May is Kansas Bike Month

The month of May is National Bike Month, and communities all across Kansas are celebrating, including those here in North Central Kansas.  Established in 1956, National Bike Month is a chance to showcase the many benefits of bicycling and encourage more folks to give biking a try.

There are lots of ways to participate in Bike Month, locally, regionally and nationally.  Some dates to celebrate are:​

• May 5 – National Ride a Bike Day.  Everyone is encouraged to #bikethere on this day.  Whether you’re riding for fun, fitness or with family, or taking essential trips to work or shop, you are part of our movement for safer streets, connected communities, a healthier planet, and happier people.
• May 8 – National Bike to School Day.  This day invites participants to celebrate the joy of active commuting while building a sense of community and school spirit.
• May 17 – National Bike to Work Day – 40% of all trips in the U.S. are less than two miles, making bicycling a feasible and fun way to get around.  Residents all across the region are encouraged to ride their bike to work and to share photos on social media by using the hashtag #salinabikestowork2024 or #kansasbikestowork2024

Other local events with details can be found on www.ksrides.org and include:

• Free rides on KANcycle for the entire month of May including locations in Salina, Minneapolis, Concordia, Belleville, Mankato, Beloit, Lincoln, Ellsworth, Lindsborg and Coffeyville.
• Aurora Bike Rodeo happening on May 18th at 8:30 a.m. on Main Street.
• Concordia Bike Rodeo happening on May 4th at 8:30 a.m at the Concordia Broadway Plaza.
• Ellsworth Bike to Work Day Challenge on May 17th where participants have a chance to win local prizes.
• Glasco Bike Rodeo happening on May 11thth at 8:30 a.m. at 206 E. Main in Glasco.
• A Bike Month Proclamation will be read at the Salina City Commission meeting on April 22nd.
• The Salina Noon Network Ambucs will give away many Amtrykes to qualified individuals during the month of May.
• Slow Saturday Social Rides are held in Salina each Saturday morning in May meeting at Ad Astra Books & Coffee at 9:00 a.m.
• The Salina Public Library will have a Bike Month book display in the Youth Services Department from May 6 – 17th.
• OCCK Transportation and KANcycle will have a biking and transportation display at the Salina Public Library Kick-off Event on May 24th.

 
“Bike Month is a great way to celebrate biking as a mobility choice that is available around our region and across the state,” said Michelle Griffin, Director of Mobility Management for North Central Kansas.  “By promoting these individual events, we hope to bring more awareness to the importance of having multi-modal options for all.”

KANcycle regional bike sharing provides North Central Kansas, including Salina, Minneapolis, Concordia, Belleville, Mankato, Beloit, Lincoln, and Ellsworth, with convenient, affordable access to bicycles as an easy, fun, healthy and eco-friendly means of transportation and recreation.  OCCK, through a collaborative funding partnership with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, brings you KANcycle powered by Movatic.  Riders join the program by signing up for annual memberships or pay-as-you-go.  Annual memberships will be $30 with trips under 1 hour being free, student annual memberships will be $20 with trips under 1 hour being free, and pay-as-you-go will be $1.50 every 30 minutes.

OCCK, Inc. provides services in north central Kansas to anyone with any type of long or short-term disability, starting as early as birth and following people through their whole lives.  OCCK provides an array of supports for success at home and in the community, including independent living skills and supports, employment and career training, Alzheimer’s supports, autism services, assistive technology, children’s services, transportation, specialized therapies, and home health care.

OCCK is committed to providing transportation services to the general public, seniors, and persons with disabilities, through a variety of programs, including a fixed route service in Salina, CityGo, a regional paratransit service that serves fourteen counties, non emergency medical transportation for people with Medicaid, as well as non emergency medical transportation for clients of Salina Regional Health Center, a regional fixed route service, 81 Connection, KANcycle – the regional bike sharing program, GoAbilene public transportation, GoConcordia public transportation, and the newest program, KanConnect.

For more information about OCCK, Inc., visit www.occk.com.  For more information about CityGo and OCCK Transportation, visit www.salinacitygo.com. Or, contact the OCCK Transportation Center at 785-826-1583.

For more information about KANcycle, rural bike sharing, visit www.kancycle.org. 

For more information about Bike Month activities across the state of Kansas and Kansas Mobility Management, visit www.ksrides.org.