Blaine Jensen

A year ago (last May) Douglas College was challenged by other local colleges to participate in Bike to Work Week. President Susan Witter sent notice to all college employees to join in the challenge. I have never been much of a cyclist. I grew up on a ranch in Alberta and my favorite mode of transportation was my horse. Although I had a bike, cycling was not very practical. I took President Witter’s encouragement to heart and thought I should support it and as a senior administrator set an example. 

I live with my family in Maple Ridge and thought that for the Bike to Work Week I would see if I could make it to our Coquitlam Campus at least once or twice during the week: it is 20 KM one way. With a lot of trepidation I made the attempt. When I did it one day, and enjoyed it I went again that week. I liked it!  As a result I decide to try to keep it up. After a few times of "rubber-legs" my fitness improved. I got some advice from other cyclists and within a month I was hooked. I now cycle to both campuses at least 3 times a week putting on about 150 km per week. By Christmas time last fall I decided to upgrade to a road bike and shaved significant time off my commute. In May of this year I convinced my wife to buy a good bike and we both took the VACC cycling course. She now is working at using it more often. My next project is working on my teenage children!

As the Vice President, Educational Services for Douglas College I have now become the college champion for promoting and improving support cycling for the College employees. There are times when I cannot cycle but I have reduced use of my car by almost 60%. Commuting home is often faster on my bike than through the long traffic lines on the Mary Hill bypass and through the construction of the new Pitt River Bridge.

My initiation into commuting by bicycle has not been without incident. Shortly after getting my new bike I collided with an overhanging tree on a cycling lane in Pitt Meadows that threw me onto the middle of the road just missing the passing cars. It was at night and the tree was at the wrong height so my headlight did not pick it up until it was too late. Aside from bodily injury my bike incurred about $250 of damage and the folks at Pitt Meadows wouldn't do anything for me. I photographed the tree and it was obviously overhanging for some time (as the tip of the tree had been hit and all the needles stripped off the end) but the municipality of Pitt Meadows wouldn't take any responsibility. That laid me up for at least 6 weeks for repairs and recovery. That has not deterred me and I am back full force at it now.

My life, my use of my car and my fitness have all changed dramatically because of Bike to Work. Thank you and thank you to President Susan Witter for issuing the challenge.

Blaine Jensen, Maple Ridge