Today I won an Urban 180 commuter light from Light and Motion for an essay I wrote about “Why I Commute By Bike.” That made for a good Friday treat! Read what I wrote below.

Why I Commute By Bike

I started commuting by bike when I realized that I was fed up. Fed up with hauling myself onto Washington, D.C.’s, subway every day. Fed up with rushing and cramming myself onto packed rush hour trains. Fed up with train delays. Fed up with being separated from the city and living like a subterranean creature in transit.

I began riding my bike and started to actually see my city. I passed monuments and national parks. Every day I saw areas that people from all parts of the world make special trips to see. I saw the beauty of my city at night and followed the moon’s waxing and waning. I shared smiles with people and the occasional “Nice bike!” with other cyclists. Why had I been taking Metro when I could bike?

Instead of feeling fed up and separated, I felt part of when pedaling around on my bike. Part of the landscape. Part of an urban cycling community. Part of Washington, D.C. Part of a social change movement.

Commuting by bike changed my life. I stopped relying on a car. I rarely take Metro. I know my city, including where all the potholes are. Now, I not only commute to work. I bike to grocery shop, go on dates with my husband, and to meet up with friends and family. My bike made me self-reliant. It made me part of my environment. It made me see the city in a new and positive way. What could be better?

Hope everybody has a great weekend, and I hope you get in some coffeeneuring, if you can. Looks like we’ll be getting some real fall weather. Time to break out the winter wool and ride to coffee!