Utahns use variety of methods to get around

For the past 12 years Sundra Allen has visited her friends and family, bought her groceries and gone to work using only the strength of her legs to pedal her bike.

Some of her reasons for leaving her car parked are selfish and yet others are selfless.

It wasn't fuel prices that encouraged Allen to convert to the pedal, it was her health, the mother of four and grandmother for 11 said. Riding a bike and doing yoga keep her muscles in good working order and the exercise keeps her spirits high.

The other benefit she gleans from her commute is a reduction in her carbon footprint's impact on the city, as she rides guilt-free on the days inversion coats the city.

"I loved to drive when I drove — I thought it was wonderful," Allen said. "I just don't want to do that anymore ... I'd like to be accountable for my presence and my carbon input."

On average Allen commutes 15 miles between work and home, yet she didn't ride such considerable distances her first day as a cyclist. Instead, Allen began slowly, walking between destinations and continually stretching to develop her flexibility and range of motion.

In the beginning, the commute to work and trips around town were difficult, but she got better after reminding herself every day that improvement comes from practice, practice, and more practice. Eventually cycling wasn't a chore, but a daily release for Allen.

She is also setting an example for family, and even recently inspired two of her children and their spouses to purchase bikes for use around town. She is also excited to see that many more people outside of her family are starting to use bikes as their main mode of transportation.

"I think (biking) does build a sense of community just because you don't have an armor car around you," Allen said. "It's rather unconscious, but you notice it when you see other bikers across the way."

E-mail: cnorlen@desnews.com