PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY, Va.—When Mohammad Nosrati arrived at George Mason University's Prince William campus Friday morning, he was sweaty, a little out of breath and smiling.
"I came from Haymarket," he said. "Seventeen or eighteen miles."
And he came by bicycle.
Nosrati, a Micron employee, was one of nearly 70 people who stopped by a pit stop next to GMU's Freedom Aquatics and Fitness Center during Bike to Work Day.
"I don't usually ride to work, but I ride on the weekends so I decided to do this today," Nosrati said.
Bike to Work Day is an annual event, organized by the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, but this was the first year there was a stop in Prince William.
The stop, hosted by the Prince William Trails and Streams Coalition, offered refreshments, prizes and bike repairs to those who rode their bikes to work.
People could also shower and change at the Freedom Center.
Event organizer Rick Holt said he was happy with the turnout for the first Prince William County event.
"It's raising awareness," said Holt. "If people see bikes on the road they'll be more aware and safe."
A goal of Bike to Work Day is to encourage people to think about biking as an alternative to other methods of commuting, according to the Washington Area Bicyclist Association.
Many of the participants who visited the Freedom Center stop were employees of Micron, Lockheed Martin and other nearby businesses.
Some were bicycling to the Manassas Virginia Railway Express station, and others were going on to other destinations in Manassas, Centreville and Fairfax.
Kevin Zinn and Kendra Comes rode their bicycles from Haymarket to ATCC, a biological research center in the Innovation@Prince William County Technology Park.
"It wasn't bad," Zinn said of the ride. "We came up Wellington and it was a little hairy there, but it wasn't too bad. The drivers were courteous."
Zinn said he used to ride his bicycle to work when he lived in Colorado and hopes to do so more often.
"I want to be doing this more often this summer," Zinn said.
Margaret Smith, a teacher at Brentsville District High School, said she rides her bicycle from the Independent Hill area to the Nokesville school about once a week.
"As long as it's not freezing, I'll ride," she said. "It's a great way to exercise and keep fit."
Staff writer Amanda Stewart can be reached at 703-530-3908.
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