Summer is the time for bike rides and celebrations and nothing combines the two better than Tour de Fat. Created by New Belgium, Tour de Fat is a festival devoted to spreading the word about all the benefits of bikes. Starting in Fort Collins, CO the tour runs through October with stops in 11 different cities.
Beyond crazy parades, rambunctious concerts and a whole lot of beer, Tour de Fat promotes cycling as a sustainable form of transportation by organizing the official Car Swap. One volunteer per festival city is chosen to hand over their car keys for a whole year in return for a commuter bike from Black Sheep Bikes. With 11 cities on the tour that means 11 lucky individuals will be committing to spending a whole year car-free.
The tour is still looking for volunteers for the swap. What does it take to be chosen? Candidates must submit either a video or essay explaining why they want to go car-free — in the day and age of $4 plus for a gallon of gas that can’t be too difficult. The only stipulation is that you gotta be close to one of the 11 festival stops. Portland happens to be one of them, and the festival takes place on August 16th, meaning if you want to be considered, get that application in now! What better way to spend the next year than on a new bike saving the environment because you’ll be one less car on the road.
Click here for more information on how to enter.
