Sole Power Green Commuting Challenge kicks off Monday in Vail, Eagle River Valley

The Town of Vail on Thursday issued the following press release on the Sole Power Green Commuting Challenge:

May the power of your Sole be with you! Memorial Day is nearly here and that means it is time for the annual Sole Power Green Commuting Challenge. This year Sole Power celebrates its 12^th year with 2,090 participants who have logged over 398,000 miles since the start of the program. The Sole Power Challenge is free and encourages active commuting in the Eagle Valley.

Participants get outside, get fit, reduce their carbon footprint, save money and have fun. While the challenge starts on Monday, May 30, participants can log on to www.solepower.org and track miles year-round. Sole Power had a record setting year in 2021 with 309 participants logging nearly 52,770 miles and over 48,400 pounds of carbon reduced. The program is a great opportunity for businesses and individuals to improve personal wellness and do their part for climate action.  

The rules are simple, participants may count any “trip” as long as they have a destination and the ride, walk, skate, or run is not purely recreational. The goal is to use your “sole” power and support active transportation instead of motorized options, so if you would have otherwise driven, taken the bus, motorcycle or other motorized vehicle, the trip counts. Sole Power relies on the honor system and is a fun way to keep track of mileage throughout the year. The program runs from Memorial Day to Columbus Day with a couple of seasonal challenges within those dates.  

Every participant is eligible for a free Sole Power t-shirt designed by Kind Design, a long-time sponsor of the challenge. In addition, several other generous community sponsors have donated prizes such as hotel stays, gift cards to restaurants and bars, bike tunes, hats, custom messenger bags, commuting gear and much more. Prizes will be given away each week throughout the challenge. Don’t worry if you are not a ‘leader;’ anyone who has logged a trip that week will be eligible for a prize. QuietKat, the electric bike manufacturer based in Eagle, has generously donated an e-bike to be given away at the end of the 2022 challenge. Any Sole Power participant who logs 20 or more trips throughout the challenge will be eligible to win. Sole Power hosts monthly happy hours with free or discounted beverages and the season is capped off with a great end-of-season party. 

Sole Power is free for all participants and is a major component of community health and environmental programs. The website’s tracking platform is also a great opportunity for wellness programs around the valley as well as an opportunity for friendly challenges between local businesses. Sign up free at solepower.org and keep an eye out for e-newsletters and Facebook posts for updates on Sole Power happenings throughout the summer. 

This year’s goal is to top 60,000 miles so whether you’re a veteran participant or want to do your first human-powered commute, join the challenge and help achieve the 2022 goal. 

Check out the Eagle Valley Sole Power Facebook page or follow on Instagram @EVSolePower. For more information, visit solepower.org or contact Beth Markham, Environmental Sustainability Coordinator for Town of Vail at bmarkham@vailgov.com.

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