At Vassar, Bike to Work Week Turns Daily Commutes Into Community
The Vassar community took part in National Bike to Work Month, hosting a week full of biking and bonding. On May 12, the Environmental Cooperative and Preserve hosted a “Le Tour de Preserve,” a guided bike tour through the Preserve, and Vassar employees partook in Bike to Work Week from May 11 to May 15. Each day, commuting employees took group photos in front of different campus locations for the chance to win bicycle swag and prizes. The week concluded with a Bike Talk and Happy Hour on Friday the 15th at Meyer’s Olde Dutch (MOD), where raffle winners were chosen.
“While commuting by bike is often a deliberate, solo act, it can also be a lonely one,” said Tracy Wright-Mauer, Library Specialist and one of the principal organizers of the campus commemoration. “Our Bike to Work Week events are designed to connect our campus ‘'lone wolf’' riders and create a visible, vibrant campus community of cyclists. By providing incentives and social touchpoints, we aren'’t just rewarding a mode of travel—we are creating a space where riders can share the unique trials and joys of the road.”
Vassar faculty and staff enjoyed the programming. Creative Director Rob Yasharian got to explore more of the Preserve during the bike tour: “I had never been past the barn on The Preserve, and it was great to see more of it. I learned aspects of conservation, maintenance, and research that I had not heard before. We went all the way to the research station, where we stopped to enjoy homemade cookies and hung out with everyone. Getting to know my Vassar colleagues was as great as getting to know The Preserve.”
Social Sciences Librarian Elizabeth Salmon hasn’t biked much since moving to Poughkeepsie, but found that Bike to Work Week motivated her to start cycling again. “Biking to work this week has shown me that the commute is actually reasonable and I plan to keep riding in when I can,” Salmon said. “I'm really grateful to the organizers.”