Member Spotlight: Hans Bernhardt

Hans in his chicken suit.

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Today we spotlight SVBC member Hans Bernhardt. Read on to hear his story of how he got involved in the bicycling community.

1.  How did you get introduced to Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition?

Around 2010 my coworker Suzanne Ambiel convinced me to help her organize VMware's first Bike to Work Day (BTWD) event. It was a very grass-roots operation, literally, because the morning of BTWD, I drove to our spot on Foothill Expressway, and pulled out the high grass on the side of the road to make room for our location. HA HA!  It is ironic that I drove, BUT I also brought lots of resources in my car for BTWD, the same resources I now bring  to our Bike Sunnyvale free bike repair events a decade later – tent, tables,chairs, signs, etc.  

I have to point out my hypocrisy, because I helped organize BTWD for VMware for many years after that, encouraging our employees to bike to work, AND AT THE SAME TIME I DID NOT BIKE TO WORK FOR YEARS! I DROVE!   

Another less loud way to state this is I did not adopt the bike to work lifestyle until years later. Now happier for it, biking to work, that is! I want to make a jersey and bumper sticker that says "My bicycle is faster than your traffic jam!"

VMware got wholly involved in BTWD and we started to attend the SVBC annual dinner (now bike ride). My first dinner over a decade ago hooked me  because I loved the energy and saw the possibility for a lot more. Carl Guardino was the MC and kept the energy high during the auction. And the guest speakers were fascinating! From that point forward I renewed my membership annually with a donation. For a long time I did not actually partake in actual volunteer activity for SVBC.  Granted I traveled a lot for work. However I wanted to, and talked about volunteering at SVBC a lot, even writing to the staff to express my sincere interests (not yet backed by my action).  What a mental hurdle to overcome!  BUT SVBC staff  like Tim Oey were VERY supportive of my intentions and encouraged me with no pressure. Tim even supported my crazy ideas, including, yes, my rubber chickens. It was then I realized to be a member I did not have to do it all. I could simply do what fit in with my lifestyle, contribute what worked, no pressure, and that was good.  And that drew me closer to being physically involved.   

One thing learned about being more involved is that my knowledge of cycling could help others.  Things I take for granted are things that may be completely new to novice cyclists. And, as we evolve in our own personal cycling journey, we all have useful information to help each other to a better experience on our bikes, no matter what level each of us is at. 

2. What kind of activities and trips do you use your bicycle for?

My answer is "The Spectrum."  On one "intense" end, I train for and complete "The Death Ride" annually, by climbing most of the peaks around the SF Bay Area regularly.  Keep in mind I am not a fast cyclist. JUST love climbing... a passion!   On the other end of the spectrum, I run errands around town, such as grocery shopping on my bike. And yes, I now BIKE TO WORK on a semi-regular basis! Then there are things like SVBC local team, Bike Sunnyvale events, where I put on my chicken suit and bike to support our community rides when appropriate. 

Oh and for the record, I always carry a rubber chicken in my bike jersey on any ride. No joke, motorists stop and ask about it. My joke but semi-serious statement is that motorists see the rubber chicken before they see the cyclist attached to it. There is something to be said for visibility on the road. There is also something to be said for promoting safety, respect, and fun on the road. 

One final note, if you ever do get into the intense end of the cycling spectrum and start climbing our mountains, if you see one or more rubber chickens hanging on a fence or sign at the top of any one climb, guess who was there. Call that my encouragement to aspiring cyclists. Do a climb, find a rubber chicken. Tell me about it! Take a selfie with it!  :-)

3. Share with us what a perfect day on your bike looks like.

I do not use my car all day, run my errands on my bike, and then go for a several-hour ride in the mountains around us. 

4. How did you get involved with the SVBC local team, Bike Sunnyvale, and what has that experience been like?

Ari Feinsmith. Yes Ari.  When the pandemic hit, I started to attend the SVBC Biketivist forums on Zoom. Ari and I struck up a friendship. Next thing you know he had me writing letters to the town council. And I said, paraphrased, "Hey man, we need to buy the bikesunnyvale.org domain!" So that became a donation one evening as we worked on ideas for expanding.

Then Ari convinced me to wear my chicken suit at a "Turkey Ride" for Thanksgiving.  HA HA!  Before long I was organizing Sunnyvale's first "Crow Ride." There is a bird theme in here somewhere. In the last couple years we have done BTWD, community rides, free bike repairs, and more, and little by little organically grown. I have lost track. That is good because I keep coming back for more!

Then there is Sunnyvale Mayor Larry Klein, and other town council members. Gotta call them out too because they have been supportive and active in our events, stopping by to say "Hi"  when they can. Mayor Klein even joined us on "The Crow Ride." ( I was really hoping CNN would come to "The Crow Ride" to interview him again about our crows... HA HA!) 

Again back to doing what one can within one's lifestyle. It works.  And I am happy to have met some really cool people in the process and look forward to future events.  BIke Sunnyvale Rocks! 

5. Among your friends and people you know who don't ride a bike, what do you think would help encourage them to get out there?

"Freedom!!!!"  Freedom in mind and spirit on a bike. I feel so much more free on a bike than ever before now that I have started to use public transportation and my bike to get around.  

This may seem odd, but I compare cycling freedom to Muscular Dystrophy Association summer campers, many who are in wheelchairs.  (Side note: I volunteered as entertainment director  at MDA Summer Camp for 22+ years.) These kids and now adults have to learn every option they have to get around in public. It is extremely challenging for them on a level many of us do not fathom.  They have to be totally knowledgeable about their options, else they can go nowhere, not even leave their home. I dare say, with their knowledge and their wheelchairs, they get around town better than many of us, because they know their public transit options, their routes, their methods of getting places, who and what to ask, what to plan, and more. Our cars limit us, make us lazy. Their wheelchairs and minds liberate them beyond the rest of us and our cars. Our bikes and minds can free us right alongside them in our quest for safe and sustainable transportation options. I dare say, with our knowledge and our bikes, we can get around town better than many others as well, including ourselves in our cars.

You have to free yourself to adopt the cycling lifestyle. Become aware. Get your bike fixed. Come to a SVBC event, like a  free bike repair or community ride. Meet us! Get advice and support. Realize that you have a community to help you. There are the typical notions like "Bikes don't burn gas and save the world." You know that already. You hear it every day in the news. Yes, hold onto that notion, but take it a step further. Bikes save you. Little by little, each ride you go on, you will realize what biking does for your psyche, uplifting you daily, especially your energy levels and positive outlook. And you will realize how important it is to be a part of a society that advocates for safe, sustainable, and fun cycling for all.  

Back to "Freedom!!!!!!" That can be you. 

6. What would you say to someone considering becoming a member of SVBC? And why do you support SVBC?

I am still working on this answer as it evolves.  And think about it often, as we all should. 

What I have said to people I meet on rides is that we advocate for safe fun cycling for all. 

But to take this a step further I support SVBC because I believe in our shared cause. We absolutely need the organization and the community around it to ensure that in the future we have safe and sustainable travel for all in our society and on our planet that needs it more than ever.  

Do what you can to contribute, from donate, to volunteer, or both. The most important thing is to do SOMETHING and become a part of our community. Do what fits into your lifestyle and let that help you adopt biking as a lifestyle to be free.