Congratulations to the 2021 SRPGO Bike Photo Contest Winners!
We received many great contest submissions from cyclists working at companies across Stanford Research Park. Thank you to everyone who submitted an entry!
Here are the 10 winners who captivated us with their unique photos and bike stories - sharing what they like about biking and what keeps them motivated to ride. Congratulations and thank you for sharing your stories and photos of biking joy! Read their stories here...and see if you can guess who's who:
Nick F. at VMware
Biking to work has been awesome, as I get some exercise and fresh air without any worries of traffic! It has gotten even better this year, having fun taking my son Owen to daycare in the Burley trailer. We really enjoy spending this time together on our biking adventures.
Marzena S. at Stanford University in SRP
Biking is not only a way of transportation for me, it's a part of my lifestyle. I not only use my bike to commute to work (I am lucky living in close proximity to the campus), but also bike to stay fit and happy. Biking is so much fun, and it's a great way to spend time in nature with family and friends!
Brian G. at Rubrik
Two Guys and Some Baby Cows: My latest photo at Vargas Park in Fremont with my friend, Ted. Two advantages of riding bikes during COVID: to get out and exercise and to meet up with friends that you haven’t seen in a while.
Clara C. at VMware
Biking has always been an activity that my husband and I have enjoyed doing together, whether it’s running errands on weekends or planning and taking summer bike trips in France, Italy, and Portugal (but always on separate bikes). In May, a friend was giving away a tandem that fit us! Learning to trust and respect each other when pedaling in-sync has worked well to counterbalance the feeling of being trapped together in the same house during the pandemic.
Mohamed S. at Stanford University School of Medicine
Biking has been overwhelmingly positive for me over the last 18 months, as it gave me a means to immerse myself in the natural splendor of the Santa Cruz mountains while also keeping fit during lockdown and COVID restrictions. I’m fortunate to live a stone’s throw from Long Ridge Open Space Preserve, so I spent countless miles exploring and challenging myself on the trails. Being out there was a respite from the chaos, isolation, and uncertainty that engulfed our lives due to the jarring changes imposed by the pandemic. Through the metaphoric and actual ups and downs, it helped me stay grounded (except that time I crashed my bike) and thankful for the chance to be on the saddle.
Christine R. at Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
I bike to and from work every day, which reduces stress, maintains physical fitness, and makes me feel in touch with my community (Menlo Park/Palo Alto). My best friend and I used our folding bikes in our volunteer efforts to clean up Hwy. 84 leading up to the Dumbarton Bridge, for Adopt-a-Highway. It makes the process much more efficient, and fun!
Anna T. at HP Inc.
Biking has been a way to actively meditate for me. It’s helped me battle Zoom fatigue, anxiety, and makes me feel good every day about reducing my carbon footprint!
Amanda W. at Stanford University School of Medicine
As a recent college graduate and now working professional, biking has become such a joy for me. It's both a fun way to get around, explore the Bay Area, and get moving. This is the start of many more years of biking for me!
Joe P. at TIBCO Software
Although my company is still implementing a work from home policy, it's been easy to fit cycling into my daily fitness routine. When I need to take a break during the workday, I go on a low-impact ride to get to local cafes, nearby parks, or visit friends and family that live just a few miles away. I save the high-intensity (fun) cycling for the weekends…getting my buzz from coasting up, down, and along the hills and trails throughout the Bay Area, including a hidden biking gem - Alviso.
Matthew G. at Lockheed Martin Space Systems
Biking offers three important things for me: a tool for exercise; an enabler of adventures; and a way to get to work. I commute by bike between San Jose and Stanford Research Park a few days per week, 12.8 miles each way. Biking allows me to get exercise on my commute, and I always arrive at work feeling energized. On the weekends or while on vacation, I like to go mountain biking, bike touring, or road biking. On these adventures, biking has allowed me to reach places that I couldn’t reach by car, including exploring Angkor Wat on a tandem with my wife, bike touring amongst the volcanoes of Iceland, and biking at 11,000 ft in the high Sierra of California.