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CMC, Larson log top miles in Ride Garfield Bike and Bus Challenge

Heather McGregor
Clean Energy Economy News
Colorado Mountain College won the team biking category for 2017 Ride Garfield County Bike and Bus Challenge. Ride Garfield organizer Karen Wahrmund, left, of CLEER, applauds while CMC staffers Ken Keister, Christine Burke and Julie Albrecht celebrate the win.
Heather McGregor |

Cyclists and bus riders gathered Dec. 20 to celebrate individual and team winners in the 2017 Ride Garfield County Bike and Bus Challenge.

“It is amazing to have so many Garfield County residents participate,” said the event emcee, Steve Novy, a CLEER board member. “Together we have ridden more than 44,000 miles and bused more than 9,000 miles from May 1 to November 30. “

Participating cyclists tracked their mileage through the National Bike Challenge website, while bus riders tracked their miles on a spreadsheet and sent their tallies to CLEER.



“Using alternative modes of transportation greatly improves the quality of life for our community,” Novy said. The effort also helped reduce vehicle traffic during the Grand Avenue Bridge detour, he said.

Taking top honors in the team biking category was Colorado Mountain College, with 15 riders covering 6,447 miles. In second place was Team Kiwanis, with five riders reporting 4,756 miles.



The third place team was NiRad and Re Pedaling Partners, with two riders, Darin Binion and Rebecca Murray, reporting a total of 4,650 miles.

The top individual cyclist was Chance Larson of Carbondale, who rode 3,531 miles. Darin Binion took second place with 2,428 miles, and John Currier of Glenwood Springs took third with 2,249 miles. Honorable mention went to the fourth place rider, Rebecca Murray, with 2,222 miles.

In the bus-riding category the winner was Craig Burger, who logged 5,174 miles on RFTA buses. In second place was Julie Albrecht with 2,905 miles, and in third was Sandi Rickert with 1,274 miles. All three received stored-value bus passes donated by RFTA to encourage more riding in the future.

Prizes awarded during the event were donated by Aloha Mountain Cyclery, BackCountry Chiropractic, Ragged Mountain Sports, Iron Mountain Hot Springs, Defiant Pack and the city of Glenwood Springs.

CLEER, Garfield Clean Energy, RFTA and the city of Glenwood Springs presented the 2017 Ride Garfield County campaign and community events.

Sponsors of 2017 Ride Garfield County were SGM, Colorado Mountain College, Holy Cross Energy, Valley View Hospital and Glenwood Springs Post Independent, with support from Colorado Department of Transportation’s Grand Avenue Bridge Project, the Glenwood Springs Chamber Resort Association, Glenwood Springs Bicycle Advocates and the Glenwood Springs Kiwanis Club.

Factory Outdoor, Sunlight Ski and Bike Shop, Sampson Sports, Ironbridge, Property Shop and Alpine Bank donated prizes and giveaways for events earlier in the year.

Novy encouraged cyclists and walkers to watch for details on Winter Walk and Bike to Work Week, Feb. 5-9, and Winter Walk and Bike to Work Day on Friday, Feb. 9.


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