[cid:image001.png@01D0874C.EF5677B0]<http://www.bike253.com/> Happy Bike Month! 2015 is the Year of the Bike in Tacoma, and for the eighth straight year, May is Bike Month in Tacoma & Pierce County. This month, over 20 bicycle-related activities and events are planned in the area for people of all ages and skill levels. This programming is presented by the City of Tacoma, in cooperation with numerous partners, and is designed to raise awareness of local bicycling resources. "The purpose of Bike Month is to inspire cyclists of all types to pull out their bikes now that the weather is warmer and to remember the pleasures and efficiencies of riding," said City of Tacoma Active Transportation Coordinator Diane Wiatr. "Most of our trips are quite short, and for those trips under two miles, bicycling is quick and easy, and you don't have to drive around looking for a parking spot at our most interesting destinations." Bike Month got off to a great start on Saturday, May 2, with hundreds of South Sound residents gearing up for summer at the 7th annual Bike Swap. Other highlights of Bike Month include: * Bike Trivia Night<https://www.facebook.com/events/1584602901796389/?ref=23>: Thurs. May 7, at 6 p.m., at The Swiss (1904 S. Jefferson Ave. in Tacoma) * CycloFemme Ride<https://www.facebook.com/events/397015553801444/?ref=23> with Tacoma's VeloFemmes: Sun. May 10, at noon, at Old Town Park (2312 N. 30th St. in Tacoma) * Kidical Mass Ride: Sun. May 17, at 10:30 a.m., at People's Park (900 Martin Luther King Jr. Way in Tacoma) * GoldSprints Cup<https://www.facebook.com/events/430378490455940/?ref=23>: Mon. May 18, at 6 p.m., at The Red Hot (2914 6th Ave. in Tacoma) * Tweed Ride<https://www.facebook.com/events/899705263426993/?ref=23> in conjunction with Historic Preservation Month<http://www.cityoftacoma.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=56093>: Sat. May 30, at 10:30 a.m., starting at the Pagoda at Point Defiance Park (5400 N. Pearl St. in Tacoma) * Anderson Island Ride<https://www.facebook.com/events/1579849075607712/?ref=23>: Sun. May 31, at 1:45 p.m., at Steilacoom Ferry Landing (56 Union Ave. in Steilacoom) This year's activities also include the first 24-hour, seven-day-a-week Bike Month event: The Bike Everywhere Challenge. This initiative from the City of Tacoma, Pierce County, and Pierce Transit offers residents incentives to use their bicycle for local trips. When residents take five or more non-recreational bicycle trips and log them on the Pierce Trips<http://www.piercetrips.com/> website, they will be entered into a drawing to win gift cards to local businesses. The Bike Everywhere Challenge is also supported by Puget Sound Starts Here<http://www.pugetsoundstartshere.org/>, which reminds us that biking is pollution-free transportation. To learn about all of the City of Tacoma's Bike Month programming and how you can celebrate the Year of the Bike, visit BIKE253.com<http://BIKE253.com> or follow Tacoma Mobility at facebook.com/tacomamobility<http://www.facebook.com/tacomamobility>. You can also find out more about Bike Month through the recent<http://www.thenewstribune.com/2015/04/25/3758529_south-sound-packs-bike-month-with.html?rh=1> coverage<http://www.thenewstribune.com/2015/04/29/3766880_matt-driscoll-tacoma-pierce-county.html?rh=1> in the Tacoma News Tribune. [cid:image002.jpg@01D0874C.EF5677B0]<http://www.pugetsoundstartshere.org/>