Coldstream’s Bike to Work Month

This May, Coldstream will launch its fifth annual “Bike to Work Month,” marking its 17^th year for some of our team members. This is no ordinary bicycle challenge: our Bike to Work Month is inclusive of all physical activities, inspiring Coldstreamers to move in whatever ways bring the most joy. We host a wide variety of events ranging from pickleball tournaments to marathons to lunchtime neighborhood walks to bootcamp classes. And there are definitely prizes to be had, both individual and team-level accolades for those who are especially diligent, inspirational, active, innovative, and spirited. Bike-to-Work Bingo is one staff favorite, in which prizes are awarded if Coldstreamers can fill out a full card of achievements like working out in a group or taking a new class.

Last year, we clocked over 16,834 collective miles and more than 2,000 hours of exercise. And we are quite sure we can top that this year! We hope our whole Coldstream community feels inspired to find some joyful movement this spring, and encourage everyone to explore something new, connect with others, and discover your own ability to meet challenges and triumph in small ways every day.

Here are a few great stories from our 2025 BTW Month:

Rich Merrifield, CFP®, AIF® – Most Inspirational Story 2025

Running has been a part of my life since I was twelve, and some of my most formative memories come from my time at Ohio University, where I was fortunate to be part of a tight-knit group of long-distance road and trail runners.  We regularly pushed each other with group challenges and one that always stuck with me was a May 1984 commitment to run ten miles a day for the entire month, just before many of us graduated and went our separate ways. That experience left a lasting impression, and more than forty years later, I felt inspired to revisit that same spirit of consistency and discipline but this time with a “10K per day in May” goal that felt both meaningful and more attainable in my sixties. Much like back then, each day seemed to get a little easier, despite the weather, the inevitable aches, and even a spill or two. The challenge became both a reflective, nostalgic journey and a deeply gratifying reminder of what steady commitment can accomplish.  I am truly glad I took it on and am excited for BTW ’26!

Anne Marie Stonich, CFP®, CPA – Horseback Riding Bingo

I had the most amazing experience ever trying to complete the “ride a horse” bingo square when I took just an hour out of my day to go visit Elizabeth’s farm and she gracefully and expertly taught me how to ride English style on a horse and how in tune the horses are to your thoughts… it was amazing!  It would have been hard to carve out the time to do this without the bingo square motivation…but I am SO glad I did!  I learned so much and was so impressed by Elizabeth’s skill and poise.

Hilary Clark: Bingo Adventures

Hilary Clark was dedicated to completing every square on the Coldstream BTW Bingo card, and she did! A few of her most memorable bingo adventures:

• Cold plunging in the slime-infested Meydenbauer bay waters with teammates James, Rachel, and Jocelyn while Jake J. and Kyle stood by in support.
• Riding Lilia’s horses with Jocelyn. Then packing in pickleball and basketball immediately following with my husband and our boys. Jocelyn joined us so we could get additional bingo squares!
• “Mother’s Day Miles” bike trip to the wineries with gal pals.
• Celebrating my birthday on the “Brews and Bros” pub crawl with my gals again. A popped tire and a quick stop and trek for a repair put us behind but didn’t get us down!

David Bigelow, CFP®, MBA: Brewery Bike Tour

The brewery tour is annual staple of Bike to Work Month. Influenced by the Tour De France (well, just the final stage where they ride through the city sipping champagne), this ride is notable for having as many brewery stops as feet of elevation. Starting in Redmond, we ride north on the Sammamish River Trail into Woodinville, before hydrating and heading back. The stops change slightly year-to-year, as have the increasing trail options, including the Redmond Connector Trail and Eastrail. Although it’s a flat, (mostly) paved ride designed for a change of pace after a tough month of climbing mountains, one would be incorrect to assume we haven’t had our share of mechanical and navigational trials and trepidations over the years.

Join us in 2026 to come experience the joy of a warm, sunny day along the river while sampling your favorite local brews. For the riders that dare to circumnavigate the entire course, there’s usually a food truck waiting back at the finish line!

*Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP® and Certified Financial Planner™ in the U.S. The Accredited Investment Fiduciary® (AIF®) is administered by the Center for Fiduciary Studies, the standards-setting body of fi360.