Now that summer is behind us, it’s time to talk about all the wonderful reasons to ride this fall.
Weather – While we didn’t have too many triple-digit days this summer (gratefully), fall weather brings in some cooler temps allowing you to find a comfortable riding zone as you oscillate between t-shirts, sweatshirts and light jackets as needed. You can breathe in the crisp morning autumn air as you ride to work or school, and feel the warm sun kiss your skin on the way home. Just make sure you have a good basket, backpack or pannier to drop that jacket into, to make the transition.
October – October is synonymous with fall. Here in the Rogue Valley, you can watch the transition of colors from all shades of green into yellows, oranges and reds, as you effortlessly glide down the Greenway, on your e-bike. October is also the kick off of the holiday light shows, with Halloween ushering in the end of year holiday season. October also brings back many of our favorite seasonal flavors such as pumpkin and caramel apple. Bicycles are a great way to get front row parking when you stop into one of our many wonderful coffee shops for a pumpkin spice latte.
Access – Did you know some places start to shut down traffic as tourist season winds down? One great ride to check out this fall is the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway. This is located just south of Crescent City, CA. Every year starting in October, they shut down this 10-mile stretch of road, every Saturday, to all vehicle traffic. You can take a solo trip one week, to be at one with the road and the serenity of the forests and take friends and family for another trip, and enjoy the rare freedom to ride side by side. Either way, feel safe not having to worry about buzzing traffic as you enjoy beautiful old growth redwoods. The nice thing is they shut this stretch down to vehicle traffic all the way through until April.
Mood – If you don’t already enjoy biking, this is a good time to start a new habit to ward off the winter blues. Biking helps increase the chemicals in your brain that make you feel happy. Not to mention all of the benefits of exercise, like lowering blood pressure and reducing stress hormones such as cortisol.
If you don’t own a bike, you can take advantage of the great fall sales. Plus don’t forget that if you pay Ashland city utilities, each house qualifies for one rebate of $300 for a regular e-bike or $600 off on a cargo e-bike.
