The Kitchen of Bike Fixin’
Samantha Lyon ’08 strongly feels that there should
be more bicycles—and people using them—on the Smith campus. Lyon is so
committed to promoting bicycles as an environmentally responsible form of transportation
and as an enjoyable pastime that last fall she and a few of her fellow activists
on campus started a group called the “Bicycle Kitchen,” which invites
other bike lovers and riders to learn about bikes, safety, maintenance and benefits.
 Samantha
Lyon, left, and Jane Jones, right, in the “kitchen.” Photos by Fish/Parham.
The group welcomes bike enthusiasts and those who want
to learn about bikes to its weekly gathering, which they call “Bike Fixin’.” The
Bicycle Kitchen also offers a bike library, from which students, faculty and staff
members can rent bikes for a nominal fee or in exchange for working in the “kitchen.”
Part of the group’s mandate is to provide a safer
campus environment for those who ride bikes. “We believe there are too many
cars roaming around campus, and this is not safe for people trying to get around
using human power,” Lyon says.
In March, the group opened a bike repair shop in the
boathouse, where bikers can stop to get their bikes fixed, ask questions about bicycles
or simply to share bicycle knowledge and news. But it’s not all work, say Bicycle
Kitchen members, who plan to organize periodic bike rides locally.
So far, say the group members, the campus response
has been very positive, and the group has become a chartered organization with the
Student Government Association.
Charter members of the Bicycle Kitchen are Lyon, Anya
Domlesky ’06, Maria Gonchoroff ’07, Jane Jones ’09 and Sarah Mossberg ’07.
Visit their Web site for more information.—ESW |
