Riders in national event thought green, earned goodies.
Santa Clarita cyclists zoomed past traffic this morning during national Bike To Work Day and the city had a little extra treat for them along the way.
A cyclists gets a trail map from city volunteer Bob Wagstrom
“Pit stops” were set up at four locations, offering snacks, bike bags and safety reflectors. At the stop on Soledad Canyon Road and Camp Plenty Road, three volunteers staffed a booth full of goodies and information. By 8:20, they had already had 43 cyclists stop by.
The Soledad Canyon/Camp Plenty welcoming committee
Volunteer Bob Wagstrom handed a flashing red light sticker to cyclist Joe Campeau, who rides almost every day, along with a map of the city’s trail system.
“I like being outside and knowing I can go anywhere I want to on my own power,” Campeau said as he bid his new friends goodbye.
Volunteer Bob Wagstrom helps rider Joe Campeau affix a safety blinker to his bike
Helping Wagstrom were John Lukes and Kirk Telanus, both riders in their own right. Lukes volunteers with the City, making bike safety presentations to schools and groups. He’s been wheeling his way around the world for the last 40 years, taking bike tours of Germany, Austria and South Africa.
Telanus works for Performance Cycling and was encouraged that people were getting on their bikes and enjoying the day, but said that even rising gas prices weren’t getting people on the bike trails regularly.
“Unfortunately, they’re not,” he said. Wagstrom piped in “they’re hopping on the bus.”
Information and snacks were a bonus for riders
The group had even recruited pedestrian Jeane Dennewitz to help them pass out goodies, all the while plugging the benefits of cycling for health and the environment.
A friendly competition was set up among local businesses to encourage participation, the company with the most riders was awarded a frozen yogurt party from Golden Spoon in Valencia.
