Getting in the bike habit

About a dozen riders joined several Cedar Rapids City Council members on a bike ride along the Cedar River Trail during Bike to Work Week in southwest Cedar Rapids. The riders set out from Greene Square Park and pedalled south to Aegon’s southern campus, then back to the park. Photo by Jim Slosiarek

By Jennifer Hemmingsen
The Gazette

First thing Monday morning, I pulled my old blue bike off the hooks in the garage, dusted her off and filled the tires.

Then I slung my briefcase across my back, strapped on my trusty Bell helmet and coasted down the drive.

I’m embarrassed to say that I usually take my car to work, even though I live only a mile or so from the office.

Oh, I’ve got all kinds of excuses – I have to drop my daughter off at school. I have to hit the post office on the way home. It’s too hot, too cold. I’m in a hurry.

“File your excuses in another drawer,” Lisa from Cedar Rapids wrote when I blogged about participating in Bike to Work Week. 

Lisa says she bikes to work nearly every week. So does Scott, for all the reasons people usually do – it’s good for their health, good for the environment. It’s fun.

Cedar Rapids traffic engineer and bicycle coordinator Ron Griffith planned to bike to work.

Griffith has been coordinating the city’s application to become a designated Bicycle Friendly City by the League of American Bicyclists.

“We’re still a long way from that goal, but we’re hoping to see some exciting changes for the cycling community this summer,” he wrote in an e-mail. His Bicycle Advisory Committee has been working on an action plan for months and will soon present some of its work to city council members.

The fact is, I’ve just gotten in the wrong habit. It doesn’t take much longer for me to bike than it does to drive.

Actually, bike advocates say that bicyclists can travel at least as fast as cars on in-town trips of up to seven miles. Plus, parking is usually closer – and free. If you live in Iowa City or Cedar Rapids, you know that means something.

There’s a quality of life benefit to boot, as I was reminded, passing neighbors and strangers with plenty of time to say hello and smile.

The weather was 60 degrees, the sunlight was golden, birds were chirping, lilac was blooming – great stuff easy to miss when you jump in the car in the morning, hands clenched on the steering wheel, one eye on the road and your mind on the day’s mountain of tasks.

Not everyone can bike to work, but I bet there are a lot of folks out there like me – people who could get to the office just as easily on two wheels as on four.

This is the week to give it a try.

For more information: www.bikeiowa.com

© 2009, Gazette Communications