Are you ready? Winter Bike Fest is almost here!

For the month of February we're celebrating our wintery city and its winter biking community. We have a lot of fun events planned for you! We hope to see you at one or many. Check them out here and invite your friends on Facebook:

Bike Happy Hour
When: Tuesday, February 7th, 5-7pm
Where: the Spenard Roadhouse
Details: Wear your helmet, get tots.

Winter Bike to Work Day
When: Friday, February 10th, 6-9am morning commuter treat stations and 4:30-6pm after work parties
Where: Treat stations all over Anchorage and after work parties at Westchester Lagoon (West Anchorage) and Eagle River Town
Square Park (for Eagle River commuters)--stay tuned for a map!
Details: Commit to commute on Winter Bike to Work with the rest of the world at winterbiketoworkday.org/home2017

Eagle River Sunrise Ride
When: Monday, February 20th (President's Day), 8-11am
Where: Meet at Chepo's Mexican Restaurant
Details: Planning 7-8 miles out and back on the Eagle River. Fat bikes recommended. Total time estimated to be around 2 hours. Please park at the far end of the Chepo's parking lot!

Tour de Funk
When: Friday, February 24th, 9pm-late
Where: Anchorage Community Works
Details: $10 cover. Funk/soul music and lots of dancing! Beer from Resolution Brewing Co. and bike-themed crafts and artist tables. Bike parking will be provided.

Big Fat Ride & Raffle Drawing
When: Saturday, February 25th, 3:30pm
Where: 4th Avenue, downtown Anchorage
Details: The ride is for all ages and riding abilities and will be a 5-mile loop starting on 4th Ave. using the Coastal Trail out to Westchester Lagoon. Sign up at bigfatride.athlete360.com Bib pick-up will be at Anchorage R.E.I. on Friday, February 24th, 4-7pm and Saturday, February 25th, 10am-2pm.

Gary Sjoquist Presentation – Bike Minneapolis: A Bike-Friendly Winter City
When: Monday, February 27th, 6-7:30pm
Where: R.E.I. 
Details: "Bike Minneapolis: A Bike-Friendly Winter City" presented by Gary Sjoquist, Advocacy Director, Mountain Bike Hall of Fame 2012. Minneapolis is one of the top ranked bikable cities in the U.S., and it's also a snowy winter city like Anchorage. Come learn how Minneapolis, as the nation’s 15th largest city, has become acknowledged as one of the best cities in the U.S. for bicycling.  And with bicycling in Minneapolis up nearly 70% over the past 5 years, learn how accidents and bicycle crashes have decreased over the same period. Gary Sjoquist, the Advocacy Director for Quality Bicycle Products, the nation’s largest distributor of bicycle parts and accessories headquartered in Minnesota, will host a presentation and discussion on what strategies, policies, and practices have been used in Minneapolis to create a bicycle-friendly infrastructure.

As long as I've been involved with Bike Anchorage I've been proud of the work we take on and accomplish. I'm constantly amazed by the power of our volunteer base--from dedicated board members, to volunteer leaders, to enthusiastic participants. Not many organizations have so much meaningful support and engagement from our members, but we do because Anchorage's bike community is powerful. 

2016 has been a great year for Anchorage's bicycle community. We are on track to continue transforming the way our city develops safe bike infrastructure, educates everyone of the rules of the road, and building more community around all types of bicycling.

With the support of volunteers and advocates like yourself, here are some highlights of what we've accomplished this year:

Remember the Bike Totem mock-up presented for Bike to Work Day? Thanks to the generous support from the biking community (you!), it was installed this September. At a small ribbon cutting event on September 27^th, Mayor Berkowitz and a couple dozen cyclists rode down to the new Bike Totem, which is installed at Westchester Lagoon at the confluence of the Chester Creek and Coastal Trails. As the workday ended, hundreds of afternoon commuters, families, and recreational cyclists rode by. Previously, this would have been a countless number, but not anymore. The number displayed at the top of the totem steadily climbed, proving our city’s love for our trails and bikes.

Friday Treat Stations and Bike to Work Day would not be possible without our lovely treat station hosts, who – rain or shine – get out there and make cyclists' commutes that much sweeter. From salmon to twinkies to a warm cup of coffee, we love them all and just want to say A HUGE THANK YOU for all their hard work in hosting treat stations, helping us spread the word and getting more commuters out on our trails and streets. Also, an extra special thank you goes out to Kaladi Brothers for all the coffee they donate, Alaska Public Media for your great videos and radio reminders about Bike to Work Day and Brendan Babb for you DJ talents at the Bacon Station. 

Thank you all!

The Alaska Center, The Alaska Club, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Alaska Dispatch News, Alaska eBike, Alaska Injury Prevention Center, Alaska Public Media and Alaska Pacific University, Alaska Regional Hospital, American Diabetes Association, Anchorage Community House, Anchorage Community Land Trust, Anchorage Museum, Anchorage Parks and Recreation & Anchorage Park Foundation, Anchorage Police Department, Anchorage Public Library, Anchorage Sand & Gravel Co., Inc., Anchorage Sportsplex Inc. DBA The Dome, Anchorage Yoga & Cycle, The Arc of Anchorage, Bayshore Clubhouse, The Bicycle Shop Dimond, Bike-n-Walk Safely Alaska and Safe Kids Alaska/Providence Alaska Medical Center, BLM Campbell Creek Science Center, Bristol Bay Native Corporation, CH2M, Cook Inletkeeper, CRW Engineering Group, LLC, Dark Horse Coffee, Denali Federal Credit Union, ENSTAR Natural Gas, Faith Lutheran Church School & Preschool, Fire Island Rustic Bakeshop, GrassRoots Fair Trade Store, Great Land Trust, Hartman Orthodontics, Kaladi Brothers, Kumin Associates, Love INC Anchorage, The Magpie, The Mint Chip, Nordic Skiing Association of Anchorage, Off the Chain, People Mover, Providence Alaska Medical Center and Providence Imaging Center, R&M Consultants, Inc. & Bettisworth North, REI, RIM Architects and Corvus Design, Roger Shaw, SCF, Solstice Advertising, Spenard Chamber of Commerce, Trek Bicycle Store, Umialik Insurance Company, USO (United Service Organizations), Visit Anchorage

During the Summer Bike Challenge, our city's businesses and organizations support bike commuters in the morning on the last Friday of June, July, and August--and an "after work" station at the Westchester Lagoon. Add them to your daily commute routine!

• Friday, June 24th
• Friday, July 29th
• Friday, August 26th

Here is a map of treat stations around Anchorage with their locations and times:
https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?authuser=0&mid=1x4ILuIjUK_s86-H5EYUtTfz3blE