June 4, 2003
BIKE TO WORK WEEK
Paddling a pleasant commute
By PATRICK SULLIVAN
Record-Eagle staff writer

TRAVERSE CITY - John DeSpelder needed a paddle, a life vest, and a little extra time to get to work Tuesday.
DeSpelder, a state employee who works on Front Street, paddled a kayak to work as part of Bike to Work Week, an event organized by TART Trails Inc. to encourage commuters to think green.

While DeSpelder's unusual commute may not be the most practical, the spirit of the event is to get people to think differently, TART member Missy Luyk said.
Forty-four businesses signed up in three categories based on size to see which can have the greatest percentage of employees bike, walk, run, carpool or paddle to work.
Because of the time involved in getting the kayak to Bryant Park from his home on East Bay, then paddling across West Bay, then heading upstream on the Boardman River, DeSpelder said he would not be able to kayak to work everyday.
"But I may do this more often when I get a chance, because it really makes for a good morning," DeSpelder said.
Jean Palmieri, DeSpelder's secretary, said she originally planned to kayak to work but couldn't figure out a way to make it work.
She organized the Bike to Work Week participation at her office. So far, she said, many live too far from work to bike or kayak the entire route.
"We're at about 7 percent, unfortunately," Palmieri said.

To view Traverse City Record Eagle article, click here.

posted 06/10/2003