Les Nylen bicycles the 10 km to work for a few simple reasons. He calls them the three Es.
“Environment, economics and exercise,” he said.
It started about 12 years ago when he was training for triathlons and viewed biking to work as a training tool.
“Biking to work made sense,” he said.
“At first it wasn’t year round, it evolved to that.”
Although triathlons aren’t his focus any more, Nylen said he and his wife now tour on their bikes.
“We’ve done a few vacations on our bikes,” he said.
“Last summer it was Vancouver Island.
“A friend and I did an 1,100-km trip from Bella Coola, Vancouver Island and back up the Sea to Sky Highway.”
However, biking has it’s challenges and Nylen said he needs to remind himself of why he does it when its 5 a.m. on a cold and dark morning ride to work.
“It would be nice to be in the daylight more,” he said.
“I only have about three months of the year of going to work and coming home in daylight.
“And there’s no lights on the route.”
Nylen said he rides an ordinary mountain bike which he doesn’t even bother to add studded tires for his winter commute.
“I didn’t find they made a difference,” he said.
He’s pleased to see that some of his coworkers also choose to bike to work.
Nylen is one of several local people nominated in the Commuter Challenge 2011.
The challenge is to nominate someone you know who rides their bike, walks, runs or in any way gets to work, school or around town under their own steam regardless of the weather.
The challenge is sponsored by Baker Creek Enhancement Society and the Quesnel Climate Action Group who will vote on who the best commuters are on Clean Air Day, June 8 and prizes will be awarded.
