“Life is like riding a bicycle – in order to keep your balance, you must keep moving.” – Albert Einstein

Each year, the city of Santa Clarita welcomes the month of May as Bike Month, offering our residents a wide variety of activities, free events and opportunities to keep you healthy and safe. With the mountains and hills covered in green, this is the best time to take the family out onto our trails and paseos and enjoy the natural beauty of Santa Clarita.

Originally established in 1956 by the League of American Bicyclists, National Bike Month celebrates the benefits of bicycling and encourages communities across the nation to get on their bikes and go for a ride. Additionally, May is also National Bicycle Safety Month, which aims to remind cyclists, pedestrians and drivers to share roadways and obey traffic laws. As a Bicycle Friendly Community, we strive to continually improve conditions for bicyclists through investments in infrastructure, education programs and events.

Looking for a family-fun event during Bike Month? Join the city for our annual Hit the Trail Community Bike Ride on Saturday, May 13 from 8 a.m. to noon. Residents have the option to start at three different locations, including the George A. Carvalho Santa Clarita Sports Complex, Iron Horse Trailhead and Lost Canyon Trailhead.

Each trail varies in distance and offers participants beautiful views of the community as they bike toward Bridgeport Park. Located just off the trail at Bridgeport Park, the first 100 riders will receive a goody bag. On site will be the California Highway Patrol, which will provide bike safety tips, as well as Trek Bicycle, which will give basic maintenance tips for your bikes. A community favorite event, Hit the Trail encourages everyone to take advantage of our extensive trail system and explore places you may have never visited before.

Following Hit the Trail is the 19th Annual Bike to Work Week Challenge, where the city invites local businesses and their employees to participate in a week-long challenge starting on Monday, May 15 and ending Friday, May 19.

This no pollute commute competition works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and encourages local businesses to rally their employees and compete for the most participation. The large, medium and small businesses with the highest percentage of participation will win a prize for the team, and individual riders will be entered into a raffle for prizes.

On Thursday, May 18, the city will have pit stops available from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. at five different locations including Camp Plenty, Bouquet Junction, South Fork Trail, City Hall and the city’s Public Works Yard. At each pit stop, participants can get refreshments, grab a giveaway and say hello to other riders and hosts. This is just another way to explore our trails and try something new. If you or your business would like to register for the event, visit GreenSantaClarita.com. Be sure to tag the city of Santa Clarita on social media and use the hashtag #BiketoWorkSC to be featured.

Whether you are an avid cyclist or just a beginner, I encourage all of our residents to grab their helmets, pump up their tires and get out onto the trails and paseos this month. With so many opportunities, there truly is something for everyone at every level. If you would like to learn more about any of our Bike Month events like Hit the Trail or the Bike to Work Week Challenge, visit BikeSantaClarita.com or santa-clarita.com/Events. I hope to see you on the trails this month!

Mayor Pro Tem Cameron Smyth is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council and can be reached at csmyth@santa-clarita.com.