Tiffany is cyclist who blogs at https://www.bellecycle.com. She has ridden in many countries and is passionate about sharing her two-wheeled journey. Get to know Tiffany a little more in this Q & A.
Note: All images are Tiffany's. Follow her on Instagram at @bellecycle.
Tell us your bike story. How did you get into biking, what kind of biking do you do, etc
I have to thank my father, a pretty avid weekend rider throughout my childhood. He bought me my first bike when I was four and taught me to ride. And I'll never forget the freedom, independence, and bliss found in those first few feet on two wheels.
I am largely a bicycle commuter, working toward a goal of 3000 miles annually and ride in both city and countryside. I love to bounce between the two worlds. From covered bridges to Brooklyn, I just love the ride.
I am also the Bicycle Mayor of Keene, New Hampshire, the first Bicycle Mayor in the United States. The program is organized by BYCS in Amsterdam. We have Bicycle Mayors around the world asking the question "Where can the bicycle take us?"
Where are your favorite places to bike in your hometown and why?
My little town has four covered bridges in it, and I ride through two of them nearly every day. I love the old wooden scent and the way the light bounces up between the beams from the riverbed below. I have taken shelter on their spans while lightning crashes in nearby forest and fields. It's a little reminder of the simple quality of life.
How do you describe Po Campo to your friends, or what do you think is special about Po Campo?
Po Campo is fashion and function. Having one in hand, I knew it was special, and knew it was up for my rain, dirt and sweat, my sun and wind, my tea and clothes, my snacks and sunscreen. I knew where I wanted to go, Po Campo could be crammed with treasures and still keep up with me and my two wheels.
Share a story about when you really appreciated having your Po Campo bag.
Packing for my first week of daily commuting in 2018 I was happy to be connected and off. Confident in the hardware and fit, and full of all the daily treasures of my day.
A favorite tip (or two) about how you incorporate mindfulness and healthy habits into your daily life?
I ride my bike. I have three organic farm shares. I celebrate food and family and love. I meditate. I ride to change me and my world, mile by mile by mile.
A suggestion for women who are interested in biking but have safety concerns?
Head out when the world is quiet, like very early on an early Sunday morning, and get your bearings. Cycling is a language between car and bicycle and pedestrian, and the more you use it, the more fluent you become. I also recommend taking some cycling classes through the League of American Bicyclists, something like "Traffic Skills 101." I have ridden my bike nearly my whole life, and that class changed the way I ride.
If you could take a bike ride with anyone (living or dead) who would it be, and why?
Henry David Thoreau. I was born in Concord and grew up tasting the intellectual feast he laid before us all. I'd love to head out with him into the wild world and listen to him with the wind flying through his beard.
If you could take a bike vacation anywhere in the world, where would you go?
That changes hourly. Since starting my bicycle blog and social media brand @bellecycle two years ago, I have ridden nearly 6000 miles in seven different countries and I've got a sweet spot for Denmark. I'd go back in two shakes of a lamb's tail and may keep it on my radar for this summer. But I also want to ride in Ireland, Scotland and Croatia.
Do you have any bike goals for 2018?
I am working on hitting my 3000 mile mark in 2018, having been just a few hundred miles short for the past two years.
What are you hoping to accomplish as a brand ambassador this year?
I am excited to share the beauty of the ride. Po Campo combines form and function effortlessly. As a brand ambassador, I would hope to remove one more obstacle for a woman wants to ride AND pack. On an average day, I pack green and black teas, lipstick, change of clothes, breakfast, lunch, chocolate, helmet, bike lock and phone. With Po Campo, you can have it all!
Interested in becoming a Po Campo Brand Ambassador? We accept applications on a rolling basis; complete yours today.
