Collin Roughton
Collin rediscovered the joys of non-motorized transport about 5 years ago, and since then it's gotten a little out of hand.
Santa delivered my first proper bicycle on Christmas morning, circa 1991. Pretty sure it was red. It was a vehicle used primarily for Slurpee runs and (unintentional) sea turtle habitat disruption, as the closet thing to a mountain where I lived in Florida were the sand dunes on the beach. Bicycles continued to be pretty awesome until I hit high-school-age, when the dominant car culture duped me into believing, for several years, that cars were way awesomer.
Then in 2004 a friend helped me build my first road bike. We found a 1970's Schwinn frame in the trash, combed through the used parts bin at the student-run bike shoppe on my college campus, and eventually assembled a fully-functional single speed. Turned out I had completely forgotten how fun it was to ride a bike; I rode 15 magical miles to the beach the night we finished it.
I started volunteering at the bike shoppe the following semester, hoping to spread the joys of bicycles to my classmates and wider community. By 2005 I decided I was finished supporting the oil industry, and was increasingly pissed off about the negative effects of pervasive automobile use on human health, natural systems, and our built environment. I sold my car and started cycling for transportation.
My love of bicycles and critical attitude toward conventional transportation planning and policy, among other things, brought me to Portland in 2007. I was fortunate to land an Americorps-funded internship with the Coalition for a Livable future shortly after I arrived, and had the chance to work on sustainable transportation policy through the summer of 2008. Currently I teach bicycle safety and mechanics to kids from low-income families through the Community Cycling Center's Bike Club program (with Ashley!), and am working on an urban/regional planning degree with an alternative transportation focus.
I have very limited long-distance cycling experience. One time I rode to the coast on a fixed gear. That was stupid. For me, this trip is about the challenge and the fun of doing it. If we can raise some money for some non-profits at the same time, that's fantastic. The organizations we've chosen are doing really good things in our community.
Ashley Mitchell
I love bikes because they've helped change my life positively, and will continue to do so indefinitely. I have epilepsy, and becoming a cyclist is a huge part of what keeps me healthly, happy, and most importantly, has helped me find acceptance with my condition.
In 2006 my best friend became a bike commuter. I was strongly encouraged to give it a go. I bought a used RB-2 from the Community Cycling Center. I started riding that day, and the next. I rode every day, a month later my best friend and I rode the Summit to Surf, from Goverment Camp to Hood River. I tacoed my wheel on that ride. She busted three spokes.
I starting riding longer and longer distances, beginning with my friend Angela and a women's riding group she started called Too Hot to Handlebars. I rode my first century to Salem and back, and to the coast shortly after. Later that Summer I rode to Seattle along the coast with my best friend.
In Fall 2007 I started volunteering with the CCC bike club for kids, and became an instructor shortly after, and continue to be so today. (With Collin!)
In 2008 I worked with Rachel Siegel on a project called Cycle Seen, a community art show for local Portland cyclists which took place during June. We sought to bring the cycling and art communities together by providing spaces for bike art around Portland.
Since then I've started teaching cycling awareness and education to my peers through workshops with SIren Nation, Portland International Women's Day, a fundraising auction for the Portland Women's Crisis Line, and the Community Cycling Center's adult education classes.
In Fall 2009 applied and was accepted as an Bike Mechanic Apprentice at Citybikes Cooperative.
I never expected for cycling to change my life. But it has, and everytime I ride I feel more free and alive. It's helped to heal, and challenge who I am, and want to become.
I love cycling, and I love being a part of my community. We've picked two organizations which we support for their dedication, and hard work advocating for important social change and empowerment in the Portland Community.
