One of the joys of doing bike advocacy over the past fifteen years has been witnessing youth development.

We first met this young Seaside resident in 2013, outside the Monterey Public Library, when he was a bike-to-school student of Monterey High School (soon a MHS graduate).

In the first days of summer 2024, we met him again in city of Monterey, this time at the farmers market on Alvarado Street. His love for biking has only increased over those 11 years, and the joy it brings him was so evident in his smile and conversation.

Where does this Seaside resident ride now? He bikes to many Monterey County locations, including as a bike-to-work commuter getting to and from his job in Monterey, bike-to-shop in Marina commuter (see photo below), and biking on the Big Sur coast. He bikes out of county too, e.g., to Morgan Hill, San Jose, and San Francisco (also pictured below).

He bought his present ride, an endurance road bike, two years ago at Epicenter Cycling. He is also well equipped with lights and extras, e.g., a camera. And we dig his spoke reflectors—cool way to enhance visibility.

As we emphasize when working with teens, e.g., in this project and others, being visible and predictable are two of the best ways to help keep yourself safer on the road. See more tips on riding skills, safety, and bike laws.