Free evening exercise classes at Huntington Park’s main plaza, the Spokane Tribal Gathering Place, begin in July and continue through the end of August. Downtown Spokane Partnership has partnered with The Union, YMCA, Spokane Club and Pure Barre to offer everything from barre classes to Zumba at no cost to the public — just show up and join in.

Working out with a group might add that extra nudge of motivation to get moving after a long, sedentary day. If that doesn’t do it, the sunset view of the river will. The classes offer a variety of approaches to moving in a way that you can later practice at home — a pretty good deal for zero dollars.

The killer lineup of free workouts started much smaller with a series of outdoor yoga classes. Now, a couple of years later, the demand and generosity of local businesses have transformed that humble idea into a full-blown summer workout schedule, and partners like Numerica Credit Union have stepped up to sponsor the series.

“Two years ago we partnered with The Union yoga studio to offer lunchtime yoga at the Parkade Plaza,” say Elisabeth Hooker, Marketing & Programming Manager at Downtown Spokane Partnership. Last year, the classes moved to the roomier — and much prettier  — Spokane Tribal Gathering Place next to City Hall to accommodate high turnout. “I don’t think we had fewer than 80 participants each week,” she says. For people who stumbled upon it, a crowd of people working out together in public was quite a sight.

“It was kind of a surprise, especially in the middle of downtown,” she says. Some of those unsuspecting passers-by ended up participating in the class. That’s exactly the intent: Inviting the public to reimagine what downtown living can be. So, the organizers come well equipped to accommodate newcomers. “I think jumping right in to anything could be a little intimidating, but last year we had a lot of people walking by [attend], and The Union and Lululemon bring a lot of extra yoga mats,” Hooker says.

This year, Downtown Spokane Partnership has added three additional days and some variety to the mix. Most notably, they’ve added a family night with fitness activities for kids. “On Mondays, we’re going to be offering Pure Barre. Tuesdays is going to be more of a rotating evening, so it can be anything from Zumba, it can be tribal dance [or] it can be hula hoop. Whatever the flavor of the day will be. Wednesdays will be yoga with The Union, still, and Thursdays we’ll be partnering with the YMCA, so it’ll be more like family activities.”

Workouts begin at 7:15 p.m., giving participants a chance to find parking after meters turn off and make their way to the plaza, and will last about an hour. All classes are beginner friendly, and Hooker recommends taking any activity at one’s own pace to avoid injury. Trained instructors will be there to help answer questions and offer lower-impact options. “It’s definitely for everybody,” she says.

Downtown Spokane Partnership’s overall aim is to increase the vibrancy of the downtown area as a place to work and live. In addition to offering community fitness opportunities and supporting other community events, the non-profit organization administers downtown’s Business Improvement District funding by operating the area’s Clean Team and Security Ambassador Program. For Hooker, the classes are as much about building appreciation of Spokane’s downtown as they are about fitness.

“Seeing 200 people ‘downward dog’ all at once is pretty impressive, and it’s a really beautiful location. I mean, the sun is setting,” she says. “As people would walk by, I’d hear such positive things about our community.” Visit downtownspokane.org for details and the full class schedule. //

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The most oft-referenced study on why women bike less than men comes from, believe it or not, the Evergreen State. In 2012, Anne Broache published her University of Washington Master’s thesis in urban planning exploring barriers to riding for women. “Even in Seattle, which has earned accolades for bikefriendliness [sic], men compose more than 70 percent of bike commuters,” writes Broache, who now works on communications projects for the Washington State Department of Transportation at public relations firm PRR. In survey responses from 365 Seattle women — about two thirds of whom rode daily — 79 percent cited safety concerns as the primary barrier to riding.

Broache’s study echoes data from other Washington bike groups, national studies and big-city bikeshare programs: U.S. women represent only a quarter of total cyclists. Far more women bike for recreation than for transportation, reifying accounts of road hazards like distracted driving deterring commuters.  Portland planning professor Jennifer Dill found that just like adult women, girls stopped biking due to safety concerns at around 11 years old. Even then, safety concerns top the list of barriers.

A different study co-authored by Dill found women’s actual bike routes were similar to men’s, indicating they weren’t more likely to go out of their way to avoid dangerous routes. That may mean girls and women are simply more likely to articulate safety concerns than their male counterparts, and the actual reasons for gender disparity in bicycling lies beneath the surface.

