Denver Bike to Work Day 2012

Basket of a Denver B-cycle festooned for the day.

Denver and the surrounding region has its Bike to Work Day about a month later than National Bike to Work Day, and today was it. I think the later date locally as compared to everywhere else has to do with a greater likelihood of good weather in June than in May. However, this year May might have been a better choice as we've had a terrible and prolonged heat wave for many days, with no end in sight. The temperature has tied the maximum ever recorded in Denver of 105 F degrees twice in the past few days. Coupled with exceedingly low humidity, these conditions have contributed to the multiple fires currently burning in the area.

Mayor Hancock on the right, prepping for the ride.

The best time of day to ride in such heat is in the morning or the evening, and this morning did not disappoint. I left the house at 6:35 equipped with plenty of water and enjoyed a nice ride. A bit later, as a member of the Denver Mayor's Bicycle Advisory Committee, I was invited to ride with Mayor Hancock, members of City Council and city staff into downtown. Say what you will about the merits of singling out one day a year for a somewhat larger than normal subset of the population to ride to work, but it's a fun atmosphere riding among a lot of bicyclists going in all directions. It kind of provides the feeling of what it must be like to commute in a city like Copenhagen.

As bike to work day is pretty much every day for me, I decided to make the official Bike to Work Day a little different. Last year I rode my skinniest-tired bike, so this year I rode my Pugsley. As has been proven on other outings, the fat tires dependably generated a lot of interest. I had quite a few test riders, from Bicycle Police Officers to City Council Members to the City's Bicycle Coordinator. The universal response was a big smile sometimes accompanied by giggling.

Steve Sander, Director of Strategic Marketing for Denver, with a post-Pugsley grin.

I'll have more photos later, once I'm able to retrieve them from my camera. In all, the morning ride went very well. Next up will be the Bike From Work Party and the ride home.