Residents of Santa Clarita will show their commitment to the environment and their health next Thursday with a day of biking and exercise.

The 10th Annual Santa Clarita Bike to Work Day Challenge will be held on Thursday, May 16, 2013, when local businesses and their employees forgo their automobile commute for cleaner, healthier two-wheeler transportation.

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Santa Clarita companies joining this year’s no pollute commute include Boston Scientific, Princess Cruises, College of the Canyons, CalArts, Newhall School District, and many others.

Bike to Work Day coincides with the Amgen Tour of California, a Tour de France-style cycling road race that challenges the world’s top professional cycling teams to compete along a demanding course throughout the state. The Amgen Tour of California will take place on May 12th through the 19th and will pass through the Santa Clarita Valley on May 14th-15th.

“The annual Bike to Work Day event is a great way to reduce traffic, get physical activity in before the workday, save money on gas and improve air quality in Santa Clarita,” commented Mayor Bob Kellar. “This annual competition not only helps build employee morale for local employers but also shows community members how easy it is to commute to work or around town using the City’s trails and bike paths.”

The competition will be broken down into three categories: small business with two to 10 employees; medium business with 11 to 100 employees; and large business with over 100 employees. Businesses with the highest participation rate in each category will win frozen yogurt from Golden Spoon Valencia and gift certificates for lunch.

Participating bicyclists will also be entered into a raffle for prizes, including a KHS bicycle, high-quality cycling gear, gift certificates, movie tickets, and more.

Five bicycle pit stops will be stationed throughout the City for cyclists to reenergize, enjoy free refreshments, receive giveaways, and learn more information about biking to work. The pit stops include:

• City Hall, located at 23920 Valencia Boulevard

• Bouquet Junction, located behind Chi-Chi’s at the corner of Valencia Boulevard and Bouquet Canyon Road

• South Fork Trail access, located at the corner of Newhall Avenue and 16th  Street

• Santa Clara River Trail access, located at the corner of Camp Plenty and Soledad Canyon Road

• City Public Works Yard, located at 25663 Avenue Stanford

The Santa Clarita Bike to Work Day Challenge takes place during national Bike to Work Week, which kicks off on Monday, May 13, and continues through Friday, May 17, 2013. All participating Bike to Work Day cyclists are also eligible to win additional prizes from Los Angeles Metro by pledging at Metro.net/BikeToWork.

In addition to Bike to Work Day, the green friendly party continues in Old Town Newhall on Thursday, May 16, from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. as SENSES hosts a “Rock the Bike” themed block party.  This event will serve as the hub for all cycling enthusiasts featuring live Rock n’ Roll music, gourmet food trucks, street performers and other activities.  For more information on SENSES “Rock the Bike,” visit ThursdaysAtNewhall.com  

For more information on the Bike to Work Day Challenge or to participate, contact the City’s Environmental Services Division at (661) 255-4376 or visit GreenSantaClarita.com.

Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at community@hometownstation.com.

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Source: Santa Clarita News
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