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    Back on the Bike, Part 4: Some Parting Advice

    (Note: This is the fourth installment in the four part “Back on the Bike” series. The full set of articles can be found HERE.)

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    Penelope and I have been through a lot together. With her help I have seen parts of Columbus I never would have in a car.

    I have really grown to love the Alum Creek trail. I am able to pick it up just a few blocks away from my house, and it takes me through Westerville and into Easton Town Center. It’s a really beautiful ride, especially with the leaves turning. About two miles in there is a little lake that I sometimes stop at and just sit. Just remember if you end up riding to a shopping mall that you have limited space to take goodies back home.

    When traveling in more of the Downtown area, it is my non-professional yet very helpful opinion to avoid High Street when possible. Try taking a separate street such as Neil or Summit. Then just cut over on a side street if your destination is on High. Campus is usually insane. Throughout the day, it is not so much the cars you have to worry about but the pedestrians that seem unaware of your existence. I have almost taken out a couple in the last few months. I even considered getting a whistle, but then I realized with my luck I would probably swallow it or something.

    Chelsea Coleman

    Something I haven’t had to take into consideration since I was 12 and trying out my new roller blades: brick roads. I have had some close calls with loose bricks or completely missing bricks. If I am riding on brick roads, I make sure to pay extra close attention so that I do not wind up in a hole. This is the main reason I tend to avoid German Village.

    I very rarely have a plan on where I am going. I sort of just start pedaling, and when I get tired I turn around. A really good website that can help you plan a ride is ohiobikeways.net. It gives you an interactive map that you can click anywhere on it and it will tell you how to get there from where you are. I also like the apps that help track rides. A lot of the time I have no clue where I have been or how I got to where I am. This is where the app Strava comes in handy. I can mark a route that I either liked for the future or know to avoid next time.

    It has been a long journey, and I have learned a lot, but if anything I learned respect for others on two wheels. If I am in a car, I am more aware of them and give them all the space they need.

    So next time you’re running late to work or in a rush, make sure to watch out for fellow commuters on the road. We are all just trying to get to our destination in one piece.

    Photos by Blythe Malone.

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    Chelsea Coleman
    Chelsea Colemanhttps://twitter.com/ccoleman09
    Chelsea Coleman is currently a senior at Otterbein University studying journalism and public relations. Her ideal day includes a good cup of coffee and venturing out into Columbus in search of hidden treasures. Adventure is her middle name. Follow Chelsea on twitter @ccoleman09.
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