TAHOE CITY, Calif. — “Share the Road” read the sticker on Shelly Pursell's bike as she rolled into Heritage Plaza last Tuesday night. Pursell, riding with more than 25 cyclists from Factory Bike Shop in Squaw Valley to Syd's Bagelry and Espresso in Tahoe City, arrived downtown to spread the word about Tahoe City's all-new Pedal There Program and dedicate a fleet of new bike racks.

“This year's program is better than ever,” said Pursell, the Pedal There Program Coordinator for Tahoe City. “Everyone can participate — it's free for all ages, any bike will do and we've got a ton of events going on centered around cycling.”

The seven new bike racks, being installed throughout Tahoe City with help from the Tahoe City Public Utility District, were purchased by Tahoe City's Pedal There Program with a grant from the Tahoe Truckee Committee Foundation last winter.

“It's fantastic,” said Dave Wilderotter, President of the Tahoe City Downtown Association, who rolled up on his road bike before taking his evening ride. “I wish we had more of these. To see what Pedal There is doing for our community is inspiring.”

Officially organized in 2007, the Pedal There Program also recently received grant funding from New Belgium Brewing for local event promotion and staffing to further the message we can better our communities through cycling.

Pursell, along with many others in Tahoe City, Kings Beach and Truckee have organized weekly rides, cruiser rallies, bike focused fly-fishing tours, bike clinics and are working the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition to host a Bicycle Film Fest later this year. Cyclists can register for the Pedal There Program and events at the Thursday Tahoe City Farmers' Market or Alpenglow Sports.

For information on Pedal There Activities and a full summer event schedule, visit www.VisitTahoeCity.com or call the Tahoe City Downtown Association at 583-3348.