Track will spread the love of biking | LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Published 1:34 pm Thursday, March 31, 2016

To the editor:

I first learned how to ride a bike at Eagledale Park.

I rode my first Chilly Hilly at the age of 10. I rode my first mountain bike trail at Strawberry Hill Park. I bought my first race bike from Classic Cycles. I got my first road rash on Wyatt Way and I knew I would become a professional cyclist when I made it up Toe Jam Hill in the big ring.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but each of these experiences would shape the person I have become. Cycling has defined the past decade of my life. And if there is one thing I am sure of it is this: My rise to the highest ranks of professional cycling was only possible for me because I am from Bainbridge Island.

On Bainbridge I was surrounded by a community that recognized my abilities and helped foster and encourage my passion. It’s not easy being a professional cyclist from outside continental Europe. In America it’s not an incredibly popular sport with high paying salaries and a spot on prime time TV. But that didn’t curb my enthusiasm and the island community from rallying behind me. That is why I am proud to still call the island home.

When I was a kid at Woodward I would have been jumping up and down in line to move the first shovelful of dirt had something like this been purposed. I am sure that many other island kids and adults (yes, pump tracks are for more than just kids!) feel the same way and I would love to see this type of venue made available to them. Mountain biking is a fun and challenging aerobic sport kids love. It is a way for them to reconnect with the outdoors and their own independence.

In an age of screen addiction, encouraging youth to step outdoors has become increasingly difficult. It is imperative that as a community we provide an alternative for them, a place where they can be free to be kids. Because I know how large a role the community played in my success as an athlete, I want to continue to see youngsters with a passion for cycling experience the same support I felt.

For a child, cycling provides a sense of freedom that is unparalleled. Ask anyone about the first time they pedaled cautiously out of their neighborhood, beyond the familiar yards and prying eyes of “mom.” After the initial butterflies in the chest and nervousness of getting in trouble comes an overwhelming rush. Under your own power, wind blasting your hair, you are free to determine which turns you will take and how fast you will go.

KIEL REIJNEN

Bainbridge Island