“May is National Bike Month, sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists and celebrated in communities from coast to coast. Established in 1956, National Bike Month is a chance to showcase the many benefits of bicycling — and encourage more folks to giving biking a try. Whether you bike to work or school; ride to save money or time; pump those pedals to preserve your health or the environment; or simply bike to explore your community, National Bike Month is an opportunity to celebrate the unique power of the bicycle and the many reasons we ride.” QCBC Bicycle Commuter Stories In honor of National Bike Month, QCBC conducted a Bike Commuter Survey to learn more about bicycle commuting by our club members. Thanks to all who took time away from your bicycling jaunts to participate in the survey. Bicycle commuting does not just equate to an alternative means for getting to work! A number of members shared other errand/commuting experiences including pedaling to a grocery store, restaurant, library, church, school and other locations. Following are just a few of reasons cited by our survey responders to start your day with a bike ride to work: • It's a great way to start the day • Exercise with a cause • Health -­‐ Mental and Physical • Two Wheels are more fun • It's so much more relaxing than driving • It is generally a more peaceful experience • It's quiet, No Stress, No Traffic, No Phone Some bicycle commuter stories are highlighted below. Hopefully, you will be inspired to start using your bicycle for transportation as well as for recreation. Brandy Howe, QCBC Board Member Age: 36 Occupation: City Planner, City of Rock Island City: Moline, IL Distance: 8 miles, round trip Days per week: 5 Months: February – December No. years commuting: 7 Bike: Hybrid, Road Other commuting: Grocery shopping, school, restaurants, library Primary Reason: Health and cost savings Advice: It’s a great way to get around John, Brandy & Aiden enjoy a biking outing. Kids bike to school: Yes Brandy and her husband, John, are formerly from Madison, Wisconsin, so appreciate the benefit of a good bike commuting culture. Brandy takes their son, Adler, to school by bike when weather permits. John is a student at Western Illinois University and rides his bike to school. He walks daughter, Nadia, to the sitter. As a family, the Howe’s make a habit of cruising on 2-­‐
wheels for errands. Great example of how active transportation is part of a healthy family lifestyle!
Pat and Jean Street Age: 55 and 54 Occupation: Pastors, Vineyard Church of Davenport City: Campbell’s Island, IL Distance: 32 miles, round trip Days per week: 4 Months: February -­‐ November No. years commuting 4 Bike: Road Other commuting: School, restaurant Primary Reason: Health -­‐ physical & mental. Takes 1 hour by bike, 30 minutes by car each way, so get 2 hours exercise for only 1 extra hour travel time daily. Pat & Jean in front of their church building Other Benefits: Save money on gas. Meet other beside newly installed bike racks. commuters. Advice: Helmet! Just get started, any ride is better than no ride. Jean and Pat are both pastors at the Vineyard Church of Davenport. Pat is Lead pastor and Jean is Associate pastor. They have both been commuting 32 miles round trip to and from work (home is Campbell's Island) since 2011. They starting riding in spring 2011 and did the full RAGBRAI experience on Walmart Huffy's (camping with the mob) that July. They loved it so much they bought Giant road bikes from Bike & Hike that fall and have been FANATICS ever since. Pat rode the Mississippi River Trail (2300 miles) on a solo sabbatical in 2013 and last year they both rode and camped the Pacific Coast Trail from Portland to San Francisco (950 miles). They both commute 4 times a week to work and ride longer (50+ mi.-­‐centuries) for fun on our days off. Last year Pat rode over 6000 miles and Jean rode 4100 miles. Their son Luke teaches at Augustana College and commutes about 3 miles each way daily. Pat often talks about cycling in his sermons, especially since it has been instrumental in his losing 95 lbs in the past 6 years! Three other staff bought bikes in the past year and ride regularly. Several other church members have taken up cycling recently and one guy is doing RAGBRAI this summer for the first time. Pat thinks he is a new convert to cycling! Great example of how commuting adds to base training miles! Randy Oetgen Age: 58 Occupation: Water Operator, City of Moline City: Moline, IL Distance: 12 -­‐ 18 miles (round trip) depending on route Days per week: 4 Months: 12, as weather permits in winter No. years commuting: 8 Bike: Hybrid, road, recumbent Other commuting: Grocery shopping, visit family and friends Primary Reason: Started for health reasons Randy and his fleet of bikes: hybrid, Advice: Buy a bike that fits you, take your time and enjoy road, recumbent. the ride! Sitting around the house at 50 and smoking, Randy decided to change a few things. He decided to buy a bike although he had not ridden since he was younger. That was almost 21,000 miles ago. Commuting was a sure way of getting on the bike most days. Randy has not smoked for the last 8 years and is much healthier. He took his older sons for bike rides the last couple of years, one 62 miles and the other 50 miles. They both started riding after me so happy with that. Way to be a great role model, Dad! Great example of how bike commuting saves costs and improves health: Since starting commuting