Hundreds Put Pedal Power to the Test

It was before sunrise, and Ric Sletten was pedaling.

Under a thick, drizzly cloud cover, he pedaled through the streets of Ventura, the avocado farms of Somis and the strip malls of Moorpark.

His legs grew tired and became shaky, but he kept right on pedaling all the way through Simi Valley, over Santa Susana Pass and into the parking lot of Cal State Northridge.

In total, he pedaled 58 miles to work Wednesday--all in the name of Bike Commute Week.

“The main thing is having patience,” said Sletten, 39, a physician at the university. “The reality is, if you just keep pedaling you’ll get there eventually.”

He was one of hundreds in Ventura County who ditched their cars for bicycles this week, part of a statewide event to raise awareness on the health and environmental benefits of two-wheeled commuting.

“If someone will give it a try once, they’re more likely to try it again, especially with gas prices climbing up and up,” said Aaron Hanson, president of the Ventura County Bicycle Coalition.

Although Ventura resident Patrick Van Horn does his part every day by bicycling to work--a shop five miles from his house--he went the extra mile on Thursday and accompanied his wife via bicycle to her office in downtown Ventura before doubling back to his own job.

“Any day I can leave my SUV in the garage,” he said, “is a good day.”

The bicycle coalition coordinated the local event, which included pit stops--where riders could break for mild refreshments--in Ventura and Thousand Oaks. Those who registered for Bike Commute Week also became eligible to win bicycles, cycling accessories or T-shirts, Hanson said.

Sletten commutes by train and bike to his job at Cal State Northridge twice a week but said he has always wanted to try bicycling the entire way.

He heard about this week’s event through the American Lung Assn. and decided to try to spread a message. While riding to work Wednesday morning, he talked to several radio stations via a handless cellular phone.

“Basically, I’ll do anything to get people out of a car,” Sletten said. “One of the major health problems in the United States is a sedentary lifestyle.”

Sletten, who took the train most of the way back, said the best part about the 3 1/2-hour trek to work was climbing Santa Susana Pass Road. Having grown up in the San Fernando Valley, he said the journey brought back memories of driving with his family into Ventura County on the old road before the Ronald Reagan Freeway was built.

“I really enjoyed getting to the top of that pass,” he said. “And of course--the ride down.”

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