Feds, Caltrain trying to make it easier to get to work

Buried in the financial rescue bill passed by Congress last week is a provision to encourage bike commuting. The idea is to level the playing field for cyclists, who currently can’t get benefits like those available for participants in car or van pools or other programs designed to reduce traffic congestion.

Starting in January, employers can reimburse bike commuters up to $20/month for the “purchase of a bicycle, bicycle improvements, repair, and storage, if such bicycle is regularly used for travel between the employee’s residence and place of employment” and have such reimbursements get the same favorable tax treatment as other benefits. Twenty bucks a month isn’t a lot, but as a regular bike commuter, I think the concept is very cool!

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Meet in Las Vegas and shuttle to Death Valley National Park. Delight in cycling to Badwater, the lowest point in the United States at 282 feet below sea level 

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The bike touring company Ciclismo Classico, which operates biking tours throughout Europe, announced in a press release that they are adding three new tours:Vietnam, New Zealand and Chile/Argentina.When the company started 20 years ago in the United States, their focus was on Italy, but now they are expanding. They are offering two different Chile/Argentina bike tours, one eight day and one ten day tour of around 200 miles.The 200 miles include the Seven Lakes and five different national parks and, if you take the extra two days, also includes a trip to Santiago to drink some fabulous wines.This trip will begin October 25th, 2008.

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