You take your car to work. I'll take my bike.

That’s a slight spin-off of the Weezer tune ‘Surf Wax America’.  But for those of us who don’t start the day on dawn patrol, a morning bike ride to work is a great way to get the blood flowing.

Here at San Diego Coastkeeper, just about every staff member has ventured into the office on a two wheeler. There’s a strong contingent of folks who’ve adopted this method of transport as their standard home-to-office commute (Big-Ups Jamie, Jen & Rachel).

We live in San Diego!  The average day is 70 and sunny, Mother Nature wants you to ride! It’s true that Diego could be more bike friendly to locals. Regardless, the city and county have plenty of routes to choose from. Check out these trail maps for South SD and North SD.

I feel a stronger connection to the city when I’m riding through it on my bike. It’s a WAY different experience than a solo car commute. My daily ride consists of a cruise along the harbor and then a quick trip through Pt. Loma. It’s awesome, as well as a frequent reminder of how good it is to live here.

Besides taking in the surroundings from an enhanced perspective, biking to work has some other obvious benefits: Our eco-system wins a round when we bike, your wallet will thank you for the gas money you did not spend, and it’s a terrific way to stay fit.

If you haven’t biked to work in a while, or ever, just do it. National Bike to Work Day hits San Diego County in May. But why wait until then? Grab those handle bars and go for a ride– you can thank me later.