Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Commuter Tutor: A former road racer, David Hoag bikes the 13 miles from his Willow Glen home to work at Intel in Santa Clara, where he acts as a bike mentor for other employees who need help planning safe bike routes to work.
Cyclists gear up for Bike-to-Work Week
By Melissa Matchak
David Hoag has found a way to avoid sitting in traffic on the way to work. Instead of driving on the busy freeway from his home in Willow Glen to work at Intel in Santa Clara, Hoag rides his bicycle 13 miles, getting to work without the stress of a commute.
"It's a great stress reliever, and you get in a workout during what would be wasted time," Hoag said.
An added bonus: "There's never bicycle traffic," he added.
On May 17, hundreds of employees from all over the Bay Area will join Hoag to ride on two wheels to work during the annual Bike-to-Work Day, part of Bike-to-Work Week, held May 14-18. Sponsored by the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition, Bike-to-Work Week was created to promote bicycling as a viable commute alternative.
Hoag, who has been riding his bike to work for the past five years, is now a bike mentor at Intel. He helps others, who are interested in biking to work, establish a route from their home to their office. Hoag said Intel has participated in Bike-to-Work Week for approximately five years, and he's one of 10 bike mentors at the company.
"This is an opportunity to educate people about biking to work," Hoag said. "This way we can make people aware that there are other ways to get to work."
For Bike-to-Work Day, Hoag said there will be numerous routes set up for those who wish to participate.
On May 14, beginning at 7:30 a.m., interested bicyclists can participate in a special event, "Bike Honchos to Work Day." Starting at the Tamien park and ride lot at Lelong and Alma streets in San Jose, a group will ride to city hall with city Councilmen Ken Yeager, David D. Cortese and Chuck Reed, Rep. Mike Honda, Assistant Police Chief Tom Wheatley and other city government members.
The ride will point out bicycle facilities that encourage cycling and increase safety, as well as areas where facilities need improvement.
For more information on this event, call Gladwyn d'Souza at 408.857.7347. For more information on Bike-to-Work Week and other events, go to the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition website at www.svbcbikes.org.
Willow Glen, California Since 1992
