Cami Taysom rides her bike to work regularly, so showing her support for May’s Portneuf Valley Bike to Work Month is no big deal.

But it will be a big deal for her to keep her Bike to Work commitment. She plans to leave Pocatello on a bicycle today to attend Salt Lake City’s annual Malaleuca Conference.

Taysom is a nurse in the Emergency Department of Portneuf Medical Center. As a self-described health and fitness-nut, the mother of four and grandmother of two will be fulfilling a longtime goal when she gets on her bike early in the morning for the long ride to Salt Lake City. She plans to do the ride all in one day, and hopes to arrive at her destination in time for celebration dinner tonight.

This will be her first attempt at such a long ride, but Taysom is confident she can get it done. “It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and now I have the opportunity to do it,” she said. Prompted by Bike to Work Month, Taysom sees this as the perfect chance to combine exercise with doing something to help the environment. “I’m just trying to get there with the least environmental impact as possible,” said Taysom.

While the ride will take between about 11 to 13 hours, Taysom won’t be completely alone, as she’ll have friends and family checking on her along the way, and supplying extra gear in case of a breakdown. “I feel like I can do it,” she said. “I’m not going to make any speed records, but I’d just like to accomplish a goal that I’ve had for a long time,” she commented.

Taysom and her family enjoy all sorts of outdoor activities, including hiking, biking, rafting, mountain climbing, camping, and back-country skiing, “I love to do anything outdoors,” she said. Taysom has been involved in the biking community in the Pocatello area for quite a while, participating in the City Creek Pedal Fest every year. This year she plans on participating in the up-coming Spinderella ride, a biking opportunity designed just for women.

As a nurse, Taysom sees first-hand the effects on the body caused by lack of exercise, and she is enthusiastically in favor of anything someone can do to improve their health through exercise. “I can see the effects of people not taking care of themselves, and it’s very sad for me,” she said. So she is eager to encourage others to get more exercise, be it hiking, biking, walking, or anything else.

Although most people’s commute to a work-related event won’t be as long as Taysom’s Salt Lake City ride, she still thinks Bike to Work Month is a good opportunity for people to get on their bike and save some fossil fuel at the same time.

May is Portneuf Valley’s Bike to Work Month, which includes biking events, the Employee Challenge, prizes, and more. For more information see the website at www.pokybiketowork.org.