Friday is National Bike to Work Day, and here in Southwest Virginia, it's also Clean Commute Day.

Although this region isn't yet known far and wide for its legions of bike-to-workers, their ranks appear to be growing. Here are some of the hardy, thrifty and brave souls from the Roanoke and New River valleys who journey to work cheaply, under their own pedal power, plus how far they go and what they love and hate about it.

NEW RIVER VALLEY

Geno Iannaccone

Age: 52

Where you live: Prices Fork community

Where you work: Virginia Tech chemistry department

What you do: Lab manager

The one-way distance: Six miles

How long it takes: 25 minutes

Days per week you commute by bike: Three or four

The best thing about it: Peace and solitude at the end of the day. Stress relief.

The worst thing: Gravel and trash in the bike lane that forces me into traffic.

Ignacio Moore

Age: 37

Where you live: Blacksburg

Where you work: Virginia Tech

What you do: Professor

The one-way distance: 1.5 miles

How long it takes: 10 minutes

Days per week you commute by bike: Every day

The best thing about it: Fresh air, no parking hassles, low cost

The worst thing: Drivers not paying attention

ROANOKE VALLEY

Sam Hartman

Age: 56

Where you live: Cave Spring

Where you work: American Electric Power

What you do: Human resources operator

The one-way distance: 5.5 miles

How long it takes: 30 minutes

Days per week you commute by bike: Usually one day per week -- casual Fridays

The best thing about it: Supports our company's green initiative and is fun

The worst thing: A little sweaty when I get to work

Richard Kelley

Age: 62

Where you live: Vinton area

Where you work: Retired school administrator (but I bike regularly to Valley View to shop or go to a movie)

The one-way distance: Nine miles

How long it takes: 35 minutes

Days per week you commute by bike: One or two

The best thing about it: The bike trail from the Hotel Roanoke to Valley View

The worst thing: Getting to the bike trail from Wise Avenue/Williamson Road.

Dwayne D'Ardenne

Age: 37

Where you live: Greater Deyerle neighborhood

Where you work: City of Roanoke, Public Works Service Center

What you do: Landscape coordinator

The one-way distance: 7.9 miles

How long it takes you: 30 to 35 minutes

Days per week you commute by bike: Right now, I don't because it's still dark when I get to work at 6:30 a.m., but it won't be long that I'll be back to at least once a week.

The best thing about it: Great exercise

The worst thing: Drivers who act like bikes don't belong on city streets

Ron McCorkle

Age: 38

Where you live: Eastern Roanoke

Where you work: Sharebike

What you do: Nonprofit operator

The one-way distance: Two miles

How long it takes: 10 minutes

Days per week you commute by bike: Five including grocery store trips, running errands

The best thing about it: Faster than driving, and door-to-door service

The worst thing: Some cars aren't yet used to bicycles, although they are learning on my regular routes.

Shane Sawyer

Age: 35

Where you live: Greater Deyerle neighborhood

Where you work: Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission

What you do: Regional planner and instructor at Virginia Western Community College and Roanoke College

The one-way distance: 6.5 miles

How long it takes you: 25 to 30 minutes

Days per week you commute by bike: Two or three

The best thing about it: Street-level observations, exercise, but more importantly a chance to "practice what I preach/advocate" as a regional/transportation planner and geography instructor

The worst thing: Daily preparation, heat in summer

Mark Long

Age: 52

Where you live: Roanoke County

Where you work: United Pet Group, Blacksburg

What you do: Strategic business development

The one-way distance: 30 miles

How long it takes you: One hour and 50 minutes to work, one hour and 30 minutes for the return

Days per week you commute by bike: Spring and early summer, two or three times a month

The best thing about it: Fitness -- physical, mental, spiritual

The worst thing: Logistics -- making sure I get my stuff to work the day before

Mark Powell

Age: 35

Where you live: Roanoke

Where you work: Yellow Cab

What you do: Taxi driver

The one-way distance: 1.5 to two miles

How long it takes: 15 minutes

Days per week you commute by bike: Two or three

The best thing about it: The ride, aside from the cost savings and the health benefit, and knowing that cars will soon be irrelevant.

The worst thing: Occasionally having your life span shortened by the nerves that accompany nearly being sideswiped.