Do you know someone in your community who is committed to making every day a “Bike to Work Day”? Does this person inspire others to bike to work by epitomizing and the health, environmental, social and economic benefits of bicycling? Please consider nominating this special person for the 2009 Bicycle Commuter of the Year Award in any of the 9 Bay Area Counties.
Novice Bike Commuter Award
In addition to acknowledging the dedicated Bike Commuter of the Year, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District seeks to recognize Novice Bicycle Commuters who have decided to ditch their car and use their bicycle to commute to work for the first time this year. If you or someone you know has decided to enjoy their morning commute, avoid traffic, and reduce their carbon footprint by bicycling to work beginning this year, please submit your nomination for the Novice Bicycle Commuter Award by emailing ernesto@bikesiliconvalley.org, and explaining why your candidate is a great novice bike commuter. Your nominee could win an iPod Nano! Please be sure to mention that your nomination is for the novice BCOY, and explain the factors that inspired them to bicycle, any obstacles they had to surpass, and their accomplishments.
Our 2009 Bicycle Commuters of the Year in Silicon Valley were:
Dennis Chuck
San Mateo County
Dennis has been commuting to work 30 miles a day by bicycle since 1996. He was inspired by a Bike to Work Day poster (and no, he wasn’t paid to say this). At that time, The Alliance of San Mateo County was running a program through which bikes were loaned to people who commuted to work at least three times per week. Dennis applied and was given a bike. Although Dennis rides a different bike now, he has been commuting to work ever since.
Why does Dennis do it? “I bike to work to save gas, money...oh, and exercise” he lightheartedly says. Exercise indeed. Dennis and a group of fellow bicycle commuters started training for century endurance rides once they got the hang of commuting by bicycle. He’s currently training for his 9th Tour of the California Alps - Death Ride, an epic bicycle race which includes 129 miles and 15,000 feet of climbing over 5 mountain passes.
If you’re wondering how to start riding your bicycle to work, Dennis says, “Try the route from your home to work on a weekend first, not on a real work day”. This approach gave Dennis the confidence to ride to work during the week. “Sort out ahead of time where you can freshen up at work if shower facilities aren’t available. Once you get started, it's not that bad” he says. Dennis admits the first month was tough for him because he wasn’t used to riding the 30 miles a day. He’s used to the distance now though. He also admits he used to ride only on sunshine days. Now, he rides almost all year round. It was simply experience that gave him the motivation. At this point, commuting by bicycle is almost a game for Dennis. He enjoys testing himself to see how long he can keep his car in the garage.
Dennis and his bicycle commuter co-workers keep their bikes by their desks. They use the public restrooms to change into work clothes. They encourage and help each other by sharing bike maps, comparing routes and riding together, making the journey safer. Dennis and friends have entered the Team Bike Challenge through the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition website. He and his team hope they win so they will be an inspiration to more people at work. Well Dennis, best of luck to you and your team. However, we think you’re already an inspiration to your fellow bicycle commuters, co-workers and the entire community of San Mateo County. You are leading by example, making every day a Bike to Work Day. Congratulations to you!
Felipe Buitrago
Santa Clara County
Front left to right: Jen Brecheen (SVBC Program Associate), Felipe Buitrago, and Corinne Winter (SVBC Executive Director).
The Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition 2009 Bike Commuter of the Year award goes to Felipe Buitrago!
Felipe is fiercely enthusiastic about cycling. Period. Born in Atlanta,
growing up in Madrid, Felipe's father wouldn't allow him to ride beyond
the driveway. Felipe used to sneak out of his house just to ride his bike
to the comic book store. Perhaps these were his first lessons in both
bicycle and art appreciation. In attempt to fund an education in his other passion, photography, Felipe was a bike messenger (unbeknownst to Dad and Mom) until he was injured on the job.
A true survivor, Felipe is not only a triathlete and endurance rider now,
he is a professional photographer for Metro, Silicon Valley’s weekly
newspaper. If you’ve ever read the Metro, you’ve certainly seen his
photographs. The amazing thing is, Felipe commutes via bicycle. He's able to take all of Metro’s cover story photos, news article story photos and weekly photos of people out and about town, on his bike. Felipe
accomplishes all of this while meeting his deadlines. We’re certain this
fact pleases his boss as well.
When asked about recent improvements for bicycling in Santa Clara County, Felipe is particularly grateful for the additional space to lock his bike up in downtown San Jose between the fitness club and the movie theatre. “There’s so much more that needs to be done though”, Felipe says. He thinks people should participate in Bike to Work Day simply because it brings awareness to the actual existence of a bicycle, one of the oldest and most efficient forms of human transportation. The complimentary food and beverage isn’t bad either.
What drives this man to choose bicycling over driving his car? Sure, it
makes him feel good that he’s saving gas and the environment. However, that’s not what he’s thinking when he’s on his bike. He’s noticing the feeling of gliding over a section of freshly paved road. He’s sensing the wind in his face. He’s relaxed, yet energized at the same time. He’s seeing all the people sitting in their cars in traffic and wants to knock on their windows and say, “you could be riding your bike instead too!”
Felipe offers words of encouragement to cyclists who can’t quite seem to make the commitment to keep the car parked in the garage and travel to work by bicycle: “It’s not as hard as it looks. Once you get past the first week, you’ll be fine.” A co-worker of Felipe’s says, “Felipe exemplifies the artistic, creative and professional young people who bike to work in Santa Clara County’s Silicon Valley.” We agree. Our helmets off to you, Felipe. You are an inspiration to all of us.
Honorable Mention:
Carl Guardino
Carl Guardino is President and CEO of the Silicon Valley Leadership Group. He also commutes to and from work about 4 days a week from Los Gatos, a 32 mile round trip. This is quite a feat since he is one of the most busy CEOs on the planet. It drives his scheduler crazy.
Carl’s commitment to commuting by bicycle is important to him on a
personal level. On a public level, he is a very well known and important
figure locally and statewide. He serves on the California Transportation
Commission and is repeatedly called one of the top ten most powerful
people in the Silicon Valley. It is very effective to have someone in his
position modeling the kind of behavior we all want to see. He arrives to
meetings with fellow CEOs on his bike which sends a clear message. It also normalizes what is often perceived as fringe or not normal. He is an incredible advocate for bike commuting and ought to be recognized for it. Additionally, he works hard to get his colleagues to commute as well by giving points and rewards through an office competition.
Well done, Carl. We applaud you for your leadership, passion and dedication to commuting by bicycle. You are a clearly an encouragement and inspiration to not only our community here in the Silicon Valley, but Californians everywhere.
Honorable Mention:
Hanneke de Groot
Many parents in Gilroy’s Rucker Elementary school think (and tell) Hanneke de Groot that she is crazy, biking her 3 young sons, ages 7, 9 and 11, to school 4 days a week. However, she has done it throughout this school year. It is a 4.5 mile journey each way on country roads without bike lanes. Even the fact that the school does not provide a bike parking facility does not stop her. She found a supportive school neighbor who offers her side porch for bike parking. Recently, Hanneke confronted two aggressive car drivers and explained that we can share the road which stopped them from repeatedly honking their horns.
What inspires Hanneke to continue to commute by bicycle? Primarily to
provide exercise for her P.E. deprived school children. In addition, it’s
to show her children that cars are not the only way to get around town.
She notices her children are more alert at school and actually in a better
spirit than after rolling out of a car.
Hanneke says, “Where I come from, in the Netherlands, everyone rides a bicycle.” We’re so grateful for Hanneke sharing the spirit of the people of the Netherlands with all of us here, in America. Hanneke, your commitment to commuting by bicycle is truly an inspiration to people around the globe.