Katelin Bike Commutes
In 2024 I started bike commuting to work. It was fairly short by bike commute standards-4ish miles and around 18 minutes if I took the most efficient route. Bike commuting in the U.S. is fairly lonely, even in Minneapolis which apparently has one of the highest bike commuting rates in the country (4%, lol). Despite this, I loved my bike rides- in the mornings it allowed me to go into work having already enjoyed both exercise and being outside and in the evenings it’s a perfect transition from work brain to home brain.
In Copenhagen the bike commute rate is around 60%-and watching it feels a bit like watching a well orchestrated dance. We went to Prolog coffee to grab a cappuccino and a Juno Bakery cardamom bun (without the line), which is right near the Inderhavnsbroen bridge. Only bikers and peds are allowed on the bridge and since it crosses into the city center of Copenhagen it’s quite busy during the morning commute. As we sat, we watched all the different kinds of bikers and bikes go by-my personal favorites are the ones with the little carts in the front- which we saw used for kids, pets, groceries, and even other adults. Watching the stream of bikers go by made me think about the impact of biking. To me, it makes me feel more of an active part of my community instead of passive. Seeing someone pass you or being stopped next to someone at a stoplight on a bike feels so different compared to when driving and you both have a big piece of metal between you. It leaves me with a feeling of this is my community and I care deeply for it.
It can be easy when traveling to say wow, I’d love to live somewhere where 60% of people do this thing I love vs. 4%. Nick and I decided that maybe the better idea is to try to bring some of these little delights back with us to share.
