Photo by Nerinna Valera

Brad Owens is one of our terrific members. He lives in the Bayview, and regularly rides the new Illinois bike lanes. We checked in with him to see how he likes the new lanes.

How have the Illinois Street bike lanes improved biking for you?
I feel safer. Before the lanes were striped I often felt I had to ride too close to traffic. Illinois is wide enough for cars, trucks and bikes but the new lanes make it much easier for drivers and cyclists to share. I also find it easier to drive on Illinois, now.

What’s your favorite thing about getting around San Francisco by bike?
I see more of the city. Not more as in “I cover more ground,” but more as in “I have time to pay attention to what’s around me.” On my ride home from work I can stop and watch dogs playing on the lawn at South Beach Park. I can pick up sushi at Moshi Moshi without circling the block to find a parking space.

What’s your favorite destination to bike to in San Francisco?
I ride to work along the Embarcadero. As often as I can, I go out on Pier 14, just south of the Ferry Building, and take a photo of the Bay Bridge. I now have several hundred of these snapshots, each taken around 7 a.m. Depending on the weather and the season, the sky and water can look sepia or gray, or they can be intensely blue, or violet, or orange. My other favorite destination? Mitchell’s Ice Cream.