Congratulations to the Alameda and Contra Costa counties Bike Commuters of the Year! Jeffrey Buell of Berkeley and Laura Davis of Walnut Creek impressed us with their commitment to biking as a way to bring health and joy to their families and community. Bike East Bay spring interns Raihan Amir Rashidi and Nick Harvey introduce the winners below.
You’re a winner too! Join the fun by pledging to ride on Bike to Work Day, Thursday, May 10.
Jeffrey Buell, Alameda County Bike Commuter of the Year, Triples the Fun
By Raihan Amir Rashidi, Community Outreach Intern
Have you ever spotted a guy biking around Berkeley with two adorable kids on a dark green triple tandem bike? That would be our 2018 Alameda County Bike Commuter of the Year, Jeffrey Buell. Most days, Jeffrey Buell drops his two kids off at school on their three-seater tandem bicycle and then continues on to work as a mental health clinical supervisor with the City of Berkeley.
Jeff was introduced to bicycling by his father during middle school. He started bike commuting in 1989 and has relied almost exclusively on biking for the past 13 years. Jeff says that ever since his family chose the biking lifestyle, they have become much healthier and have led a more sustainable way of living. Jeff says he believes it is important to teach his kids about living healthily and playing an important role in saving the environment.
He says that while safety became a bigger issue when cycling with his children, that did not stop them from cycling together. Upon searching for a family-friendly bike, he discovered the Bike Friday triple tandem bicycle. Every year, his family participates in Bike to Work Day and in the Alameda County Wheels for Meals fundraising ride.
For beginner cyclists, Jeff suggests starting slow and to consider taking transit or driving part of the way. For instance, when Jeff worked in San Francisco, he took BART into the city and then cycled from the last station to his workplace.
“You will soon get the hang of it once you find the right amount of cycling for you,” Jeff says.
Laura Davis, Contra Costa County Bike Commuter of the Year, Inspires Her Patients Back to Health
By Nick Harvey, Business Outreach Intern
Laura Davis is a nurse practitioner in Walnut Creek who rides 10 miles round-trip to and from work at an orthopaedic clinic. Laura takes advantage of regional trails, including the Contra Costa Canal, and Iron Horse Trails, to ride comfortably across town.
Laura started bike commuting as an undergraduate at Stanford University. At first, Laura simply biked between classes and her dorm. Then, during a summer back home near Mount Diablo, she began cycling as cross-training for swimming. She found she was able to combine her passions for health, exercise, and the environment all within the way she got around town and fell in love with bicycling as a result.
Laura’s dedication to maintaining a healthy lifestyle continues at work. A strong advocate for preventing injuries before they occur, Laura’s passion for being healthy and active inspires her patients and others around her. In between administering ultrasound-guided injections and assisting in surgery, Laura educates her patients about how to exercise and maintain a healthy lifestyle. She has even been known to jump into the on-site gym with patients to motivate and exercise alongside them.
Laura’s advice for people interested in biking to work?
“Just do it! Exercise always makes you feel better. You’ll never regret it and you’re not polluting the environment we all live in.”
Read about the winners from past years: