All over Columbia people just like you make a bike ride, a walk, or a bus ride a part of their commute to work. Scroll down to see who's getting out and about and why.

Name: Craig Cyr

Occupation, place of employment: Chef and co-owner of The Wine Cellar & Bistro

How do you normally get to work? I normally drive because our catering schedule doesn’t always allow me to bike.

Are there other places or times when you choose to walk, ride your bike, or take the bus instead of drive? If I’m running an errand downtown, I’ll definitely walk. I like to run and bike on the MKT with my wife. Once our new baby is born, I’m sure we’ll be doing more walking with the stroller.

What benefits do you get (or hope to get) from your active commute? It helps me stay fit, it’s good for training, it provides stress relief, and it definitely gets you feeling good by the time you get to work. It’s just fun and enjoyable to be outside. Also, since my wife and I only have one car, biking to work frees up the car for her, and helps us save on gas since the car is not very fuel-efficient. We have to have kind of a big car for delivering stuff, catering and pulling a trailer.

Why do you think walking and biking are important to Columbia? It’s good for the health, well-being and mental state of the city - people can get fresh air and feel happier. It puts the tax dollars that have already been spent to good use. People should really utilize the awesome park/trail system we have; it’s amazing. I wasn’t sure about the bike lanes at first, but once I started using them, I realized how nice they were. I can just take Chapel Hill to the MKT at Twin Lakes and then head right into downtown. It’s really easy.

Name:  Kristy Lang

Occupation, place of employment:  Registered Dietitian, Boone Hospital Center’s WELLAWARE

How do you normally get to work?  By car.

Are there other places or times when you choose to walk, ride your bike, or take the bus instead of drive?  For the past few years I’ve been really lucky to live close to grocery stores and restaurants.  It seems silly and kind of wasteful to drive your car to places that are so close to home.  Plus, I never buy too many groceries when I know I have to carry them all home.

What benefits do you get (or hope to get) from your active commute?  There aren’t many downsides to leaving your car at home whenever you can.  You get some exercise, you save gas and miles on your car and tires, you get to enjoy being outside, you reduce your carbon footprint, and you start to notice things you miss out on in life when you’re constantly running - or should I say driving - from one place to the next.

Why do you think walking and biking are important to Columbia?  Columbia is a great community and I love that when I’m outside walking around either to run errands or as exercise, I’m always going to pass someone else doing the same thing.  And everyone always smiles and says “hi” or “morning,” even though we don’t know each other’s names or what we do for a living.  It’s like we have that one thing in common and we’re always happy to run into someone else who’s trying to make their life a little healthier.

Name: Kevin Lancaster

Occupation, place of employment: Customer Care Representative, United Seating & Mobility

How do you normally get to work? On a really nice day or when I am very motivated, I can walk to work. But, since both home and work are right on the bus route, I usually take the bus.

Are there other places or times when you choose to walk, ride your bike, or take the bus instead of drive? I live within walking distance of Stephens Lake Park and can also walk downtown and to the grocery store. I have recently discovered I can even make it fairly easily on foot to Conley Road shopping area. I also take the bus to my part-time job, the mall, the library and the farmer’s market.

What benefits do you get (or hope to get) from your active commute? I enjoy not having to deal with traffic, parking, gas prices and the hassle of driving. I get to read, listen to my iPod and relax on my way to and from work - it is a nice transition between work and home. When I use the bus or walk to do my shopping, I spend less money because I recognize that I will be have to physically carry everything back home - no back seat or trunk. It makes me think harder about what and why I buy things that I may not need.

Why do you think walking and biking are important to Columbia?
As we continue to grow as a community, I like that we are thinking forward and investing in ways to commute without driving. The cost of gas, the impact on the environment, the crowded parking lots and streets, and our society’s general lack of exercise are all great reasons to get out and about without a car. Plus, we have great parks and a pretty safe town to get about in; it just makes sense to me to take advantage of all it has to offer.

Name: Andrea Jira

Occupation, place of employment: Membership Director, Columbia Chamber of Commerce

How do you normally get to work? If I am not making sales calls, I can walk or ride my bike every day in the warm weather. It’s about a 12-minute walk and a five-minute bike ride to work from my house. I am usually in the office in the morning, so I’ll walk to work in the morning, walk home during my lunch hour to get my car if I need it, and schedule any appointments in the afternoon. 

Are there other places or times when you choose to walk, ride your bike, or take the bus instead of drive? Because we live downtown, every weekend my husband and I walk and patronize the businesses in the District. We never drive. There are many times that we park the car on Friday and don’t use it again until Monday.  We often get on our bikes to ride on the trail and to the grocery store if we need to pick up a few items.

What benefits do you get (or hope to get) from your active commute? The health benefits are obvious. I’m not a leisurely stroller. I purposefully walk to wherever I need to go. There’s also the benefit to the environment. It’s ridiculous to drive when work is only eight or nine blocks from my house.

Why do you think walking and biking are important to Columbia? The roads are starting to get congested. There are a lot of times when I’ll be meeting someone for lunch and there’s no point in driving because I’ll get there much faster if I walk. And I experience far less road rage when trying to find a place to park!

Name: John Darkow
 


Occupation, place of employment: Editorial Cartoonist, Columbia Daily Tribune
 


How do you normally get to work? I bike to work as often as possible.


