I Love Riding in the City
NAME: Johanna DeCotis
LOCATION: Atlanta, GA
OCCUPATION: Environmental Engineer
Where do you live and what’s it like riding in your city?
I live in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood of Atlanta. It’s one of the older neighborhoods that has great history alongside newer developments, including housing, a skate park, and the BeltLine. I live within one mile of so many restaurants, bars, parks, music venues, etc. that it makes a ton of sense to ride everywhere. It’s generally pleasant to ride on this side of town, but you have to be prepared for hills! People don’t normally think of Atlanta as a hilly city, but you’ll figure it out pretty quickly as soon as you get on a bike. As far as bike infrastructure goes, Atlanta is still growing, but there are plenty of gorgeous side streets and alternate routes to take that aren’t too dangerous, as well as a growing number of bike lanes. It’s a common misconception that it’s too dangerous to bike here. Untrue. It definitely helps to have confidence, but it’s by no means impossible, and once you get the hang of it, there’s nothing quite like it.
What was your favorite city to ride in, and why?
My other main experiences riding in a major city are in Nashville, Boston, and San Francisco. There’s so much history and variety in Boston with the bay and river that every ride is scenic. I also had the chance to ride around with my sister, who bikes in Boston, and she knew all of the shortcuts and fun ways to move around by bicycle in the city. That probably helped. I got to have a similar experience in Nashville, using a bike share service, and this was probably the most fun because the bike share was only two weeks old and no one else knew what it was. It was fun to share biking with a city that’s still growing into it.
Why do you love riding in the city?
You can get such a feel for the vibe and culture of a city by bicycle that you just can’t by car, bus, or train. You also have the ability to move more freely than you do walking. This combination is just incredible.
