Bike valet's first season at Utah football games keeps momentum into Saturday's BYU game

Bleed Red or Boast Blue by parking at the Homecoming U Bike Valet

Love Red? Love Blue? Either way represent your team by Living Green and riding your bicycle to the UTAH v BYU Homecoming game at Rice Eccles Stadium this Saturday, September 15, 2012.

Many people may not agree on the best team to cheer for or what color shows more pride, but most cyclists will be pumped about rolling to the game and parking their bike at the U Bike Valet. The FREE valet is a collaborative effort between University of Utah Commuter Services and the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective.  

Football and bicycling may not seem connected but the rivalry between these teams goes way back and has included ‘food drive rides’  in the past. The friendly civic rivalry of wagering a ride against the BYU v UTAH football game tomorrow game continues with SLC Mayor Ralph Becker and Provo Mayor John Curits. The wager dictates the winning school’s host city becomes the destination of a community bicycle ride, led by the Mayors, that begins in the loser’s hometown.

Thus far, the 45-mile jaunt has ended in Salt Lake City three out of the four years since its debut, though the 2012 version looks to be one of the toughest to call. At the University, Commuter Services is also shifting into gear to offer the U Bike Valet to cyclists and restore a little competitive spirit to see which University can ride the most bikes to the game. When you park your bike let the attendants know if you Bleed Red or Boast Blue, Commuter Services will announce which school parked the most bicycles during the game!




The U Bike Valet will be located on the Southern side of the Rice Eccles Stadium parking lot on the grassy area between TRAX and the Stadium Museum (googlemap). The FREE U Bike Valet will open at 6:00 PM, just in time for people to attend the 2012 Homecoming Tailgate. The valet will remain open until all the bikes have been claimed after the game. The bike collective is experienced in providing valet service and has a great reputation with local cyclists. All donations and tips will fund the U Campus Bike Shop (ubike.org), and extension of the SLC Bicycle Collective.  

The inaugural bicycle valet during the Northern Colorado Football Game on August 30^th, which was also Bike to the U Day, a total of parked 34 bicycles. After kick-off volunteers counted 72 additional bicycles locked to the fence, showing a true demand for bicycle parking since only 12 bicycle rack spaces exist around the stadium. Commuter Services wants “bicycle commuters and visitors to know that bicycle-related services are available on campus and that the university supports bicycle commuting for students, staff and faculty," said Heidi Goedhart the Bicycle Coordinator at the University of Utah. 

If you feel like volunteering with the Valet at this event or other home football games this season email: heidi.goedhart@utah.edu. For more information about cycling efforts at the University or to stay informed about events visit Bike theUniversity of Utah Facebook Page or the Commuter Services website http://parking.utah.edu/bike/. 

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