Park the car. Leave the keys at home. Strap on a helmet and ride.
Try that routine for a week and see where it takes you.
That's the challenge Bike to Work Week organizers have tossed to Prince George since 2010. From May 25 to 31, participants have seven days to log as many kilometres as they can, forge friendly competitions and check in at daily celebration stations across the city.
"Bike to Work Week can be a really nice week for people who are on the fence or aren't sure about (cycling)," said Laura Sapergia, who is coordinating the event for the fourth year in a row for the Prince George Cycling Club.
"They're getting support, they're getting route guidance, they'll show up to the celebration station. It's fun and you'll see a lot of bikers."
The Home Sweet Home co-founder bikes from her downtown home every day and said it's an achievable goal for many residents despite public perception of the city's streets.
"Prince George is really car-centred and car focused. There's a lot of ideas out there that it's not walkable and it's not bikeable and it's not true at all. I think there's a lot of education that needs to happen on both the riders' side as well as the drivers' side."
For Sapergia, it means she doesn't have to buy a gym membership or worry about the odd pint of beer, she added with a laugh.
"People start building relationships around this sort of lifestyle change and it's very healthy."
The team approach to the event is really helpful, she said, when whole workplaces sign up and give energy to the idea of biking to work. Some companies compete against others for participants and distance, making it more fun to get involved.
Over the years she's heard from plenty of people who took up the challenge for one week and just kept going. She recalled one success story where a worker gave up the keys to his company truck and now rides to the worksite every single day.
The support has grown over the years too. This year, more than 580 participants are signed up and almost 40 teams. They also have five schools signed up, Sapergia said.
Even with less funding from Bike to Work BC, Sapergia said Prince George sponsors stepped up.
"We've had to rely more on our community connections which has also made it at better event I think because people are more invested in the local event."
But the impact of the event doesn't end next week: it's good for the body, it's good for the environment and it builds a case for supporting cycling in the city.
"Every bit of kilometre helps," said Sapergia, in reference to the numbers reported by each participant. "We use those kilometres to lobby for infrastructure change and it's also good for us to show... people are biking here.
"This is a valid way to get around and we need some help and funding put towards it to make it safer and better."
People can register right into next week to participate, and Sapergia noted some companies are starting small and committing to one day rather than the whole week.
Celebration stations and events for Bike to Work and School Week:
Today: 7 - 9:30 a.m.
City Hall, Kick-Off Breakfast
Tuesday: 6:30 - 9:30 a.m.
Handsome Cabin Boy Tattoo, 1616 20th Ave.
Wednesday: 6:30-9:30 a.m.
Koops Bikes (1659 Nicholson St.)
UNBC Wood Innovation Centre, Fifth Ave. & George St.
Thursday: 7:30-9:00 a.m.
Two Rivers Gallery
UNBC Green University Centre Refueling Station
Friday: 6:30-9:30 a.m.
Team PowerHouse Realty,
1253 Fifth Ave.
Saturday: 9 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Week-Ender Saturday Party, Wilson Square Community Market
