We’re excited to announce the winners of our Ride Along contest!
We launched the contest last month with Portland Design Works and a promise of up to $300 in new gear for the winners. Over 70 people submitted essays about why they wanted to share their daily bike ride with the community.
We heard from all types of people from throughout the region, including a 12-year old boy and a woman aged 62.
PDW’s Jocelyn Gaudi and I were simply amazed at the quality of the entries. Here’s how Jocelyn put it: “In going through all the applications, it was very apparent that the Portland cycling community is a remarkable crowd full of unsung heroes — you guys are our inspiration!”
I wholeheartedly concur. I wish we could have picked many more winners. But alas, here are the three folks I’ll be joining for their daily rides in the coming months: William Sanders, Ben Cogdill, and Kimberlee Chambers.
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We chose these three for two main reasons: We liked how they answered our question (“Why do you want to share your ride with the community?”), and we think their route will provide interesting fodder for the Ride Along post.
William is a firefighter who lives in Vancouver and rides all the way to downtown Lake Oswego — a 20-mile route that he follows with a 24-hour shift before riding home the next morning.
Ben lives and works downtown. He commutes daily on streets in the central city with his pre-school aged daughter. “Commuting by bike has expanded our relationship with Portland,” he shared in his contest entry, “and regularly fills me with varying levels hope and disgust.”
Kimberlee told us her 12-mile work commute — from inner southeast Division to Gresham — is a “daily adventure” that takes her by “many challenges and pleasures.”
Each winner will get their bike fully outfitted with Portland Design Works goods and will have the option to visit the company’s north Portland headquarters to have it all installed.
Then, over the next three months I’ll join each of them on their ride. As usual with our Ride Alongs, I’ll hear and see how they navigate the streets and experience the riding environment from their eyes, then share the whole experience right on here on BikePortland.
If you weren’t picked, don’t be surprised if you hear from us in the future. Thanks to everyone who entered and stay tuned to meet Ben, William and Kimberlee!