The month of May is the Bay Area’s Bike to Wherever Month, formerly known as Bike to Work Day, and a series of events are scheduled in Gilroy to celebrate.
During Bike to Wherever Days, everyone is encouraged to pedal around town, to do errands, commute to work, to Gilroy’s parks, along the levee trail and anywhere else.
May 21 will be Bike to Wherever Day. The City of Gilroy Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission (BPAC), in conjunction with the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC), is promoting events in Gilroy.
Those who make the Pledge to Ride at bikesiliconvalley.org/btwd will earn a complimentary bicycle bag full of goodies such as a custom 2021 bike bag, custom Gilroy face masks, and T-shirts. Quantities are limited to about 250 bags and shirts. First registered Pledge to Ride participants, first served.
From 7am to 2:30pm on May 21, at the intersection of Miller Avenue and Uvas Park Drive, Gilroy’s BPAC will host a tent stocked with snacks for the first 250 riders that pledge to ride and visit the Energizer Station.
From 4-7pm, Gilroy Gardens will open for a special public Ride the Gardens event. The event limit of 300 riders has already sold out. But in the parking lot near the entrance to the gardens will be an Energizer Tent where attendees can pick up a Bike to Wherever bag.
Cyclists are also encouraged to participate in the Hills of Gilroy Challenge, featuring a route of the steepest hills within the city limits. Participants pledge to ride at bikesiliconvalley.org/btwd, join the Hills of Gilroy Riders Strava Club at strava.com/clubs/hillsofgilroyriders, and ride the published route. A similar club and challenge have been set up for Morgan Hill riders and can be found at strava.com/clubs/hillsofmorganhillriders.
Cyclists have all of May to ride these routes at least once. Custom King and Queen of the Hills Jerseys will be awarded to the fastest times posted on Strava. Anyone from the Bay Area can compete.