A lack of biking companions came second in teenage girls’ concerns — and though that’s not often mentioned for adults, the dearth of other female riders in cycling groups and on the road makes anecdotal sense. Other factors, like expectations for women’s physical appearance, kid-shuttling and grocery shopping responsibilities, street harassment, and economic disparity all arise in Broache’s and other studies on why some women don’t ride. Women are twice as likely to hold minimum-wage jobs, introducing additional challenges like access to bikes and irregular shifts that require commuting at odd hours.

Data from the Netherlands shows responsibilities like child care and road safety can impact women’s ridership numbers. It’s the bike-friendliest country on Earth, and also one in which kids become independently mobile at a younger age. In the Netherlands, more women ride bikes than men.

The League of American Bicyclists offers five “C’s” that need improvement to get more women on bikes: comfort, convenience, consumer products, confidence and community.

Increasing comfort means creating more bike paths and bike lanes. “Bike facilities and low-stress roads, like bicycle boulevards, can play an important role in this transformation — with pronounced impact on the number of women riders,” according to the League’s 2013 “Women Bike” report. And it works: Portland increased its female ridership by 10 percent from 1992 to 2012 by investing heavily in bike infrastructure.

Convenience and consumer products go hand in hand. The report identifies availability of cargo and kid-toting gear as a key factor in the Netherlands’ high rate of women cyclists. While only five percent of bike trips in the U.S. are shopping trips, a quarter of rides in the Netherlands include shopping. In an industry dominated by men, women report feeling less welcome in bike shops, and most bike-related companies are owned by men. More and more, women are taking bike fashion and function into their own hands, creating products that meet their needs, but that’s not enough. Women comprise nearly 40 percent of bike-related spending, and that number increases every year. Failing to include women in the industry as a whole continues to stifle its money-making potential.

Creating better communities for women cyclists, and thereby boosting their confidence when it comes to skill and safety, starts with women-specific resources. Skills classes, riding groups and women-only races provide an approachable entry point to the sport. But for lasting change, all bicycling spaces — from shops to bike clubs to the street — need a culture shift. //

Unfortunately, this will be Erika’s last Everyday Cyclist column for the foreseeable future. Look for longtime OTM contributor Hank Greer to once again take over the EDC reins later this summer.

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The ruck race can be tackled solo or in teams of up to five. A tough course and heavy pack eliminate all hope for, and therefore all pressure of, a record-breaking pace. What’s left is the challenge to push yourself to new limits and meditate through an entirely different kind of pain than the usual race fatigue. Founded in memory of Air Force survival instructor Emory Corwine, who died in a motorcycle accident in 2012, the event begins with a somber moment of reflection. Camaraderie strengthened by shared physical agony persist throughout the race in Corwine’s honor.

Competitive spirit makes way for mutual support on the trail, at baton hand-off points, and in the main camp, where recovering runners and those waiting for their turn sit around the fire swapping stories. In 2015, I raced most of my leg with a competitor, each keeping the other adrift. When we arrived at our finish line, we bee-lined into the lake together to cool off. Last year’s race day was chilly with intermittent rain, so our team pitched a tent and played board games to pass the time. Many racers camp nearby the night before and wake up at the crack of dawn to make it to Frater Lake for the 5:40 a.m. race briefing. Yes, there is coffee. And a keg.

Aid stations appear only at hand-off points and are well-stocked with all the important things, like cake and flat Coke. The organizing crew sets up a base camp with food, fire pits and shelter, which begins to feel like a big party as the race progresses into the evening.//

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Spokane’s celebration of Bike Month is no longer just about bike commuting. The month-long Bike Everywhere Month celebrates all reasons for biking, whether for transportation or recreation. Still, the goal remains the same: To get as many people on bikes as possible.

“We’re trying to be a little more inclusive,” says organizer Sally Phillips, who is treasurer of Spokane Bicycle Club. “Let’s count all the mileage, not just the biking to work.” Phillips hopes this change will engage people who otherwise wouldn’t have participated because they cannot ride their bike to work. Many beloved Bike to Work Week events will remain, and riders can still participate in a month-long mileage challenge.

The National Bike Challenge, where riders log miles, compete with friends and vie for status, will run its nationwide commute challenge through Strava this year. To participate, visit the Spokane Bikes website and follow the links to sign up. Spokane County riders logged about 50,000 miles last year, Phillips says.

