Bike to Work Day Essays
To celebrate Bike to Work Day, we asked individuals to submit essays explaining how they get more out of their commute by biking to work.On May 16 at 8:30pm in front of City Hall at our Bike to Work Day Rally we will select five winning essays at random. Those five essay winners will win a Commuter Bike from local bike shops!
Here are all of the essays we have received so far. To submit your essay, please go here: Submit a Bike to Work Essay
| Laura Shiltz UM Law School I would get more out of life if I commuted to work. First I would receive the fresh air of the morning rides and the evening sunshine of the day. I would get physical activity each day that would only enhance my heart rate. I would see spring in a different light and watch how the flowers bloom in Gallup park trail. I would have the bikers “high” before I got to work and feel even more refresh. My sick days would be fewer because of my endurance from commuting more by biking. I feel this would encourage me to find other means of commuting to work beside my Jeep Wrangler. I could share my success with others and encourage them to find alternate ways to work with the rising gas prices. It would be a way to cut costs and enjoy nature. I feel this could be a spiritual way to get closer to the outdoors and save my budget. What a great idea. |
| Charlene Tao University of Michigan White snow flakes flying outside windows is a nice scene for Christmas. But I can’t wait for the Spring. When it approaches March, April, I would be looking for the melting sign of the snow on the side of the streets and constantly praying to the good ol’ weatherman’s mercy to stop shaking off the white snow onto the ground so that I can start my bike commute routine. I look forward to my bike commute routine. I enjoy the ride regardless the dumbness feeling on my finger tips when it is still cold out there; I enjoy the ride regardless the sweat I shed when it is hot out there. I enjoy knowing that I am burning calories instead of gas. As a result, I’m building muscles, getting fit, avoiding emitting CO2 to the environment. And you know what? I am also saving $$ on the gas along the way and having a blast accomplishing all these health, economic and environmental benefits. Go green! |
| Ron Merrow National City Mortgage I started using my bike to commute to work in August of 2007. The gas savings were nice, but my real motivation was to lose weight and get in better shape. My commute is eleven miles each way. During this time I also started an exercise regimen at the YMCA. When I drive my car to work, it takes about 35 minutes door to desk after I park the car in the Ann/Ashley lot and walk the two blocks to work. When I bike to work it takes me about 48 minutes from door to desk since I can park inside my building. So in reality, it only takes an additional 26 minutes round trip to bike to work verses taking the car. When you consider that I can skip my 30 minutes of cardio at the YMCA on the days that I bike, it actually adds four minutes to my day if I commute via bike instead of the car. It is a bonus passing all of the cars on Packard as I zip down the bike lane. The real bonus is that I have lost 42 pounds since I began biking in August. |
| Cynthia Bostwick Washtenaw County Friend of Court Sunday night, my four year old son is pumped. “Mom, our bike goes really, really fast!” he says, sleep beginning to show around the edges of the light in his brown eyes. “Yep, and even faster when you pedal!” I say, reminding him of trail-a-bike teamwork. The next morning is so different, no foot dragging, no reluctance. “Hurry up, Mom, we need to get rolling,” he says, dressed in record time and waiting for me for a change. On the way down the Plymouth Rd. hill, another biker is trying to pass. Benjamin makes motor noises, and the biker makes his own. “We’re beating you!” my son yells in a cheerful challenge. He greets all pedestrians with his amazing smile and his loudest “good morning.” At the Main St. light, he chats with a motorist through an open window. When we pull up to his pre-school on Ashley, all his friends crowd around the window. He’s a hero, and he is beaming. He graciously lets them try on his red helmet. This Monday morning is a breeze, a breath of fresh air, a twenty-minute smile: for us and, I suspect, for each person my sunbeam son greeted on our commute |
| Chuck Warpehoski Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice For me, biking to work is about connecting. By biking to work, I connect with my community. I get to wave to the neighborhood kids and parents as they wait for the bus. By biking to work, I connect to the environment. I'm more aware of the crocuses in the spring and the leaves changing in the fall than I ever could be boxed in by a car. By biking to work, I connect to my health. It builds in a bit of exercise every day (which also helps me connect with the occasional donut). By biking to work, I connect with my independence. If the breaks on my car need to be serviced, it's not something I can do on my own, and it costs a pretty penny to have it done. When my bike's breaks need service, I can do it myself and it's a lot cheaper. But there's one way that my bike creates a disconnect for me. When I hear friends complain about how much it costs to get to work with the price of gas pushing $4.00 a gallon, well, I just can't connect. That's something I don't have worry about |
