Jen Dowler was not an experienced rider.
She was a fair-weather cyclist, riding the sea walk on sunny days. She had never considered riding her bike to work.
When a co-worker signed Dowler up for their Bike to Work Week team, Jen had only had her bike for a year, and she’d never ridden more than five kilometres.
How would she manage the 20km return trip? How long would it take?
Could she cycle up the Dogwood hill to Merecroft?
What about sweaty clothes? What about getting the kids to school?
The whole task seemed a little daunting. So Dowler did a test run, and it wasn’t that hard.
When Bike to Work week arrived on a Monday morning, there was no snooze button. Since Dowler was riding to work, her kids were riding to school. They rode three out of the five days that week, and one of her daughters enjoyed the ride to school so much she convinced some friends to join her.
Dowler’s husband was inspired by the family’s efforts, and he too started riding to work. When Dowler gets home, her exercise is done for the day, she hasn’t used her car and she has a real sense of accomplishment.
“I was not an experienced cyclist before, but now I set more goals for myself when biking,” she says.
Dowler and her family kept commuting by bicycle once Bike to Work Week was over because they realized that biking to work and school is possible, and very enjoyable.
Through Bike to Work Week in Campbell River, people have found a new activity and mode of transportation that is a great form of exercise and saves money on fuel. Bike to Work Week is May 28-June 3. Sign up at www.biketowork.ca.