Meet Irving: Cascade Member, Commuter, Recreational Rider, and Bungee Cord Promoter

The fast five with Irving

1. What do you enjoy about bicycling?
   Cycling makes any day better. It lets you experience a place very differently than doing it from behind a windshield. It’s a great way to decompress after work, and a great way to meet people.

2. How did you hear about Cascade?
   I saw an online ad for the 2024 Emerald City ride. I signed up for it, but unfortunately got sick and couldn’t make it. This introduced me to Cascade, though, and the next year, I signed up for Chilly Hilly and had a total blast!

3. Why did you become a member of Cascade?
   Being able to finish Chilly Hilly (although I admit I had to walk my bike for some of the hills!) inspired me to challenge myself and train for the Seattle to Portland (STP) ride. I found the resources Cascade offers super helpful as a person new to recreational cycling, and I signed up for the Cascade Training Series (CTS). Since I was signing up for multiple events and CTS that year, it made a lot of sense to become a member! Also, Cascade's advocacy efforts over the years have made cycling more accessible for lots of people, but there’s still more work to do, and becoming a member is a great way to contribute to that goal.

4. What do you like about being a part of the Cascade community?
   What I like the most is the people. Cascade offers a very easy way to ride with others from different backgrounds and walks of life. I love how Cascade and cycling can bring people together!

5. Anything you'd like to share about your experience with Cascade that is inspirational or motivational to potential members?
   Two years ago, the longest distance I had cycled was around five miles. I never thought I’d be able to ride from Seattle to Portland, but I decided to give it a try anyway. The people I met during CTS and the Getting Ready to Ride series were very supportive, and motivated me to keep going. In 2025, I was able to do my first ever STP in two days. In 2026, I’m training to complete STP in one day. While it will be challenging, I know the folks I’m riding with will support me, and I’ll be supporting them too. At the end of the day, we’re all going to have a lot of fun!

Not yet a Cascade member? Join Irving and over 9,500 others who help Cascade to make bicycling safer and more accessible to all!

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On the lighter side:

Most useful or favorite bike accessory?
Bike rack with bungee cords! Lets you carry almost anything, and you can always carry the bungee cords with you so you’re ready any time.

Favorite bike hack?
Foldable bikes are the multi-modal GOAT. If a bus or train is too far of a walk, you can bike to your stop, and you don’t have to worry about the rack on the bus being full. You can just fold your bike and take it with you on the bus!

Favorite snack?
Tuna onigiri - easy to make, and a great snack when riding.

Favorite book, tv show, or movie?
There’s a lot of recency bias here - The Gene: An intimate history by Siddhartha Mukherjee (book), Shrinking (tv show), and Rogue One (movie).