·  What is your age, roughly speaking?

32
·  What is your occupation or area of study?
I'm a Parking Services Field Representative for the City of Oly.
·  How many years have you been getting around by bike?
I've always loved riding my bike, but my midwestern hometown is notoriously awful for practical cycling. I dabbled in practical cycling in college and began earnestly commuting by bike right after college.

2017 BCC Rider Profile #4: Susan

I am no “professional” yet but I have really enjoyed getting back to riding. I am also discovering that there is a huge community of riders, which makes it feel great to be a part of.

What is your age, roughly speaking? 28 years old
What is your occupation or area of study? I work for the SOS Charities Program & Study Nonprofit Management at Bellevue University
How many years have you been getting around by bike? My husband bought me my first adult bike recently. Haven’t owed a bike since I was a kid, it was pink with training wheels and streamers. YIKES
What got you started riding your bike to get around (practical cycling)? I now have 3 step kids and 4 nephews who love riding bikes and they got me back into it. I also found it to be therapeutic to go for a nice slow ride on my own when I have a hard day. It’s healthy and inexpensive therapy.

2017 BCC Rider Profile #3: Jelena

Here is  Jelena's story in her own words:

So, when I'm biking it is a bit tiring to bike, but I like feeling the wind on my face and being able to go up hills and down hills. I especially like biking because me and my dad go riding through the park and I like seeing the scenery as I ride by. Especially on sunny days because then I can feel the warm sun on my face while I ride.
I used to not like to ride, but ever since the biking program (Bikes in PE program, ed.) they showed me how to ride my bike and now I like it. I didn't used to like it because I didn't know how and it was a chore to learn. Ms. Steen made it easy and fun! So now I love riding my bike all the time. I ride my bike to school every day since the bike to school challenge.
And a note from Jelena's mom:
The rest of the family really enjoys riding bikes but Jelena never liked it and really struggled learning. I thought I had tried everything so I gave up and decided it was okay if she didn't ride. I was very skeptical when I heard about the bike program but after talking to Ms Steen I trusted her to help Jelena without pushing her. I was so thrilled when Jelena started riding and even more so that she was excited about it! I don't mind dropping off and picking up her trombone everyday because she's riding her bike!

2017 BCC Rider Profile Number 2- Maxine

Maxine on her bike in Portland

As the librarian for the Olympia Mountaineers, I make sure that we have a great selection of books for cycling, including how-to’s for Urban Cycling and great maps for biking in Europe, USA, and elsewhere.  I love to help people get started in biking especially those who don’t seem to be “the type”.  I was an earlier “adopter” of Warm Showers, and have virtually never driven to work over my entire career.   A late bloomer, I was the last kid in my neighborhood who could balance on a bike. While in high school in Maryland,  I heard of some kids who had biked to Canada. I was enthralled! For years I couldn’t find anyone to tour with, so finally I just went by myself…took 20 years to work up the desire enough to not worry about having a partner. My first bike tour was for 3 months, alone, camping, in Europe.  I have never stopped since then. For that first tour I starting in Warsaw and biked through Lithuania to my Grandmother’s home town (think 1899) in Latvia.  It was hard to find maps, so I just used a compass. Towns were too far apart so I slept in fields.   I’m not strong or fast, but, who cares? Smile, you can go biking! 

2017 Rider Profile and Tribute: Rick Kunkle, 1962 - 2017

On March 3, 2017 Rick Kunkle died at age 55 of a rare form of brain cancer. His most recent commuting bike has every BCC sticker going back to 2000. We are pretty sure Rick rode in just about every Bicycle Commuter Contest since it began thirty years ago. He commuted on his bicycle year round for most of his life. It was just one of the ways he lived his convictions of the importance of living lightly and sustainably.
His love of bicycling started early.  His first large purchase which he saved and saved for was a ten speed bike.  He also gathered old bikes and parts to build his sister a bike. He was always very thorough in cleaning, working on the brakes and gears or getting professional tune ups.
For over 30 years Rick commuted to the Washington State Energy Office and later the Washington State University Energy Program where he worked as a research engineer to study and improve energy efficiency programs in Washington State and around the country.

2016 Commuter Profile Number 4: David

• What is your age, roughly speaking?  I’m 35
• What is your occupation or area of study? I’m an Office Specialist and a full-time student at online college WGU pursuing a Bachelor’s degree of Science: IT Security, though I’m in transition mode to starting a new position as a Project Coordinator.
• What is your most frequent destination on your bike?  So far since getting my bike in February: Work / Home / a taproom or brewery in between
• How did you hear about the Bicycle Commuter Contest? I first heard about it about a decade ago when working for the State.
• How many times have you participated in the Bicycle Commuter Contest? This is my 2^nd.
• What got you started riding your bike to get around (practical cycling)? At the time in 2004, my budget was tight, gas prices were high, and between my bike and a regional rail line, getting to work without using my car was the most practical way to go.  This was back east in Philly.  I’d ride Lancaster Avenue from West Philly out of town into Wayne, PA.  More accurately, I’d ride to a train that took me close to my job in Wayne, but after work, I would ride all the way home, a 14 mile trip, not caring about my sweat build-up.
• How many years have you been getting around by bike? With years of inactivity in between, about 12.

2016 Commuter Profile Number 3 - Victoria

When I started as an Employee Transportation coordinator I had no interest in becoming involved in the Bicycle Commuter Contest. I did ‘poke’ at folks I knew at work that did some riding to see if they were going to form a team. But me-join a team and bike? Got to be kidding! I didn’t own a bike, had not ridden in years, too old (60)-besides 9 miles one way was-crazy! Eventually a team did form, acquired a name and enough attitude to ask me ‘why?’ Why wasn’t I putting ‘my money where my mouth was’. My spouse started riding-and I gave in. I acquired a ‘recycle’ from Craig’s list, gave it some TLC and signed up for the 2013 contest. My work group jumped in-paid my registration fee, took pictures, had breakfast for me on the first day. Included was a giant (really!) chart complete with a 100 mile goal (Holy cow!) After watching my charted progress I was hooked. I checked the bike map and rode various routes for time on my off days. I’ve continued riding since that point going to other bike events in the area. Tips and tricks? If you don’t own a bike decide first what type riding you want to do-then try out different bikes. Purchase a GOOD bike from a reputable source. Have the bike ‘fitted’ to you. Buy riding gear-it helps when you are comfortable (jeans and shorts aren’t the best for longer distances). Don’t forget safety! Lights, reflectors, a bright color shirt/jacket. If you are riding to work check your route while actually riding. You’ll become more aware of possible hazards and how to adjust.  Talk to other cyclists! I like riding even in the not so wonderful Pacific Northwest weather. Staying fit keeps you healthy and happy. You can join a riding group or go with friends-Great way to socialize.

Victoria

2016 Commuter Profile #2: Andrea!

What is your age, roughly speaking? 46   

What is your occupation or area of study? I have my own business, Human Resources consulting, recruiting and training.

What is your most frequent destination on your bike? Hard to pick just one…library, downtown Farmer’s Market, West side Farmer’s Market, and Coop are probably the top 4.

How did you hear about the Bicycle Commuter Contest? I moved here in 2011 and heard about it soon after…probably on a flyer at the library.

How many times have you participated in the Bicycle Commuter Contest? This is my 3rd year.

What got you started riding your bike to get around (practical cycling)? I used to ride my bike for exercise and training for a triathlon…that was over 10 years ago. Then I had a kid and put my bike away in the garage and kind of forgot about it. I lived in Seattle and thought bike riding in the traffic looked terrifying. Moving to Olympia made me believe I could do it again. The drivers are much more friendly and aware of bikers, and it’s so much easier to navigate this area. I went to Deschutes Cyclery thinking I might need to buy a new ‘commuter’ bike…and I met Adam, who helped me tune up my old bike and make it more errand friendly by adding things like bike racks and fenders. Since I work from home, I use my bike to run errands and commute to client meetings. When I heard about BCC I realized I could participate by choosing to use my bike for any errands less than 5 miles. This year I’ve started a team called “Roaming Home” and I hope other cyclists who work from home will join me. (Editor's note: To join Andrea's Roaming Home team, simply include that team name in the provided space on your sign-up form, whether online or on the paper form)

2016 (Winter) Commuter Profile No. 1: Peter

Peter with trusty 1980's Miyata

Our Commuter Profiles are a great way to learn how others approach the challenges and find the rewards in getting around by bicycle in Thurston County. If you are currently using your bicycle for transportation and have participated in the Bicycle Commuter Contest (or plan to this year), you could be featured here! If interested, contact dgreen"at"intercitytransit.com 

• What is your age, roughly speaking? 50
• What is your occupation or area of study? Energy programs and energy policy at WA Dept. of Commerce State Energy Office.
• What is your most frequent destination on your bike? Commute to work.
• How did you hear about the Bicycle Commuter Contest? Email, CTR promotion (Commute Trip Reduction), and  IT coach advertising panels.
• How many times have you participated in the Bicycle Commuter Contest? 3-6 times.
• What got you started riding your bike to get around (practical cycling)? Elementary school commuting and transportation, rekindled for college commuting, which grew to work commuting and triathlon training, recreation and errands, and now predominately work commuting.
• How many years have you been getting around by bike? 12-15 years
• Describe your current average or usual trip (distance, terrain, urban/rural, etc.) 5 mile trip from home to work along the Chehalis-Western trail to the Woodland trail to Eastside St. to Union Ave. to work place. The trail route is flatter since it runs along a former railroad bed, but longer than taking a more direct surface street route. Since I ride a single speed bike it is difficult to tackle going up the hill on the way home on surface streets.
• How have you adapted your habits to make practical cycling work for you? Commuting by bike saves time spent in the gym doing alternate cardio work. Consequently, I save time commuting by bike.

2015 Commuter Profile Number 6: Benjamin

· What is your age, roughly speaking? I will be 26 this summer.

· What is your occupation or area of study? I worked at Olympia Supply Company for the past three years and now I’m working on the vegetation crew for the city of Olympia for the summer. I am currently trying to get on track to study either horticulture technologies or fisheries biology in the fall.

· What is your most frequent destination on your bike? Well I work five days a week so work is a pretty common one. Aside from that I try to ride to the grocery stores in east or west Olympia to get more riding in since I live fairly close to downtown. I really dig the Woodland Trail so I try and go places that it and the Chehalis-Western trail run close to.

· How did you hear about the Bicycle Commuter Contest? I think it was four years ago. Just from riding public transit on a regular basis. 

· How many times have you participated in the Bicycle Commuter Contest? Pretty sure this is number three for me. There was a year in there when I didn't have a decent working bike to ride. I ”tacoed” the front wheel on my trusty Schwinn road bike and couldn't afford to fix it. I was unaware of the community bike shops and the assistance they offer, back then.

2015 Commuter Profile Number 5: Heather

I interviewed Heather at her workplace about her bike commuting history and habits:

Heather is in her late 30’s and is a Staff Member at the Olympia Food Coop. She is also the Captain of the Coop’s BCC team, and organizes efforts to encourage more people to ride their bikes to the Coop. (In May, if you are signed up for the BCC and you arrive at the coop by bike, you can get a treat! See a Coop Customer Service person for details).
Heather got started using her bike for transportation about 5 years ago while living in Shelton and working in Olympia, and sharing one car with her partner. She could hop the bus in Shelton and ride into Olympia with her bike, and then get where she needed to go within Olympia by bike. She now lives in Olympia and has about a 5-mile commute each way to work. Heather is still a “Multi-modal” commuter though.

2015 Commuter Profile Number 4: Paul

A Narrative Style Commuter Profile, thanks to Paul!


Perhaps I was born on bicycle. I doubt it. My childhood bicycle experience started ironically. I was scared to death of taking off my training wheels, and kept them on even though all my friends were pounding the sidewalks on their own two wheels. Finally my big sister had enough and took the training wheels off. I cried. I wailed. Then I got on my bike and wobbled down the street. By the time I rode around the block I was jammin’. “Not so bad! I should have done this a long time ago!” A lesson in life.

