Each month an Avon Super Commuter is recognized for his or her commitment to bicycle commuting

Each month an Avon Ski Market Super Commuter is recognized for
his or her commitment to bicycle commuting.

Nominate a Super Bike Commuter!
We are looking for people who show a real commitment to bike commuting--evidenced by the frequency of their commute, the length of their commute, their commitment regardless of the weather, or their ability to convince others to give it a try. You can send nominations for super commuter to sfry@crcog.org. Include information regarding length of commute, frequency, and any other information that you think is pertinent. Each month's winner (May to October) will receive the respect and admiration of those who visit this website--plus a bike jersey from Avon Ski Market.

Here is our gallery of Super Commuters! Read on and be inspired:

MAY 2004: The Avon Ski Market Super Bike Commuter for May 2004 is Eli Friedman, an employee of Ambulance Service of Manchester. Eli bikes from his home in Ellington to either of his work locations in Manchester (10 miles, one way) or East Hartford (13 miles, one way). He bikes at least once a month, but most often four times a week or more. He is a four-season bike commuter and even bikes in the deep snow. In fact, he says winter biking is not as hard as people might think, and he actually finds it fun (he advises that you check out www.icebike.org for helpful hints on winter biking). For several months he even commuted to his paramedic classes at Hartford Hospital (16 miles, one way), along with his work commuting. Eli’s advice to would-be bike commuters: “Get on your bike and ride, that’s what it takes. Just decide to get out your bike instead of hopping into your car.” Eli will be awarded a bike jersey, provided by Avon Ski Market at the downtown Bike to Work event in May.
JUNE 2004: This month's Avon Ski Market Super Bike Commuter is John Cavilia who lives in Glastonbury and rides his bike to his job at St. Paul Travelers in downtown Hartford four to five times a week from March through December. He doesn’t consider bike commuting to be anything extraordinary. “It’s just a way to get to work that gives me physical and psychic benefits, rather than imposing costs on me and society for gas, parking, air pollution and that craziness that driving in traffic brings out in everyone. The ride home is the perfect way to unwind, no matter the weather.” With a 6 mile, relatively flat ride to work, John uses a fixed-gear bike, which has no gears and no freewheel. He generally only gives up his bike commute when there is severe weather (thunderstorms will stop him, but not rain) or he needs his car for meetings in other locations. Fellow employees find that John is always ready with riding and mechanical tips that have helped many novice bike commuters get rolling. John will be awarded a bike jersey, courtesy of Avon Ski Market, at 8:00 AM at the Bike to Work event.
JULY 2004: Robyn Guimont has been selected as the July Avon Ski Market Super Bike Commuter. A resident of Glastonbury, Robyn bikes the 15 miles to her job in Hartford 2 to 3 times per week from April through October. Frequently she bikes and rides on the way back home, getting a lift at the halfway point due to family time constraints. Robyn is an “advertisement” for our bike to work program. She didn’t give a thought to biking to work until she saw our Bike to Work sign in Bushnell Park in year 2 of the program. She decided to give it a try, starting off with the park and ride format and riding a “garage sale bike”. Now she is a real convert: she likes the feeling she gets at work when she realizes that she made it there all on her own. And she says that her co-workers seem to get a vicarious thrill from her endeavor. In fact, Robyn has convinced several others to give it a try. Robyn suggests that others hop on their bikes and ride to work, “Once you try it, you will find all kinds of reasons to continue, you will feel healthier and you will enjoy your commute, noticing the scenery in a whole different way. And as a garage sale bike rider, I can tell you, money should not be a factor in deciding to bike to work – as long as your bike is safe, you can ride.”
AUGUST 2004; Steve Karp was recognized as the August 2004 Avon Ski Market Super Bike Commuter. Steve lives in Unionville and has been commuting via bike since 2000 to his workplace at an engineering firm in West Hartford Center, about 11 miles one way. He rides everyday, unless it is pouring rain or the roads are covered with snow or slush. And commuting to one job is not enough for Steve, he also uses his bike to get to his two part-time jobs. Steve keeps things simple: riding a fixed gear track bike, he doesn’t need special shoes or clothing, he just hops on the bike and goes. Steve has inspired many others to try bike commuting. According to him, “Riding to and from work gives me a chance to be alive and experience the world directly, rather than be cooped-up in a metal box that delivers me to a bigger concrete box! I can breathe fresh air and feel the weather on my skin; and I can get my legs to spin and get my blood flowing. Bike commuting is part of my own little guerilla campaign to strike back at the greedy oil companies. Gas prices rise and fall, but leg power is always free!”
SEPTEMBER 2004: Don Goff, a resident of Glastonbury, has been selected as the Avon Ski Market Super Bike Commuter for the month of September. Don, affectionately called “the red blur” by biking buddies, commutes 20 miles from his home to his job as a video producer at byDESIGN, Inc. in Meriden. Don came to bike commuting by a circuitous route: four years ago he dusted off his old road bike in an effort to get in better shape for mountain bike riding. Then he stumbled upon a very nice, two year old road bike for sale. The bike was such fun to ride that he was hooked. Now his road bike has over 11,000 miles on it and the mountain bike collects dust! Don bikes to work 3 times a week and lets the weather guide his commute choice. When the Glastonbury/Rocky Hill ferry is operating, he uses that, otherwise he crosses the river at Middletown. Last year, the only month he didn’t bike to work at all was January. A big part of his motivation for riding to work is the heath benefit. His father died at 61 of a heart attack and Don himself has a problem with high cholesterol, but with medication and bike riding he has had very positive results. He says, “I am 48 years old and feel I am in better shape than most people 20 years younger.” Since he began biking to work, Don has found many reasons besides health to keep it up: the beauty of the morning and evening light over the CT River valley, being able to say hello to people he passes, and truly experiencing the day. It has even added to his productivity: “I find that the physical rhythm of pedaling can help clear my head of work or family problems. And sometimes I’ve come up with creative solutions to projects I’m working on.”
OCTOBER 2004: Rich Allen is the Avon Ski Market Super Bike Commuter for the month of October. Rich travels from his home in Glastonbury to his job at the UConn Health Center in Farmington. He heads for work each morning at 6 am, too early to catch the Rocky Hill/Glastonbury ferry on the way to work, but in the afternoons, he takes the ferry home. Usually his morning trip is about 19 miles and the afternoon trip is about 22, though on a nice day, when his schedule allows it, he makes a detour on the way home to get in a 40-mile ride. He bikes to work 3 days a week for 8 or 9 months of the year, stopping only when the temperature dips below 30 degrees. And not only is Rich’s commuting inspiring, he is also a great resource to other bikers, always very generous in helping people out with bike repairs. Rich is a long time bicyclist, he was a racer in the ‘80’s, and he has made numerous long distance tours, including riding the continental divide from Jasper, Canada to The Grand Canyon, Arizona. A few years ago, he discovered that bike commuting is a great way to keep in shape when you have a busy schedule. “My bike commuting just adds 30 to 45 minutes to my commute each way. For that extra time investment, I keep in shape and my ride relieves the stresses of work. Just last week I saw a bald eagle while riding on the ferry. It really is a great way to travel.”

Please cite the CCBA & link to CCBA website if you borrow content from this website. For problems or questions regarding this web contact webmaster@wecyclect.org Last updated: January 25, 2008.

Please cite the CCBA & link to CCBA website if you borrow content from this website.
For problems or questions regarding this web contact webmaster@wecyclect.org
Last updated: January 25, 2008.