riding his own bike that I rediscovered my passion for biking. What was your first bike? Where did you grow up riding? I actually don’t remember my first bike, but I’m certain it was a hand-me-down from my sister. I grew up on a farm in western Nebraska - on a gravel road. It wasn’t the easiest place to ride a bike as a kid. I do remember getting lots of flat tires! Where do you bike? I ride my son to school whenever the weather permits. I try to schedule meetings within a five-mile radius so I can ride to them. I also try to keep my errands within biking distance - my bank, my dentist, my doctor, my dry cleaner, the post office, and Spinelli’s are all easy rides. The only errand I need to conquer on my bike now is grocery shopping. Where is your favorite place to ride on a weekend?
It depends. As a family, we almost always make a trip to Turtle Park, but we’re in proximity to so many things... the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, Stapleton’s parks, etc. Now that my son is building his stamina we can ride a little farther, so our circle is growing. I also love to be able to ride to events on the weekends. I have ridden by myself to baby showers, book clubs, dates with my husband, fundraisers, dates with girlfriends. What Denver biking events do you and your family participate in? Viva Streets is our family favorite. I’d like to start participating in more events and plan to ride a quarter century in the Denver Century Ride this year. Have you experienced any downsides - cold weather, flat tires, wet clothes, not enough time? All of the above. Cold, icy
I tend to be motivated by challenges, so I figured that challenging myself to ride every day would be good motivation to stick with it weather is really my biggest weakness. I won’t ride my bike when it’s under 25 degrees when my kids are with me. It just seems like torture for them. The time factor is also a big consideration. Sometimes there’s just not enough time in the day and I opt for the car rather than the bike. Those instances are decreasing though.
What inspired the blog and how long have you been at it? I started Life’s a Bear when my son was about six months old - so I’ve been posting consistently for five years. It seemed like a good place to record his milestones as well as my own milestones: I was working on my dissertation and needed a place to write like a normal person. It started as a journal of developments - my own as a mother and academic, of our family, and of my son’s growth. Do you enjoy writing the blog? Is it ever a burden? Blogging is the one thing that has remained consistent in my life as a mother. It has grown into so much more than a journal. I enjoy writing it very much. I’ve met some very talented women through my blog, so it’s become more of a “space” where I can share things with a broader community. Some months it’s definitely a burden, but more often it’s a welcome distraction. Some
months/years I put more effort into than others. How did you come to choose a name for the blog? When my son was small, we called him Mr. Bear. Life’s a Bear represents all the lovely, hard, rewarding, frustrating, and amazing moments that involve being a parent - and really about life in general. What other bike blogs do you read? Simply Bike, Let’s Go Ride a Bike, Girls and Bicycles, Family Bike are a few that I frequent for inspiration. Sara Struckman is an adjunct professor at the University of Denver and runs her own nonprofit consulting firm, Struckman Consulting. She lives with her husband Nate, her son Ben and her daughter Lila on Hudson street. Find her blog at lifesabear. blogspot.com.
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