in September 2007, Randy figures he has saved over $18,000 in gas and cigarettes as of Jan 2015. Barb Schaab Age: 61 Occupation: Contract Administrator, MidAmerican Energy Company City: Bettendorf, IA Distance: 11 miles, round trip Days per week: 2 Months: April -­‐ October No. years commuting: 10 Bike: Folding bike or an Electra Townie Other commuting: Grocery shopping, Church, Coffee shop, small items at Home Depot or Hobby Lobby Primary Reason: It's so much more relaxing than driving. Barb’s Townie back from a trip to Hy-­‐Vee. Other Benefits: Noticing others doing the same thing! Advice: Take advantage of the many bike paths being added, particularly in Bettendorf. Barb wants people to know that you can be a total bike enthusiast, but nonetheless only enjoy short trips at low speeds, and basically act like you were a kid again. She started biking to work the first time gas got really expensive. People were starting to carpool and buy hybrid cars. Barb thought “shoot, if I rode my bike on Fridays I'd cut my gas usage 20% (for commuting anyway), and would not incur the expense of a new car.” She refers to herself as an occasional (maybe wimpy?) bike commuter. Although she has ridden quite a bit this year, she has not ridden to work yet. Barb prefers to wait for days to be long enough, as they are now. And the weather can't be rainy or stormy (I’m with you on that one, Barb!). Barb accumulated 500 miles on the bike last summer during the National Bike Challenge! Barb has some health issues that cause some problems, particularly in the heat. So in order to keep riding, she bought a Ride Kick e-­‐trailer to assist on the hills and in the wind. She has the option of using her e-­‐assist, or turn into a non-­‐biker, which is not acceptable to her. Barb says, “I just don't want to boast about being an accomplished rider. I just ride to keep myself happy, and usually just ride around the area; we have great assets in trails right here. Great example of making commuting work for yourself! “
Greg Domski Age: 34 Occupation: Ph.D., Associate Professor, Chemistry Department, Augustana College City: Moline, IL Distance: 11 miles, round trip, depending on route Days per week: 5 Months: 12 No. years commuting: Just over one year Bike: Cyclocross Other commuting: Library Primary Reason: Saves money Other Benefits: Better mood Advice: Studded tires are a must in the winter Greg is excited for the opportunity to encourage more people to consider bike commuting since a few years ago he would not have considered it a viable option in the Quad Cities. Greg has been delighted to find out he was wrong. As a graduate student in central New York he commuted about 4 miles round trip by bicycle during the spring, summer, and fall for a few years. When he moved to the Quad Cities he was intimidated by the urban traffic and sold his bike pretty soon after moving here; He still kicks himself for this sometimes. Greg and his wife used to ride motorcycles together, but after their son was born, she no longer wanted to risk riding. Greg was a bit more stubborn/selfish and continued to ride until his son was two years old. He planned to celebrate his promotion to associate professor by purchasing a new motorcycle, but he spent a lot of time during winter 2013/14 thinking about his role as father and the close calls he had while riding a motorcycle (also the maintenance costs!) and decided to sell his motorcycle and celebrate his promotion with a new bicycle instead (Smart decision, Greg!). In February 2014, Greg purchased his first bicycle since finishing graduate school and began commuting to work in March. As the weather got nicer and Greg became acclimated to the bicycle saddle, he began to see biking to work as a viable mode of transportation. By July 2014 he had convinced his wife that they could be a one car family and he committed to commuting year round. Commuting through November was not much of a problem, but starting in December Greg realized that he would need to install studded tires on his commuting bike. Greg rode to work all but about 10 days (hitched a ride with my wife those days). Greg is thrilled with the opportunity to commute to work, but also to be able to ride with his wife and son; something he couldn’t/wouldn’t do on a motorcycle. He has also gotten to know many of his Augustana colleagues better since many faculty ride quite a bit (Pam Trotter and her husband William have been really supportive and a great resource for me as a new cyclist/commuter). Greg also rides with his family (towing his toddler in a trailer) to/from the Freight House Farmer’s market, Schweibert Park, Whitey’s, the library, and occasionally grocery shopping. He also tries to do at least one long ride per week (30-­‐60 miles) from spring through fall. This year he plans to ride TOMRV and is looking forward to trying long distance, self-­‐
supported touring at some point. Greg is not sure if his students are impressed, but several of them have remarked: “Wow, do you ride every day?” They have gotten used to seeing his bike parked in his office. Other regular commuters at Augustana: Pam Trotter (biochemistry) and Bob Tallitsch (biology) commute regularly. Bob also commutes during the nastier part of winter; his example made Greg realize that it might be feasible for him to do the same (if I installed studded tires). Great example of how co-­‐worker comaradarie and committing to commuting 12 months a year can change your life in a positive way!