Jake Quarstad
I’m currently a senior at Augsburg College majoring in political science with minors in psychology and religion. Serving the past two years in Augsburg Day Student Government as Sophomore Class President, and then until recently, Student Body Vice President, gave me the opportunity to be a vehicle for change in a very tangible manner. Environmental issues became more and more pressing for me as my education progressed. In student government we were able to convince the student body to increase their tuition so that we could become one of the largest wind energy buyers in the United States, force Excel Energy to purchase a new wind farm and have an entire college campus offset by a sustainable energy form. Last year three students and myself, dubbed the “Green Vehicle Initiative,” were able to guide our school’s Department of Public Safety into purchasing a hybrid vehicle as a fiscally and environmentally responsible first step.
These successes and many others drove me onto two wheels as I accelerated efforts in my personal life. The night before taking out a loan for a car I decided to ditch the idea of an automobile, sell my old one and buy a bike. Neither being t-boned by a car, nor has a Minnesota winter stopped me so far. I hope to conquer the Rockies and windy plains next. Cycling has engaged me in my community like nothing else I have ever experienced before. My awareness of local issues and hidden gems in my own backyard has increased greatly. Along with this, cycling is a heck of a lot cheaper (important when paying for your own education), which provides time for my other hobby, eating (ask me for restaurant recommendations).
My love for cycling the city has alerted me to the fact that there is much work to be done in my own hometown. Instead of taking the backseat, it is time for me to hop on the saddle and take some initiative in my own community. I have found that we have many allies out there who are willing to help if I will do some legwork. I think that cycling to Portland might just be good practice for that legwork.
Tommy Schlaefer
I have attended Augsburg for the past 5 years and have enjoyed every minute of it. I graduated with a major in Art history and a minor in Architecture this May of 2009. During my 5th and final year here at Augsburg I became more involved with the school and the Seward community. I participated in the SCBC alley cat in April, along with Nate, Jacob, and Michael, and helped the participants become more familiar with the Twin Cities.
My passion for cycling began about 6 years ago when I explored the Midtown Greenway trail. After the Greenway I began exploring all of the other trails that go through and around the Twin Cities. What I hope to accomplish from this trip to Portland is getting more people involved in cycling, and hopefully making more drivers aware of cyclists on the road. I also enjoy fixing bicycles for my friends. I have lived in Minneapolis for the past 21 years of my life.
Nate White
Attending Augsburg College as an Art Major with a Spanish Minor has led me to many opportunities that I am very grateful to have participated in and learn more from. This institution has allowed me to come into contact with many great possibilities for creative output. Most importantly SCBC, “Sandwich Cats Bicycle Club”, started mostly by Augsburg student Michael Wethington, has gotten me involved with starting alley cats as well as artistic activities like posters and spoke cards. Also, coinciding with this wonderful organization is the fact that it encourages me, as well as others, to ride their bikes as much as humanly possible. This club facilitates an awakening in the broader community Augsburg is always attempting to play a more active role in. Biking around the city, meeting new people and telling them what our organization is all about is a great way of interacting with the surrounding communities. Taking this theme to other areas, I also would like to encourage this diffusion by using the Augsburg’s Bike Share Program, which I have had the great opportunity to take charge of. As nicer weather prevails, endless opportunities arise for this organization to advance, such as group rides, river clean up days, and more alley cat races.
As far as cycling is concerned it has been apart of my life since early childhood whether I liked it or not. My father, Timothy White, has been an avid cyclist for as long as I can remember and he did his best to get me to hop on the bandwagon. This allowed me to take amazing trips like biking through the Bear Tooth Mountains in Montana as well as my first city riding experiences on the St. Paul and Minneapolis Annual Bike Classics. However, I took this experience in a new direction freshmen year of College. This is where cyclists are, unfortunately, placed into two separate groups: those who cycle recreationally and those who commute. Over the years my bike has become my life, I go nowhere without one of my bikes and my messenger bag. In fact, even my source of income flows through my bike, as I deliver for Jimmy Johns. I would like to bridge this gap between cyclists and form a strong community that is capable of swaying the popular opinions behind cyclists on the road. Minneapolis is a great place to ride, but there is still a great deal of animosity towards cyclists. I think proper legislation and education can rectify this problem and I hope this trip can achieve that feat in part by using what we accomplish on this trip.
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Michael Wethington
I am a recent graduate of Augsburg College, and majored in Psychology. I was born and raised in Minneapolis on a healthy diet of bicycles. As far back as I can remember, the activity has played a major role in my life. While my passion for the activity has been life-long, I do feel that several experiences have played especially key roles in my current position as a commuting cyclist, an advocate of public mass transit, and as a more active citizen.
Foremost, studying abroad during my junior year played a crucial role in helping me develop a keen understanding of effectively using mass transits systems. By May 2008, buses, rails, and subway lines had become my primary modes of transportation. The following July, I participated in Augsburg College’s Sustainable Cities of North America: Portland/Vancouver with Nancy Fischer and Lars Christiansen. Over the course of a month the class performed a tri-city cross-analysis to strengthen our understandings of effective urban planning and environmental sustainability. Using bicycles and mass transit, the class met with handfuls of individuals to learn more about the challenges and successes of three of North America’s most sustainable cities. I consider this experience to be the catalyst for my becoming a commuting cyclist, and an environmentally aware citizen.
Efforts with Augsburg’s chapter of MPIRG led to the development of several events and activities aimed engage students with cycling and alternative transportation. The development of a school-wide student race led to the co-founding of the organization known as Sandwhich Cats Bicycle Club, or SCBC for short. In addition to basing the event on a traditional french checkpoint race, it was designed to create a unique opportunity to gather both cyclists (recreational and commuting) and non-cyclists together, to explore and engage Minneapolis and its communities. Since the organizations’ creation, SCBC has served as a vehicle used to gather people together to promote and build a stronger cycling community. At the same time, it is the group’s aim to get individuals involved in a fun, healthy lifestyle that allows them to engage and explore their surroundings.
I believe that we live it is a very special time and place to be in Minneapolis as a cyclist. Not only are we are growing in numbers, but also more and more people are realizing the activity’s benefits. Minneapolis currently stands as a leader among cyclist friendly cities. As we continue to experience what appears to be another cycling renaissance, it should appear obvious that there is no better time than now for citizens to take serious initiative and push for legislative change. By acting now, we can secure Minneapolis’ future as a leader in effective public transportation, cycling friendliness, and sustainability, and livability.
