Bay Area Bike Challenge 2026:
What We Accomplished Together
Congratulations to everyone who participated in the 2026 Bay Area Bike Challenge and in Bay Area Bike to Wherever Days all May! Here’s some of what we accomplished together:
179,000+ miles traversed over nine counties
16,025+ trips logged
942 participants in the Bay Area Bike Challenge
102% of the initial Bay Area Bike Challenge goal
341 Energizer Stations hosted throughout the region by Bay Area agencies and advocates on Bike to Work/Wherever Day
36,000 riders visited those Energizer Stations
All of the participating riders, as well as agencies and nonprofits worked hard to make the Bay Area Bike to Wherever Days a huge success this year, and we congratulate them!
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) used Ride with GPS–an app that helps you log and navigate routes while biking–to create the Bay Area Bike Challenge with the goal of strengthening community bonds and unity across the region.
For 2026, we knew we wanted to go bigger than our collective 159,200+ miles in 2025, so we set the goal at 175,000 miles. This one was a nailbiter! In fact, as of 11:59PM on May 31st Ride with GPS reflected just shy of our goal at closer to 174,000 miles. However, in the coming days, recording rides that had yet to sync finally took us across our goal and then some, all the way to 179,131 miles across 16,029 trips, with 942 people signing up to ride.
Winners
12 different prizes assured that everyone from first-time bikers to the most experienced long-distance cyclists had a chance to win. Explore this year’s illustrious winners below and hear about their Bike Month.
Grand Prizes ($500 each)
Most Miles Overall: Charlie Martin (Santa Clara County) - 3,570 miles
Most Trips Overall: Dulce Zarco (Alameda County) - 242 Trips
Creative Routes ($250 each)
Most Creative Route – Design: Dan Wanberg (Solano County) - Windy and we still ride
Design Runner Up: Hannah Carson (Santa Clara County) - Godzilla Eats San Jose
Most Creative Route – Points of Interest: Cassie Kifer (Santa Clara County) - Tour de Dog Park
Points of Interest Runner Up: Mike Fretz (Alameda County) - Every Peak in San Francisco
Raffle Winners ($200/$100 each)
Based on Miles #1: Katherine Dumont (San Mateo County)
Based on Miles #2: Max Vink (Alameda County)
Based on Trips: Ryan McNerney (Alameda County)
Register and Ride: Anita Tenley (Alameda County), Christopher McDonald (San Mateo County), Mitch Cramond (Alameda County), Julianne Mitchell (Santa Clara County), Melinda Wang (Santa Clara County)
Most Miles: Charlie Martin (Santa Clara County) - 3,570 Miles
“A friend tipped me off to this challenge nearly halfway through May, and seeing what the #1 rider was logging instantly inspired me. Fortunately, a 1200 km grand randonnée earlier in the month, combined with my typical weekly long-distance riding, already put me in solid contention. I put my head down, poured everything into an intense second half of the month, and capped it off with a second 1200 km grand randonnée. It was fantastic seeing so many fellow SF Randonneurs on the leaderboard and following their adventures. We Bay Area riders are truly spoiled with such incredible terrain and community!”
Most Trips: Dulce Zarco (Alameda County) - 242 Trips
“Our family has always enjoyed cycling and we use our bikes to get around a lot. We had recently completed a three-day bike trip to Yosemite the month prior. When I heard about the challenge, I thought it would be a great opportunity to win by doing what was already normal in my life!”
Most Creative Route – Design: Dan Wanberg (Solano County)
Windy and we still ride
“I've been riding my bike to work for a few years now, and the ride to and from work is something I genuinely look forward to each day. It invigorates me in the morning and helps me burn off stress in the evening. I joined the Bike Challenge because it's rewarding to get around under your own power. Beyond commuting, I use my bike to run errands and enjoy spending time outdoors. Riding allows me to notice nature more, appreciate the beauty all around us. I also enjoy saying good morning to people I see on the bike path and feel more connected to my community. I've also been inspired by the Dutch approach to cycling, where people of all ages ride bikes for everyday transportation. In the Netherlands, biking is simply a way of life, and I enjoy incorporating a little of that mindset into my daily routine.”
Design Runner Up: Hannah Carson (Santa Clara County)
Godzilla Eats San Jose
“I had a blast plotting out 'Godzilla'. Very cool that Santa Clara County's bike infrastructure was able to support it with the route feeling safe. What a testament that you can really 'bike to wherever'!”
Most Creative Route – Points of Interest: Cassie Kifer (Santa Clara County)
Tour de Dog Park
“I’m getting into cycling for the first time as an adult and I’m currently training for RAGBRAI, a seven-day ride across Iowa this summer. I’m riding as much as possible to get the recommended time in the saddle, so I really appreciate how this contest inspired me to track my mileage. The 'Tour de Dog Park' started on a ride with neighbors. We often meet for a quick Friday lunchtime ride, but because my one-hour break limits our distance, we quickly exhausted the obvious routes. One week, someone suggested, “Let's go to Watson Park and see if we spot any dogs.” That sparked my personal challenge: bike to where the dogs are and count as many as possible! On the Friday we logged this route, I unfortunately didn't see that many dogs, but we did find a herd of goats living in a residential neighborhood, and two cats whose owner lovingly (courageously?) bring to the dog park to allow some time to explore the world beyond their apartment.”
Raffle Based on Miles #1: Katherine Dumont (San Mateo County)
“I love the feeling of being part of something bigger -- which is what the Bay Area Challenge is all about! Every mile I log contributes to the overall goal. And we did it! I got a little thrill from logging every ride - it was a great incentive to hop on my bike to do my errands or to get a little more exercise. The highlight for me - and by far the longest ride I took all month - was SVBC's annual El Camino Real Ride! Over 17 miles from Santa Clara to Menlo Park - my first time doing the entire ride.”
Points of Interest Runner Up: Mike Fretz (Alameda County)
Every Peak in San Francisco
Raffle Based on Trips: Ryan McNerney (Alameda County)
“My bicycle has been my primary mode of transportation since I moved to the Bay Area in Fall of 2015 for school. I commute to work via bike almost every day, and I think it's a great way to start and end the workday! I also take care of errands on the bike since my wife and I are car-free. One of my favorite memories of the past month was cycling the Lafayette/Moraga Regional Trail with my wife. We took BART to Orinda and cycled to Moraga and onto Lafayette where we enjoyed some tacos before taking BART back. It was a fun scenic ride, and a great chance to relax and get some fresh air together. Life is more fun on two wheels!”
Register and Ride Raffle: Christopher McDonald (San Mateo County)
“This is my second year participating in the Bay Area Bike Challenge. I am an avid cyclist and love getting out there and exploring this beautiful area that we live in on my bike. The challenge really has gotten me to get out there more and try to get more people out there on bikes for better health and a healthier planet.”
Raffle Based on Miles #2: Max Vink (Alameda County)
“I joined the Bay Area Bike Challenge because I love riding my bike! This month, I've ridden all across California, from Los Angeles to Yosemite, and especially around my home of Berkeley. And I can definitively confirm that the riding in the Bay is the best.”
Register and Ride Raffle: Anita Tenley (Alameda County)
“I joined the Bay Area Bike Challenge as an incentive to increase my biking mileage. Since retirement 8 years ago, I have been on a mission to bike regularly for errands, exercise and just plain enjoyment. While traveling, I include cycling whenever possible. My husband and I have had a lot of fun recently using public bikeshare systems to explore New York City, Washington, DC, Mexico City, Paris, and Bologna, Italy.”
Register and Ride Raffle: Mitch Cramond (Alameda County)
“I signed up again this year for the Bay Area Bike Challenge because I love seeing how collectively we can all ride so many miles in only a month! I'm a firm believer that all rides are great from tootling around for errands and coffee to really pushing yourself for mileage.”
Register and Ride Raffle: Melinda Wang (Santa Clara County)
“My friend told me about the Bay Area Bike Challenge, and I liked the way anyone could participate and everyone's efforts would count towards a collective goal, greater than what any individual could achieve on their own. I've always wanted to bike around the entire Bay Area and finally did so with my friends thanks to The Bay Ride last fall! I'm also grateful that every year I get to be both a BTWD energizer station host and participant thanks to the support of my colleagues!”
Register and Ride Raffle: Julianne Mitchell (Santa Clara County)
“I joined the Bay Area Bike Challenge to encourage myself and others to cycle more. A highlight of this month was participating in group road, gravel, and mountain bike rides!”
Highlights
We are so wowed by each of the participants in this year's challenge! Check out all of the riders and rides by exploring the final leaderboard. The numbers only tell part of the story, so here are some highlights.
Clocking in at 3,750 miles, this year’s winner for Most Miles, Santa Clara County’s Charlie Martin, rode an astonishing 1,200 more miles than last year’s winner, Paul Ashton! The top four riders all exceeded 1,500 miles, including Jonathan Izen, Noah Swartz, and Hans “Chicken Man” Bernhardt who all logged over 1,500 miles.
Dulce Zarco rode an incredible 242 times this month! Tim Oey, “official” rider of most trips in 2024 and 2025 came in second at 189. The list of riders clocking over 100 trips goes, and includes: Richard Lam, Jay Gardner, Naor Deleanu, Kevin Z, Rebecca Wernis, and David Andrew.
576 participants rode between 1 and 400 miles, contributing 80,383 miles to the Challenge: over half of the total miles! The Bay Area Bike Challenge brings together riders of all skill levels and riding habits in one celebration of cycling.
Notable Riders
Hans Chicken Man Bernhardt
Glen
Creative Routes
This year’s submissions for most Creative Routes blew us away, so we wanted to share as many as we could! Thanks to everyone who rode and submitted, keep those creative juices flowing.
Designs
I’m falling in love with you - Anna Maria Irion
We may never know the full story of who this was written for, but we do know the incredible story behind making it. Anna Maria Irion wrote/rode this design while training for the 545 mile AIDS/LifeCycle, and then promptly broke their wrist and could no longer ride at all! This was AFTER already logging 402 miles in the Bike Challenge. To create this dense and intricate 16+ mile route, Irion took screenshots on Google Maps and then drew on top of them in the Preview App on a computer. “The V, E, and W were the only really hard ones to place. When I started a new word I’d confirm I was at the right intersection and then confirm what the top and bottom streets would be, then ride while intuitively following the shape of the letters.” Hear more from Irion above under “Winners.”
Bicycle in Alameda - Jon Randell
Jon Randell is a creative bike route enthusiast, mapping out designs in Alameda for the second year in a row! This year he mapped out a bicycle and last year he mapped a sailboat, the word "Bike," and the word "Walk." His technique? "My trusty Bike Walk Alameda map and a large sheet of tracing paper."
Ice Cream Cone with Cherry - Lisa Winter
Lisa Winter blew us away last year with a rendition of Beavis, a 33-mile ride across Berkeley, Oakland, and Emeryville and the winning Most Creative Route for Design. Lisa was planning on another elaborate ride but then took a spill on Bike to Work Day. Ouch! Winter still managed to submit this one, a cherry on top of our Bike to Wherever Days! Lisa says:
“Sometimes, I start by envisioning a specific shape and then try to overlay it onto the map, moving it around until I find a geographical area where the shape fits well. The other method, which is how I came up with this year's design, involves looking at the map itself and seeing if any inherent shapes jump out at me–almost like finding figures in the clouds. For both methods I use graphic design software to overlay my image on top of a map. Once I find a shape and placement that I like, I open the RideWithGPS app and draw the route using the Route Planner.”
Points of Interest
Bike to Books in East Brentwood - Dani Blake
For this route around Brentwood, not only did Dani Blake visit locations but also marked them on the route map and took photos for each one! Check out the full ride on Ride with GPS, and follow along the next time you’re in Brentwood! Hear more from Blake above in the “Winners” section.
Around the Entire Bay in a Day from Gilroy - Mike Holt
Mike Holt rode the entire circumference of the Bay in one day, starting in Gilroy no less! This 236.7 mile feat is definitely worthy of accolades. Holt says: “I followed the Bay Trail as much as possible and I would estimate that a majority of the ride is on it. The Bay Trail has a lot more gravel than I expected. The hardest part of this ride is the San Pablo Bay Loop because it’s massive and you can see the whole thing. You ride for an hour and feel like you haven't gone anywhere. Winds were the strongest from Pinole through Richmond. It was coldest in Berkeley and then it was warm again a few miles later. While looking for the best route around the bay I found people who had done this over multiple days but no one in 1 day. I rode through approximately 40 cities and all the Bay Area counties.” Holt also has the honor of landing in third place on this year’s leaderboard with 1,778 total miles!
47 Energizer Stations on Bike to Work Day - Naor Deleanu
Naor Deleanu managed to stop by 47 of the 335 Energizer Stations on Bike to Work/Wherever Day–that’s 14% of the stations, and a 67 mile route around the East Bay! Check out Naor’s route for a full list of the stops he visited. This was far from Deleanu’s only ride this challenge, coming in sixth for most miles with a total of 1,413 and fourth for Most Trips with a total of 113.
The determination of the Bay Area’s bike community shines through the inspiring stories during this month. We look forward to continuing to promote unity and encourage cycling throughout the region not just in May but throughout the year.
Join us for the 2026 Bay Area Bike Challenge!
Explore Past Years’ Challenges!
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) proudly presents this challenge to strengthen community bonds and promote unity across the region.