The Riverfront Park pancake breakfast, the event that has kicked off Spokane’s Bike to Work Week for a decade, will be held on May 1 this year, marking the beginning of Bike Everywhere Month. That’s not the only change: Breakfast will be served on the north end of the park at the picnic shelter to steer clear of park construction, instead of the usual location at Gondola Meadows.

Rides, clinics and activities throughout the month will offer riders many participation options. Events organized by the Spokane Bicycle Club and other groups in Spokane County are listed on the Bike to Work Week website. Spokane Bicycle Club will host several group rides specifically geared toward bicyclists who are just starting out.

“We’ve got a bunch of little, short, sometimes quirky rides that we’re putting on during the month, under 10 miles,” Phillips says. “They’re kind of intended to be for people casual riders and maybe people who are not used to riding in groups.” Highlights include a Mother’s Day park loop at Comstock Park, a downtown bicycle tour with public officials, and a women-only Kendall Yards Centennial Trail ride.

A “Pub & Grub” ride will feature a short downtown jaunt with stops at Liberty Ciderworks and Soulful Soups, where patrons on bikes will receive a discount. “Bike & Hike” on the final day of Bike Everywhere Month meets at Ferris High School and tours three southside natural areas. Newcomers to the world of biking can learn the basics at two clinics: “Getting Started Biking” at the East Side Library and a flat tire-fixing clinic at REI.

During national Bike to Work Week, May 15-19, the Spokane Bicycle Club will host morning energizer stations with coffee and snacks along popular commute routes. There’s also a Ride of Silence in memory of local traffic collision victims, and a pizza party with door prizes at River City Brewing to celebrate riders’ achievements. Kids also get to participate in Bike Everywhere Month. Kidical Mass, organized by the Spokefest Association, gathers kids for a 3-mile Chief Garry Park ride. Bolts Bike Festival at Spokane Public Montessori offers families a fun way to learn about bike safety.

Phillips hopes the diverse options will encourage people to ride more regularly and provide more options for people who encounter barriers to participating in Bike to Work Week. “A week is sometimes not enough,” she says. “Maybe you’re doing something else that week or maybe the weather is terrible that week.” Find more information about Bike Everywhere Month at Spokanebikes.org. //

Bike Everywhere Month Calendar

Monday, May 1 – Kick-off Breakfast

Sunday, May 7 – Bloomsday Bike Corral

Wednesday, May 10 – Bike to School Day

Thursday, May 11 – Pub & Grub Ride

Saturday, May 13 – Kidical Mass Ride

Sunday, May 14 – Mother’s Day Park ‘n Cookies Ride

Tuesday, May 16 – Energizer Stations

Wednesday, May 17 – Ride of Silence

Thursday, May 18 – Bike Lanes and Downtown Trails Ride

Friday, May 19 – Bike Everywhere Day Celebration at River City Brewing

Tuesday, May 23 – Ben Burr Trail and Iron Bridge Ride

Sunday, May 28 – Ugly Industrial Ride

Tuesday, May 30 – Women-only Kendall Yards Ride, REI Flat-fixing Clinic

Wednesday, May 31 – Hike & Bike in Southside Natural Areas //

Erika Prins Simonds bicycles as her primary mode of transportation. You can find more of her writing at erikaprins.com.

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“The point — and why there’s urgency around this — is that fatalities and injuries have been on the rise in Washington State,” Alston says. “The other piece that has been our focus has been protecting and maintaining trails. As we work toward a vision of bicycling for all ages and abilities, I think both of these issues are important.”

To make a difference, Alston says calling and sending emails to Spokane-area legislators will make the most impact. Legislators answer to their own constituents, so (at least in theory) they consider their constituents’ concerns foremost. “When I’m in Olympia doing advocacy, in terms of being a constituent, I have three people there who will listen to me,” she says.

Cooper Jones Bicycle Safety Advisory Council

The Cooper Jones Bicycle Safety Advisory Council is named after 13-year-old Cooper Jones who was killed by a driver while riding in a Baddlands Cycling Club time trial in 1997. The bill aims to create the Cooper Jones Bicycle Safety Advisory Council to help reduce bicycling fatalities.

“After his death, his parents went to work to pass bicycle safety measures in the legislature,” Alston says. Cooper’s parents fought to pass Cooper Jones Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Education Act in 1998. The law emphasizes bicycle and pedestrian safety education, but momentum and resources have waned over time. “We have connected this legislation to the legislation in the past to kind of honor their work,” Alston says. “Much of the legislation that passed didn’t have funding. So, this is kind of an attempt to resuscitate that legislation.”

