65-Year-Old Arcata Resident Bikes to Work Often

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EUREKA, CA (KIEM) – The rain didn’t stop residents from participating in the Bike to Work Rally at the Old Town Gazebo in Eureka. We introduce you to a 65-year-old man who enjoys spending time in the outdoors on two wheels.

Bob Ornelas pedaled 45 miles to the bike to work rally at the Gazebo in Eureka Thursday morning. This isn’t the first time he’s done something like this.

“What I’d like to do is ride my bicycle to a job, and assess what does it need. And then, when I come back I’ll be in my van full of materials that I need,” said Bob Ornelas, a 65-Year-Old Biker.

Ornelas is a maintenance man. Instead of driving his van from job to job, he bikes there.

“I actually ride bicycles twice as far as I drive my van for work purposes,” said Ornelas.

Ornelas could get to places much faster by vehicle, but he doesn’t see the point in driving.

“There’s nothing healthy about driving a car. Honestly, we all change. Our personality change. We get a little uptight. We get meaner. We even like get mad at bicycles for being in our way, and that’s kind of funny isn’t it,” said Ornelas.

One of the organizations supporting the Bike to Work Rally is Caltrans. They’re trying to get people to be more active, just like Ornelas.

“Caltrans is trying to double walking and triple bicycling from the top down. From Sacramento down. And we’re doing everything that we can to promote it as a healthy lifestyle, and great alternative to riding in a motor vehicle,” said Lisa Hockaday, Caltrans District 1 Bicycle Coordinator.

Thursday’s event is all a part of Bike Month Humboldt. On Saturday, morning there is a bike ride from Arcata to McKinleyville. It starts at eight on the Plaza and goes to the Dow’s Prairie Grange for pancakes.