I Love Riding in the City
NAME: Hannah Thompson
LOCATION: Pittsburgh, PA
OCCUPATION: Student Artist
Where do you live and what’s it like riding in your city?
Riding in Pittsburgh can be tough, and not just because of the hills. Currently I’m living about eight miles from downtown, and part of my route is a busy road. I am often cut off, and people drive too close for comfort. I feel as though there’s not enough respect on the road. Along with that, sometimes the potholes make it tough, because you might want to avoid one, but if you do, you might be in the line of traffic.
What was your favorite city to ride in, and why?
I’ve only ridden in a few different cities. I appreciate the bike friendliness in Chicago, but not the flatness. I love riding through the scenic warehouse districts in Cleveland, and in Providence, RI. I’m big on scenic rides. Cleveland has potholes that could swallow you whole. I appreciate riding in different cities for different reasons.
Why do you love riding in the city?
I love riding in the city because of the perspective it gives me on the world around me. I feel so much more connected to everything around me when I ride my bike around. I love the feeling of being able to look around and if I’m alone on the street I can just stop and stand or park my bike anywhere. For me riding a bike promotes the idea of being here now, which is an important idea for me.
Or just say whatever you want about riding in the city…
Sometimes the only thing that will do is riding down a hill and letting the cold wind smack me in the face—the potholes jostling me around and almost getting swiped by a car because it reminds me of the world we live in and brings me into total reality. I don’t always live in that reality, because sometimes I just can’t bare it.
I know that collective consciousness is a factor in this, if I do a lap around the city, I’ve picked up a lot of different energy and information from a lot of different places, and that energy getting passed on creates an environment and a certain feeling for a day or a time period. My mental health requires me to ride.
Check out flickr.com/photos/45580578@N06
