During the month of June, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition teamed up to lead the 16th annual Tahoe Bike Challenge. Over 300 Tahoe residents and visitors took the challenge and biked 38,955 miles, a distance equivalent to traveling from Tahoe to San Francisco and back 100 times.

The basin-wide challenge is a friendly competition that encourages individuals and teams to track trips and miles on their bikes. The 16th anniversary challenge took place amidst the COVID-19 pandemic for a second year. While Bike to School events were again canceled, the Bike Challenge still attracted hundreds of participants around the Lake.

South Lake Tahoe kicked off this year’s challenge with the annual bike path cleanup. Almost 50 volunteers picked up 250 pounds of trash, including 2,500 cigarette butts and over 2,000 plastic pieces, along three miles of bike path in the City of South Lake Tahoe. The event was organized by The League to Save Lake Tahoe, Clean Tahoe, and the Bike Coalition to provide clean and safe paths throughout the Challenge.

---

---

The Tahoe Bike Challenge website www.lovetoride.net/Tahoe helped participants log their trips and miles during the month-long competition. Winners received prizes donated from local businesses around the Lake.

In the team category, a group of Tahoe Regional Planning Agency employees won the challenge by racking up a combined 2,446 miles.

---

---

“The Shiftless Cranks are stoked to win the 2021 Tahoe Bike Challenge! I’m proud of our team managing an average of 244 miles and 19 days ridden per teammate,” said Mason Bindl, captain of the 2021 winning team. “For me, the Bike Challenge has been the catalyst to getting outside every day. It has helped me build that daily habit of exercise and enjoying the Tahoe outdoors. I am looking forward to many more rides this summer, after a strong start in June. Thanks to the event organizers.”

There were also several individual winners, who outrode the competition to place in 10 different individual categories. Heather Benson, winner in the Top Female Rider category, appreciates the Tahoe Bike Challenge because “it’s not about speed, but is all about riding your bike as much as possible. The Challenge encourages everyone to ride more and inspires people to ride bikes that have never ridden before.” This year, Benson was determined to complete the Challenge after suffering a mountain biking injury last year. Sure enough, in addition to her individual win, Benson’s team, “Out for a Rip” logged 2,637 miles and placed second overall.

Check out the team and individual results at lovetoride.net/tahoe/event_results.

The 16th annual Tahoe Bike Challenge was made possible by sponsors from Crystal Bay Casino, South Shore Bikes, Tahoe Tie Dye, Bike the West, Bliss Experiences and Lake Tahoe Yoga, Sports LTD, Verde Mexican Rotisserie, Free Bird, Ernie’s Coffee Shop, Heavenly Mountain Resort and Clean Tahoe.

Lake Tahoe Bike Challenge organizers hope to see people continue to bike, walk, and ride transit this summer. TRPA and its partners maintain a website dedicated to information about getting around Tahoe without driving at http://www.LinkingTahoe.com. An interactive bike map can be found at www.tahoebike.org/map and paper maps can be found at bike shops and visitor centers throughout Tahoe and Truckee. The Tahoe Bike Challenge will return in June 2021.

Source: Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition