By Heath Urie
January 21, 2009 - Daily Camera

Photo by Paul Aiken
Katie Todorof, at left and Eric Goldgeier chat while having breakfast at Moe's Broadway Bagels on Arapahoe Avenue in Boulder during the first ever GO Boulder Winter Bike to Work Day on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009 The two are roommates and commute by bike to different jobs in Boulder.

Hundreds of bicyclists signed up to be part of Boulder’s first winter Bike to Work Day on Wednesday, though it felt more like a brisk fall morning to most riders.

At least 733 people registered for the event, which city officials said was aimed at raising awareness about year-round cycling.

“We wanted to recognize the people who bike all year long,” said event organizer Sue Prant. “Especially on warm days like this, you can take your bike out and ride to work.”

Prant said unlike the summer Bike to Work Day, which is promoted with a $50,000 budget and sponsored by dozens of local merchants, the winter trial event was more word-of-mouth.

“This is a very low-budget event,” Prant said, and sponsored by GO Boulder, Community Cycles and a handful of businesses.

Still, the toned-down morning drew dozens of riders to the Boulder Municipal Building, where free coffee and pastries were being handed out.

“Especially in Boulder, it’s 100-percent possible to ride your bike to work all year long,” said Keith Jennings, a 24-year-old Boulder resident who began his 20-mile commute about 7 a.m.

A similar crowd gathered outside of Joe’s Espresso, 2500 30th St.

“It’s nice to finally be recognized for slogging through the snow,” said Diana Gibson, 34.

The Boulder resident said she’s been riding her bike seven miles to work for the past four years — through rain, sleet and snow.

While the weather Wednesday morning was far less frigid, she said the event still served as a reminder that riding is always an option.

“I think Boulder makes it pretty easy,” Gibson said, noting that city plow crews often remove snow from bike paths before side streets. “There are a lot of days it’s way safer to ride than to drive.”

According to city officials, the Boulder Creek and Broadway bike paths are plowed first, followed by the Foothills Parkway path and other Greenway paths, and on-street bike lanes are cleared during regular street snow removal.