Sunday, December 28, 2008
Life, Health + Fitness

A bicycle built for tourists

A new way to see the city is perfect for out-of-town guests and Atlantans alike

By Colleen Oakley

For the five or six years that I have lived in Atlanta, I’ve been to Inman Park a handful of times. I even ran an 8K race there on Halloween one year, but I’ve never really paid attention to the beautiful Victorian houses or taken the time to absorb the history. It’s like when I lived in New York and never once made it to the top of the Empire State Building. It’s always there, so you don’t bother to go experience it.

Bicycle Tours of Atlanta is a new outfit started by Robyn Elliott, a one-time real estate broker who is now pursuing her passion by melding cycling and tourism. I always have a sense of awe for entrepreneurial-type people, and she was no exception.

Robyn wanted to introduce me to the two main facets of her company—bicycle education and the tours—so on a recent blustery December day, we met at StudioPlex Lofts in Inman Park. She gave me a quick lesson in bicycle skills and safety. Robyn has created a five-hour course to teach novices how to safely ride in our city—a green way of getting around that’s ever more agreeable due to the current economic crisis. The lesson was filled with information that I’d never thought of—how to execute turns in traffic, avoid accidents and make sure other drivers can see you.

Though the educational seminar is separate from the tours, it was helpful to have that information as we embarked on a quick cycling tour of Inman Park. Robyn is thorough in her knowledge of the area—we stopped at multiple sites where I learned everything from Civil War facts to what those cement blocks lining the sidewalks are (carriage stoops! Who knew?). I truly never knew there was so much history there, and it made me yearn for more information on other areas of the city.
Seeing a city on a bike is also loads more fun that getting on and off a tour bus. Maybe part of the charm is the fact that you’re traversing the area much like people back in the late 1800s did—you’re close to the ground, meandering through the streets. It’s organic and easier to picture what life might have been like. Also, Atlanta’s not known for being flat—a few hills on the route get your blood pumping and add to the experience. My thighs definitely got a workout.

Turns out I should’ve become a tourist in my own city long ago, but it’s never too late. Fortunately, Robyn has tours set up for most of Atlanta’s mini-cities, and I can’t wait to experience them. SP
Colleen Oakley is a freelance writer in Atlanta and the former editor of Women’s Health & Fitness magazine. Got a fitness challenge for her? E-mail her at colleen@sundaypaper.com.