By Kit Suhovecky, former Holladay associate
Every year, a group of passionate cyclists come together to be a part of the Michiana Bike to Work Week as a part of Indiana Bicycle Month. The goal of the week is to promote bicycle commuting as a viable mode of transportation in Michiana and for all to consider the benefits: a more active lifestyle, less traffic congestion, and a healthier community. Individuals are encouraged to leave their cars at home for the week and ride their bikes to work.
This year, Holladay Properties’ South Bend office had a team in the Corporate Challenge. The Corporate Challenge is a friendly competition open to all Michiana employers regardless of size. From 12:01 AM on June 8th through midnight on June 14th, the members of team HOLLADAY recorded their miles biking to work and around town. While first place went to the University of Notre Dame team of 62 riders with 2,340.17 miles, team HOLLADAY scored 37th out of 74 teams with 120 miles! The team’s goal was not to finish last — and WE DID IT!
Team members were: Kahli Anthony, Tim Baker, Deborah Kautz, Tyler Kelsey, Elliot Lusk, Melissa Nelson, John Phair, Mary Ann Thomas and Team Captain Kit Suhovecky. John Phair’s Holladay Properties bicycle was purchased for him by his children from Villy Custom – check it out in the photo at right.
The Bike Michiana Coalition put together a week of fun bicycle themed events which kicked off on Sunday, June 8th with the fifth annual Bike the Bend. Cyclists followed the 30+ mile route through South Bend, Mishawaka and parts of St. Joseph County and passed through 122 intersections. Streets along the course were closed to vehicular traffic and public-safety officers patrolled the major intersections while volunteers staffed the others.
The week continued Monday, June 9th with Yummy Cupcakes giving out a free mini-cupcake to each rider that stopped by their newly opened shop in downtown South Bend. On Tuesday, one block of Colfax was closed to traffic as the LaSalle Grill hosted an Organic Pancake Breakfast with mobile bike racks provided so riders could “bike in.” The event on Wednesday, June 11th was a Bike Movie at the State Theater featuring the 1979 film, “Breaking Away.” Thursday, June 12th, the Carbon Waffle Truck parked in the Emporium parking lot and gave free waffles to riders while Whole Foods provided other breakfast items. Friday, June 13th was the “Bike to Lunch” catered by Fiddler’s Hearth at the College Football Hall of Fame. Finally, the week ended with Bike 31 on Saturday, June 14th, a non-competitive bicycle ride along the new US 31 Highway before it opened to vehicular traffic.