Bob Eltgroth’s commute is a little different from the average
Silicon Valley ride to work.
It’s not that his commute is longer or even new
– he’s been getting to work this way since 1972.
Bob Eltgroth’s commute is a little different from the average Silicon Valley ride to work.
It’s not that his commute is longer or even new – he’s been getting to work this way since 1972.
It’s that Eltgroth doesn’t have to sit in traffic. He doesn’t have to inhale exhaust fumes from the car in front of him while waiting for the metering light to turn green.
That’s because Eltgroth rides his bike to work. Every day.
For the last 32 years, through sickness and injuries, Eltgroth, who lives in Morgan Hill, has pedaled from home to work and back again.
Organizers of Bike to Work Day are hoping others will follow his example.
While the goal isn’t necessarily to have people sell their cars and travel only by bike, the idea is to get people out of their cars and on their bikes for at least one day.
That day is May 20 this year, and energizer stations will be set up throughout the Bay Area to provide cyclists with food, drink and gifts to keep them going.
“It’s a great way to get exercise, have fun, meet new people and enjoy the outdoors, all while commuting,” said Deb Hubsmith, a spokeswoman for the Bay Area Bicycle Coalition.
While it’s a bit impractical for people in Gilroy or Morgan Hill to bike to work in Cupertino or downtown San Jose. Hubsmith suggested some people can cycle to public transportation, and then bring their bikes on board.
But a large portion of people live close to where they work. According to the coalition, about 40 percent of Bay Area residents live within five miles of their work – a perfect distance for bicycle commuting.
“If the 1 million people that live within 5 miles of their workplace bike to work on just one day, over 100 tons of pollution would be taken out of the air, and 600,000 cars would be taken off the roads,” Hubsmith said.
The coalition is hoping 50,000 people in the Bay Area will ride their bikes to work on Thursday.
Eltgroth will – he hasn’t owned a car for five years. He said, though, that occasionally, he’ll ride his bike to transit and take public transportation. But usually, he’s on the bike.
“After knee surgery, they had me off the bike six weeks and off my feet for three months, so I biked to work with the crutches on the back of the bike,” he said.
And for those who have Thursday off, Hubsmith, who said commuting accounts for only a quarter of all the car trips people take, suggested riding bikes to complete errands.
It’s good for the environment and people’s health, she said.
“Two-thirds of adults in America are overweight. The surgeon general recommends 30 minutes of exercise each day, and this is a good way to get it,” she said. “When people give it a try, we think they’ll like it.”
Local energizer stations
• Gavilan College, 5055 Santa Teresa Blvd., 7:30 a.m. to noon
• Morgan Hill Caltrain Station, 6:30 to 9 a.m.
• Morgan Hill Community and Cultural Center, 17060 Monterey Rd., 7:30 a.m. to noon.
