May is bike month. To celebrate the magical object that is the bicycle and the community (and personal) benefit it has, there’s a nationwide event next week:

May 18th is Bike to Work Day.

That’s right. Get that bike out of the garage, put on a helmet, roll up those pant legs, and ride to work! Why on earth should you ride (instead of drive) to work? The League of American Bicyclists gives us several reasons: 1. save money/time, 2. preserve your health and/or the environment, 3. explore the community, 4. get from A to B.

According to the American Community Survey, 1.1% of Syracusans commute via bicycle (the national average is .53%), the highest percentage of any city in New York State. It also means we have work to do – communities such as Madison, Wisconsin (6.0%), Portland, Oregon (6.0%), and Cambridge, Massachusetts (6.8%) are way ahead in prioritizing cycling as a form of commuting.

It’s time for us to get out there and give it a shot. May 18th is Bike to Work Day in Syracuse. Get on your bike and ride!

(Syracuse Bike to Work Day is social: There’s a facebook event page, and the hashtag to follow on twitter is #CuseBike2WorkDay)