Our Editors Took a Week to Let Go of the Pressure, Let Loose, and Have Fun While Riding
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From June 7 to June 13, Bicycling teamed up with Degree to celebrate Bike to Play Week where riders dedicate one day out of the week simply to the joy of biking. It’s easy for serious riders to get caught up in competition whether against a long-time rival or one’s own stats. Here’s how the editors at Bicycling chose to celebrate the day as a chance to let go of the pressure, let loose, and have fun!
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Bike to Play, for me, was about making sure to set aside time to get away from work and get out with friends. Work can get pretty chaotic and stressful and really bring down my mood, which is where riding comes in to help. I started my Bike to Play with a slightly extended solo ride that worked as a reset from the workday. Then followed that up with, a few hours, and what some might say was an overly hilly ride, along with a good friend and co-worker Dan Chabanov. It was the kind of ride that when you get back everything just feels good—sore, but good. — Trevor Raab, Photographer
Trevor and I used our Bike to Play time to get out for a ride from the office that we’ve been scheming about ever since the office relocated to Easton, Pennsylvania. It’s essentially a shorter and more condensed version of a semi-famous New Jersey route called Hillier Than Thou. As the name suggests it’s heavy on climbing, and we managed to pack in a bit over 5500 feet of elevation into a 45-mile loop. Turns out our idea of fun is racing each other up stupidly steep hills in New Jersey. — Dan Chabanov, Test Editor
There’s a road in rural Hunterdon County, New Jersey, aptly named Sweet Hollow. Three tree-covered miles of gradual descent, perfect turns, and a few slightly sketchy one-lane bridges. It’s one of my favorite roads, but too far away for a typical hour-long lunch ride on a weekday. But it was the perfect destination for my Bike to Play ride.
I’m lucky enough to have time at lunch during the work week. Those rides are great, but with set ride times, and a limited number of 20-mile loops to get back to work in time, they’re not always fun. But coasting down Sweet Hollow—ignoring the clock, my average speed, and Wahoo email notifications—that was. And the bagel stop in Milford a few miles later didn’t hurt either. — John Hamilton, Associate Photo Editor
For my Bike to Play week, I spent my Sunday sending it at a women’s Intro to Drops and Jumping mountain bike skills clinic hosted by Cognition Coaching. I had an absolute blast learning some new tricks with the right techniques, alongside a great group of women and instructors! I can’t wait to put what I learned to use out on the trail.” — Jessica Coulon, Assistant News Editor
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