Anyone who rides on a team in the Commute Challenge knows that team captains make the contest fun, inspiring, and special for many first-time and long-dormant bike commuters by recruiting and motivating coworkers and friends to ride all month long. Cascade recognizes captains who go the extra mile to share the joy of bicycling with their teammates and we are proud to award Patty Newman, team captain of ‘What the Flood’ with the 2013 New Captain of the Year award.

Patty Newman, a.k.a Captain Planet, picked up bike commuting only recently during this year’s Commute Challenge presented by Adobe, but she has already made waves among her coworkers at King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks. Not only is she a brand-new bike commuter, she’s also a new team captain and new employee at King County DNRP.

As any team captain knows, rallying coworkers to ride all month long takes some gusto, especially if you’re new to a work group but according to her teammate Carly, “that hasn’t stopped her from being the spirit of Bike Month this year!”

Patty enthusiastically took the helm of ‘What the Flood‘ and made Bike Month a fun experience for her teammates. ”

“She has brought so much energy to our team with weekly inspiring emails and has planned an award ceremony for us next week! She even took the whole team out for lunch!” he coworker said.

Thanks for being a role model for all captains and new bike commuters out there, Patty!

And thanks to all riders and team captains for making the year’s Challenge so inspiring and fun. Remember, every month can be Bike Month with two wheels, a spark of enthusiasm and a little comaraderie. Happy riding!

Do you have an exceptional Commute Challenge team captain?  Does he or she go above and beyond the call of duty to motivate and inspire your team? Nominate your team captain for 2013 Team Captain of the Yearand tell us why he or she deserves this esteemed honor.

A Team Captain shows off her Captain's T-shirt on Bike to work Day

Email Mary at btw@cascadebicycleclub.org with your nomination by 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 30, 2013. Cascade will announce the 2013 Team Captain of the Year at the Ballard Bike Street Party this Friday, May 31.

Team captains are the heart and soul of the Commute Challenge presented by Adobe. In addition to forming teams, encouraging riders and generally make the Challenge into the massive rolling party it is; captains share the joy of bicycling and inspire thousands of people annually to try biking for the first time.  Way to go, team captains!

Read about awesome 2012 Captain of the Year Tom Gibbs, a.k.a. “the Gibber”, here.

Every year Cascade gives away a fee souvenir item to all participants in the Commute Challenge–usually something that adds a little safety and bling. This year we are giving away a laminated placard that can be used as a bike license plate, bag tag or spoke card.

Write your name or team name (or nickname, if you’re a solo rider) on the placard in permanent marker and show your Commute Challenge spirit! Use rubber bands, zipties, or twist ties to affix the card to your bike, your bag, or your wheel.

When you see other Commute Challenge riders around town, give them a wave and a smile! By displaying your souvenir you may be eligible for prizes at Energizer stations and Commute-Challenge only drawings.

1)   Attach it to your handlebars or seat as a bike license plate

2)   Tag your bag

3)   Insert it in your spokes

How do you show your Commute Challenge spirit? Send us a photo at photos@cascadebicycleclub.org and your image could appear as the Commute Challenge ‘Inspiration of the Day’!

According to the Chinese zodiac calendar, 2013 is the year of the snake. According to ancient Commute Challenge astrology, 2013 is the year of the league.

Leagues are one of the most awesome and underrated features of the Commute Challenge. We’ll debunk leagues with a little Q and A below.

What the heck is a league, and why would I want to join one?

Leagues provide a simple, easy way for teams to group themselves by industry, geography, or some other category, and see each others stats in one place. Connect with other people in your industry or neighborhood and challenge yourself to outride other league members in your own customized sub-Challenge.

The sky is the limit for your league. Start an intra-league contest, use the message board to organize a happy hour, talk some trash, or discuss commuting tips.

Okay, so how do I join a league? 

Team captains can create leagues and join their team to one or more leagues. Visit the leagues page to see if any leagues are relevant to you, and join one! All federal employees are encouraged to join the Federal Bike-to-Work Challenge league and ride alongside teams from teams from all over the country, including the White House! All downtown Seattle teams are invited to join the Downtown Seattle league and ride for a chance to win a free pizza party, courtesy of Commute Seattle.

Do leagues have special prizes or events?

Members of a league can create league-specific incentives, contests, or events for members. Plan a happy hour for members of your neighborhood league, offer a pizza party for the team with the most trips, or organize a bike buddy system. The sky is the limit!

Can I communicate with other league members?

Yes! Any league members can post in league message boards at the bottom each league page.

Other cool features of the Commute Challenge you never knew existed

• Message boards: make an announcement, schedule a happy hour, or start a conversation on the message boards at the bottom of each team or league page.
• Social media features on the trip log page: Now you can LIKE bicycling even more by posting on Facebook and Twitter!
• Challenge another rider or another team
• Add Bike Month events from the trip log calendar to your personal calendar simply and easily. Heck, why now view and add the whole Bike Month calendar to your personal calendar?