The 11-mile ride
Coleman prepares in the morning before starting her 11-mile bike ride to school. She rides her bike to school and back on Tuesdays and Thursdays. photo courtesy of Kimberly Coleman.
November 13, 2020
From White Rock Lake to White Rock Creek to Northaven to Welch Road, 11 miles in total. This is the path junior Haley Coleman bikes two days a week from her house to school.
“I tend to wake up early anyway so it’s not that big of a problem,” Coleman said. “And coming home from school, I look forward to it so it’s not something that I feel I have to plan around or motivate myself to do.”
Coleman bikes on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and on the other days of the week she drives her sister, freshman Maggie Coleman, to school.
“I was against her decision because she took me to school every morning,” Maggie said. “I didn’t want my parents to take time out of their day to drive me to school. I liked that she could get exercise and save gas, I just wish she hadn’t chosen to bike to school every other day.”
The trip usually takes around 40 to 50 minutes. After parking her bike next to the Lower School gates, she changes in the LLARC then heads to class.
Junior Cate Goglia, one of Coleman’s advisory members, said although the double ride does not seem practical, she thinks it’s good that not seem practical, she thinks it’s good that Coleman gets energy from exercising.
“I know she really likes biking and she’s wanted to do this for a long time so we’re supporting the goal, supporting the mission,” Goglia said.
Something Coleman has had to adjust in her biking routine is her backpack size.
“The first time I came here, I had a full backpack, and it was a struggle,” Coleman said.
Now, instead of packing binders she uses folders, and only carries one notebook for all her classes. In place of textbooks, Coleman takes pictures of the pages on her phone.
“I genuinely just like biking places because it’s kind of like doing a sport after school – like decompressing – and you also feel accomplished, get to stay fit, that kind of stuff,” Coleman said. “I think it’s an awesome way to get off your phone and think and to get a lot of energy in the morning.”
