FAQ's

  About / FAQ's

HERE A FEW ANSWERS TO OUR MOST COMMON QUESTIONS


QWhat counts as a trip?
AA trip can be counted as any time a participant does not use a vehicle when they otherwise would have. A commute to work, a trip to the grocery store, a trip to a restaurant all count. A trip does not include a walk, bike, run, etc. that is purely recreational. We are trying to substitute “sole” power of gasoline power. Walking 18 holes at the golf course or your mountain bike ride do not count. If you would have otherwise driven, taken the bus, motorcycle, or otherwise motorized vehicle- It Counts!.
QWhat happens if someone cheats?
ASole Power runs on the honor system. We believe that we have good and honorable people here in the valley and that we do not need to heavily police actions. At the end of the day, this event is meant to be fun and good for the community. While we trust our participants, if it determined that someone has falsely entered trips, program administrators have the ability to edit trip data.
QHow are the carbon emissions calculated?
AWe use the EPA calculations for carbon content per gallon of gasoline. At http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/energy-resources/refs.html we can tell that there are 8,887 grams of CO2 per gallon of gasoline, which is 19.59lbs of Carbon per gallon of gasoline. We then take the average fuel mileage used by the EPA on the same site of 21.4 miles per gallon. Using this information and the mileage you enter for your trip we can calculate how much fuel is saved and then how much carbon you have prevented from entering the atmosphere.
QWhat is the number used for price of Gasoline?
A

National gasoline prices are tracked by a number of different organizations we use the AAA fuel report page, http://fuelgaugereport.aaa.com/ and found the average price for the Vail area. Prices will fluctuate over the course of each season. We use the season starting price- so your true savings will be a bit higher as gas prices tend to increase over the summer.

QDoes carpooling or riding the bus count?
AAt this point carpooling and bus trips do not count. We definitely encourage riding the bus and carpooling and that is the preferred choice if a human powered commute is not possible. You could potentially break your trip up and included distance traveled to get to or from the bus stop. Sole Power focuses on the human aspect of commuting and while there are great options to reduce our footprint in motorized transportation we want to champion your human powered efforts.
QWhat about my Segway, golf cart, scooter, or motor assist bike?
AAgain, sorry but no. Sole Power is a human powered commuting challenge. We appreciate the effort and the questions, but any vehicle with a motor in it takes away from the intent of Sole Power.
QI forgot to enter my trip; can I still get credit for that trip?
AYes! The trip log allows participants to enter information from older trips so if you wait a few days to input your data at one time it is just fine. Please remember though, Sole Power works on the honor system and the challenge is about having fun so no cheating! If you have issues or accidently enter incorrect data, contact an administrator and we can adjust your trips accordingly.
QWhat do I get out of Sole Power?
A

We hope that the satisfaction of a great walk, run, or bike ride to work will be enough. However, we understand that if that were the case everyone would do it. With Sole Power you can join check out the leaderboard and see how you stack up against other participants. There is also a team challenge that allows you to create your team and see how you stack up against others. And the best part- it is free. There are social events with food and drinks over the course of the season, raffles with free prizes, and grand prizes at the end of the season!


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Solepower | Participate Today!

Pass On The Gas
Bike - Walk - Run - Log for the environment

The Town of Vail, the Vail Recreation District and Friends across the Eagle Valley are excited to bring you the Sole Power Challenge – a free summer contest designed to help us all reduce our carbon footprint, get fit, and save the planet and dollars all at the same time. Don’t delay, sign up today!

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