No matter where I’ve gone in life, there’s always been a bicycle beneath me, and cycling has always been a huge part of my identity. I’ve been a kid with cards in my spokes, a racer pushing my body as far as it will go, a vehicular cyclist trying to escape car culture, and no matter what I’d say the same thing: I’m Kurt, and I’m a cyclist.
Like many of you, a bike equaled freedom when I was young. I could hop on the saddle and leave home with nothing but the open road in front of me and spend hours just pedaling and exploring the world a mile at a time. As I got older, I used bikes for fitness and transportation and community. I rode to class or the grocery store or the library or out into the country, always riding somewhere.
Eleven years ago, I moved to Lincoln, and I learned the city by bike commuting and trying to ride each mile of the GPTN, and I found a city and people friendlier to bikes than most, along with a thriving cycling community. I also found gravel cycling, a discipline I was unfamiliar with, and I got hooked. I’ve put in thousands of miles on the roads around southeast Nebraska, seeing more cows than cars, rolling through tiny towns I’d never heard of, and fully appreciating what a beast the wind can be.
When I’m not riding, you can find me in my garage tinkering with parts or torquing bolts or just checking tire pressures and making sure everyone’s rigs are ready to ride. We’ve got all three food groups in our house: carbon, steel, and aluminum, and we love them all.
My passion for cycling has taken hold in my kids, and they’re riding more on their own than with me now. I’m excited for them to be able to grow up in a town with such a vibrant cycling community and trail system that they can use to get almost anywhere. I also worry for them because those trails cross busy streets full of distracted drivers. I’m hopeful that through education and advocacy we can make sure that all cyclists, no matter age or skill level, can enjoy our trails and streets.
I think the biggest challenge facing cyclists in Lincoln is a lack of awareness by drivers. Whether it’s designated on-road cycling routes or intersections of streets and trails, most drivers are/seem unaware of cyclists. Part of it may be the success of our trail system that allows so many people to cycle without having to be on the streets, but we also see tons of cars zipping up and down roads and through stop signs and red lights without much apparent concern for others. With more education/signage/advocacy I think we can put a dent in this and really celebrate that our roads and community are for everyone, no matter how many wheels you have 🙂
I’m thrilled to be part of the Bicyclincoln team, and I can’t wait to get going. I know that Lincoln is a special place, and I’m looking forward to getting as many of us on bikes as possible and making it as safe and fun as we can.