Grand Valley Bike Month 2020
May is Grand Valley Bike Month in Mesa County and we’re celebrating bicycling activities for transportation, fun, and health. For the ninth year in a row, Mesa County joins the nationwide effort to encourage residents to ride their bikes as a viable alternative to driving their cars, which improves air quality, reduces traffic congestion, and leads to healthier lifestyles within our community. Grand Valley Bike Month provides activities for the entire family at all levels and abilities, ranging from leisure rides, commuter and business challenges, and bike celebrations that will stimulate our local economy.
Modifications due to COVID 19
Grand Valley Bike Month will continue this year, but things are going to look a little different in an effort to continue to encourage social distancing. Mesa County wants to encourage people to bike for health and transportation throughout the month of May and support local businesses. See the 2020 Selfie Contest and Bingo tabs below for more details on how you can participate this year!
Bike to Work and School Day, May 6, 2020 – POSTPONED
Grand Valley Bike Month Celebration, TBD – POSTPONED
Selfie Contest
Beginning May 4, there will be four bike-themed weeks. Participants can complete a theme-related activity and submit the photo to healthymesacounty@mesacounty.us for a chance to win. Each week, two winners will be drawn at random to win a $20 gift card to a local business. Winners will be announced on social media and the individual will also be notified via email.
How to Participate
- Complete a bike activity related to the theme of the week.
- Take a selfie/picture
- Submit your photo to healthymesacounty@mesacounty.us by the deadline (see below). Limit one photo per person per week.
- Optional: Post your picture on social media with #GVBikeMonth and tag MobileMesaCounty (Facebook or Instagram).
Weekly themes and deadlines:
- May 4-May 9 Bike for Transportation Deadline May 11 Sponsored by St. Mary’s Medical Center
- May 11-May 16 Bike for Health Deadline May 18
- May 18-May 23 Bike for Coffee Deadline May 26 Sponsored by Monument Health
- May 25-May 30 Bike for Recreation Deadline May 31 Sponsored by DT Swiss
GV Bike Month Bingo
Participate in GV Bike Month Bingo by completing the bike-related activities listed in each square and going for a full black-out, 5 in a row, or make an X.
How to participate:
- Download the GV Bike Month Bingo board here.
- Have fun completing the activities in the bingo squares May 1-31, 2020. Take pictures!
- Submit bingo board and photos here (link coming soon) by June 3, 2020.
Prizes:
- Blackout – One ($100) prize
- X – Two ($50) prizes
- 5 in a row – Five ($25) prizes
- Creative bike photo (Free Space) – One ($50) prize will be awarded based on creativity
Deadline: June 3, 2020
Bike-Related Events
All Month: MAD May Virtual Races – Click here for more information on how to participate in this FREE activity.
All Month: Bike in to Sweet Kiwi and get a discount.
May 22: Commute for Coffee – Celebrate Iced Coffee Day by biking to one of the participating coffee shops and receive $1.00 off an iced drink: Copeka Coffee, Kiln Coffee, Pedrita’s Coffee, and Sweet Kiwi.
Postponed/Cancelled 2020 Events
April 25: Grand Valley Bike Swap – POSTPONED
May 1-3: Fruita Fat Tire Festival – Click here for more information. POSTPONED to 2021
May 3: Commuter Challenge starts (see tab below) – POSTPONED to Fall 2020
May 6: Grand Valley Bike to Work/School Day (see tab below) – POSTPONED to Fall 2020
May 6: Bike to Work Day Afterglow – POSTPONED to Fall 2020
May 7: Monument Connector Group Ride – POSTPONED to Fall 2020
May 9-10: Grand Enduro – Click here for more information. – POSTPONED to 2021 (Check back for details about a virtual race)
May 16: Wild Horse Gravel – Click here for more information. – RESCHEDULED to September 5, 2020
May 28: Grand Valley Mountain Bike film Fest at the Historic Avalon Theatre (see tab below) – CANCELED
May 29-31: Grand Junction Off-Road and Downtown Music Festival – CANCELED
May 29: Grand Valley Bike Month Awards Ceremony – POSTPONED
Listen to Mobile Mesa County KAFM clip about bike commuting.
Know the Rules of the Road
- Be courteous, share the road and obey all traffic laws, signs and signals.
- Ride on the shoulder (if one exists) or on the right side of the road.
- You may ride two abreast when doing so does not impede the flow of traffic. Ride single file to allow vehicles to pass.
- Signal turns for 100 feet in advance, unless you need both hands to brake or control your bicycle. (Hand signals handout).
- At night, ride with a white front light and a red rear light or reflector.
- Yield to pedestrians.
- Ditch the sidewalks when a bike lane or side road is available. Riding on the sidewalk can be hazardous for other pedestrians and puts you outside drivers’ field of view.