Step one for the Cooper Jones Bicycle Safety Advisory Council would be to determine what’s caused the recent uptick in bicycle fatalities statewide. According to Washington Bikes, bicyclists comprise more than 7% of all serious injuries and fatalities on the road statewide. Yet, less than 1% of all commute trips are made on bikes.

The council would convene epidemiologists, engineers, members of law enforcement, advocacy groups and representatives from counties and municipalities to tackle the issue together and make recommendations to the legislature for reducing fatal crashes between cars and bikes. “Their recommendations to the legislature will hopefully shape future budget and policy decisions,” Alston says. Research and recommendations produced by the Cooper Jones Bicycle Safety Advisory Council would likely carry more weight for legislators than data presented by advocacy groups, which is a big step toward rallying support for bike safety measures statewide.

Funding & Protecting the John Wayne Pioneer Trail

“We’re supporting Washington Wildlife and Recreation [Commission’s] request for funding and also State Parks’ requests for funding,” Alston says. Of the projects on those agencies’ lists, Washington Bikes has thrown its weight behind a slew of proposals to improve the John Wayne Pioneer Trail.

The longest rail trail in the U.S., the John Wayne Pioneer Trail spans nearly the entire state of Washington from Tekoa to North Bend. “One of the reasons it’s a focus is that it’s somewhat unique. It’s this cross-state trail that would be open to the public for transportation and recreation,” Alston says. “People will – people are – coming to our state to use this trail.”

While the western portion, Iron Horse State Park, is well developed, the portion to the east of the Columbia River needs some serious love. The eastern half of the trail is, according to Friends of the John Wayne Pioneer Trail, largely undeveloped and unmaintained. Some sections are closed or private, requiring significant detours.

This year, the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission requested funding from both the state’s capital budget and grants to upgrade six sections of the trail. Some proposed projects would repair, improve or add trails, trestles, tunnels and trailheads. Others would add restrooms, signage, accessibility features and parking.

A Study Identifying the Economic and Health Benefits of Walking, Hiking and Bicycling

Washington Bikes and the Washington Trails Association came together to request funding for a statewide study of the benefits of what they call the state’s three most popular active-recreation activities. Measuring consumer and tourism spending, retail and manufacturing revenue, and health benefits, the proposed study would follow in the footsteps of a 2016 state of Colorado study to lay the groundwork for policy supporting active recreation statewide. //

Erika bicycles as her primary mode of transportation. She stays healthy by running and playing pick-up team sports. You can find more of her writing at erikaprins.com.

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Twenty-four-year-old graphic designer Josh Blakely learned parkour the old-fashioned way: by just going out and trying the moves he saw pros doing in YouTube videos. He started practicing in his high school wrestling room. With friends, he’d head to the park and use picnic tables, cement walls, or whatever else was out there as training equipment. Thanks to guys like Blakely, newcomers can now take classes in parkour at Inland Northwest gymnastics centers, safely learning the basics before advancing to the coveted mid-air somersaults.

Spokane Gymnastics offers classes for kids and adults and boasts an 800-square-foot indoor parkour room filled with obstacles. At Avant Coeur Gymnastics in Coeur d’Alene, where Blakely coaches, students age 6 through 22 advance through three skill-based class levels by practicing in its parkour room and making creative use of the regular gymnastics equipment. Blakely officially began coaching in 2010, though he’d begun volunteering at the gym two years prior at 16 years old. Like him, most kids come in itching to do flips like they’ve seen the pros do. So he teaches them to somersault on the floor.

“You start them out by learning things on the ground,” he says. “If you can’t do things on the ground then you shouldn’t be doing them in the air.” When they’re ready, students can elect to compete in regional and even national competitions. Avant Coeur Gymnastics has hosted several competitions in recent years. Most often, Blakely’s students travel to Missoula, which has its own rich parkour scene, to compete.

But the real thrill comes from taking new skills out into the world — and that’s where things get tricky. Great parkour locations might have lots of walls of varied heights, railings, and perhaps some things to hang from, like a sturdy bar. More importantly, they’re places where getting rambunctious is explicitly allowed or at the very least, they have a history of tolerating parkour.

Even in public spaces where unleashing acrobatics on an unsuspecting wall or railing is perfectly legal, reactions can be mixed. “I tell kids that they can go to the local parks and typically won’t be harassed by anyone,” Blakely says. “However, doing parkour, you pretty much always get looked at in awe or you get looked at like you’re the weirdo.”

