Get Excited for Bike Month!

Bike Month in Tacoma officially kicks off this Thursday, May 1. Unofficially, we're going to declare this sunny weather a good enough reason to get an early jump on getting around Tacoma on your bike.

The idea behind Bike Month is to celebrate cycling, and to strengthen and improve the networks, both phsical and social, that support the various modes of cycling in Tacoma. Events planned throughout the month welcome both experienced and brand new riders, and everyone in between.

Getting Started

The annual Bike Swap at UPS, sponsored by Tacoma Wheelmen's Bicycle Club is a great way to get started on cycling for the year. You can pick up a new-to-you bike, or parts and accessories to get your old bike up to speed for 2014.

If you want a refresher (or a first look) at Washington's bike laws, the Tacoma Wheemen website has a good FAQ, along with some of the actual RCW language.

Get a little more insurance for a smooth ride on your bike, new or old, at the inter-denominational Blessing of the Bikes at Urban Grace Church this Friday. "Everyone is welcome at this inter-denominational service to bless our wheeled vehicles and the journeys we travel with them!" It certainly couldn't hurt.

Bike to a Better Tacoma will give you a chance to hear from City of Tacoma staff and others about plans for future bike-related improvements in Tacoma, as well as updates on current projects. It would be a great chance to learn about any improvements coming to your neighborhood or commute route.

Bike Commuters

Pierce Trips is once again challenging Tacoma workplaces to get out and ride to work this May with the Commuter Challenge. You can log your commutes and even possibly qualify for prizes at piercetrips.com. Bike Commute team captains are invited to a captain's party to get things started for the month. That's tonight at the Harmon Tap Room.

For those commuting on bike, Downtown On the Go brings you "Brake Breaks" from 7-9 a.m. and from 4-6 p.m. on May 1 and May 16. Stop by one of their commuter stations for coffee, bagels, giveaways, maps, and cheerleading!

And for the kids, there's Bike to School Day.

Food & Drink & Bikes

The weather forecast for Thursday looks about as good as it gets - perfect for riding your bike to the opening day of the Broadway Farmers' Market for Bike to Market Day.

The re-release of The Red Hot Pint Pedaler puts together two pretty great things - biking and beer - to celebrate a map of Tacoma's craft breweries (which incidentally makes for a great bike trip). Park your bike in the bike corral, and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow cyclists in the beer garden.

And if you like that, you'll like the Hub and DOTG's Bike Commuter Meet-Up & Pub Crawl too.

... And More ...

There are more events than we have space for here - a Tweed Ride, events specifically for women and families, group rides, and more. Find cycling-related events for Bike Month and beyond on the year-round Bike253 calendar, where you can even post your own bike events.

Downtown On the Go also has some bike resources, including information on taking your bike on the bus (with a how-to video), $10 helmets, lists of local clubs, bike shops, and other resources at dowtownonthego/go/biking.

And if you're all ready to climb onto your bike today, ride by Savor Tacoma Creperie downtown to take advantage of the 10% discount they're offering to cyclists today.

Anyone else is itching to get out on two wheels and enjoy this sunshine?