Use your pedal power to get to work

New Haven, Conn. (WTNH) - It's a great day out there for a bike ride. In New Haven, the push is on to get more people to ditch their cars and ride their bikes.

An event in New Haven Friday finished off a great week to bring awareness to New Haven's bike program. Some of the cyclists out Friday haven't seen each other in a few months, so the breakfast event they were at is like a reunion for them, rekindling the spirit of riding.

"It's nice being out smelling things in the air, the sights," Augustine Filomena of New Haven said.

"You're just more in tune with nature," Jennifer Brosious of Hamden said. "You feel the breeze and the buds in the trees."

Yeah there's something poetic about a bike ride, practical too even on a 19 mile ride in from Madison.

"I ride the bike because it makes me feel good and it keeps me healthy, it keeps me fit," Steve Ongley of Madison said. "It's like going to the gym and it doesn't cost money."

Now, I know you might be saying 'wait, I'm not just a kid riding to school. This is the big city. What do I do with my bike when I get here?' One solution is finding a parking meter. In New Haven, these are leagal bike racks. And underneath City Hall, there are bike racks and indoor parking with room for expansion.

Riders hope you'll answer the bell and get connected with the community.

"You meet people as you move along, as you stop by the side," Brosious said. "It's a good thing to be connected."

For more information on the city's bike program visit http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/TrafficParking/BikeNewHaven.asp