Ryan Nicholls, Assistant Director for Emergency Management, commutes home by bicycle most days of the week. He started this routine in the spring of 2015. Unlike many community members who live closer to campus, Ryan rides 26 miles to his home in High Ridge, located in Northwestern Jefferson County, Missouri.
Ryan explained that the main motivation for riding his bike home was to get his daily workout in without significantly impacting his family time. A father with several young children at home, Ryan wanted to stay in shape without taking a couple hours to workout each evening. Since the ride home is mostly uphill, it takes about 1.5 hours, only about 20 minutes longer than his normal Metro commute.
Ryan could not come up with a downside to bike commuting. He says the bike lanes on Manchester make it safer to ride. He encourages other riders to pay attention; thankfully, he hasn’t had any close calls yet.
Ryan’s advice to anyone considering bike commuting is to plan well. Several cycling sites can give you the best routes for bike commuting. Ryan tried out a few before settling on the one he liked best. He normally brings his bike in by Metro bus and train in the morning. He rides his bike home in the evening. Similar arrangements may work for you!