New faces often show up at BikeWalk Provo volunteer meetings, as public interest in street safety and active transportation continues to expand locally, and especially in Utah. Many of these visitors to the group’s meetings become an integral part of the organization, and all certainly offer an opportunity to learn how they heard about us and what attracted them.
One such visitor of our monthly meetings is Erik Maloy. He appeared to me to have a story to share and to be someone we might like to get to know better. I caught up with Erik at his private studio where he composes music professionally and teaches students. He has lived in the Joaquin Neighborhood since 2012 when he began attending classes at BYU and later, after receiving a degree in Music Composition from BYU School of Music, permanently settled with his wife and daughter in a home near Center Street.
As we enter Erik’s studio, I immediately find it pleasantly warm. (Walking from my home to meet him that morning it was in the very low thirties.) Next I notice that the room is full of musical instruments of every type imaginable: what appears to be a large bass sits right in the middle.
I ask Erik what modes of active transportation he has used and is now using in his commutes: bikes, scooters, or maybe his feet. He quickly answers, “all of the above,” but mostly Erik favors the family’s eBullitt RACE cargo bike that they “bought three and a half years ago.” He often rides the eBullitt to Costco during the good weather months, going up 200 E to 800 N, over to Utah Valley Hospital; then maneuvering a few blocks north, Erik catches the Provo River Parkway to the University Parkway pedestrian path, heading north again and eventually winding his way through the UP Mall parking lots to the Costco located behind the mall on 800 S, Orem.
Erik tells me that he decided this route based on what feels safer to him and what appears to have less traffic congestion at the time. Not necessarily on what is the fastest, most direct or popular route. Other, shorter trips to Smith’s, “when I need something,” or for errands are sometimes easier done with his Surly, Long Haul Trucker or “a fixed-gear bike I like to ride.” His wife has been commuting to BYU for at least ten years on a Salsa, Via.
“I love the movement, feels more free” is Erik’s response when I ask what it’s like out there on the road. He has always biked, has done a lot of that to campus in the past, “or walked if I was carrying instruments, carried a jazz guitar back then. I really like nighttime riding.” Erik happily recounts an experience he had on the Provo River Trail. “Last year I had to commute to the lake from September to December to do caroling with a group. It was really fun, eerie, with the leaves blowing outwards, my bright lights, and nobody on the trail.”
On the contrary, Erik feels there are too many people driving. “I’ll count how many people are in a car at intersections; the majority of cars have only one person in them. Too many people not paying attention and I have to be on the defensive. I don’t feel like I can trust any vehicle.”
“Infrastructure has gotten better, more sharrows; sharrows in the middle of the road give me more security. Bike lanes aren’t as good as bike-friendly streets. My favorite thing is to experience those streets that you don’t normally go down; overall, it’s just fun to bike.” And how did Erik end up sitting down at a BikeWalk Provo volunteer meeting? Well, it was “two good friends,” Chris Wiltsie and Jacob Brooks, that talked him into it.
