I Love Riding in the City
NAME: Bina Bilenky
LOCATION: Philadelphia, PA
OCCUPATION: Marketing and Events Director
Where do you live and what’s it like riding in your city?
I live in the City of Brotherly Love, and I know that it’s based on Greek words (Philos = love and adelphos= brother) but I’m still not sure how or why Philly got to be called that. Certainly William Penn couldn’t have known that this town would evolve (or should I say devolve?) into one of the most aggressive cities in the nation. From the attitude of motorists to the skinny cobblestone streets, from the random trolley tracks to the no-bikes-allowed tunnel that sends you careening into Kelly Drive, riding in Philly is always an adventure. Am I coming off negative? I don’t mean to be. We have a thriving bicycle community with strong advocacy. Bicycle commuting has increased tremendously in recent years and cross-town bike lanes have been added. Bike messengers have always been a common sight. With its universities, arts and culture, shopping, and history, there’s so much to see and do in Philadelphia by bike.
What was your favorite city to ride in, and why?
Do places with 50,000 people count as a city? I really enjoy riding in Lancaster, PA. What’s not to love about the rolling hills, the “clip clop” of horse’s hooves and freshly made whoopie pies and root beer? I’m hoping to do some riding in Madison, WI during the next show I’m planning. I keep hearing what an awesome bike town it is!
Why do you love riding in the city?
It’s always exciting while bordering on scary. And it’s a heck of a lot faster than sitting in traffic... for most cyclists anyway. With my speed, or lack of, it’s debatable if I’m faster than sitting in traffic.
Check out www.heartlandveloshow.com
