Vail’s Sole Power Green Commuting Challenge kicks off on Memorial Day

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

The Sole Power Green Commuting Challenge returns to the Eagle Valley starting this Memorial Day, Monday, May 29 and continues through Oct. 9. Celebrating its thirteenth year, 2,431 participants have logged over 454,000 miles since the start of the program. The Sole Power Challenge is free and encourages active commuting in the Eagle Valley, which is a healthy option not only for people, but also for the environment. Participants get outside, get fit, reduce their carbon footprint, save money, and have fun. Head to www.solepower.org to register and begin tracking miles.

Businesses and individuals take part in the program to improve personal wellness and do their part for climate action. The website’s tracking platform is a great opportunity for wellness programs around the valley as well as an opportunity for friendly challenges between local businesses. 2022 was a record setting year for Sole Power with 341 participants logging nearly 56,440 miles and over 51,740 pounds of carbon reduced from the atmosphere. The 2023 goal is to top 60,000 miles.

The program relies on the honor system and participants may count any trip if they have a destination and the ride, walk, skate, or run is not purely recreational. The goal is to use “sole” power and support active transportation instead of motorized options, so if a participant would have otherwise driven, taken the bus, motorcycle or other motorized vehicle, the trip counts. The program includes two seasonal challenges. 

Sole Power hosts monthly happy hours with free or discounted beverages and the season is capped off with an end-of-season party. 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 community sponsors have donated prizes such as hotel stays, gift cards to restaurants and bars, bike tunes, hats, custom messenger bags, commuting gear, and more. Prizes will be given away each week throughout the challenge to anyone who has logged a trip that week. Any Sole Power participant who logs 20 or more trips throughout the challenge will be eligible to win the Grand Prize at the end of the 2023 challenge: a QuietKat e-bike generously donated by the Eagle-based manufacturer.  

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

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