| Kelly O'Doherty Angelini & Associates Architects I get more out of my commute by biking to work. It’s great to be able to commute to work, get exercise, and protect the environment all at the same time. I often combine modes of transportation by putting my bicycle on the bus. This way, I ride the bus to work in the morning, keeping my clothes fresh. My ride home on the bike after work can be a vigorous work-out. The best part of the trip home is using the bike lane to pass all of the cars on the congested parts of Packard Road. |
| Emily Beam University of Michigan Commuting by bike makes the seasons last longer. When heading into town, the opening and closing of spring, summer, and autumn are apparent in the trees, the smell of the air, even the feel of the sun. The weather report is meaningful; I often watch the radar to time my commute home. Before I biked, daffodils seemed to appear and disappear suddenly. Now there’s a daffodil season, when the grass first turns green and the air smells like rain. That folds into a tulip season, which coincides with the explosion of flowering trees. When biking, I’m lower to the ground, and I have time to watch for seasons rather checking my mirrors for cars in my blind spot. It’s not that I necessarily spend more time commuting. With a short, three-mile commute each day, biking is actually quicker than navigating the bus system or driving up and down the student neighborhoods looking for an open slice of curb. And I always have the best parking spot. |
| Faye Ogasawara University of Michigan - CoE - AOSS The bike moves quickly. I feel the wind in my hair. My smile is endless. Biking to work is a nice compromise between getting to work on time and experiencing the pleasures of the day. I see, hear, and smell more during my bike commute, I know I will make it to work within the same time frame I would allot for a bus ride, and I have the benefits of exercise endorphins, muscle tone, and cardio-vascular fitness I haven't had during the winter months. |
| Jordan Robinson H&M Since moving to Ann Arbor two years ago I have become inspired to take more responsibility for myself and for the planet. I currently drive to work and have not ridden a bike in many years. However, with the ever increasing price of gas, the US dependence on foreign oil, and an epidemic of obesity. I am seeking to get more out of my commute by biking to work. If my essay is drawn I will commit to riding my bike to work at least once a week. |
| Dean Ditto Enlighten The 16.2 miles of rolling country road in the early morning gets my blood pumping while allowing the clarity to mentally plan my day as I ride down Whitmore Lake Road past serene farm houses. On the ride home, the day’s stress melts away as I climb up the same road on my way back to South Lyon, allowing me to arrive home unencumbered by the weight of the world, having completed the work out I would not have been otherwise able to fit in with my busy work and family schedule. When I arrive home, my children are greeted by their father who has set an example for them of being socially conscious, physically fit and environmentally responsible through a simple act of exercise. |
| Ron Stempihar Thomson Reuters Biking to work provides several benefits to me during my commute. First it allows me the flexibility of being transport schedule free. I need only to set my time priorities, prepare for safety and weather issues and start my commute. Secondly it incorporates all of the cardiovascular exercise I will need for the day. Third is helps me to save fuel and avoid the harmful effects of burning fossil fuels. Fourth is allows me to decrease congestion on our roads. Fifth it offers me greater freedom to see sights along the variety of routes that I can use to get to work. All of these benefits give me the good feeling that I am helping myself, my community, and the environment. |
| Tracey Kopczk Miller School Everyday I commute to and from work on my 23 year old bike! Yes its heavy and it slips a gear every once in a while but nothing is better then the morning air. I ride until it snows. I work at a kindergarten school and the children ask me " Mrs. Kopczyk did you ride your bike today?" I love telling the children about my rides. The different smells, the birds, the rain! the worms all over! they love to hear me explain Bike Month and if they ride or have a bike. I'd like to think I'm setting up future bikers. I shower before I leave my house, iron my clothes, roll them in my saddle bags and off I ride. I'm 48 years old, I ride a 23 year old bike that weighs a ton and slips a gear every now and then. Now that's life! So what I get out of commuting to work and back Is nothing but self fulfilling! |
