The Utilitaire 12 was all about celebrating everyday errands and cycling trips. Utility cyclists have figured out ways to use our bikes, our legs, and our own steam to live various aspects of our lives, carry stuff from point A to point B, and get things done. I think that deserves some recognition.
People rode to haircuts, Goodwill, bike shops, the dentist, movies, museums, concerts, basketball games, the post office, FridayCoffeeClub, and libraries. They coffeeneured, lunched, dined, attended various volunteer and community meetings, and went grocery shopping. They even rode to bike rides (meta-utilitairing!). People took photos and diligently filled out paperwork.
I’m still not through synthesizing everyone’s utilitaire adventures. Once I do, I’ll be back to share some of what I learned from people’s experiences. In the meantime, it’s time to announce the successful Utilitaire 12 challengers and to also recognize those who may not have completed 12 utilitaires, but made a valiant run for it.
Participants represented four distinct countries: Canada; England; Germany; and the United States. Utilitaires took place in nine ten states, and the District of Columbia! The field split evenly between women and men. All told,
- 15 individuals completed the Utilitaire 12; and
910 participants earned an honorable mention.
Of the 15 who completed the Utilitaire 12, six also completed the Coffeeneuring Challenge I ran late last year. Keith Snyder, the editor and publisher of Ride, will be providing five of these six individuals a copy of his book. Ride is a collection of short fiction stories about bicycling. I’ve yet to read it, but it is on my ebook wish list. Thank you, Keith!
Winners and honorable mentions will receive a special Utilitaire patch. This heart-shaped embroidered patch with the image of the world inside of it captures the essence of the Utilitaire 12 for me. Love for the bike, dedication to cycling to useful destinations, and seeing the earth from the perch of your saddle. And from a practical point of view, it affixes easily to bike bags and panniers.
On to the winners and honorable mentions!
Coffeeneur and Utilitaire 12 Champions
- Chesapeake Sailor. Annapolis, Maryland
- Pedal ‘n Purl. Washington, D.C.
- Porta-John. Washington, D.C.
- @tangobiker. Portland, Oregon
- Ted T. of Alaska. Eagle River, Alaska.
- The Daily Randonneur. Washington, D.C. (Nepotism clause prevents him from receiving a free book. I will purchase him one!)
Utilitaire 12 Winners
- A Rebalanced Life. Seattle, Washington
- An Old Guy on Two Wheels. Austin, Texas
- Berlin by Bike. Berlin, Germany
- Bicycle Bug. Washington, D.C.
- Biking in Heels. Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Brevet Bird. suburban London, England
- LynneFitz. Portland, Oregon
- PhysicsGirl on the Loose. Toronto, Canada
- @sognrider. Seattle, Washington
Honorable Mention
- Big Orange Bike (a mother and son team!). Washington, D.C.
- BikesNCoffee. Baltimore, Maryland
- fivetoedsloth, Pennsylvania (updated!)
- JDAntos. Washington,D.C.
- Joan O. Arlington, Virginia
- One Speed: GO! Phoenix, Arizona
- Rootchopper. Alexandria, Virginia
- shebicycles. southeastern Tennessee
- Ultrarunnergirl. Washington, D.C.
Big congrats to everybody who made the Utilitaire 12 such a resounding success! I’ll be in touch to deliver everyone’s prizes.
Thanks again to all who participated and those who followed our journeys. It was great fun!
chasingmailboxes.com 
Thank you MG for the creative inspiration. I’ve enjoyed both challenges so far, and yes they inspired some time on the bike and miles that might otherwise never have been ridden. Thanks.
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Thanks for the honorable mention 🙂 – but especially for all of the great fun 🙂 It was an excellent “project”, and I thoroughly enjoyed the variety of rides. Hope to be able to be on the finisher’s list next time, for sure Applause to you – and to all the.amazing cyclists who participated.
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So cool!
When you stated this, I kept saying to myself, “Gotta do it, gotta do it…” then never did. 😦
I do commute by bike, and do nearly all of my shopping by bike, except Costco (Xtracycle on the wish list), but I can see from your categories there is definitly room for more!
Next year, for sure! Good job everyone!
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Thanks for the honorable mention. Clearly this is a sympathy award for my crash into a parked car while doing a Utilitaire ride. Thus proving that even a cyclist of very little brain can run errands on a bike. Next year I think you should add a category for “Biked to the E/R”.
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I can’t wait for the next challenge you devise. This was so fun. And an honorable mention prize? So cool!
K
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I appreciate the honorable mention! I had the best intentions to fill my card…looking forward to the next challenge.
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Thanks for all your organizing again!
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Yay for us! Thanks for the challenge.
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Thanks for the great idea and for running the whole thing!
It was a lot of fun to read about all the other Utilitaires, and I “met” a lot of great new blogs through the process.
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Thanks so much to everybody for the feedback and for being part of the utilitaire network :). I love how challenges like this can connect our cycling community.
I will do a f/u post as a reminder, BUT if you read this comment and are on the honorable mention OR winner list, please email me a snail mail address at gersemalina “at” gmail. I will be mailing utilitaire patches in the next week or two! Thanks!!
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