Healthy Shasta

Past Winners

Bicycle Friendly Employer of the Year

In 2012, Caltrans pulled out all the stops and won Bicycle Friendly Employer of the Year. Not only did they have the top scoring team, the Director invited staff to participate and pledge the amount of miles they planned to ride to increase commitment. The team captain hid his bicycle around campus for staff to find each day, offered a bike commute workshop, and employees enjoyed a lunch break slow race and social ride on the River Trail. Year round, the worksite has a gated bicycle corral to securely park bikes, showers, and lockers for employees.

In 2011, Turtle Bay Exploration Park offered a bicycle clinic for employees, social rides after work, and one lucky employee won a day off work for commuting by bike! Now that's an incentive. They also reached beyond staff and offered a free "energizer station" with refreshments for all bicycle commuters at the foot of the Sundial Bridge.

In 2010, Shasta College was named Bicycle Friendly Employer, offering indoor bicycle parking, access to showers, and lockers for employees. They also have bicycle parking around campus and bicycle route maps posted in prominent locations to support staff, students and visitors in commuting by bike.

Past Bike Commute Challenge Winners

Everyone who participates in the Bike Commute Challenge is a winner because the benefits to health, fitness, quality of life, and air quality are huge!

2012 Prize Winners
Participants were entered into a free drawing each day they rode a bike to work, school or errands (anywhere you may otherwise drive to) between May 13-19, 2012. The more days someone rode, the greater their chance of winning. Top prizes winners:

• Debbi from the Shasta Superiors won a $100 Gift Certificate to the bike shop of her choice from Healthy Shasta
• Don (individual category) won a $50 Bike Shop Gift Certificate and water bottle from Rabobank Redding
• Jim from Team Anonymous won a $50 Bike Shop Gift Certificate and water bottle from Rabobank Redding
• Joseph from Cycling Defenders and Ramon from Shasta College Knight Riders each won a tune up from Village Cycle
• Cinnamon from Central Valley High School and Lisa from Caltrans D2 each won Scott bicycling shoes from Cyclopedia
• Ronnean from Team DDW and Spencer from LSU Tigers each won prize packages from Sports LTD

See the 2012 Bike Commute Challenge Prize Winners for a complete list.

Past Bike Commute Challenges

California Bike Commute Week is typically celebrated in mid-May to encourage bicycling as a form of transportation while decreasing traffic congestion, improving air quality, and promoting safe bicycle commuting. Local activities are provided by the Shasta Cascade Bicycle Coalition and supported by local bicycling groups and shops. Please contact us if you'd like to support the challenge by donating prizes or swag for participants. Get involved with Bike Commute Week by calling 229-8243.

The 2012 Bike Commute Challenge was more competitive than ever! Thirty-four teams registered for the Bike Commute Challenge, plus individual participants, riding 13,030 miles over the seven-day period (compared to 250 riders logging 6,398 miles in 2011). Those numbers saved approximately 12,053 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions and 169 pounds of other pollutants from release. Participants saved $2,538 by not using 620 gallons of fuel (assuming $4.09 per gallon and 21 mpg). Not only were fewer cars on the road as participants took to pedaling rather than driving, but bike commuters also got exercise, reduced stress levels and enjoyed being on a bicycle instead of at the wheel.

In 2011, over 250 participants rode over 6,398 miles to work or errands in the challenge, preventing the release of 5,918 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions and saving $1,250 on fuel. Jeff Worthington and Debbie Hare won the grand prize in the drawing (the more often you ride the greater the chance of winning!) The top performing team was City of Redding.

Many local employers have seen an increase in bicycle commuters since the new Dana to Downtown project was completed, with trail connections to Dana/Hilltop as well as North Bechelli. For example Nichols, Melberg, and Rossetto added a bicycle rack after participating in last year's challenge and discovering how easy it is for many of their employees to ride along the river trail for most of their commute and then connect to the office via North Bechelli.

In 2010, 152 participants representing 25 teams rode 3,065 miles, prevented the release of 2,835 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions, 40 pounds of other air pollutants, 145 gallons of fuel and saved $436.40 on fuel (at $2.99/gallon) all while commuting by bike! Shasta College had the top performing team.