Cycling To Fun, For Health, Or Off To Work
Friday, May 15, 2020, is National Bike to Work Day. In Titusville, cycling trails are a big deal, with three converging trails right here.
Titusville is the only place that the Coast to Coast Trail (250 miles across Florida), the St Johns River to Sea Trail (a 260 mile loop trail through 5 counties) and the East Coast Greenway (a 3000-mile trail from Maine to Key West) meet. This is a trail town for sure, and it doesn’t stop with recreation. People around here understand the value of the trails and use them, including people who bike to work. The origins of Bike to Work Day goes all the way back to 1956. May also happens to be National Bike Month.
Take a look at this video interview with Titusville’s City Manager, Scott Larese, an avid cycler and huge proponent of the trails amenity that provides such healthy options and great adventures to residents and visitors alike.
National Bike to Work Day always falls on the third Friday in May. Studies have shown that bicycling to work is not only good for you, it also increases your happiness level, helps your brain function better and allows you to save money otherwise spent on gas or other transportation costs.
Riding your bicycle to work burns calories—just as many calories as jogging but has less of a negative impact on your joints. Biking also boosts energy, lowers blood pressure, builds muscle, improves aerobic fitness and coordination.
Research has shown riding your bike to work also improves your mental functioning. Moderate daily exercise can help prevent cognitive decline, can improve memory, learning and your brain’s overall performance. What employer wouldn’t like that? And even if your boss isn’t impressed (as they can’t all be as cool as City Manager Scott Larese), you can save quite a bit of money—from gas to vehicle maintenance, and (in some areas) the cost of parking. Savings estimates are in the $1000s, depending of course on your drive distance and circumstances.
Titusville is an official Florida Trail Town—the second such designation in the State of Florida, others have followed since. The image shows Mayor Walt Johnson accepting the official Trail Town Designation. Titusville continues to grow amenities and features along the trails. It’s an indication of the dedication of city and community partners in promoting, improving and maintaining the trails—and taking cues from other communities that have grown robust economic impacts around trails and trail amenities.
The future is bright. The trails welcome.