May is National Bike Month, promoted by the League of American Bicyclists and celebrated in communities from coast to coast. Established in 1956, National Bike Month is a chance to showcase the many benefits of bicycling.
goHunterdon will celebrate National Bike Month by welcoming cyclists to Hunterdon County.
“Hunterdon County has become a premier bicycling destination within the region,” says Caryl Harris, goHunterdon Bicycle Specialist. “Hunterdon County’s winding country roads, open spaces, trails, mountain biking, and gravel routes offer something for cyclists of all ages, abilities, and interests,” she notes.
The theme for Hunterdon County Bike Month 2022 will be “Cyclists Welcome”, with a number of efforts planned to attract bicyclists to Hunterdon County for the spring and summer cycling season. “goHunterdon has promoted bicycling within Hunterdon County under our “Bike Hunterdon” initiative for the several years,” says Tara Shepherd, Executive Director. “The Bike Hunterdon website offers a wealth of information on various bicycle routes, bike shops, and amenities that bicyclists will enjoy when they ride in Hunterdon County.”
“We’ve updated the website with new bicycle routes, new bike shops and clubs, as well as places to stay, eat, and socialize while riding in Hunterdon County,” says Caryl Harris. “Many of the new routes include stops at local breweries, wineries, and farm markets,” she notes.
Throughout the month, social media will be used to promote Hunterdon’s bicycling assets. A crowd sourcing campaign will help goHunterdon to identify businesses and destinations that are particularly welcoming to cyclists. “We’ve created an online form that can be used to nominate businesses that offer the types of amenities that support bicycling~ availability of bike racks, grab and go food items, access to restrooms, and offering water for refillable water bottles,” says Harris.
“We’ll continue to promote the “Pedal and Park” Bike Rack Loan Program to local businesses,” says Harris. The program offers businesses a portable bike rack on loan for a period of up to one month to evaluate if a bike rack would be used and of value to the business. “And, we will continue to compile an inventory of available bike racks across Hunterdon County for listing on the Bike Hunterdon website,” she notes.
Supporting bicyclists is good for the local economy. A study by the Outdoor Industry Association (2017) found that bicycling participants spend $83 billion nationally on ‘trip-related’ sales (bicycle tourism).
“The theme of “Cyclists Welcome” coordinates with Hunterdon County’s new tourism initiative, Explore Hunterdon, The Other Side of Jersey. “Outdoor recreation is a major component of tourism in Hunterdon and bicycling is a huge part of that. We’re known for our scenic rides and the Bike Hunterdon initiative continues to do a great job getting the word out to cyclists everywhere,” says Marc Saluk, Hunterdon County Economic Development Director.
Special presentations and promotions are planned throughout the month as part of Hunterdon County Bike Month. Follow Bike Hunterdon on social media for more information: facebook.com/groups/bikehunterdon and instagram.com/bikehunterdon