Friday is Bike To Work Day 2013

More than 10,000 Washington, DC-area commuters are expected to use pedal power to get to work on Friday for Bike to Work Day 2013.

Washington area events are organized by Commuter Connections and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, who say that biking to work has benefits for both employees and employers. Among them: reduced health care and parking costs.

Vienna kids got in the fun last week two: Thousands of students from six Vienna elementary schools competed in the fifth annual Vienna Bike/Walk Challenge, which encourages kids to ditch the bus and car pool in favor of using their feet or two wheels to get to class.

Vienna resident Jeff Frederick, who regularly bikes, said even those who work from home or aren't working can think of Friday as a "bike to anywhere" day.

According to the national bike group PeopleForBikes, he said, half of all trips Americans make are three miles or less. That's a distance many find faster and easier to bike than walk. In this area, biking is even faster than driving during some hours of the day, some people argue.

On Friday, there will be 70 "pit stops" around the metro area, including one at the Vienna Town Green, just off the W&OD Trail.

Pit stops will feature free T-shirts, refreshments, and a raffle for a free bicycle. It runs from 6:30 to 8:30 a.m. For more information, contact  Jeff Palmer, jpalmer@spokesetc.com, 703.281.2004

To register for the raffle in advance, click here.

To see a map of all area pit stops - you can stop at several on your way to work - click here.

Do you commute by bicycle? Give your Vienna neighbors some tips in the comments below.