The Zombie Apocalypse Ride on Dec 15 was a huge success! Not only did 65 of you brave single digit temperatures (including at least two families!), but everyone had a fabulous time, and wow did it generate some cool press! Multiple nation-wide organizations, such as League of American Bicyclists, People For Bikes, and Interbike picked up the story! Here’s a write-up from Greenstar’s Christina Grande and some awesome pictures from Andre Camara.

Snow, ice, and temperatures hovering at 5 degrees!

None of the harsh elements held back more than 60 bike riders from creating some amazingly authentic zombie costumes and hopping on their studded or fat tire bikes to join Green Star’s inaugural Zombie Apocalypse Winter Bike Ride on December 15, 2012, in Anchorage, Alaska.

It was a mellow five-mile group bike ride – after all, zombies don’t move very fast — through Anchorage’s Spenard and Turnagain neighborhoods, on road, trails, and even across a frozen lagoon. In recent years, an increasing number of people have been riding their bikes in winter, whether in bike races on single-track trails or to commute to work, creating a new snow-sport sub-culture in Anchorage.

Seeing this trend, staff at Green Star, a nonprofit organization based in Anchorage that helps organize Bike to Work Day events in Anchorage, thought it would be fun to organize a winter bike ride to celebrate and generate additional enthusiasm for winter bike commuting with an emphasis on safety.

In addition to mountain bikes, hybrids and cyclocross bikes, zombies brought out the very popular fat tire bikes including 9:ZERO:7’s, Fatback’s, Salsa’s Mukluk, and Surly Pugsley’s.

The zombies met at a local Anchorage cafe for coffee and treats in the morning. Then the group took to the streets and trails decked out in true zombie fashion…blood, detached limbs, ripped clothes (with a puff jacket underneath most costumes). Halfway through the bike ride, the group rode across a frozen lagoon popular with ice skaters, racing around the rink with one very surprised ice skater!

The ride wrapped up at a local restaurant and pub where bike valet parking for zombie bike riders was available thanks to Bicycle Commuters of Anchorage (BCA).

Overall, the ride was successful with a strong turnout despite frigid temperatures and somewhat soft snow conditions.

The Zombie Apocalypse Winter Bike Ride was only possible through the support of our sponsors: Middle Way Cafe, Tap Root Public House, Bicycle Commuters of Anchorage (BCA), Arctic Bicycle Club, Chain Reaction, The Bicycle Shop, Paramount Cycles, R.E.I. – Anchorage, Off the Chain, Alaska Injury Prevention, Screamin’Yeti Designs, Solstice Advertising, Midnight Sun Brewing Company, and American Diabetes Association.

Photo: Ian Laing

(Written by Christina Grande, Green Star’s Community Outreach and Communications Coordinator)