SAN DIEGO — SANDAG’s “Bike to Work Day” is now called “Bike Anywhere Day” because it’s not just for people commuting to their jobs.
It’s for everyone who wants to get out and ride, whether they’re students, families, retirees, bike enthusiasts, and even those new to biking. Volunteers at the 100 pit stops from Oceanside to El Cajon to Tijuana gave out 2023 Bike Anywhere Day T-shirts, refreshments, and snacks to cyclists who stopped by.
“I think it’s great, I think it should be every day,” said avid cyclist, Catherine Thibault.
Thousands of cyclists partook in the event all over San Diego County.
“Biking to work is fun anyway, but it’s hard to motivate yourself to, so having ‘Bike Anywhere Day’ like forces you to get up early and get out there, and you also get to pick up the nice rewards,” said City Heights resident, Liz Stevens.
Plenty of shirts, drinks, and snacks to be had at about 100 pit stops in cities throughout the county.
In Normal Heights, Cara Chesney didn’t get far on her bike, but a volunteer came to the rescue.
“He is pumping it because the tires are dead, super dead,” said Chesney while laughing. “This bike is coming out of a long retirement, so I made it this very short distance over here, and now, I’m getting a lovely tune-up.”
CBS 8 caught up with San Diego City Council President, Sean Elo-Rivera, who prefers biking to work.
“It’s just a much better vibe than you typically get in the car. In the car, you’ve got people honking at each other and when you get on a bike, you’ll notice that people say hello to each other and wave,” said President Elo-Rivera.
But sometimes drivers aren’t so happy about having to share the road.
“Even today, we got yelled at, ‘Get off the road’ by this big truck that was like barreling by, so that didn’t feel especially safe,” shared Stevens.
At a pit stop in Santee, CBS 8 spoke with Mayor John Minto.
“It’s wonderful out here, we have nice bicycle lanes, we want people to be safe in the traffic, and we want them to be very aware of their surroundings,” said Mayor Minto.
From North Park to Bay Ho and all over the County of San Diego, cyclists everywhere enjoyed 'biking anywhere' Thursday.
“It’s terrific to get a lot of people out here, a lot of visibility,” said Kensington resident, Paul Jamason. “It’s important that we have safe roadways for bicyclists and that people can get around and get to their destination safely.”
WATCH RELATED: City staff and police officers promote bike safety in Carlsbad (Feb. 2023).