Forget about Harry Potter and Spider Man 2. When it comes to smashing records, the 2004 Group Health Commute Challenge takes the cake, registering 3,200 total riders, including 1,000 new commuters. The 2004 participation reflects an 80-130 % increase in all categories from 2003.

This year’s Challenge riders logged more than 379,000 miles -- preventing the release of 250 tons of greenhouse gasses and burning more calories than are in 40,000 cheeseburgers.

Thanks are due, in no small part, to the event sponsors: WRQ, Group Health Cooperative KIRO 710 Newsradio, Adobe, Starbucks, Pyramid Communications and Vulcan for helping make the 2004 Group Health Commute Challenge a big hit.

Along with the WRQ Bike to Work Day, the rallies at the UW and Redmond, the Poker Ride and Celebration Rally at Sand Point, the Group Health Commute Challenge is just one more fun way Cascade is getting more people out on their bikes.

Most new bike commuter trips for one team:

1. The Hoehads, (Earthcorps) 10 new commuters, 133 total round-trips.
2. The Quivering Quadriceps (Mithun) 10 new commuters, 69 total trips
3. PSE2- Particularly Saddlesore Employees,(Puget Sound Energy) 10 new, 45 total trips
   

Highest % of new commuters on one team:

1. Group Health Boogie Bikers (Group Health Cooperative), 9 out of 9 riders, 100%.
   
2. Saving Cash for Beer (Medtronic Emergency Response Systems), 8 out of 8 riders, 100%
   
3. Cycle Wired (AT & T Wireless), 8 out of 8 riders, 100%
   
4. Jokes on Spokes (Casey Family Programs), 7 out of 7 riders, 100%
   
5. G-Force (DOD Police/US Navy), 7 out of 7 riders, 100%
   

Most trips by a team

5-10 person team

• Wheels Of Fire, (University of Washington), 10 riders, 210 round trips
  

4-person team

• We Bike 5.12d, (IMA Climbing Staff), 4 riders, 64.5 round trips!
  

Most average trips per rider for a team

5- to 10-person team

• Wheels of Fire, (University of Washington)
  

4-person team

• Portwheelers, (Port of Seattle), 11.87 trips per rider
  

Most total miles

1. Richardson’s Revenge, (The Boeing Company), 10 riders, 4,851 total miles
   
2. Microsofties who commute about 125 miles a week, (Microsoft Corp), 8 riders, 4,429 miles
   
3. Sirius, (Washington Mutual), 10 riders, 4,369 miles
   

Most miles per rider

5- to 10-person team

• Microsofties who commute about 125 miles a week, 553 miles per rider
  

4-person team

• The Sponge Bobs, (Lockheed Martin), 278 miles per rider
  

Most teams in one work place

Winner

University of Washington: 65+ teams

Honorable mention to all who had 5 teams or more:

• Group Health Cooperative, 25 teams
  
• King County, 19 teams
  
• Microsoft Corporation,15 teams
  
• Boeing, 14 teams
  
• Safeco Insurance Companies, 12 Teams
  
• NOAA Fisheries, 11 teams
  
• REI, 10 teams
  
• AT& T Wireless, 9 Teams
  
• AT & T Wireless Services, 8 teams
  
• Amazon.com, 8 teams
  
• Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 7 teams
  
• City of Kirkland, 7 teams
  
• Puget Sound Energy, 7 teams
  
• DSHS, 6 teams
  
• Active Voice, 6 teams
  
• City of Bothell, 6 teams
  
• Starbucks Coffee Company, 6 teams
  
• WSDOT, 5 teams
  

Most miles for one organization

Honorable mention for the “3000+ Club”

• 3,051 REI Flagship Store
  
• 3,069 Romac Industries
  
• 3,156 Pathway Medical Technologies
  
• 3,215 Children’s Hospital & Regional Medical Centers
  
• 3,330 Boeing
  
• 3,408 Gregg’s Greenlake Cycles
  
• 3,505 Nordstrom
  
• 3,569 WSDOT
  
• 3,575 Recreational Equipment, Inc.
  
• 3,600 Safeco
  
• 3,698 Sound Transit
  
• 3,745 Aerojet
  
• 3,752 Expedia, Inc
  
• 4,006 Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
  
• 4,025 Philips Medical Systems
  
• 4,107 Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
  
• 4,814 Puget Sound Energy
  
• 5,025 Sportworks Northwest
  
• 5,139 Starbucks Coffee Company
  
• 5,187 Microsoft Corporation
  
• 5,193 The Boeing Company
  
• 5,379 MITHUN
  
• 5,488 Amazon.com
  
• 5,533 Washington Mutual
  
• 6,722 Microsoft
  
• 9,263 REI
  
• 9,399 NOAA Fisheries
  
• 11,220 Group Health Cooperative
  
• 43,962 University of Washington
  

Highest percentage of riders in any workplace/ organization

Businesses of 10-25

Co-winners:

• Velo Bike Shop (6 out of 10 employees), 60%
  
• Johnston Architects (5 out of 11) 55%
  
• KEEN Engineering (9 out of 17) 53%
  

Note: these awards are for riders who registered as individual riders, not team members.

Most total miles by new commuter

Female: Andrea Place, 584 miles

Male: David Stein, 701 miles

Most total trips

Female riders: Laura Downs . 18 round trips

Male Riders: David Stein, 25 round trips

Highest average miles per trip by a new commuter

Female: Susan Carr, 6 trips, average 35.20 miles per trip

Male: to be verified and announced

Most overall total miles

Winner: Allen Boni, 20 trips for 1,119 miles

Highest average trip length (12 or more trips)

Winner: Bruce Odegaard, 12 trips 75.4 miles average

Top individual riders of the challenge

Female: Nancy Healy, 21 round trips, 378 miles, 18 miles average trip

Male: Dane Jackson, 20,5 trips, 1,099 miles, 52 miles average trip