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Riding a bike to work comes with lots of rewards. Planet Earth isn’t doing so hot, and riding a bike to the office can make all the difference, according to Renee Rivera of the San Francisco Bike Coalition. And that’s not all pedal pushing can do for people. Rivera says riding a bike as part of the daily grind is often faster than driving in rush hour traffic, saves money on gas, and also earns rider’s a nice, firm butt since it’s an excellent way to “stay in good shape.”

BikeAlameda welcomes the Alameda Theater to the growing list of Bike to Work Day supporters. On Sunday, May 16, the Alameda Theater teams up with BikeAlameda to create Bike To The Movies Day. Residents biking to the Alameda Theater to see any show starting between 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. can purchase a matinee ticket for $6.00. rather than the regular $7.75 admission. Iron Man 2 starts on May 7 so this is a great opportunity to see a first run movie at a great price.

In years past, my awareness of Bike to Work Day was limited to the day it was taking place. Bicycling downtown, I would notice the increase in the number of people riding bikes and the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition Energizer Stations were along my route with cheerful volunteers offering coffee, tips and encouragement, and my morning mind would slowly realize what was going on.

In the next few weeks, Bay Area residents will be encouraged to get outside, hop on a bike and ride. There are plenty of benefits for those who choose to take the challenge. Alameda students started their Bike to School Week yesterday. Adults can participate in a Bike to Work Day next Thursday, May 13. Alamedans working in Oakland can join the celebration at Frank Ogawa Plaza next to Oakland City Hall. A pancake breakfast starts at 7 a.m., and a press conference at the event will feature local elected officials and a prize raffle at 8:30 a.m.

The East Bay Bicycle Coalition announced T.D. Fisher of Oakland as the 2010 Bike Commuter of the Year winner for Alameda County. Fisher works as an orthotist, assessing and designing orthopedic and prosthetic devices that encourage growth, rehabilitation and medical comfort. Her clients include children, youth and adults, with conditions like cerebral palsy, scoliosis and Spina bifida. After ten years of commuting to work by car, Fisher decided a year and a half ago to go green - biking instead driving - declaring that she could not drive to her job another day. Although her commute from home to office is short, she sometimes uses BART but often bikes 25 to 35 miles roundtrip on a single client visit. She frequents work sites in Oakley, Antioch, Lafayette and Oakland.