| Georgina Hickey University of Michigan I ponder while I pedal. Best done in the summer, I like to get up early and read some short but really meaty, theoretical piece related to my work as a professor. Then I take the scenic route from Ypsi to AA (Border to Border Trail through Gallup and then up through the beautiful neighborhoods between Geddes and Washtenaw) and start pulling the piece apart, distilling it into useful bits that I will scribble in my notebook when I arrive at the grad library. There is something to the rhythm of the pedaling that keeps me churning on ideas until I have them figured out and the 45-60 minute ride is ample to ponder. Then I arrive at work with both mind and body pumped up and engaged. Sometimes, it is the longest period I have in my entire day to turn ideas around in my mind. |
| Neal Kessler JJR Here is what commuting by bike provides me: It allows me to keep only one car for my family which saves car payments, insurance, repairs and gas on one car that would most likely sit unused all day. I work downtown and parking is limited and expensive. Biking eliminates both parking hassles and saves me $125/month as well. I not only commute to work but use my bike to get across town and to the University for meetings. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t commute by bike and still wear a tie and go to meetings…I do it every day! Because I bike all year round, I’ve experienced all weather conditions including ice and snow, heavy rain, freezing cold wind, and humid 100 degree temperatures. However, I have also seen many crisp summer mornings, the first warm and sunny spring evenings, and cool foggy conditions (I like it because I grew up on the coast of Maine so it reminds me of “home”). When I bike in all these conditions it makes me feel very much alive. |
| Kristen Cuhran Fair Housing Center of Southeastern Michigan Biking to Work. How do I get more out of my commute? By smelling the air, feeling the wind, laughing with friends, or riding in silence. By getting to work refreshed, a bit tired but invigorated and needing to stretch, i.e. feeling alive! I no longer have to wait in long frustrating lines of traffic down Washtenaw or Packard, don’t have to find 2 hour parking and then move my car every two hours or get a ticket, don’t have to pay for gas! And, while I enjoy public transportation I have to say I am so much happier not taking an hour on the bus to get to and from work (as opposed to 35-45 minutes on bike) and very grateful to get exercise! I love passing people on the Gallup trail and raising a hand in “hello”. I enjoy seeing the geese and the chickadees, the mothers with strollers, the walkers and the river rolling along with me. Bike to Work Fridays with Bike Ypsi have really been great fun- the power of people on bicycles. Good for the environment, good for you. Bike Ypsi rides on... |
| Natalie Holbrook American Friends Service Committee--Hill St. my commute via bicycle is invigorating and peaceful all at once. I ride the Gallup park trail in from Ypsilanti and I get to watch the seasons and the life within those seasons unfold and climax all around me. When I ride I am in the midst of living things growing and sleeping and dying; I'm not cut off from the world in a steel cage with a toxic motor--I become part of my surroundings. And I recognize more and more the importance of protecting the landbase, by not driving an automobile! Interconnectivity with all that lives that is why I get more out of my commute by bicycle. |
| Larry P. O'Sullivan Suburban Cadillac Saab Hummer As an aging person the ability to dedicate time to not only transportation, work, exercise and life trials the commute teaches us to multi task and pre-plan.The freedom of road is inviting as are the waves of follow persons with whom paths we cross. A stranger becomes your friend with a wave and glance. The soaring energy that gets released in positive way is contagious. The world seems to be yours at pace that affords you the smells and views of the world from an open mind. No cage to surround your self. No radio to fiddle with. No phone to control you. The quality time we deserve to be us. |
| Fred Hinojosa City of Ann Arbor--Human Resources Since moving to Ann Arbor in 1999 I have had a goal of working close enough to where I live to ride my bike. This year I achieved that goal and now commute daily. In addition to the personal satisfaction I derive from achieving a personal goal I also get more out of my commute in several ways: 1) reduce the amount of fossil fuel I use, 2) reduce carbon emissions, 3) daily cardio exercise, 4) connectedness to my community as I ride through town. I also set an example to my children and send the message that personal health is important and that we are all responsible to do what we can to contribute to the welfare of the environment. |
| Fulter Hong I live on the West side of Ann Arbor about 2.5 miles from my downtown office. Commuting via bike to work is partially a necessity as my wife and I share a vehicle. However, I have found it refreshing as a good way to get some exercise and fresh air. It takes about the same amount of time as driving, and allows me to clear my mind and prepare for the day ahead, or reflect upon whatever is on my mind. |
