A lot can change in a year. The world is certainly a different place now, with more opportunities to travel and socialize face-to-face. Samuel Goddard鈥檚 life is a lot different too.
In the summer of 2021, the Campbell River resident was diagnosed with depression and dealing with substance abuse issues. So, he decided to switch his routine.
鈥淚 needed to make some drastic changes in my life and as part of that I started commuting to and from my job via bicycle. At this point I am happy to report that I am feeling much better both mentally and physically, and I can certainly attest that a significant amount of the progress I鈥檝e made is due to my daily bicycle rides.鈥�
and are also in a different place in 2022 鈥� literally. They each won an Exodus Travels grand prize Cycling Adventure by participating in (Randy in Fall 2019 and Kristy in Fall 2021), and now that travel restrictions have eased they鈥檙e both redeeming their prizes this spring.
鈥淚鈥檝e participated in at least four GoByBike events and entered the grand prize contest every time. I am so thankful to have won the grand prize this year. I will be bringing my mom with me on the cycling adventure in France as she also loves biking, gardens, and wine!鈥� Kristy says.
Follow @GoByBikeBC on social media to travel alongside Kristy as she bikes in France during Spring GoByBike Week May 30 to June 5!
Spring 2022 Grand Prize
This year鈥檚 grand prize is a Cycling Adventure in the Netherlands sponsored by . It鈥檚 free to enter, fun to participate, and all you do is:
- for Spring GoByBike Week.
- Any ride counts, but the more rides, the better!
- Enter the .
GetStreetWise before you GoByBike
To help riders gain confidence and stay safe, GoByBike BC Society is partnering with HUB Cycling to offer FREE online cycling education courses in advance of this spring鈥檚 GoByBike Week.
These interactive, online courses are aimed at beginners to intermediate cyclists of any age 鈥� register now for StreetWise Cycling Online (adults) or Learn2Ride (youth) and complete the course at your own pace. Find out more and register free . Participants receive a certificate upon successful completion of the course!
Kids, grab mom and dad and tell them it鈥檚 time they gained confidence on the bikes in the garage. Teachers, register your whole class to ensure your students are safe when they ride this summer.
Any ride counts
GoByBike BC Society envisions a future where everyone can experience the joy of cycling 鈥� for transportation, for play, for well-being, for the planet.
This Spring 2022 GoByBike Week encourages participants to log all bike rides during May 30 鈥� June 5. Any ride counts, and it doesn鈥檛 even have to be by bike! Participate using a scooter, roller blades or roller skates to get your body moving, reduce car emissions and have fun. GoByBike Week is a great time to try cycling for part, or all your commute, because you鈥檒l notice a lot more support on the roads. Try a multi- modal commute: bus into work and cycle home, bus part-way and bike the rest, or drive to a Park and Ride lot and cycle the rest of the way. Every bit counts.
GoByBike Week isn鈥檛 just for your work or school commute. Cycle for stress relief or exercise. Explore the mountain bike trails in your community. When you run out of milk, choose the bike for quick trips to the store. Every trip you log increases your chances of winning a prize. There are tonnes of great prizes up for grabs sponsored by , , , and .
Tip: Link your STRAVA account to your GoByBike account, and your rides will be logged automatically! Share your STRAVA rides on social media and tag @GoByBikeBC to enter in additional STRAVA prize draws!
Create a team for more impact and more fun!
- Co-workers: Which office department can log more kilometres? If you鈥檙e still working remotely, creating a team is a great way to feel connected.
- Family and friends: Invite aunts and uncles, grandkids or siblings to join your team, and track who travels the farthest.
- Neighbours: Create a neighbourhood challenge, and compete to see who can cycle the street fastest!
- Classmates: Make every grade its own team, and see who in your school can register the most participants. Which class can save the most greenhouse gases by biking to school?
For instructions on registering your team, visit . Teams have more opportunities to win exclusive prizes!
For the planet
In 2021, 50,415 participants biked more than 1.9 million kilometres and saved 418,000 kilograms of greenhouse gases from entering our atmosphere over Winter, Spring, and Fall GoByBike Weeks. Let鈥檚 beat this in 2022! Log all your bike rides to see how many kilograms of greenhouse gases you saved.
Questions?
If you have any questions about contests or events in your community, please contact your . If you have any questions about the provincial GoByBike Week program, or about GoByBike BC Society, please contact info@gobybikebc.ca.
About GoByBike BC Society
GoByBike BC is a provincial non-profit society that promotes active transportation through bicycle use for everyday transportation across the province of British Columbia. They believe that regular bicycling can improve both physical and mental health and help to reduce our environmental impact on the planet.
