Vehicle traffic was a little lighter this morning as more than 150 people chose pedals with spokes, as opposed to putting the pedal to the metal of their cars to get to work.

Bike To Work Day in Santa Clarita is part of Bike To Work Week, the biggest bicycle commute in California. Two intrepid KHTS staff members were among those riders, including morning show host George Cummings and station manager Kyle Jellings. (right)

“I left my house at 4:25 to get here by 5:15,” Cummings said, noting that his priority was to make sure and hit the airwaves on time at 6 a.m. “I did it kind of as a dare, but it’s a good opportunity to promote the cause that we’ve been talking about on the air.”

Cummings and Jellings aren’t regular riders, at least of free-standing bikes.

“I just got a gym pass,” Jellings explained. “And I’ve been cycling at the gym, but it’s the stationary bike. Not quite the same.”

“I haven’t ridden a bike in a few years,” Cummings added. “My focus was to keep from falling over.”

Both said that they wore their helmets, (which resulted in the requisite helmet hair, making it a blessing that radio is theater of the mind) and carried work materials, like laptops, lunches and a change of clothing, in backpacks.

Jellings even liberated a dishtowel from home to serve as a makeshift seat cover. Apparently the aging material is falling apart and the towel afforded some self-preservation.

“After I joined the gym, I thought I should start riding, so I put on new tires, got a new helmet and put in new inner tubes,” he said. “I even stopped at the pit stop at Camp Plenty and Soledad and got a snack, some water and a tire patch kit. Now I have to figure out how to patch a tire.”

Participants who stopped at the pit stops were entered into drawings to win valuable prizes. Four stops were set up around the city, including the city-sponsored stop mentioned above and one in front of City Hall; one sponsored by Performance Cyclery at Bouquet Junction and one sponsored by Newhall Bicycle Co. on the South Fork Trail access at Newhall Avenue and 16th Street.

Prizes include KHS bicycles, high-quality cycling gear, gift certificates, movie tickets, and more. Laura Jardine, coordinator of the event for the city, said that the drawings will be conducted tomorrow after all rider information is turned in.

“The feedback has been really great,” she said.

Maybe Jellings will win a new seat in the drawing.