Blakely’s favorite spot to train is Fort Sherman Playground in Coeur d’Alene City Park. With castle-like turrets and bridges, plus classic playground features like bars and slides, the playground couldn’t be more ideal for practicing parkour moves. But, it’s still a playground. “Parents just get enraged,” Blakely says. “They say, ‘You guys just can’t be here. You’re too big and you can’t play.”

It’s a big world with lots of places to practice, so Blakely errs on the side of respecting people’s requests (especially if they’re wearing a security guard uniform) in hopes of building good will for the future. Busier places can become less hostile to parkour practitioners (called “traceurs”) when they’re not being used by others — perhaps evenings and weekends for spots that are busy during the day, or weekdays during school hours for public parks that fill up with kids when school gets out.

Searching for new training spots may be just as much fun as practicing: Seeing the world as an obstacle course presents a whole new perspective of the city. For more information, visit Avant Coeur Gymnastics at cdagym.com and Spokane Gymnastics at spokanegymnastics.com. //

Erika Prins Simonds wrote about winter birding in January. Read more of her writing at erikaprins.com.

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Vendors with accessories, apparel, and gadgets set up booths in the next room, alongside organizations that organize group rides, provide trail and route information, and help riders plan their commute or discover new opportunities for recreational riding. An STA bus parks right inside the building so new riders can practice safely loading their bike onto the bus. As the Bike Swap enters its sixth year, we chatted with founder LeAnn Yamamoto, Transportation Demand Management Director at Spokane County’s Commute Trip Reduction program.

What kind of bikes can we expect to find at the swap?

It’s mostly used bikes. Our sellers are often people who want to sell their bike or upgrade to another bike.

What price range can visitors expect for the bikes on consignment in the bike corral?

The ranges are huge because we do sell all kinds of bikes, so we sell kids’ bikes all the way up to triathlon bikes. The average price range is $100 to $300.

What inspired you to start the Spokane Bike Swap?

Feedback from our Commute Trip Reduction coordinators. They wanted something like what the ski swap did that would give them the opportunity to reach out to their employees and give them the tools to get ready to commute.

How does the swap help bicyclists prepare for the riding season? 

People can come buy a bike, learn about bike rides, and learn about putting their bike on the bus.

How has the Bike Swap evolved over the years? 

It’s grown tremendously. Our first year had fewer than 20 exhibitors and we registered fewer than 200 bikes to consign. We sold 160 bikes from our consignment, but we were successful: We raised $10,000 for the Friends of the Centennial Trail. It has grown nearly double every year up until last year. Last year, we registered nearly 1,000 bikes in our bike consignment area, sold more than 700 bikes, and raised $36,000 for the Friends of the Centennial Trail.

What can we expect this year?

Our exhibitors have grown to more than 60. We have nearly every [local] bike shop at our event now. It does give people a one-stop shop if they want to check out different kinds of bikes or learn about different rides. We’ve expanded our entertainment and education area. Every child under 14 who buys a bike in our consignment area will get a free bicycle helmet and fitting.

Spokane Bike Swap

When: April 8, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Where: Spokane County Fair and Expo Center, 404 N. Havana St., Spokane

Admission: $5 adults; free for kids 12 and under

Find more information at spokanebikeswap.com. //

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Haggin stocks her feeder with black sunflower seeds, adding suet (animal fat) during the winter. Birds that usually eat insects can substitute suet during the winter as a source for quick energy and heat. “Once it gets really cold, they need that fat to keep them warm in the cold winter nights,” Haggin says. “The birds that typically come to the feeders are the chickadees, finches, nuthatches. If you put up suet in addition to the seed, you’ll get woodpeckers. I’ve had juncos and song sparrows eating the suet sometimes, too.” In rural areas, putting out suet and seeds might attract magpies as well, she says — perhaps more than desired. “When the magpies notice, they’ll clean you out in no time.”

Citizens interested in helping collect data on birds in the area can join the annual Great Backyard Bird Count in February. The National Audubon Society and Cornell Lab of Ornithology — national leaders for bird research (and treasure troves of interesting bird facts) — team up to assess the state of birds in the U.S. using data submitted by citizens. Visit adubon.org for details on how to participate.