Are there other places or times when you choose to walk, ride your bike, or take the bus instead of drive? I ride whenever the weather allows – 5 to 6 days a week.
 


What benefits do you get (or hope to get) from your active commute? Biking gives me more freedom and puts me under my own power. I also get to experience the weather and my surroundings, for better and worse. It gives me a sense of accomplishment.


Why do you think walking and biking are important to Columbia? People are friendlier when you meet them on your bike instead of in your car.

From top left to bottom right: Terry Smith, Dr. Graham Higgs, Nathan Means, Dr. Cheryl Hardy.

Name: Terry Smith

Occupation, place of employment: Executive Vice President & Dean of Academic Affairs, Columbia College  

How do you normally get to work? Normally I’ll drive my car to work. It’s a very short commute, only a mile or so. Or, I’ll get a ride and either walk or take the bus home. I tend to walk more in cooler weather, so I don’t get to school and have to take a shower. On the days when I get a ride, I’ll continue to walk or take the bus home.

Are there other places or times when you choose to walk, ride your bike, or take the bus instead of drive? I live about a mile from downtown. If I have errands to run, I’ll walk instead of drive for exercise. Sometimes it’s just not necessary to drive, and I feel like I get to see more of the town from the sidewalk.

What benefits do you get (or hope to get) from your active commute? Sustainability and fitness, quite simply. A few colleagues of mine - Dr. Cheryl Hardy, Nathan Means, and Dr. Graham Higgs - feel the same way, and bicycle to work quite frequently.

Why do you think walking and biking are important to Columbia? I understand it’s difficult for some people who live some distance from work to walk, and cycling in inclement weather is challenging. But for people who can, it’s good for health and it’s good for the environment.

Name: Jonathan Sessions

Occupation, place of employment: Technology Consultant/Owner of Tech2

How do you normally get to work? It depends on the day. Or what I have planned for the day. Sometimes I drive. If most of my appointments are around downtown - and I don’t have to haul around a 90-pound server - I’ll ride my bike. Sometimes I walk my dog to work, too. I live in Benton-Stephens, my office is off of Wilkes Boulevard, and I do a lot of business downtown, so it’s pretty easy.

Are there other places or times when you choose to walk, ride your bike, or take the bus instead of drive? When I’m going out to meet friends or grab dinner downtown.

What benefits do you get (or hope to get) from your active commute? I don’t have to find and pay for parking. And since I’m not much of an exercise guy, riding a bike gets me out and slightly active. Getting my heart pumping is good since I spend a lot of time in front of a computer. I also find it’s a stress reliever. It’s hard to get road rage on a bicycle.

Why do you think walking and biking are important to Columbia? Obviously, it’s better for the environment to have fewer cars on the road, but in places where parking is limited, like downtown, if owners and employees bike, walk, and use public transportation, it frees up parking for clients and customers. It’s good for business.

Name: Kathy Ritter

Occupation, place of employment: Principal, Rock Bridge High School

How do you normally get to work? I bike to work every chance I get. In fact, Rock Bridge has a cycling team called Bru-Cycle that will participate in the MS 150 for the fourth year. It’s a lot of fun!

Are there other places or times when you choose to walk, ride your bike, or take the bus instead of drive? I pretty much bike year-round, primarily recreationally and to run small errands. At Rock Bridge, we celebrate Bike, Walk and Wheel Week in a big way. Several of our teachers bike to work frequently. Spanish teacher, Donny Silver, lives north of I-70 bikes in to work daily, and administrators David Bones and Jennifer Mast also bike quite a bit to work. It’s nice to have a group of people at work who can support each other.

What benefits do you get (or hope to get) from your active commute? Stress relief, physical activity, and enjoying the Katy Trail and the beautiful outdoors. For me, the joy of being outdoors and clearing my head is tremendous.

Why do you think walking and biking are important to Columbia? Columbia is such a cool community that embraces activities that respect the environment, and biking fits perfectly with that kind of atmosphere. We’re really into biking here at Rock Bridge!

Name: Sam Botts

Occupation, place of employment: Mechanic, Ewer’s Tires

How do you normally get to work? I drive my car about 40 percent of the time and ride my bike about 60 percent of the time. I bike for exercise, so I have different routes to work. Some days I ride directly from my house to work, which only takes a few minutes. On other days I take a three-, six- or ten-mile route for the exercise and fun.

Are there other places or times when you choose to walk, ride your bike, or take the bus instead of drive? I live in the perfect spot for riding for groceries, entertainment, and to visit friends. In fact, I’ve often thought of becoming a one-car family.

What benefits do you get (or hope to get) from your active commute? Riding my bike puts me in a good mood. I like to go fast. In that way, I’m like a little kid. But actually, I’m not getting any younger. So for me, cycling is a great way to get exercise and stay healthy. My knees wouldn’t make it around the block running, but cycling is low impact, so it’s perfect. Also, I’m in a rock band, and the aerobic workout really helps with my singing.

Why do you think walking and biking are important to Columbia? I guess it’s a selfish thing, but the more people ride bikes, the more the city will do to make this a better place for bicycling. It’s already gotten a lot better. I really enjoy the bike lanes and parking meter racks downtown. I think more and more people are realizing how easy bicycling is, and how a little conservation is a good thing.