Roll Up to Work in Style: It’s Bike to Work Day!

May 10 is the Bay Area’s official Bike to Work Day, and energizer stations all over the region are stocked this morning with coffee, treats, coupons for local businesses and the 2018 edition of the highly collectible Bike to Work Day canvas tote bag. Roll up on a bike to any of these stations and get a swag bag for free. Curbed has compiled handy maps of all these energizer stations in San Francisco, the South Bay and the East Bay, and local newspapers like the Napa Valley Register, the Fairfield Daily Republic and the Mercury News have covered the event this week as well.

There are also after-work parties and events happening throughout the region; take a look at the full schedule and find details about all the sponsoring organizations on this news release on MTC’s website.

To commemorate the yearly event, a few of our staff members shared their stories about biking, along with pictures of themselves, their families, or their bike routes. Meet some of the friendly faces around the office who love to bike:

Cheryl Chi, MTC Programming and Allocations department:

"Every morning (rain, cold, or shine), I drop my son, Landon, off at school and then catch the Transbay bus to work with my bicycle. We live in Alameda and ride a Brompton (folding bicycle) with a kid bike seat attachment. We love riding through the 'forest'—one block with big, tall and beautiful trees—on the way to his preschool. On the way home, I pick up my daughter, Sachi, and we ride home on the bicycle. I love riding because I get some exercise, and dropping off and picking up kids with a bicycle is actually faster than using a car. I don’t have to search for parking or wait for kids to buckle into car seats. I can even park so close that it’s better than valet parking."

Kara Oberg, MTC Planning department:

"One of my favorite ways to get to work is to bike share to the ferry. Bike share allows me complete flexibility for my return trip home, which I really love. When I leave my apartment in Oakland, I open the Ford GoBike app, checking for bike availability at my closest station. At the station, I place my bag in the rack and use my Clipper card to unlock a bike. Once I have a bike, I pedal along the Lake Merritt Path, startling the night herons with their tucked-in necks. Next, I swoop under Lake Merritt Blvd. and past the Oakland Museum of CA. Pedaling into Jack London Square, I appreciate the new buffered bike lanes on Madison. I head to the Bay Trail and reach the Ford GoBike station at Embarcadero West and Clay, one block from the Ferry Terminal. After a peaceful boat ride to San Francisco, I grab a bike—maybe an ebike. I cruise to work, turning onto Folsom and Main. Almost there, I hop off the bike and the walk through the Paseo to dock at Beale St. There’s something about the curb space in front of my office being dedicated to shared bikes that makes me excited to start my day."

Julie Teglovic, MTC Public Information department:

"Nearly every weekday, I bike from my apartment in the Clinton neighborhood of Oakland to the Lake Merritt BART station (about a mile), then I take a GoBike from the Embarcadero station on the SF side to our office (about ½ a mile)—followed by the reverse trip back at the end of the workday. I almost always ride in a dress or skirt! You definitely don’t have to be super athletic or a “serious” biker with lots of gear and money to incorporate biking into your life. I can’t remember the last time I wore pants or athletic wear. My cheap (but very reliable) Craigslist bike gives me peace of mind that I can leave it locked up at BART all day, and I always bike pretty slowly and casually, rarely breaking a sweat. I haven’t owned a car in over a decade, and living car-free is a point of pride for me. It’s a big money-saver and a way to force myself to exercise a bit each day, and you can’t beat the Bay Area for casual biking weather. I also use a bike to get to my second job on Saturdays at a vintage clothing store in north Oakland—usually with a basket full of colorful clothes to sell!"

Pierce Gould, MTC Operations department:

"I’ve biked to work since Day 1 of MTC’s move to 375 Beale. I treated myself to a new commute bike to improve my chances of sticking with it. I am lucky to live on Potrero Hill, because my ride is only 2.5 miles one-way. Without a doubt, biking is the fastest, most reliable way for me to get to work. Every morning, I ride my breaks down steep Mississippi Street to 18th Street. I used to take 18th and ride along the water, but now there’s so much construction with the new Warriors stadium and other projects that I avoid it at all costs. Instead, I bike on 4th Street past the UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital to the 4th Street bridge across Mission Creek, where I make my way to the Embarcadero. I ride past the Giants stadium to the Bay Bridge, and finally to our office. The mornings are calm; the evenings can be crazy–especially on game days. I really try to pay attention when biking in the city. I narrowly missed running into a surprise opening car door this morning, and have been greeted by SFPD at the 3rd Street bridge for riding on the sidewalk (oops - I learned a $178 lesson). On my return home, I always get off at the foot of Mississippi and walk up the hill to my house. Who wants to break a sweat before dinner?"

A few other pictures of MTC staff, family and friends enjoying their time on bikes: