I Love Riding in the City
NAME: Martina
LOCATION: Seattle, WA
OCCUPATION: Stitcher—Swift Industries, Teacher
Where do you live and what’s it like riding in your city?
I live in Seattle. Cycling here is nothing short of dynamic: the topography and landscape are breathtaking. There’s no such thing as the “wiggle” of San Francisco here, only another huge hill to get over.
But you come over a hill—heart pounding—and have snow-capped mountains to either side of the city, massive waterways carved in between neighborhoods and the ominous Mt. Rainier in the distance. It’s stunning. Then there’s the rain. You don’t see all that beauty in the rain, but one can feel pretty badass riding though the torrents. There’s a lot of cycling solidarity in the winter!
What was your favorite city to ride in, and why?
Montreal was pretty amazing. There are designated two way cycling lanes on most arterial streets through the city. And it’s flat—feels like the Portland of the East. We came up to bike parking and there’d be 50 bikes locked on a corner; folks cycle to work in their suits (none of the spandex kits you see here), or in high heels with a baby on the bike. It was really fun exploring Montreal by bike.
Why do you love riding in the city?
It screws my head on tight. On days when I’ve been working and focused all day, it’s the perfect remedy to take to the streets and weave through the neighborhoods and parks here. There are so many different neighborhoods and routes around the city that it’s pretty unpredictable where you’ll end up riding around. I also really love all of the cycling communities represented here and feel like they intersect pretty well. People dedicated to cycling tend to be really obsessed. If you like longer rides you can get out of the city in any direction and cycle through farm land, on the islands, or circumnavigate the lakes. It’s easy to forget about the city when I’m cycling.
Or just say whatever you want about riding in the city…
I guess it’s the simplicity that has me hooked.
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