Monthly Archives: November 2020

#bikewalkprovostories Don and Janelle Jarvis “My wife and I have walked 45 minutes together every morning for the last 40 years. It’s not only essential for our health, but has given us time to talk with each other and with neighbors we meet on the way. We have discussed many issues concerning our family, environment, politics, religion, health, and feelings. It’s useful, cheap, convenient, close, and requires no special equipment besides walking shoes. Research shows it’s great treatment for depression, memory, brain, cardio, hypertension, bone strength, back issues and sense of well-being. We are grateful for Provo’s safe sidewalks and would like missing ones completed in a few older parts of our fair city.”

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#bikewalkprovostories Kelly Roundy “I am 63 years old. I have been an avid biker my entire life. I do for exercise and enjoyment. When I hit 10,000 miles I got my Welch Biking Jersey. I have alway gone at least 10 miles each biking trip. However the average is closer to 14 miles. I have varies routes that I take. They each include some up hill and most exciting some down hill. I have decreased the number of rides I do because my wife likes to walk and I have substituted walking for some rides. However, l still love to ride and do it as often as I can. I particularly have enjoyed biking lanes as they have become available. Things that would make it better would be more bike lanes and more alert and courteous drives.”

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#BikeWalkProvoStories Parker and Hannah Leavitt-Howell Parker had lived car-free until he married Hannah. She made him buy a car and he made her buy a bike. Hannah rode her new bike to the law school for the first time a couple of years ago and it’s now been more than a year since she last drove to school. Once you start biking it’s hard to go back to driving.

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#bikewalkprovostories Stan Morris “Convincing 100% of eligible drivers to use alt-trans 10% of the time may not be possible; but it may be possible to convince just 10% of the same drivers to give up there cars and use alt-trans 100% of the time. This 10% of new alt-trans users may be just enough to make the difference to reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality, and bring attention to others the possibility of doing the same thing. Fourteen years ago, after driving most of my life and not ever once riding a city bus, I made this transition to 100% alternatives to see if I could make a difference. As such, I’ve left others that really do need their vehicle to travel with one less large auto crowding the roads and the air just a tiny bit fresher for everyone. This photo was taken by David Cole while riding from the Duck Pond to Rock Canyon.”

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Bike to School Week 2020 was a success! In order to minimize on-site interaction, we asked participants to submit photos of them riding for a chance to win a prize. In all, we had 85 applicants! Entries came from @westridgeprovo, @wasatchschool, @timpanogos_elementary, @sunsetviewdragons, @rockcanyonelementary, and @provost_elementary, which had the most entries at 35 students. Thanks to Gary’s Bikes, @hangar15bicycles, @maddogcycles, @byuoutdoorsunlimited, @provobicyclecollective, and @taylorsbikeshopprovo for sponsoring the event!

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Bike to School Week 2020 a Success

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As with most things, COVID-19 made us reorganize Provo’s Bike to School Week in 2020. At the time when the event usually gets organized, it was still unclear whether or not students would be attending school in person. Once the school schedule looked somewhat stable, plans to hold a modified event solidified.


Bike to School Week was pushed back to the week of October 5, which coincided with National Walk to School Day on October 7. In order to minimize on-site interactions, participants were asked to share a picture of themselves, walking, rolling, or biking to school via BikeWalk Provo’s Instagram page or via email. Anyone who participated became eligible to win a prize from one of the event’s sponsors.


In all, 85 students submitted a photo! Entries came from Westridge, Wasatch, Timpanogos, Sunset View, Rock Canyon, and Provost, which had the most entries with 35 students participating. Clearly, there were many more students at more schools who walked, rolled, or bike to school during the week and it will be a goal to increase awareness of how to participate in 2021.


Every year Bike to School Week is generously sponsored by several local bike shops. This year Gary’s Bikes, Hangar 15 Bicycles, Mad Dog Cycles, Outdoors Unlimited, Provo Bicycle Collective, and Taylor’s Bike Shop all chipped in to provide a variety of prizes for students. Thanks to all of them for supporting Provo’s students in walking, rolling, and biking to school!
As a reminder, students traveling to school by foot, bike, or other active form of transportation are arriving more alert and ready to learn, are getting important physical activity incorporated into their daily routines, and are not contributing to congestion and pollution near schools that disproportionately harm children. Stay safe everyone!

#BikeWalkProvoStories @carfreewithkids, @efarnes “In late 2018 our car started to become a heavy financial burden. We had just paid off student loans and didn’t want to go into debt to buy a car. My husband and 2 kids (at the time) only needed our car 5-10% of the time, the majority of what we needed was within a mile of where we lived. Having lived in England without a car, visiting Denmark a couple of times, and with UVX in construction we thought we could go without a car, and bought an inexpensive cargo bike instead. Since then we’ve upgraded to a different cargo bike and added more bikes and a scooter as well as another child. Biking really has become a tool to a lot of things I’m trying to change. It helps us put more of our money where we want it, it helps with the planet, it helps with our health, and as a woman riding with kids, it helps with the perception of who can ride and how. I’d love to see more protected bike lanes so my kids can commute by bike safer as they get older. I’d also like to see education for all who are biking so we can be a bigger force for change of infrastructure as well as perception.”

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#BikeWalkProvo Stories Rick West – @rickwestbyu “I always thought that cars were a necessity because, how else can you get around? After living in the Netherlands for a few months, I realized that doesn’t have to be true, and that biking, walking, or transit can be a better way to get around. Once we came home to Utah, we have tried to incorporate these alternative transit modes into our daily lives. What we have learned is that non-car transit provides many wonderful benefits to our family. First, greater freedom for our teenagers, who can travel to work or school without our car. Second, better health for all of us. Third, and perhaps most surprising, a much better feeling of connection to our community. When we are out biking, we see people we don’t normally get to see, and we notice interesting and beautiful things we had been missing. We thought we would bike to save money, but now we bike because it makes us feel more happy and alive!”

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