| Carolyn Brink University of Michigan Health System One of the biggest challenges I face each day is how I will fit exercise into my busy day. Juggling family life, full-time job and other daily demands is no small feat and leaves very little time for exercise. Biking to work would be an excellent way to gain physical exercise, as well as mental benefits of a relaxing start to my day and decompression time on my way home. Biking to work would definitely help me get my exercise and would also contribute to my personal commitment to conservation and healthy living for a cleaner environment. |
| Robin Claucherty Lord Aeck and Sargent I feel the best way to convey to you how I get more out my commute by biking to work is by stating “The Top 10 Ways…..” 10. It’s a much slower way to get to work so I can actually see the scenery rather than a blur in my peripheral vision. 9. Most people buy CD’s with the sound of birds/nature. I get the real thing! 8. I breathe fresh air rather than someone’s car exhaust. 7. I enjoy the morning rather than dread it. 6. I’m saving $$$$. 5. It benefits my employer by being good for my health resulting in less days missed at work due to illness. 4. Less chance of being rear-ended. 3. There are no frustrated people behind me pressuring me to GO FASTER, GO FASTER!!!! 2. If I happen to miss breakfast, the occasional bug in my mouth helps stay off hunger (I need to learn to ride with my mouth closed). And last but not least…… Riding my bike to work helps stimulate my brain so my coworkers actually think I’m smarter!!!! |
| Lisa Greco Washtenaw County Youth Center The commute to work in the morning is the best part of riding my bike to work. It gets me centered for the day. My two children like the bike-to-work routine too. My daughter rides her own bike and my son rides a trailer bike behind me as we all get off to school and daycare and work! I’m lucky that part of my bike commute takes me through |
| Doug Tidd Thomson Tax and Accounting-Dexter Bicycling to work adds to my commute in several ways. I am trying to lose weight and riding the 9 miles to work and 9 miles back adds about 900 calories to my daily limit. This makes it much easier to stay on target. I also find that I am much more alert and have more energy than I have when I drive to work. The 40 minute ride at the end of the day helps me unwind and be more relaxed when I get home. |
| Shaun Kohsmann Shell Gas Station Shaun has overcome his visual impairment and moderate cognitive impairment to become a bicycle commuter. Shaun has been gainfully employed and even had a second job before the economy tightened. His bike gives him independence and allows him to be a contributing part of our society. Shaun's bike is his transportation solution and lifeline to the community. He shops, banks and works without the constraint of relying on friends, family or special transportation. He is an inspirational cyclist who proved his cycling skills to LCI and PEAC instructors. |
| Joel Panozzo Alumni Association of the University of Michigan Besides my morning caffeine addiction of coffee, my morning bike ride is the only other thing I value in my mornings. I value the fact I live in the same community I work in, which makes my bike commute possible. The opportunity to get my blood circulating and fresh air into my lungs cannot be replaced by anything else. I use my commute as an opportunity to see what is going on in my community and appreciate the nature around me. It is one of the few times I have in my day to pause and appreciate my surroundings. |
| Catherine Sanders City Hall, 4th Floor I’ll begin by stating that I do not currently bike to work, mainly because I don’t have a bike! I can say wondrous things about biking to work and school, however. When I lived and worked in Denver, I’d leave my car at a Park & Ride and Bike 10 miles to work. I loved getting out in the fresh air, feeling healthy, and seeing the other cyclists and walkers on the trail. Biking to work filled me with a sense of empowerment! I also biked a short distance to school when I was attending Louisiana State University for my undergraduate degree. I didn’t have a very long trip—less than two miles—but I could bike from my house faster than I could drive and walk in from a commuter lot, and I felt healthy doing it! I was, for this reason, dismayed when my bike was stolen from in front of a friend’s apartment. Although I had registered it with the local police department, it was never located and returned to me! Although I currently take the bus or carpool to work in Ann Arbor to spare myself the price of parking, there’s nothing like commuting by bike. |
| Elizabeth Tidd Center for Simplified Strategic Planning I get more out of my commute by biking to work for three main reasons. I get my exercise in for the day, save money, and greet everyone along the way. First of all, I burn calories. My commute is about seven miles round trip, so I burn about 240 calories every day that I ride. Commuting to work has helped me lose about 15 pounds, since the beginning of the year. Second, I save money. I save at least $3.00 every day that I ride, since the mileage rate for expenses is 50.5 cents per mile for 2008. I pass two gas stations on the way and smile as I watch the price go up, up, up. Third, I greet familiar faces along the way into work. Since I am usually the only one in the office, my commute in is my social time for the day. I occasionally see friends going to the YMCA on Washington and say “hi!” When I ride through Fingerle Lumber, the guy on the forklift always waves and says “hi!”. On my way home there’s a guy on Packard that hollers “Hi, baby, I love you!” I smile and wave. Finally, on my climb up Liberty, I wave at the man who is usually there waiting for the bus. My commute is so much better for me, when I ride my bike! |
