Save Money, Gas, Your Health — Ride Your Bike

This morning Oxford celebrated ride your bike to work day with the rest of the country as part of National Bike Month in May. The event is also sponsored by www.bikewalkmississippi.org
The nice folks at Skipworth Cottage on the Square were handing out breakfast snacks and coffee between 7 a.m-8:30 a.m. and HottyToddy’com photographer Sharon Hays was right there to capture the cycling fun.
The League of American Bicyclists sponsors the month and it’s celebrated in communities from coast to coast and all over the South.
Established in 1956, National Bike Month, say officials, is a chance to showcase the many benefits of bicycling — and encourage more folks to giving biking a try.
“Whether you bike to work or school; ride to save money or time; pump those pedals to preserve your health or the environment; or simply to explore your community, National Bike Month is an opportunity to celebrate the unique power of the bicycle and the many reasons we ride,” says their website. 

Here are seven health benefits of cycling: As a national sponsor, the League provides resources to help you plan an event in your area, and each year the
1. Cycling is good for your heart: Cycling is associated with improved cardiovascular fitness, as well as a decrease in the risk of coronary heart disease.
2. Cycling is good for your muscles: Riding a bike is great for toning and building your muscles, especially in the lower half of the body – your calves, your thighs, and your rear end. It’s also a great low-impact mode of exercise for those with joint conditions or injuries to the legs or hips, which might keep them from being active.
3. Cycling is good for your waistline: You can burn a lot of calories while biking, especially when you cycle faster than a leisurely pace, and cycling has been associated with helping to keep weight gain down. And cycling has the added benefit of ramping up your metabolism, even after the ride is over.
4. Cycling is good for your lifespan: Bicycling is a great way to increase your longevity, as cycling regularly has been associated with increased ‘life-years’, even when adjusted for risks of injury through cycling.
5. Cycling is good for your coordination: Moving both feet around in circles while steering with both your hands and your body’s own weight is good practice for your coordination skills.
6. Cycling is good for your mental health: Riding a bike has been linked to improved mental health.
7. Cycling is good for your immune system: Cycling can strengthen your immune system, and could protect against certain kinds of cancers.
And now for some enthusiastic cyclists this morning in Oxford courtesy of photographer Sharon Hays: