I asked Izabella if she would like to be this week´s bicyclist. She happily said yes. This is her story the way she wrote it.

Something about myself:

 First – mother of two active sons, second – wife of a fantastic man, third – full time scientist at the Department of Chemistry UmU, not much time left for other thingsJBut If there is something left, I like to do usual things – sports, outdoor activities, reading, travelling, meeting friends.

 Type of bicyclist:

 Like it a lot, used to do bike tours, but now bike is for me mainly a way of very fast transport, with possibility for having some movement and catching fresh air JDo more bike tours during summer time, usually around Umeå.

 Type of bike:

Scott, mountain type, blue, we bought it in Norway when my old bicycle (Geant) to which I was very attached got broken to such an extent that it was more expensive to fix it than to buy a new one. And I had it for more than 10 years! It is still in our garage – can not get rid of it although my husband insists on it in regular time intervals JBut there are hell lots of memories attached to it – I used it in Poland, Austria, England, Sweden and Norway! Feels strange to take it to the returstation…

 Dressed during bicycling:

 Regular clothes if the weather is ok, water resistant ones once it is raining. Always need warmer gloves since my hands freeze easily while I am cycling.

 Best bicycling memory:

 One of the first bike-tours we made in Umeå – it was from Ålidhem to the rock carvings up the river, with fantastic weather and many nice stops on the way J

 Worst bicycling memory:

 Accident near university – me and my friend were riding down-hill and a guy behind us wanted to overtake not noticing somehow the person that was going from the opposite side – he was forced to stop on us; had bruises for few weeks L

Something more:

 I think Umeå is fantastic place for bicyclists, and possibility to use bicycle to go everywhere should not be underestimated. I come from the city where bike roads are luxury and no one would ever think about cleaning them in winter time! When I tell my friends that I am cycling to the airport and every day to work during winter time, they look at me as if I was crazy, and then get really jealousJBeing able to treat cycling as a part of everyday routine gives me freedom and fantastic feeling of fully using each minute of my time.

Thank you Izabella!