April 24, 2014 – On this day the City of Gaithersburg issued the following press release: “The City of Gaithersburg joins Commuter Connections and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association in welcoming thousands of area commuters to a celebration of bicycling on Bike to Work Day Friday May 16 2014. Gaithersburg will host one of 79 pit stops throughout the D.C. region ours at the corner of northbound MD Route 119 (Great Seneca Highway) and Orchard Ridge Drive from 7 to 9 a.m. Register in advance then stop by the Gaithersburg pit stop for refreshments entertainment and a chance to win raffle prizes provided by bark! Bike Gaithersburg Bonefish Grill Coal Fire Cold Stone Creamery Giant Integrated Environmental Management Inc. and Pink and Pepe’s Grape Escape. Free t-shirts and water bottles are available for those who register and attend. The League of American Bicyclists began Bike to Work Day as part of Bike Month in 1956. Over the years Bike to Work Day has grown into a widespread event with advocates taking to the streets nationwide to encourage fellow commuters to try bicycling as a healthy and safe alternative to driving alone. In the Metropolitan Washington region Bike to Work Day has grown from just a few hundred participants in 2001 to more than 14000 last year.