Wednesday marked "National Bike to School Day," with more than 700 schools participating in the event. Even students at Whitefish's Muldown Elementary School got into the cycling spirit.

Over 300 of those Mulldown students pendaled their way to school this morning. It's part of a Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School Grant. Communities can use the grant money to construct new bike lanes, pathways, and sidewalks to encourage safer transportation to and from school.

Teachers we spoke with also say it's a great way to get kids outdoors.

"Elementary kids are pretty easy to fire up and pretty easy to get excited about things, and I'm just hoping this excitement remains," said heath enhancement teacher Vonda Garcia, "They try it once and their family enjoys it as a family outing and it's something that they work into their schedule more often."

Here are some facts from the National Council of Safe Routes to School:

The number of kids who walk or bike to school has dropped from 41% in 1969 to 13% in 2009

A third of all traffic deaths happen when children are walking or biking.

Congress created the Safe Routes to School program in 2005