| Mary Hogan VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, HSR&D I’m a slow learner, my first bike commute was probably in 1985. I finally rode enough in the last 5 years or so to learn how to manage the details of commuting (carrying stuff, cleaning up when I get to work, changes in temperature and weather). What do I get? 1. I feel connected to what is around me, people and the environment. 2. I NEVER regret choosing to ride my bike to work. I don’t feel tired; I feel energized. 3. It is easy to run brief errands on the way home. I especially like using the ATM drive through lane on my bike. What I’ve learned 1. It is important to work out routes that maximizes my enjoyment and reduces stress – for me this means minimizing heavy traffic and providing variety – reducing miles is less important. 2. It is hardly ever actually raining, so I don’t worry about the weather. 3. Taking a shower when you get to work is delightful, but two washcloths – one to wipe and one to dry will suffice. Wearing bike clothing and changing when I get to work works best for me. 4. Always have food and water. |
| Gregory Allen Canton Computers My bike to work, while relatively short, can help contribute to the hustle and bustle of the lifestyle here. I drive down a high-profile road, plenty visible to the many drivers. I can only hope that one day people will take notice of more and more bikers and get on and ride, whether it's to work or otherwise. In the end, it can only help. Several of our neighbors have taken note and gotten out to ride more regularly or to start with. Besides, riding a bike is just plain fun. |
| Chan Huntington U of M Space Science, N Campus I am a graduate student who gets to enjoy the daily bike commute from the West Side to North Campus. I could do this commute in a car, traveling up Huron, onto Fuller and parking on North. But by biking I am not bothered by the morning traffic downtown and can pedal the streets that give Ann Arbor the small-town feel that I have come to love; Washington, William, Liberty, and Main, among others. Being on two wheels I have time to appreciate the small-town feel, to notice the folks enjoying morning coffee on sidewalk tables, to notice the new display windows in the local shops, and of course watch the sleepy students stumbling to class. As a busy grad student it is easy to feel disconnected from the community, but by slowing down my commute and biking the side streets instead of the cross-town throughways I have time to enjoy all of these subtleties that make Ann Arbor the wonderful college town that it is. |
| Carol Moscatello Great Lakes Cancer Care Specialists First of all, I never would have dreamed that at 43 I would be jumping on a bike and traveling 24 miles round trip to work. I purchased a bicycle in February of this year, prior to that I don't believe I had ridden a bike since I was a teenager. After reading Selene Yeager's book. I decided with working 2 jobs, that it would be easier to find time to workout if I started to commute to work by bike. Riding to work has changed my life! I have lost 40 lbs. and no longer require blood pressure medication. I am a registed nurse and I spend my days administering chemotherapy to cancer patients, which can be quite stressful. I find that riding to work in the morning awakens my senses. I see, hear, and smell things that I normally wouldn't have even noticed while riding in my car. The ride itself is less stressful in that I'm not fighting the traffic on the busy expressway. I arrive at work feeling alive and vibrant, mentally prepared to start my day. The first day I left work to ride home made me think of my school days before I started driving. I felt like a kid as I hopped on my bike with my backpack and hit the road. The ride home gives my plenty of time to clear my head, and if I'm feeling adventurous, I can always change my route. By the time I get home I am left feeling recharged after my busy day, ready to spend time with my family, since my workout for the day is completed. I save 96 miles per week on my car lease, not to mention the cost of gas! |
| Dale Sanders Integrated Architecture Biking to work is one of the greatest gifts you can give to yourself. You free yourself from the angers of driving. You can feel the world, the fresh morning dew, the sun shining and shading upon you as the wind rushes past. When biking to work your heart pounds, your lungs ache, and your legs burn. Some may think this a horrible thing, but I think it is an honest way to feel alive. Most of us get up at the last moment in the morning. We get ready and moan as we get in to our cars and rush to work. Listening to people narrate how bad and sadistic the world around us is supposed to be. Windows closed air conditioning on. We see nothing notice no one. Can you really call that living? The morning is meant to be embraced. Have pride in getting up early and biking to work. Think if we all biked to work. We could talk together, laugh together, and see the morning together. I like that idea. |
