On the road…
Perhaps it’s a long, smooth straightaway. Then again, it could be a winding, bumpy trail through the woods. Maybe the road takes you uphill in your granny gear, huffing and puffing and snorting. Maybe it rockets you down, wind in your face.
On the road. That was the theme of our Group Health Commute Challenge Video, Photo and Story Contest this week, and we got many, many entries depicting the openness of the road, as well as the obstacles that get in our way. Thanks to all who entered, and congratulations to this week’s winner and our honorable mentions!
**Before getting to the winners, though, here’s next week’s theme: At work. Film or write about the bike parking, lockers and showers at your office. Or the lack thereof. Document anything, really, that inspires you when it comes to your bike and work. Deadline is noon, Wednesday, May 25.
Now, our winners! First place goes to Haeda Yasui, who submitted this story that we believe nicely sums it all up:
Being a first-time bike commuter, I can honestly say I didn’t know what I was getting myself into. In fact, I can still say I don’t know what I’m doing. For instance, just about two weeks ago, I was riding downhill on my shiny new mountain bike and it dawned on me that I wasn’t skilled enough to brake appropriately from having so much fun riding so quickly at the end of a steep incline. Of course, I fell. But I wasn’t feeling too bad about it because even though I had a nice audience of rush-hour morning traffic staring at me, I wasn’t the one sitting in a car grumbling from being immobile at 7:30 , waiting for a whole line of cars in front of me to move. (That was me about two months ago.) Now I’m riding the Burke Gilman Trail—feeling like a kid again riding my new bike, (mind you, riding a bike again since I haven’t in ten years) saving gas with fewer complaints and trips to the gas station to see prices sky rocket. Two months ago I didn’t know what it meant to be, see, smell, or talk like a “bike nerd”. Favorite colored Giro helmet? Check. Favorite bike store? Check. Love for bike gadgets and the pretty blinking bike lights? Check. Bike fashion addict? Check. Now you know where you’ll find me. On the road. With my bike.
Honorable mentions this week go to two photos from the trail that provide a nice contrast to one another. Thanks to Jay Abbott for “Petal Pedal” and Rick Binns for “Tree on Trail” (talk about obstacles)!
"Petal Pedal" by Jay Abbott
"Tree on Trail" by Rick Binns
Comment on “Tree on Trail” – I ride that same route nearly every day. Someone kindly chopped up the tree enough to ride through. It’s the trail leading to/from the switchbacks next to I-90 behind Sunset Elementary School.
My daughter and I were on a fun ride through there on a tandem a day or two before this picture. We heard a loud crack, and then a big crash right behind us. My daughter told me a dead tree had just fallen on the trail – it missed us by seconds. It was a different tree. This picture is the second one that I know about on that trail.
If you ride that trail be aware that there is moss and dead leaves on the trail and it can get a bit slippery. It is heavily shaded and gets very little sunlight.
Whew! I’m glad the tree missed you!