By Mayor Pro Tem Marsha McLean
May is National Bike Month, and where better to celebrate, than in Santa Clarita! After all, we have 63 miles of picturesque bike trails and we are hosting a variety of events this month to get your wheels spinning.
The whole family can get in on the fun, this Saturday, May 12, with the Hit the Trail Community Bike Ride starting at 10 a.m. at Valencia Heritage Park. This event is a guided, non-competitive bike ride which meanders through four or nine miles of Santa Clarita’s trail system (depending on your preference). This free ride will begin and end at Valencia Heritage Park, where there will be cycling related activities, games and prizes. Valencia Heritage Park is located at 24155 McBean Parkway.
On Thursday, May 17, businesses are encouraged to participate in Bike to Work Day. This friendly competition among Santa Clarita businesses, challenges employers to see who can get the most employees to bike to work. To add to the fun, there will be five bicycle pit stops offering treats, games and prizes! Santa Clarita Transit and Metrolink are also offering free rides for anyone on local routes that travels with their bike. That way you can participate, even if you don’t live in cycling distance! More information, a list of pit stops and registration can be found at GreenSantaClarita.com.
We encourage everyone from our avid cyclists to those on training wheels to get out and enjoy the miles of trails Santa Clarita has to offer. You’ll quickly see why our City has been chosen 13 times to host the world-class cycling event, The Amgen Tour of California. Not to mention, Santa Clarita has been officially recognized as a Bronze Level Bicycle Friendly Community by the League of American Bicyclists for our ongoing efforts to make our City safe and convenient for cycling.
Riding your bike as an alternative mode of transportation helps reduce traffic, keeps our air clean, improves your health and saves you money on gas. I urge all of you to pump up your tires and hit the trails. To learn more about these events and many other bike-related events taking place during Bike Month, please visit BikeSantaClarita.com.
Mayor Pro Tem Marsha McLean is a Santa Clarita City Council member and can be reached at: [email protected].
