May is here and that means it’s CycleMAYnia time. This year organizers have a number of activities planned to celebrate the 15th anniversary of National Bike Month, including some here in Goleta.

• Bike 2 Bird on Saturday, May 18th at 9:00 a.m. is a fun, easy bike ride and learn event. Participants will meet at Stow House in Goleta, for a loop thru Lake Los Carneros Nature Preserve onward to three nearby birding hot spots. At each site participants will stop briefly to identify and learn about the birds and their habitat. Please bring sunscreen and water for the ride. You can register here.
• Bike to Places invites community members to bike to locations across Santa Barbara County in May top receive herb seeds and a chance to win the RadWagon5. The featured locations in Goleta are Draughtsman Aleworks (53 Santa Felicia Dr) and TREK Bicycles (320 S. Kellogg Ave).

Here is more information from the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG) on all that is planned this month:

Spring has arrived, marking the perfect time to celebrate the 15th annual “CycleMAYnia” in Santa Barbara County. Throughout May, the public is invited to join over 40 community events and local businesses participating in a Bike Challenge countywide for CycleMAYnia as part of National Bike Month. Details are available online at CycleMAYnia.org.

The 2024 CycleMAYnia theme is “Spring is here. Bikes are in bloom.”

Participants in CycleMAYnia have the unique opportunity to win a RadWagon 5 Electric Cargo Bike. By joining any event or bicycling to any participating local business, attendees can collect special flower and herb seed packets. These packets include instructions on how to enter the RadWagon giveaway.

This year’s CycleMAYnia calendar features traditional favorites such as the Chicano Culture de Santa Barbara Cinco de Mayo Mural Ride, Mayors’ Ride, Trail Mix ride in Santa Maria, and many Bike-to-Work Day events, including one hosted for the first time by Santa Barbara City College (SBCC). New additions include the Bike 2 Bird nature ride in Goleta, Bike to Ice Cream in Santa Maria, and a Bike to the Park event in Solvang.

Members of the public can also ride to any of the 24 CycleMAYnia supporting local businesses from Santa Maria and New Cuyama to Santa Barbara and Carpinteria to participate anytime during May. The locations are featured on an interactive map at CycleMAYnia.org/events/bikechallenge.

Other local businesses have stepped forward to support CycleMAYnia, participants who log their bike trips on Smartride.org in May are eligible for a $200 giveaway from Jersey Mike’s Subs.

To support inclusivity and accessibility, Cycling Without Age provides piloted trishaws at no cost for individuals with limited mobility wishing to participate in a CycleMAYnia event. These specially designed trishaws can accommodate two individuals on one bench seat or one person in a wheelchair, making the joy of bicycling accessible to everyone. Members of the public are encouraged to call (805) 845-9855, extension 3, to reserve their spot for any CycleMAYnia event at least seven days in advance.

Each flower and herb seed packet that participants receive at an event or local business comes with a unique code, accompanied by instructions on how to enter these codes for a chance to win the grand prize. Those who participate in multiple events can receive a collectible Stik N Stuck CycleMAYnia patch while supplies last.

CycleMAYnia is a collaborative effort between public entities and private organizations, leveraging community resources and South Coast Measure A Bicycle and Pedestrian funds to foster and support community-driven activities. CycleMAYnia 2024 partners include: Rad Power Bikes, MOVE Santa Barbara County, Cottage Health, BCycle, Cycling Without Age, Chicano Culture de Santa Barbara, County of Santa Barbara, and the Cities of Santa Barbara, Goleta, Carpinteria, and Santa Maria.

Information on the Bike Challenge and a calendar of bike month activities is available on the CycleMAYnia website at CycleMAYnia.org.