I Love Riding in the City
NAME: Ryan Schuetze
LOCATION: Seattle, WA
OCCUPATION: Commercial Fisherman
Where do you live and what’s it like riding in your city?
I’ve been living in Seattle, WA for the past five years. It’s a fairly hilly city, with an average rainfall of 52 inches. It makes choice of attire fairly important—as well as making for one hell of a cyclocross season.
Why do you love riding in the city?
I worked in Austin as a courier for a spell in the late 90’s and it really changed the way I ride. I began to view traffic differently. Though it doesn’t seem like it when you’re in a car, rush hour can often feel very fluid when on a bike. It’s fun. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t get a rush riding through traffic at high speeds, but a casual ride on a crisp fall morning is also a real treat. I love carrying stuff by bike and get a kick out of doing as many of my cargo related errands on two wheels as possible.
Check out www.gomeansgo.org
NAME: Judi LoPresti
LOCATION: Cincinnati, OH
OCCUPATION: Barista
Where do you live and what’s it like riding in your city?
I live in Cincinnati. The last couple of years the city has gotten more bike friendly, with more bike lanes and “Share The Road” signs. There is still a lot of work to be done, but cycling in our city is up 200% from five years ago. I love the hills and the river and the trails. We have it all—cyclocross, mountain bike trails, a BMX pump track, urban rides, criteriums, road racing. There is so much to do on a bicycle, somedays it’s hard to figure out which bike to ride.
What was your favorite city to ride in, and why?
San Francisco—I was a messenger there in the 90’s. I loved being able to get anywhere on a bike.
Why do you love riding in the city?
Urban riding is just plain fun. It makes me feel like a kid again. I didn’t have a driver’s license until I was 30, so I rode a bike everywhere. The traffic, the horns honking, the lights, the city, it’s just plain fun.
Check out www.drunkcyclist.com
