One thing I have been noticing quite a bit recently is the sense of community I feel each day as I ride the same route at the same time. Unlike my experience last year, driving each day to work in another town, the bike path creates a personal connection with people that pass each other each day. I have noticed that most of the people I recognize each day are people either going the opposite direction or people who are walkers--those going the same direction as me stay ahead or behind, so I don't know you...sorry. So, here are some of the members of my community:
Pink Helmet: Where I have pink fenders, he has a pink helmet. Every day he gives a biker wave as we pass. Usually near the fairgrounds, although if I leave early I'll pass him by Bailey Hill
Orange Coat: An older woman with long grey hair. She rides near Pink Helmet. She too gives a biker style wave.
Yoga Man: This man I pass on the Amazon path near Roosevelt Middle School where he sips tea and sits on a bench waiting for the sun to rise...I think
Three Ladies Walking: I pass these three women powerwalking each day near the Tunnel under Amazon parkway by Albertsons. They are chatty and clearly good friends.
Tall guy, short dog: This is a man that is quite tall and skinny and walks a very short dog (Corgi?) that wears a little jacket indicating the dog is a service animal. He always waves to me.
Goatee man and his kid: These guys ride in from near Bailey Hill to Chavez elementary every morning together. Very cool dad/kid bike thing. I can't wait for my daughter and I to ride to her school!
There are more, but those are the ones that stick out in my head right now. I often think about people that commute in big cities like NYC or Chicago having connections to others that have the same commuter schedule, and right here in Eugene I have a similar experience. Although I probably won't ever speak with any of them it is nice to see them each day. Sometimes, if I am late or early I look ahead to see what new people I will encounter.
Ride on.
Jeremy
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Ten minutes
One of the many advantages to riding my bike to work everyday is avoiding traffic. I spend the vast majority of my ride on bike paths that have no motorized access. This allows me to ride comfortably without worrying about getting the chop from a steel death box. However, the first 2 miles of my ride runs the entire length of East Amazon parkway and there is a substantial difference between riding out at 7:20 and 7:3o.
At 7:20 I nearly have the road to myself. I ride on the right shoulder, and although there is no bike lane, there is room for street parking and hardly any cars parked there. Usually, cars that pass me don't even have to use the other lane to give me a wide berth. At 7:20 I will be passed by 5 or 6 cars in the first section of the ride. If I leave 10 minutes later, my car total will skyrocket. It is as if everyone is due at work at 8 and so at half past everyone is out the door. If I make the mistake of leaving late, I can be certain that mistake will compound itself at nearly every section of my ride and slow me down all the way in.
Traffic problems with a late start: Constant stream of passing cars on East Amazon--Dangerous
Heaps of cars at Hilyard, making the ride across the intersection to the bike path sketchy
Cars turning on 24th NOT stopping for the bikers crossing on the crossing path
South Eugene HS students blocking the end of the bike path, busses blocking the view of oncoming traffic and student drivers turning from every direction to get to school
Stacked up cars on 18th encroaching on the bike lane
At all the places where the Fern Ridge path crosses a street, increased cars, none of whom see bikers or stop for them.
On the days when I can make it out of the house early, I have almost no traffic and rarely need to stop my bike. It is a much more pleasant experience--I can get into the rhythm of the ride and lose myself in the cadence of spinning. I truly love riding my bike to work and I know I am grouchier when I can't/don't ride.
Until next time, keep rolling
Jeremy
At 7:20 I nearly have the road to myself. I ride on the right shoulder, and although there is no bike lane, there is room for street parking and hardly any cars parked there. Usually, cars that pass me don't even have to use the other lane to give me a wide berth. At 7:20 I will be passed by 5 or 6 cars in the first section of the ride. If I leave 10 minutes later, my car total will skyrocket. It is as if everyone is due at work at 8 and so at half past everyone is out the door. If I make the mistake of leaving late, I can be certain that mistake will compound itself at nearly every section of my ride and slow me down all the way in.
Traffic problems with a late start: Constant stream of passing cars on East Amazon--Dangerous
Heaps of cars at Hilyard, making the ride across the intersection to the bike path sketchy
Cars turning on 24th NOT stopping for the bikers crossing on the crossing path
South Eugene HS students blocking the end of the bike path, busses blocking the view of oncoming traffic and student drivers turning from every direction to get to school
Stacked up cars on 18th encroaching on the bike lane
At all the places where the Fern Ridge path crosses a street, increased cars, none of whom see bikers or stop for them.
On the days when I can make it out of the house early, I have almost no traffic and rarely need to stop my bike. It is a much more pleasant experience--I can get into the rhythm of the ride and lose myself in the cadence of spinning. I truly love riding my bike to work and I know I am grouchier when I can't/don't ride.
Until next time, keep rolling
Jeremy
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