It's our favorite time of the year for many reasons, not least because May is Bike Month! Every place in California celebrates bike month a little bit differently; in some places it's a huge event while in others it's a bit more muted. One thing is clear: Bike Month offers a ton of events throughout California to encourage, educate, and entertain bike riders.
Streetsblog knows that putting together a comprehensive compendium of every Bike Month activity in the state is probably impossible, but we're going to make an effort to highlight some of the fun being planned in various areas. First stop: the state capital.
The Sacramento region celebrates May Is Bike Month! with a month-long daily bike challenge wherein riders log the miles they put in on their bikes. Riders compete on teams of their own, or join their employer's teams, and the competition gets fierce. Some of the larger state agencies—such as Caltrans and the EPA—tend to dominate the rankings. Mileage and number of trips are updated regularly here.
But the bike challenge is only a small part of May Is Bike Month. Almost every day in May there's an Energizer Station somewhere in the region, offering a rest stop, snacks, and encouragement to bike commuters on both morning and/or evening bike commutes. See here for more details about where those are.
In addition, there is also a packed schedule of events throughout the month. The list below is a taste of what is happening in the area; for more events, and for further details about these ones, go to the May Is Bike Month website.
BIKE RIDES:
- Townie Ride tomorrow, May 4, will tour downtown Sacramento's breweries, food, and scenery while offering tips on bike commuting and safe riding practices.
- The 7th annual “Great Scott!” Bike and Walk Event will close off Scott Road to car traffic on Sunday, May 7, so bike riders can enjoy miles of car-free riding through Sacramento, Rancho Cordova, and Folsom.
- Kidical Mass ride brings out the kids in Woodland on May 5, and Sacramento's monthly Kidical Mass takes place on May 27.
- Davis's Tour de Cluck takes place on May 6, a “fowl frolicking fantastic bike tour offering the curious chicks among us an opportunity to tour a variety of Davis backyard chicken coops.” Advance tickets are necessary.
- Davis Loopapalooza on May 7 will tour the Davis Bike Loop and nine educational stations along the way.
- Mayor's Ride to the Capitol starts in Folsom and rides along the American River Parkway to Old Sacramento in time for the May Is Bike Month Rally at the Capitol on May 11.
- Rides of Silence in Davis and Sacramento takes place in conjunction with the National Ride of Silence on May 17. Riders take the streets in a silent procession to honor those who have been killed or injured while biking.
- Johnny Cash Folsom Prison Blues Bike Ride on May 28 will follow the Johnny Cash Trail past Folsom Prison on an eight-mile group ride. Sights include the Historic Truss Bridge on the American River Parkway, views of Folsom Lake, and the Johnny Cash bridge. In honor of Johnny, say the organizers, wear black.
EVENTS:
- Sacramento State Bike Day on May 4 will include a booth celebrating bike commuters and free bike lights for students and staff who register to compete in the May Is Bike Month Challenge as part of the Sac State Team.
- Biannual UC Davis Bike auction takes place on May 6. UC Davis Transportation Services will auction off more than 400 lost, stolen, and abandoned bikes to the highest bidders.
- Davis celebrates Bike to Work Day on May 9 with a party along Third Street between UC Davis and University Avenue, and free lunch for participants who are signed up for the May Is Bike Month bike commuter challenge.
- Capitol Bike Fest spreads out on the lawn of the State Capitol in Sacramento on May 11. Festivities include booths from local bike chops and clubs, bike rides, and prizes for participants in the Bike Commute challenge.
- Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first Davis bike lanes on May 12 with a party and a special display of historic high-wheeled bikes at the U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame in Davis.
- The 12th annual Amgen Tour of California takes place May 12 through 14, starting with a concert in Cesar Chavez Park featuring live music as well as a close look at Amgen Tour of California team cars and a chance to talk to riders. The first stage of the women's race takes place on May 13 in Elk Grove. The men's overall start, as well as the women's third and fourth stages, will take place in downtown Sacramento on May 14.
