Bike Month: OCTA’s Annual Bike Rally

More than thirty cyclists came out to OCTA's Bike Rally Thursday morning at Orange Station. The roughly 3.5-mile route cut through Old Town Orange using side streets and the Santiago River Trail Bike Path.

Participants received a free commemorative t-shirt and were included in a raffle for two $130-valued bike tuneups from Jax Bike Center in Long Beach.

This is the fifth year OCTA has organized the ride, and it's the Authority's last promoted event for Bike Month. This year organizers wanted to showcase the multiple possible ways of getting around by bike, such as arriving at the starting point by Metrolink -- which was free to cyclists this week -- or using some of the many bike lanes in the area, according to Stella Lin, manager of marketing and customer engagement.

Local officials showed their support by joining the ride and welcoming cyclists arriving at the final destination. They included OCTA staff, Orange City Councilmember Mike Alvarez, OCTA Deputy Chief Executive Officer Ken Phipps, and OCTA board member and Tustin City Councilmember Al Murray.

"During bike month, we hope you choose hopping on bikes and asking other people to hop on bikes," said Murray. 

Sandy Kow, a 66-year-old Oceanside resident and bike advocate, joined the Bike Rally by riding his bike to the Oceanside Metrolink and taking a train to Orange. Kow said he learned about the event through an OCTA newsletter and that it was his fourth year joining their ride. "I try to support all the events like this," Kow said.