| Andrea Cohan I get to see more people thatn I would in my car! Other bikers, walkers, people waiting for the bus. It's interesting to see where people are going and from where they are leaving. Kids are waiting for the school bus and children are walking their elderly parents to the YMCA. Biking to work is a great way to feel like a member of a community. |
| Virginia Rogers University of Michigan Medical Center I bike to work every day, year round. (The exception is when the snow is too deep, in which case I walk). I like to bike for several reasons: I get exercise and fresh air every day; I don't have to pay for parking or hunt for a spot; I can get to work faster than if I drive; I get to avoid the stress of driving and getting stuck in traffic; I don't have to pay for gas to get to work; I can feel good about putting a little bit less pollution into the air; and finally I think I set a good example for my kids by showing them it is not necessary to drive everywhere. |
| Christopher Zbrozek JSTOR I enjoy my bike commute for many of the same reasons any good bike commuter does: I get to guarantee a bit of exercise in my daily routine through a sustainable commute, and I come to work relaxed to boot. But in my case, commuting by bike actually helps me do my job better. A good chunk of my work at JSTOR, a not-for-profit archive of scholarly journals, involves consulting journals held at various locations in the University of Michigan library system. The U-M libraries, of course, are scattered across town, and there’s no better way to shuttle between them and my office than on a bike. By commuting on my bike, there’s one less car on the road, I’m happier, and I’m a more productive employee – a win-win-win, I suppose! |
| Jessica Nawrocki Kresge Business Library Biking to work will get me there twice as fast. I don't currently have a bike, so I haven't been able to commute this way yet. I would love to help the environment by biking to work. It is also a great way to spend time outdoors in beautiful Ann Arbor. |
| Dan Robertson University of Michigan (Medical Campus) I’m a relative newbie when it comes to bike commuting. I started biking to work in late March of this year. I hadn’t ridden a bike in over 10 years. My primary reason for curbing the car and changing to bike commuting was exercise, something my life lacked considerably since my son was born two years ago. After pedaling 550 miles, I can honestly say it was the perfect decision for me. I get the exercise I desire during a time that used to go wasted sitting behind the wheel. I feel that I now have more energy at work. Not only do I get to do more for the environment, I get to actually enjoy the environment (rainy days included). I get to ride what I’ve gathered to be a dream commute, with 60% of the trip on bike paths/lanes which includes the Gallup Park path – a beautiful ride. If it were not for these bike lanes and paths, I may never have gotten my wife’s approval to do it :.) It has been such a positive experience that I hope others with the means and opportunity can give it a try as well. |
| Cedric Richner Richner & Richner A hundred years ago, walking was the primary mode of transportation and bikes were king. Here's a little known factoid: the road system in Michigan was built for bikes- not cars, not horses, or horse drawn carriages- Bikes! Bikes and Bikers ruled. They wagged the dog... Now a few scant decades later, you have to dodge traffic, inhale car fumes, basically take your life into your hands to ride a bike to work- and that's why I DO ride my bike to work. Charles Darwin was right! It is survival of the fittest. I figure the choices are to have a coronary, get type two diabetes, or some other God forsaken sedentary lifestyle illness before I procreate, thus rendering extinct my family tree. I commute by bike to work to save my clan from extinction. Yes, it is a heavy burden to carry everyday when I mount my bike for my commute. Yes, it is a thankless job, but when you have hundreds (if not thousands) of future relatives relying on you- you do what needs to be done. (Cue John Phillips Sousa music) Yes, when the going gets tough, and it’s a matter of life or death, the tough get riding! |
| Jason Voss Zingerman's Mail Order I've been biking to work every day in May and I'm amazed at how much I am getting out of it. I have an extra hour of being outside and the perspective to notice all of the daily changes as Spring arrives in full force. I'm guaranteed daily exercise which gets me going in the morning and I haven't noticed the $4 gas prices. I feel good about representing one less car on the road and doing a small sliver of work toward not completely destroying our world. I've discovered secret shortcuts where cars can't go and seen a lot of parts of town for the first time. Most of all, I get a sense of self-sufficiency from powering all of my travel with my own legs and become more efficient at getting things done because of the extra planning necessary to do it all on a bike. And I look cool doing it. |
