Sequim Gazette staff

National Bike to Work Day on Friday, May 20 was a bigger hit than last year with Sequim School District employees. All schools and offices in the district had nearly 30 teachers, staff and some students riding to and from home.

Mike Wanner, owner of Mike’s Bikes, provided water bottles for all participants and discounts for the school district to buy five air pumps for bicycles.

“I think it’s inspiring to see people for the first time ride their bikes to work,” Wanner said.

Sequim High School’s transition specialist and bike event organizer Wendy Turner accomplished her goal from 2010 to expand the event district-wide. She gave out surveys to gauge teachers’ interest in riding.

Carol Lichten, a Greywolf paraeducator, said it took her only 12 minutes to get to work by bicycle.

Sharle Osborne, a fourth-grade teacher from Helen Haller Elementary, said she and her husband, Steve Koehler, a Sequim Middle School teacher, haven’t bought gas or driven all month.

Some participants piggybacked the event with “Sequimming Across America,” a fitness challenge for employees going through June.  

Bike to Work Week ran May 16-20.