2015 Commuter Profile Number 3: Linda

• What is your age, roughly speaking? 
•  I’m a fifty-two year old woman

• What is your occupation or area of study? I work for the Family Support Center as a Family Resource Coordinator. I have spent my adult life parenting and supporting other parents in a variety of ways. I volunteer for two non-profits that support’s families as well as working for a non-profit.

• What is your most frequent destination on your bike? I do occasional recreational biking with my partner on the weekend. However mostly I commute to work three to four days a week as I’m part time and only work four days a week.

• How did you hear about the Bicycle Commuter Contest? My partner and I have five children between us and three of our children participated in the BCC when they were teens and each of them won in their categories.

2015 Commuter Profile Number 2: Lillian

Lillian fixes her tour-mate's flat tire on a trip across Arizona

• What is your age, roughly speaking?  29.61 years

• What is your occupation or area of study?  I work as a bike mechanic!  And I clean stalls at a horse boarding stable on weekends.

• What is your most frequent destination on your bike?  Work is a pretty boring answer, so I'm going to have to go with the other half of that trip: home!  That said, Spuds Produce, Groc.Out, and the Evergreen Bike Shop are top hits as well.

• How did you hear about the Bicycle Commuter Contest?  I can't remember!  It just seems like everyone knows about it.  

• How many times have you participated in the Bicycle Commuter Contest?  Just once, but I only moved to Olympia a little over a year ago.  I participated in one the year before in Smithers, BC, and inadvertently participated in many more just by the fact that I ride almost everywhere.

• What got you started riding your bike to get around (practical cycling)?  When I was a young lass I lived 2 miles from the place where I kept my horse, and didn't like having to pester my older brother or parents for rides.  One time I got in big trouble for riding home just after dark, and that led to an enlightening realization: I could ride DAY OR NIGHT as long as I had lights on.  From then on, I was FREE! I also found if I rode my bike to school, I could sleep in a little later than if I took the bus.

2015 Commuter Profile Number 1: Matthew

• What is your age, roughly speaking? This year, I’ll be halfway between L and LX.

• What is your occupation or area of study? I’ve been really fortunate to have made a career in archaeology. After more than 20 years as an archaeologist in the private sector, I accepted a job with the State and now review and evaluate transportation projects across Washington for potential impacts to archaeological sites, historic structures, or places of cultural significance.

• What is your most frequent destination on your bike? Like most commuters, I have to say work. I don’t have a super long commute (just under ten miles a day round trip), but rain or shine I’m on my bike heading to work four days out of every seven! During the “nicer” months, I’ll often do errands or joyride on my days off (shout out for the Chehalis Western!) and some years I’ll do the STP or some other century-type ride just for the fun of it.

2014 Winter Bike Commuter Profile #4: Steve

•What is your age, roughly speaking?
Mid 50’s (exactly)
•What is your occupation or area of study?
Fish Biologist
•What is your most frequent destination on your bike?
Riding to work at the Natural Resources Building is my daily commute. I also visit friends in the neighborhood or do light shopping by bike, but most miles are daily commute.
•How did you hear about the Bicycle Commuter Contest?
The Fish & Wildlife BCC team coordinator sent out an agency email. Thank you Tiffany!
•How many times have you participated in the Bicycle Commuter Contest?
Six times- 2008-2013, plus I rode one year with my daughter when she was on the Lincoln Elementary School BCC team.
•What got you started riding your bike to get around (practical cycling)?
The Bicycle Commuter Contest- I actually started riding a month prior to the 2008 contest to get into shape. It took all of April, 2008 before I could make it to the top of San Francisco Street. I was so excited, I rode back down and up again.

2014 Winter Bike Commuter Profile #3: Kristin

Editor's Note: This is a really great Rider Profile to read if you are thinking about trying out bike commuting for the first time- lots of good perspective, permission, and encouragement!

What is your age, roughly speaking?

Late 20's.

What is your occupation or area of study?

Library associate at Timberland Regional Library.

What is your most frequent destination on your bike?

Work! And various coffee shops & Spud's Market on Capitol for groceries.

How did you hear about the Bicycle Commuter Contest?

A flyer on the window of Ralph's Thriftway. I'd just moved here from the Bay Area and was beyond excited to see some sort of bicycle contest!

How many times have you participated in the Bicycle Commuter Contest?

Three, one for each year I've lived in Olympia. Unfortunately I've also changed bicycles three times so I only have one sticker!

2014 Winter Bike Commuter Profile #2: Antonio

Here are Antonio's answers to our "Interview Questions":

What is your age, roughly speaking?

 --25 

What is your occupation or area of study?
--Scribe. 

What is your most frequent destination on your bike?

--Downtown Olympia from the Westside

How did you hear about the Bicycle Commuter Contest?

--I can't remember how I heard about the BCC the first time, but I've been on my work-team for a couple years now.

How many times have you participated in the Bicycle Commuter Contest?

--Four; I think. Enough to know it's awesome!

2014 Winter Bike Commuter Profile #1: Ruth

I'm Ruth, a 30-year letter carrier at the Olympia Main Post Office, to which I commute from my Southeast Olympia home.  I ride the paved trails, bike lanes and road shoulders that are well-used by many other riders.

I've ridden bikes recreationally since my teenage years, but started riding as a commuter sporadically and seasonally, only upon moving to Olympia in '93. My boyfriend and I really love riding in this town, as well as in the County. Freddie Mercury said it well: "I want to ride my bicycle." Purchasing the 2008 Trek Soho in the picture facilitated my plan to commute year round, which I have since that year. Two bad winter snows, with road debris hanging around after snow melt, interrupted that run. With the exception of the last few months when family health matters took me out of town a few times a week, my car has remained in the garage, except for Sundays, days off work and roughly two other days of the month. 

Sadly, somebody nicked my Trek from our bike rack at work on January 4th of this year. Cut right through the cable on my Kryptonite lock! This has prompted the postmaster to arrange for secure, indoor parking for bikes. I hope others who commute downtown either have indoor bike storage, or the heaviest duty locks available.

This morning I'll ride my Trek Lexa road bike, but have also used my '96 Trek mountain bike since losing my hybrid. I'm in the market for a new bike, so would like to ask fellow commuters: What do you ride?*

Safe and happy riding!

Ruth
 *To reply to Ruth's question, please email dgreen"at"intercitytransit.com, or post a comment on our Facebook Page. Leaving your bike parked outside is always a risk, but with a good lock and a few other tricks, the risk can be lessened. Use the best lock you can afford and always lock your bike TO an immovable object. Try not to leave your bike locked in the exact same location every day, or for a prolonged period. One view is that an old ratty-looking bike is less likely to be stolen, but I am not sure this has been proven. Olympia Police have told me that most of the bikes stolen here are lower-end bikes that have been left unlocked. If your bike is stolen, DO report it to the police. A significant number of bikes are actually recovered. It helps to have recorded your serial number, and to have a photo of your bike! You can also register your bike at nationalbikeregistry.com and see our "How to Lock Your Bike" posting.

2013 BCC Rider Profile #5: The Brewster Family

 

The Brewsters:

What are your ages, roughly speaking? 

40s, 12, and 8

What is your most frequent destination on your bike? Everywhere within reasonable distance— mostly work and school, but regularly to grocery stores, Farmers’ Market, friends’ homes, parks and trails, bike shops, pet stores, restaurants, even dental checkups and weddings!

How many years have you been getting around by bike? Jack and Chloe have pedaled to school and accompanied their parents on trips ever since each has learned to ride or be strapped into a bike trailer. Stacey, a dedicated transit user, has ramped up her bike trips to work over the last five years, often combining bike with bus trips. Paul is a year-round daily rider - for the past nine years.

How many times have you participated in the Bicycle Commuter Contest? Combined our family has worn at least16 contests off our tires.

How did you hear about the BCC? Workplace. We enjoy everything the contest has to offer!

What got you started with practical cycling? Regular short trips made by a car are excessive when one weighs the cost and benefits of automotive travel. In 2005, we sold our second car to achieve a more active lifestyle and reduce our dependence on driving. We enjoy the freedom our car offers us, but cycling is liberating. The decision and the benefits were clear—making a larger portion of our local trips by bike is practical, economical and healthier than driving.