“We ride bikes because we love to. We also happen to love Bainbridge Island. Spoke & Bucket Bicycle Tours is born from our belief in two wheels and our wish to share the island with its visitors. We are dedicated to providing a user-friendly tour experience to every guest.” –Lena and Kaitlin, Spoke and Bucket Bicycle Tours
It was a delight to meet Lena and Kaitlin, the founders of Spoke and Bucket Bicycle Tours, at the Seattle Bike Expo this March. Our short conversation was really enthusiastic and genuinely inspiring. The ladies are experienced cycle-tourists, and have harnessed their love of bike touring in this wonderful local bike-tour endeavor. We hope you enjoy what we’ve learned about this two person bicycle-tour company!
SI: Please introduce your company to our readers.
S&B: Spoke & Bucket is a new bicycle touring company on Bainbridge Island, designed to give visitors a broader scope of our beautiful island. We will take people to wineries, parks, beaches and special treasures often missed by most visitors.
SI: Of all of the modes of transport, why have you gravitated to exploration through self-propelled travel?
S&B: Because it’s clean! Inside and out. You can eat anything you want, stop anywhere you want, and you meet more friendly people than you ever thought you wanted to. When you look back at your route, you know it was an uninterrupted path of contact with the road.
SI: Why are you passionate about bicycle touring?
S&B: It contextualizes your needs and abilities. Everything you carry has a purpose and you feel powerful everyday.
SI: If you could give a first-time tourer advise, what would it be?
S&B: Less is more, except for when it comes to rain gear. Don’t say no to yourself.
SI: What is in your mechanics kit when you go on personal tours?
S&B: Multi-tool with chain breaker, flat kit, zap straps, duct tape, a few spare frame screws. We keep these in a water bottle on the underside of our downtube, out of the way and easy to get to.
SI: Where would you like to tour next?
S&B: We are waffling between Trans-Canada and somewhere warm.
SI: How do you see bicycle touring in relationship to the environment?
S&B: It’s clean. It puts your body in contact with the environment itself, you are completely exposed. Your senses are present and you can truly feel the difference between a congested city and an open, rural road.
SI: How do you see bicycle touring in relationship to culture and society?
S&B: It’s a positive relationship. When you’re cycling you create positive relationships with your body, the land, and the people you meet. Bicycling moves you at the speed of life, which is a lot slower and healthier than most of us move these days.
SI: Why Bainbridge Island?
S&B: It’s our community that we love and want to support. It also happens to be an awesome place to ride your bike. There are lots of stories, lots of coastline, and lots of food.
CYCLE FUEL:
Lena and Kaitlin shared a recipe for the road!
Falafel Assist: (Dried food take on hamburger helper)
Fry up some dry-mix falafel and mix it in with Annie’s Macaroni and Cheese. Mac and Cheese made with cream cheese packets or coffee creamer packets (whichever you swiped at your last café stop) All cooked with your single burner propane stove.
To reserve a spot, or schedule a tour kindy head to http://spokeandbucket.com
