride captains to assist. Ride captains are experienced riders who can guide novices through what is expected of them. At quitting time, you go meet up with your ride captains at 4th Street Live around 5:15. Then ride with them back to your start location.
Speaking of 4th Street Live, Bike Louisville has a special program there at noon. It will give you a chance to meet up with other riders and learn about the benefits of two-wheeling it more than one day a year. Parkside Bikes on Bardstown Road will get you signed up to win a Globe Daily 2 Bike, complete with fenders and a front basket.
Of course you can go on your own. In fact, many people in town already do. After all, it’s a healthy and zero emission way to travel. Putting the spotlight on it this way gives more Louisvillian’s a chance to consider it.
Regarding the elephant in the room: will you be presentable once you arrive at work? There are several ways to handle this:
- Ride slower than you would for a regular workout. It staves off the inevitable sweat a bit longer.
- Use a moistened bandana on the back of the neck. Your grandmother was right. It does help you cool down.
- Along the same lines: hydrate. Drink water all along the ride, not just at the end.
- Wear moisture wicking material. These garments absorb the perspiration from your body quickly while also quickly evaporating it from the fibers.
- Eat healthier. If good goes in, good (or at least less smelly) sweat comes out.
- Take a few minutes off the bike to cool down before you go to work. It gives your body a chance to recover.
- Take a change of clothes. You can’t see clients in those bike shorts anyway.
Photo by: Stefan Schurr/Shutterstock.com
