Greetings from Pedestrian and Cycle Manitou (PaCMan)! As you may know, PaCMan advocates for safe, convenient, and accessible mobility experiences for residents and visitors in Manitou Springs. This includes sharing perspectives from people who live, work, or visit Manitou Springs using multimobility to get around. Please meet Manitou E-Bike voucher recipient and stalwart sustainability advocate, Ruth Markwardt. Ruth shares how she utilizes her E-Bike as transportation to and from work, and for other errands. We hope that you will take a moment to read her story and encourage others to replace car trips with an active transportation or other multimobility option.
How long have you lived in Manitou Springs and why did you chose to live here?
I have lived in Manitou since 2018. After living in the area since 2010 and working on different urban and rural farms I moved to Manitou to come be a part of the amazing community at Flying Pig Farm!
Why did you apply for an E-Bike voucher and how has it benefited/changed your life and transportation experiences?
I applied for an E-Bike voucher to help get a bike I can realistically commute on. I work Southeast of downtown Colorado Springs so on a non-electrified bike it is hard to motivate for the 45-60min uphill bike home after a long work day. Now with my E-Bike, my commute only takes 30 minutes and I get some movement in without breaking too much of a sweat in either direction. It’s a lot more pleasant than being stuck in traffic and I save on gas. I also have a backup mode of transportation for when our ancient (360,000 miles) car is out of commission or being used by my partner.
How do you utilize your E-Bike: work/volunteer job, attending classes/school, Socializing, Get Home, Run Errands/shop, Pickup Someone Else/children, Trips Elsewhere such as pleasure/exercise?
I use them for all of the above–except my bike is not a cargo bike so I don’t pick up others with it.
During an average week, how many round-trip E-Bike rides do you estimate that you take using your new e-bike?
6 roundtrip rides per week
On average, how many miles do you estimate each of your E-Bike rides are?
12 miles roundtrip on average
Do you own or have regular access to an automobile or other private vehicle?
Yes, but it is shared with my partner and is not always reliable as its quite old/high mileage!
During an average week, how many of your E-Bike rides do you estimate have replaced private vehicle trips (including Lyft, Uber, taxi)?
6 rides / week (roundtrip)
Would you have made this purchase without Manitou Springs E-Bike rebate? No
Before purchasing an E-Bike, how did you get around and how often did you use those modes of transportation?
Primarily private vehicle and bussing, with some walking and occasional Uber/Lyft.
What are the pros/cons of walking/rolling/bicycling/taking transit or shuttles in Manitou?
Some Pros are that it is fun. You can be on trails instead of roads, save money, and prevent gas emissions. Some cons are that you have to be very careful on major roadways and go slow as Colorado Springs/Manitou drivers can be careless. The Midland Trail is a wonderful resource that gets me most of the way to work most days!
What infrastructure and/or esthetic improvement would have the most positive impact on your walking/rolling/bicycling/taking transit or shuttles in Manitou?
More bike lanes! More pedestrian emphasis.
What do you think would increase more people using bicycles/walking/taking transit or shuttles in Manitou?
Not sure!
What advice would you give someone who would like to give active transportation in Manitou a try but does not have much time nor the resources?
I often find that when I feel “too busy” to ride my bike somewhere its exactly the time I mentally need to slow down to give myself the time to get some exercise, be outside, and take an extra 5-10 minutes to get to my destination. Active transportation also can help eliminate the need to go to the gym and can add years to your life, it’s worth it in the long run!