Check out Bicycle Colorado’s website for more information on safe riding. Click here to download Colorado rules for bicyclists and motorists.
Gather your Gear
- Helmet – Protect yourself! A majority of bike fatalities involve riders without a helmet.
- Lock
- Lights – In case you stay lat, be prepared with a white front light and a red rear light or reflector.
- Rack, basket or pannier for carrying your stuff.
- ID and fully charged cell phone for safety.
- Flat-changing supplies
- Change of clothes, lunch and other supplies you will need for the day!
Prep your Office
- Extra clothes – keep a pair of dress shoes and change of clothes at your desk.
- Toiletries – Keep a “freshen-up” kit with extra deodorant, baby powder, dry shampoo, hair brush, etc.
- Towel
- Snacks
Click here for more detailed recommendations about commuting by bike.
Bike Maps
Find a safe route from your home to work or other destinations. Practice the route in the evening or weekend. Use the map below of recommended bike routes within the City of Grand Junction.
Grand Valley Bike to Work and School Day is being postponed to Fall 2020. More details to come.
It is a day to leave your car at home and ride with your family, friends, and coworkers to school and work. Riders are encouraged to stop at one (or more) of the free breakfasts in the valley:
- BTWD Breakfast at Grand Junction City Hall, 6:30-9:00 a.m.
- BTWD Breakfast at Civic Center Park in Fruita, 6:30-9:00 a.m.
- Horizon Drive Business Improvement District and Octopus Coffee BTWD Breakfast at Horizon Drive and Crossroads Boulevard, 6:30-9:00 a.m.
Riders are also invited to attend the Afterglow 5-7 p.m. at TBD location.
Business Challenge
Looking for a fun way to build team spirit? Engage in a friendly competition against other businesses in our community! The company or organization with the highest percentage of employees that bike to work on May 6 gets to display the traveling trophy in their workplace for an entire year! Trophies will be awarded at the Bike Month Awards Ceremony (time/location TBD).
Categories:
- 1 – 15 employees
- 16 – 50 employees
- 51 – 150 employees
- 150+ employees
Instructions:
1. Click here to sign-up.
2. Email healthymesacounty@mesacounty.us with the following information: – Agency name – Number of total bike-to-work riders – A picture of your riding team
Employee Group Rides
Businesses are encouraged to coordinate a group ride to a Bike to Work Day breakfast. Employees can ride from their job site or select another location to meet at for the ride.
Safety recommendations:
- Take the route with the least amount of traffic.
- If you have a larger group, ride in groups ranging in speed from faster riders to leisurely riders who take it slow.
- Have sag-wagons/support vehicles that ride along, so if someone’s bike breaks down or needs a break they can hop in a vehicle with their bike.
Official Bike to Work Day T-Shirts
Official Bike Month t-shirts are available for ordering. Organizational logos can be printed on the back for an extra cost (only available for orders with 12 or more t-shirts).
Cost: Starting at $9/shirt (SM-XL) With logo: $11-$20/shirt (depends on order size and shirt size)
Deadline to order: Fall deadline TBD
T-shirt Specs – Click here to review color options (only available for organization orders). Not all listed colors may be available at the time of ordering.
Click here to order t-shirts TBD fall 2020 date.
2020 Commuter Challenge is postponed to Fall 2020.
How many miles can you ride? Challenge your friends and family to see who can accumulate the most mileage using your bike instead of your car to get from place to place in Mesa County (with the exception of recreational riding). Can’t bike to work or school? No problem, other places you can commute by bike include the store, a friend’s house, or out to eat. Any miles count if you would typically drive there, but hop on a bike instead. Prizes will be given to the top three commuters in the Grand Valley!
Click here to sign-up.
Instructions:
Log your total miles spent commuting by bicycle (excluding recreational riding) in the following TBD time frames:
All mileage must be entered by TBD deadline to be eligible for prizes. Prizes will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. Participants who submit miles will be entered to win a drawing!
Participating in Grand Valley Bike Month 2020
Grand Valley Bike Month 2020 Activities
Grand Valley Bike Month 2020 Business Toolkit – COVID Modifications
How can your business participate in Bike to Work Day?
Bike to Work Business Participation Overview
Bicycle Friendly Business Overview
How to Host an Afterglow Event
2020 Bike Month Sponsorship Letter
Marketing Materials
Grand Valley Bike Month provides activities for the entire family at all levels and abilities, ranging from leisure rides, commuter and business challenges, and bike celebrations that will stimulate our local economy.
Your sponsorship helps offset the cost of 2020 Grand Valley Bike Month events. Click here to become a sponsor!
Title Sponsors
Supporting Sponsors
Contributors
Bike Month Planning Committee Members
