I Love Riding in the City
NAME: Alex Mountford
LOCATION: Fremont, CA
OCCUPATION: Student
Where do you live and what’s it like riding in your city?
I currently live in Fremont, CA, a suburban city across the bay from San Francisco. Riding in my town is very average, things are spread out so if you go somewhere it takes 10 to 20 minutes to get there and the roads are kind of chunky. The two most interesting things about cycling here is going into back alleys and parking lots behind stores and shopping centers and seeing what you can find (like random little grocery stores and whole mazes of deserted stores for your exploring pleasure), and racing cars.
What was your favorite city to ride in, and why?
I love riding in San Francisco. I take my unicycle there every once in a while and it is a nice mix between peaceful and chaotic. When going around China Town and the Market District you have to dodge pedestrians and cars while looking in storefronts and watching seagulls steal french fries from men in suits. And then you get to the more residential area where the crowds are less hectic and it is a more leisurely ride, smelling restaurants and catching bits of conversation as you go by.
Why do you love riding in the city?
Riding in the city for me is my great escape from suburban madness. People in cars, in cubicles, and in front of the TV 24/7 is just something I can’t deal with. So when I get on my unicycle or fixie I’m free of all of these things. And the experiences that you get once you are out and about are smelling freshly cooked food from every restaurant, seeing people and hearing voices not broadcast through a plastic box, and seeing the buildings tower above you as you ride around at their feet is like riding through the land of giants.
Or just say whatever you want about riding in the city…
For everyone who reads this magazine who cycles in the city on a unicycle, kudos.
Keep riding those streets, and respect all cyclists. One wheel or two, its all about the ride.
