New Rides, Better Times

From bike racks to bus stops, having many types of alternative transport can be beneficial. Most students on KWU grounds have their own personal mode of transport. However, we never stop to think about the kids who are stuck. Whether that’s not having a car in college or not having the luxury to drive around every single day like some people. On KWU grounds we have one bike rack set in front of Bieber Dining Hall for kids who may also just want to explore town on their own time.

Bieber Dining Hall and its accessible Bicycle Rack

Salina City KanCycles

The Salina City KanCycle bike rentals are just one of a few alternative transportation options. If you’re looking to get off campus and see the town the KanCycle systems are set up to where you can rent out a bike at kiosks propped throughout Salina, Lindsborg and Coffeyville. The steps needed to rent a bike are simple; Download the Movatic app, find the kiosk closest to your location, unlocking selected bike through a button in the app, enjoying your ride, returning your bike to any kiosk you end up at by the end of your ride, and finally locking it back into the rack by pressing return in the app. One of the easiest ways to get around your town is as simple as making sure you have a form of internet to proceed with all the required steps, fascinating isn’t it.

Retro Rides

One of the biggest eras bike ridings blossomed in was the 1980’s. Everywhere you went there was always someone riding a bike. Countless groups of kids between the ages 6 and 12 didn’t have a car yet, so how could they possibly get around? Simple: they had no better entertainment except being close to their friends while biking a few streets to get to a park or the arcade. Rodolfo Alva, father of 2, describes his experience growing up when this cultural boom occurred, “It’s just the way it was man, we didn’t know any better. Mostly everybody had a bike and those who had a car were considered rich” Alva states.

This thrilling activity is exemplified in popular tv shows and movies today. Such as the global phenomenon Stranger Things, IT the horror film adaptation of Steven Kings novel published 1986 along with basically any other popular 80’s movie where the kids were always in the streets racing or riding around as a big group. “Growing older, you tend to drift away from the fun things because it feels like life gets too serious to have any more fun” Alva states.

He describes his experience as something he feels every kid should go through before they grow up and start having to drive themselves everywhere. Every day he preaches to his kids to not give up that adventurous part of themselves even when it feels like the world is expecting you to move on from the things that have brought you the smallest pockets of joy. “I’m very disappointed I stopped riding my bike once college got too serious because scraping your knees after a fall or diving headfirst into a car aren’t the same once you’re responsible for your driving” says Alva.

Tomorrows Adults

Children today are constantly being put on a screen, so they do not see the endless possibilities that are lurking if they just shut off their iPad or phone for a little bit every day. Freshman college student Addison Wood describes her life if she didn’t have a car and needed to get off campus. “I was 8 years old when I started learning how to ride a bike. Usually, I’d bike around my neighborhood since I couldn’t go too far from my house but sometimes, I would also just bike around my cul-de-sac for quite a while” Wood states.

Most college kids end up coming to school with a car for them to get around town for errands, outings and etc. People do often forgot majority of the time about those few who don’t have the same luxury to bring a car with them. Wood shares “If I didn’t have my car on campus my parents would be all for me using the rent a bike system to explore the town because they wouldn’t want me to stay dorm rotting. It would also give me the ability to become more in tune with the aspects of nature.”

Recently it’s become hard for parents to let their young children go out without their supervision because the world of today is nothing how it was 50 years ago. With Gen X’s being the newest adults however, looking at alternative forms of transport isn’t the worst idea in case you ever need a helping hand. “I would definitely recommend using the KanCycle System to students who aren’t able to bring a car to get them places from KWU. It’s a great form of exercise, super fun to be tuned into mother nature and you get to go at your own pace instead of always staying at the speed limit posted for drivers”

Freshmen Kaleb Hone is all for this alternative mode however has a couple variations in his responses as to why he would become involved with the KanCycle System. “Although I have a car for college, if I didn’t have some highlights for me riding around Salina would have to be the fact you’re able to get a little workout in and you have the ability to embrace the scenery without having a metal box between your body and the air. For me personally, bike riding also brings back memories for me since I grew up learning how to ride everywhere on my own that it’s all really just a full circle kind of moment” Hone states.

Some people do prefer not to always be relying on a car or on someone close to them to give them rides so this system provides those individuals to branch out and explore the town on their own while getting some movement in. “I’m from a small town so I would usually ride all across town without my parent’s supervision because they felt I needed to start learning independence from them very young. Mind you I was around 4-5 years old when I started exploring but as a little man they thought I needed the personal space just as much as they did” says Hone.

As stated previously, this system allows individuals in need to start looking at another form of transport that can be beneficial to them socially and timely. Hone shares “I would definitely recommend using the KanCycle System to any non-drivers around campus because it’s a very organized system, easy to use and it’s a great way to get around by yourself to places within walking distance of campus and without having to rely on a friend or roommate to drive you places further out.”

Routes Reimagined

Alternative transportation goes a lot farther than people assume. Some kids won’t ask for the simple help they need to get to a place out of their distance and sometimes that won’t really change, so it comes down to you, the reader in helping spread the information that there are so many other options for transport out there in Salina Kansas. The Salina City KanCycle bike rentals overall is a great way to get off campus and see the town. Whether you’re a local attending college or an out of stater trying to figure out if this is where you belong, KanCycle’s got your back