Commuter of the Month: Sandy Gold
By Heather Nelson

Occupation: Teacher
Age: 53
Commute: 3.5 miles, From West 72nd Street, she rides into Central Park and heads south, biking most of a lap to 110th Street, and then only a few blocks to work at St. Luke's Hospital.
Bike Commuter Since: 1979, when she sold her car and moved from Queens into Manhattan, "I've always owned bikes. I just started using the bike for all of my errands."
Why? "It's the most enjoyable way to get to work, the easiest way, and the most reliable. It saves me a fortune on a gym, and keeps me young and in shape,"
Commuting Bike: KHS mountain bike with hybrid tires.
Weather: "I haven't missed a day this year. Rain's not a problem: I've got my Gore-Tex and my fenders."
Wardrobe: "In the morning, I listen to the radio. I wear long Johns if it's cold, wool biking tights if it's below freezing, wool I Socks or double socks or...whatever! I have a zillion different pair of gloves for different temperatures. The last time I suited up (in full yellow Go re-Tex suit) at school, one of my kids said 'You look just like a big yellow banana. I mean a little yellow banana.''
Parking: Bike rack across the street, in full view of a guard.
Locks: Standard U-lock plus a cable for the seat, and "I ALWAYS bring the front wheel with me."
Theft: 3 bikes though none since she started using two locks.
How Things Have Changed Since She Started Commuting: "When I started, there were no mountain bikes and no messenger. Now there are definitely more bikers out there."
Faves: Central Park before they plow it. "It's like a Currier and Ives."
Best Moments: In Midtown, some guy (messenger, over-geared macho mart, whatever) pulls up next to her. The light changes, and she takes off, leaving him in her dust. At the text light, he sucks air and mumbles something like "Hey, pretty good." with his head down.
Historical Note: She rode the First T.A, Century, and as the #1 fundraiser won a workstand, with which she performs all her own repairs, even the tough stuff like installation of new component groups and bottom bracket overhauls.
The City: "Considering all its problems, from traffic to air pollution, it needs Transportation Alternatives.

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