Seattle broke a record last Friday. The temperature hit a whopping 79 degrees, the hottest April 6 in 30 years. I had scheduled an appointment in the University District for that afternoon so gamely pulled my bicycle out of the closet, checked the tires, filled my water bottle, and donned my helmet. For once, I wasn't in a hurry.
Springtime on Capitol Hill is nothing short of intoxicating. In the glare of the afternoon sun I boarded my bike and began pedaling. The entire world appeared to be opening. I could hear birds chirping. Along 16th and 17th avenues recent memories of March's cherry blossoms dissolved into today's magnolia trees, tulips and daffodils. Green shoots emerged from every tree above my head like a grand canopy. White buds bloomed like cotton candy on some trees along the way. The Cascade Mountains' snowy peaks loomed in the distance.
I ducked into Interlaken Park and zigzagged down the quiet, winding path popular with cyclists and unhurried motorists. Speeding downhill, the wind against my face, I turned to see the wooded area waking up from winter's sleep. I could smell life in the air.
Through the back streets of Montlake, crisply painted cottages with sweetheart gardens called out for my attention. The thought crossed my mind-could I ever afford one?-before a wind in the road propelled me across Lake Washington Boulevard, past the Museum of History and Industry and across the Montlake Cut to the University of Washington and Burke Gilman Trail.
Students strolling with iPods and assorted packs and gear shared the road with cyclists and runners and a few harried professors. The shade of the trees provided a cool sanctuary, and I relaxed into a more gentle rhythm. University Village came and went. A cyclist paused up ahead and placed one hand on his tire. "Need any help?" I called out. Man, I must really feel relaxed, I thought to myself. He waived me on with a "thanks, though."
I arrived early for my appointment, found a chair on the back porch, and pulled out a book awaiting my friend. I'd forgotten how lucky Seattleites are to live in such natural, lush surroundings. The cycling paths throughout our community linking us to various neighborhoods and destinations are a treasure. And whether one owns a car or not, most natives respect the presence of cyclists on the transportation grid.
This month marks my sixth anniversary of living in Seattle without a car. The decision in some regards grew out of circumstance. The 16-year-old car I'd owned since college needed major repairs in the spring of 2001. The cost would far exceed the value of the car. I decided to see if I could survive on Capitol Hill sans auto. Thanks to Flexcar (for trips across the lake or remote environs), the bus, my bike and feet, I've survived.
After donating my unwanted car to a local non-profit, a highly recommended course of action, I decided to attach panniers and a rack to my Miyata racing bike and ride down the coast of California taking in the sights from San Francisco to La Jolla Beach near San Diego. I meandered through Santa Cruz, Carmel and Monterrey, Big Sur, San Simeon, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Santa Monica and Huntington Beach and Laguna.
When possible I stayed with friends and family, the rest of the time pitching a tent at hiker/biker camps along U.S. Route 101. At times the experience provided some physical and mental challenges, but overall created lasting memories of that beautiful coastline and a quiet confidence to experience the world on a bike with all its swirling sights, sounds and smells.
Headlines in the news report gasoline surging above $3 at the pump. Report after report issues stronger warnings about the multiple threats of global warming if humans and nations don't cut back on greenhouse gas emissions. Riding a bike more often isn't the only solution, but seems like one simple antidote to a problem growing more serious by the day. We need to wean ourselves off oil and convert to a cleaner, more environmentally friendly way of doing business and pleasure.
May is National Bike Month. Bike to Work Day in Seattle is May 18. For more information on incorporating cycling into daily life, visit the Cascade Bicycle Club website at www.cascade.org.
Capitol Hill resident Jack Hilovsky's column appears in the second issue of each month. He can be reached at editor@capitol hilltimes.com.
[[In-content Ad]]
