Community through commuting

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At the very moment of my departure from Eugene, Ore., I ran into my friend and fellow bicycle-enthusiast, Al Hongo. We were both hopping on the Amtrak Cascades, headed north. He was joining his girlfriend for a tour; I was moving to Seattle with two panniers, a duffle and one of my bikes in hand. (Hold your applause. I’m not re- ally that hardcore. I had to go back for my boyfriend and all our stuff, which only barely fit into a 12-foot U-Haul.)

This sort of chance run-in was typical in the town that I called home for seven years. It was hard to go anywhere without seeing someone you knew. And when you did, you probably saw them on a bike. In Eugene, we have a bicycle mode share of just over seven percent; the University of Oregon has an impressive student bike mode share of 23 percent.

Running into someone on bike (figuratively speaking) is always a highlight of my commute. It provides just enough time to ring your bell hello, wave, give a shout-out or my personal favorite: the pass-by high-five. This simple, small chance act of seeing friends and neighbors along my commute rooted me in my Eugene community.

As Al stepped off the train in Corvallis, Ore., I figured that I was leaving that sense of community behind. Since starting at Cascade however, I’ve had a number of these friendly run-ins with fellow staffers along the Burke-Gilman Trail. We are normally headed in the same direction, so the commute turns into a conversation.

It got me thinking: what is a community, if not a series of conversations?

When commuting by bicycle, we also share a common backdrop and shared experiences for our conversations. If the sun is shining, our conversation might just consist of exchanging happy, appreciative smiles. If a flat tire stops you in your path, someone else will undoubtedly stop to help.

So with Seattle as our stage, I look forward to our future conversations on the bike path.

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