Bicycling has become a popular mode of transportation here in the Washington metro region, with an 86 percent increase from 2000 to 2009. In the past year, the food bank has shifted into high gear as more staff members are riding their bikes to work, proving that spinning your wheels really can get you somewhere. One particular zealous rider, food bank co-founder Father Eugene Brake, was even depicted as “God’s Don Quixote” in a 1986 Catholic Standard article that described his legendary activism and bicycling style.
Bike commuters are often depicted as having the wills of steel for biking in the rain or shine, and the CAFB staffers are no exception. They come from every direction, riding on busy DC streets, crossing bridges and riding through alleyways. Ride a mile in their seats, though, and you’ll see they also do it with style, as they gear up in the fast lane towards a healthy and active lifestyle.
CAFB riders get their daily exercise and arrive to work prepared to feed the hundreds of thousands hungry residents in the region. Food bank bikers collectively ride over 300 miles a month to and from work, which is the same distance to Philadelphia (including a trip to Philabundance) and back each month, with an extra cruise around the National Mall for kicks.
It’s safe to say that as the food bank rolls into its new facility, these big wheels will keep on turning.