| Cari Phillips Workman Elementary School I just recently started riding my bike to work. I love it! Not only do I feel more energized through out the day but I feel like I am doing my part to help the environment by not using my gas powered car! I get more out of my commute because I am not listening to bad news on the radio, or answering the cell phone, etc. I get to enjoy my ride and be one with nature. A family of deer crossed my path the other day on my way in to work and it was amazing! I would not have seen these magnificent creatures as I was whizzing by in my car! Biking to and from work has given me a new lease on life! I've lost weight, I'm not contributing to polluting our air and it is a nice way to destress at the end of the day! |
| Shannon Linsea self employed/cleaning Two months ago, I would have never guessed how much I would get out of my daily commute to work from Ypsilanti to Ann Arbor . It all started when my truck broke down and being low income, I could not afford to fix it. It is still sitting in my driveway as my income level has not changed. I started commuting by bus which changed my travel time from 1 hour round trip to 3. This meant that my poor old dog at home had to wait longer for me which is really hard on her. Finally I got out the old bike my dad gave me and started commuting part way, mixed with some bus time. Now, after getting used to the exercise, getting the bike in better shape and learning so much valuable information from the folks in Bike Ypsi, I commute most days a week by bike. Not only am I saving 200+ bucks a month in gas alone, I am losing weight, feeling healthy and more energized, reducing my carbon footprint, and no longer adding to the traffic congestion that is so prevalent during the rush hours. Plus, I shaved off at least 1 hour from my travel time. Most days, I beat the bus to my location! I have a new sense of confidence and empowerment that I've never felt before. I have even made a promise to myself that when my truck is fixed, I will continue to commute to work by bike, unless I am sick or there is ice and snow in the way! |
| Matthew Williams JJR/SmithGroup The exercise is the first benefit. It invigorates me and makes me more energetic when I arrive at the office, and takes away any stress at the end of the day. It serves as a great example for my kids, too, who are always asking if we can "ride our bikes" somewhere rather than drive. I also feel more connected to the community in the open air than I do in my car. You just look around more and feel more a part of your surroundings. Of course, it goes without saying that the cost savings and the knowledge that I am helping put my "drop in the bucket" are great as well. Every drop counts! |
| Katie Will UM English Department I admit that I sometimes embody the usual materialistic graduate student clichés. I spend a lot of time drinking coffee, loving and hating my laptop, and collecting books I may never read in preparation for articles I may never write. My relationships with these objects are vital, of course: they link me physically and conceptually to my duties as a researcher and graduate student instructor. However, these things don’t let me truly connect with my life Ann Arbor. I’d like to feel more embedded in the city space, the setting of a lengthy and transformative chunk of my professional and personal development. Having a bike to commute to campus would allow me to experience Ann Arbor as a true home, not merely as a resting place for the tiny office and the imposing library where I spend most of my time. I anticipate the comfort of familiar faces on my bike route and the muscle memory of the corners I’ll need to turn to make my way to Angell Hall. These intangibles would turn my daily commute into an emotional experience—a chance to commune with the city where I’ve chosen to make my life. |
| John Phillips UM I think about all the stuff I need to do at work while riding my bike! I think about what I'll eat for dinner tonight while riding my bike to work! I get my daily dose of exercise while I ride my bike to work! I think about plans for the weekend while I ride my bike to work! I enjoy all the amazing MI weather when I ride my bike to work!!! |
| Karen Burek University Hospital Nursing (7C) Biking to work, for me, has long been an alternate method to using the car and hunting for a parking spot. Now that the weather is more temperate I will again start to add the use of the bicycle for the short commute to University Hospital while at the same time adding it to my cardiovascular exercise regimen that also includes running, walking, and aerobic classes during my time off. Even a 15 minute bike commute can raise one’s metabolism rate for the whole day, and the ride home after a busy day can help to relieve stress and start the relaxation process for the evening. Although using the bike for getting to work is a bit more complicated to plan for, the long term health benefits of adding this as a mode of commuting are well worth the extra effort. I would strongly recommend adding this mode as one option for your commute to work. |
