Chris Loeffler got more than he bargained for when he started riding his bike to work.
The 25-year-old Medford man knew he would appreciate the exercise. He didn’t anticipate that commuting on two wheels would have psychological rewards, too.
“For me it’s a moment of meditation,” he said, describing his daily bike rides. “You don’t have a radio. You don’t have your windows rolled up to keep everything out. It’s the sort of peace you can’t find anywhere else except when everyone else leaves the house.”
Loeffler and 14 other new bicycle commuters have been pedaling Rogue Valley streets since early spring. They’re part of a program called “Bike First!” that’s designed to make motorists more aware of cyclists and encourage people to get out of their cars and use bicycles to commute to work and do errands.