Colorado's heat wave makes Boulder's Tube to Work Day a popular way to commute

This year's Tube to Work Day in Boulder was more than just marking an annual tradition, it was a way to stay cool on the way to work during the heat wave hitting Colorado this week. Hundreds of commuters took part on Friday morning with a portion of the ticket sales benefiting Bridge House, an organization providing programs and services to those experiencing homelessness. 

Hundreds of people jumped into the chilly rushing water of Boulder Creek early Friday. They brought their own inner tubes, helmets and life vests to tube Boulder Creek from Eben G. Fine Park to their places of employment.

Many people dress up or create teams to see who will be the first to make it to the office. 

"This is my first year, my friends are doing it and I wanted to show up. I'm expecting cold water but it'll also be fun," said one participant. 

The tradition began in 2008 as a joke between two friends who wanted to see if they could commute to the office without using fossil fuels. The number of tubers topped 1,000 people in 2018 and 2019 before COVID put the tradition on hold for two years.