| Laura D VA HSR&D I rode my bike to work for the first time today. It felt like I achieved a momentous milestone. I have always loved riding a bike: the feeling of freedom when the wind hits my face as I zip by houses, stopped cars, gardens, and people. Fast enough to feel invigorated and a bit thrilled but slow enough to see details; like the violet peeking up through a crack in the sidewalk that wasn’t there yesterday. With my physical limitations, I hadn't been able to ride for years though I used to ride often, including riding a century, when I was younger. Now, I am able to ride because I've converted my hybrid bike to an electric bike with a kit – a very economical way to get power to assist me up hills. Biking to work energizes me. It's a great way to exercise, get to work, reduce stress, and enjoy the scenery; all at one time!! This is important because I'm a consummate multi-tasker with very full days. The energizing ride launched me into my day at work – I felt more productive, relaxed, and ready to deal with whatever happens. I'm going to bike whenever I can! |
| Abigail Clark H&M I currently walk to work five days a week; it takes me ten minutes to get to work on foot. Regardless of this short commute, I would rather ride a bike to work when it isn't raining. This would cut down my commute time even more, and I think it would be even better exercise for me. While I think that Ann Arbor provides fantastic public transportation by way of the bus system, I think that a bike would allow me more freedom to get around on my own schedule and not the aata schedule. Ann Arbor is great because it provides an environment in which you can feel safe riding a bike and easily get around by bike. I just need a bike first to enjoy that freedom! |
| Angie Beier I walk to work because I don't have a bike to ride. I would love to win a bike and start to ride it to work. I love being outside on my commute and enjoy the fresh air. I developed my passion for cycling during my participation of the Little 500 intramural bike race held at Indiana University. I would love to win a bike to have the opportunity to ride more. |
| Frank Schwende EPA A driving commute can insulate you from the world. Parked in an attached garage, you open the door, drive out to your worksite, walk to your cubicle. Bicycle commuting increases awareness of the world. Raining? you get wet. A rough stretch of road surface? you feel the bumps. Bicycle commuting slows me down. When I run an errand with my car, I'm amazed at how fast 25 mph feels. The automobile is an amazing device, mostly taken for granted. Bicycle commuting helps me appreciate its capabilities and its limitations. I never want to drive downtown, not because parking is impossible (I always find a spot in a structure), but because getting downtown by bicycle is so much more pleasant. I can ride my bike from the Food Co-op, over to the library, and then up to Stucchi's on South University. Bicycle commuting gives me opportunities to teach. Stopping for stop signs and red lights tells motorists I take vehicle laws seriously. We make eye contact, exchange smiles, and maybe I've made Ann Arbor a more bike friendly community, one person at a time. All this great stuff and I'm getting exercise at the same time! |
| Emily Goodman PEAC in Ypsilanti When compared to driving, I prefer riding my bicycle to work hands down. Arriving at work feeling awake and energized makes a big difference in my productivity for the rest of the day. Knowing that this simple lifestyle change makes such an impact on the environment, my health, and my wallet makes me feel proud. I wear my helmet and roll up my pant leg as a badge of honor and as an example to all those for whom I am a roll model. |
| Courtney Esper Workman and Isbister Elementary Schools I can’t even lie…. My absolute favorite part about biking to work is the fact that suiting up in my ultra fancy, brightly colored biking outfits makes me feel like a superhero! There is something to be said about starting your day off with confidence. As I power myself to work with my superhero strength, I feel empowered to show off my armor ( *cough* bright pink bike helmet ) to the ongoing cars. I proudly wave and smile to the ogling eyes that pass in cars….. Which I can only hope will raise awareness about the importance of wearing a helmet ( I mean really…. you should see how cool I look ). If nothing else I’ve made that many more motorists aware of sharing the road. I feel more and more amazing with every push of the pedals. Upon arriving to work I switch out of my biking gear and into my work attire. And although I now blend in with everyone else, I know that my commute to work was twenty times more gratifying. |
| Robbi Duda Well I really use my grandsons Razor Scooter. Which for me is a huge accomplishment since I fell off the thing last year and broke my collarbone in 4 places. Trying to be a cool gramma! Dumb Dumb... At any rate I really need to move more since I usually sit most the day on my job ( even tho I am bouncing on a ball) in front of my computer! Several years ago I bought a 50 year old Schwinn and took it to my sister's country house. So I really don't have one here in |
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