I’m lucky enough to get out on the coastal trail often for a good bike ride, especially in the summer.But lately I have noticed a large number of e-bikes sharing the experience. Hey, nothing wrong with that — well, except that they are so darn fast. Too fast, I think.
Case in point: The other day, while riding up a long incline, I was passed by a group of tourists (I’ll admit I didn’t know for sure, but I thought they were tourists, as they all had those florescent green helmets on — dead giveaway). Plus they were all way overdressed in our 65-degree weather. Anyway, as I’m climbing up the hill, they all passed me like I was standing still! All smiling smugly as well as they looked over.
Later, I saw the same group coming around a curve, having the time of their lives but clearly out of control. One of them could not handle the curve and went straight into the grass, almost causing what could have been a serious injury. They all stopped, so I stopped as well. Still giddy and laughing, they were, so we struck up a conversation. Their group, all from Illinois, (I was right) and were loving Anchorage — and even had seen a moose a few minutes earlier!
One of them proudly showed me his rental e-bike and informed me of its attributes. “Yeah, we can pretty much ride 25 mph for hours,” he said. Hmm, I thought. How often were they out of control — just like now? He showed me everything on the bike; I was waiting to see the little button that said “warp drive.”
I wished them well as we parted ways, but I was left with the feeling: What’s next for Americans? What can we do to go faster and avoid exercise? Maybe we can get some state funding and install moving — think airport — sidewalks along our trails. Hey, now there’s a thought.
— Pete Eberhardt
Anchorage
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