Those brave enough to venture into nature areas for winter birding may be rewarded with birds not seen in this area during the warmer months. “There are some birds that will move down from the colder climates in Alaska and Canada, including snowy owls and sometimes a northern hawk owl,” Haggin says. Some types of finches and buntings also land in Eastern Washington after their southern migration. “They like big open spaces, so if you drive around Lincoln County or Davenport, you might run across a snowy owl.”

A variety of waterfowl stick around the Spokane area, too. The confluence of the Little Spokane River and Spokane River, Manito Park, and Riverfront Park all tend to attract a variety of ducks. Red-tailed hawks and some smaller hawks and falcons also remain in the area during winter.

Bald eagles gather each year at Wolf Lodge Bay on Lake Coeur d’Alene in Idaho to feast on spawning kokanee salmon. This year’s gathering promises to be larger than usual due to a large fish run, according to the Idaho Fish and Game Department. The majestic birds also congregate at Priest Lake and Lake Pend Oreille to get their fill of spawning kokanee. //

20th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count

The Great Backyard Bird Count engages bird watchers of all ages in counting birds to create a real-time snapshot of bird populations. Participants are asked to count birds for as few as 15 minutes on one or more days from February 17 through 20 and report their sightings online at birdcount.org. Anyone can take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count, from beginning bird watchers to experts. Find more information on local birding field trips and citizen science projects at spokaneaudubon.org. 

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One failure can kill a person’s motivation to stick with a New Year’s resolution. Smoke one cigarette, or miss one training ride and the ruse is up: You’re not the new, better person you wanted to be this year, you’re just the same schlub you were last year.

To stop smoking, I had to imagine myself as a non-smoker. Like, really imagine, super-duper hard. I visualized sprinting faster and making touchdown catches at ultimate Frisbee. I dreamt about bike commuting more without getting so winded and waking up in the morning with only normal, non-smoker terrible breath.

It takes a lot of work to believe something about yourself that isn’t quite true yet, and not just because it’s technically a lie. As a perfectionist, moderate to severe self-flagellation is the very fuel that has driven me to perform for most of my life: “If it’s not perfect, it’s not worth doing.” Or, more bluntly stated, “If I don’t perform to perfection, I’m worthless.” I was genuinely concerned that if I stopped guilting myself about my smoking habit, I would also lose the motivation to give it up. The budding belief that I deserve to be healthy and happy didn’t carry the same urgency as, “Everyone thinks you’re gross because you smoke. Oh, and you’re giving yourself cancer.”

I stopped focusing on quitting smoking altogether for a while and practiced using kinder ways to motivate myself. That belief that I deserved to be a person who feels awesome all the time turned out to be a much more sustainable source of motivation, particularly because it can’t be shaken by a slip-up. Resisting the temptation to smoke feels like a present to myself along with a little imaginary note that says, “You can do this! You’re are worth it!” When I have caved, I’ve simply moved on without ruminating on the failure.

Bicyclist and Spokane Falls Community College English instructor Bradley Bleck uses a similar strategy for his annual bicycling mileage goal. He’d exceeded his goal of 4,000 miles for 2016 by early December. This year, he’ll bump it up a few hundred miles. Between commuting to work, training for a few races in the summer, and riding for fun, it’s more pleasure than pain to meet his goals. Though he aims for 1,000 miles every three months, he expects the seasons to be a bit lopsided.

“For my goals, I just decide on what seems doable, based on the commuting I do and the time I get to ride in the summer,” Bleck says. “Winter is always a slow start, and then things pick up in the spring and accelerate in the summer and then taper off in the fall.” The number offers an extra nudge to get out there, but his real agenda is getting exercise while avoiding the gym. “It keeps me sane through regular exercise. I get to wave and say hi to people on my commute, and I feel more connected, despite the occasional jerk,” he says. Even if he doesn’t meet his goal, he doesn’t sweat it too much. “I just see how close I can get,” he says. “Now, if it was about losing weight, which never seems to happen because I can’t seem to eat less, then it would be a ‘failure’ of sorts. But I just plug away, see how it goes, and feel a sense of accomplishment if I make it.”

Or sometimes, he glances at his Strava and notices how many rides he’s taken, that he’s climbed more than 200,000 feet in a year’s time, or that he’s spent hundreds of hours on his bike, enjoying the outdoors. “I guess it’s the cliché of the journey rather than the destination,” he says. “If I don’t make it, I start over next year.” //

Erika Prins Simonds wrote about preserving mental health during winter months in December. Read more of her writing at erikaprins.com.

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