'30 Days of Biking' pledgers bike, boast and post daily in April
The "30 Days of Biking" movement is back for a fourth year. Already this year, thousands pledged to ride their bikes every day in April, and report on the experience online.
Founder Patrick Stephenson said he hopes the movement eventually grows to a million pledges to bike every day in April. Pledges currently number in the thousands and this year have come from points as far-flung as Croatia, New Zealand and Singapore.
Despite the snow on ground, Stephenson said the movement will host a kick-off ride 11 am. Saturday at Minnehaha Falls in Minneapolis.
"April is kind of the intersection of all the different seasons we have in Minnesota," Stephenson said. "You have sunny days, you have rainy days, you have potentially even snowy days. So it all kind of mixes into one month. And April is kind of the kick-off to spring."
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During "30 Days of Biking," participants ride their bikes daily - no matter the distance - and log the ride online using Twitter and Facebook.
"It makes you realize that there's this entire community of people who are supporting you," Stephenson said. "For people who aren't used to biking every day, it's a bunch of people - invisible people -- essentially around the world who are saying 'you can do it. We support you. We're there with you.'"
Stephenson says 30 days is essentially the minimum level of commitment to a lifetime healthy habit.
"If you do something for 30 days in a row, then you'll integrate it into your life. It'll become a habit," Stephenson said.
"I really feel that this'll turn you into a believer, if you do it for a full month."
