On May 14, right outside The Local Store, we held the kick-off event for Bike-to-Work Week in partnership with the Wisconsin Bike Federation. Inside two tents we offered free coffee, donuts, and bananas, lots of bike-related info, bike merch, a repair station, and parked outside were dozens of bikes (current, vintage, pedicabs, tandems, and more). You can see photos of the event here. Right on the corner of Galloway and Dewey, and directly on the bike trail, it was a great high-profile spot for both bikers and drivers to see all the activity and get the message. “But what is the message?” someone asked on VolumeOne.org after the event. Fair question, I suppose. Like any event of this sort, the aim is to build community and create awareness. Awareness that it is in fact an option to bike to work, to school, to the park or wherever in this town (because sometimes we need a reminder). Awareness that we have the trails and resources in our community to get you from point A to point B safely, but that we need to keep investing in their quality and quantity. And awareness that even if an individual doesn’t have a particular interest in riding bike themselves, that it’s still a very important part of the health and vitality of our community, deserving support and recognition. It helps accomplish these things overall, but for any given individual it also saves money, keeps you fit, and I believe breeds a greater appreciation of the city on the whole. And that’s not to mention the environmental benefits. But of course it doesn’t have to be a specially designated week to see all the good riding your bike to work can achieve. Any week will do. We’re trying to take the fun seriously at Volume One. We give workers an annual bonus stipend if they ride to work 60 or more days a year. We’ve got a chart up for not only tracking, but for the much needed encouragement. Because who can’t use a bit of that?