Two Wheels, One Neighborhood
Bicycling is one of those activities, unlike many others, that offers you two things. Transportation and therapy. Going from point A to point B with little to zero distractions, like “What is the one song I want to hear on my brief car ride? Or, who can I call to catch up with to make the best use of this time?”
Whenever you’re in a car, it’s so easy to find yourself faced with the challenge of being 100% present. No, this is not an essay to tell you that a majority of people (including myself) are distracted while driving. Rather, it’s a reflection on a phenomenon that’s happening while bicycling.
Presence.
You think more about the direction you’re headed. You smell fresh bagels before you stroll into your local bakery. You even wave to someone riding or running by you.
New Haven, specifically the East Rock neighborhood, is a community that channels this energy.
None of this happened accidentally. All of it was built over time by design. In 2014, New Haven was recognized by the League of American Bicyclists as a Bronze Level Bicycle-Friendly Community. In 2018, it was elevated to a Silver Level thanks to the expansion of bike-friendly businesses and institutions across all of New Haven.
This infrastructure trend is signaling a quiet argument. Slowness has value. A 15-minute bike ride to work can be better than a 15-minute car ride where you’re overstimulated and wound up.
This same trend and feeling shows up at House Rules Café. A board game takes longer than a scroll. A ride on your bicycle takes longer than driving. The common denominator? Being present in the moments in between.
In a place like New Haven, especially East Rock, that’s priceless.
“This infrastructure trend is signaling a quiet argument. Slowness has value.”
