Put the GIVE Back!

I acknowledge that the Thanksgiving holiday has its problems. Personally, I’m often bothered by the imbalance between give and take. In recent years I’ve felt like I’ve taken far too much: second helpings of delicious dishes, the attendant calories, and aspects of my life, like health and security, for granted. As Thanksgiving approached this year, my partner and I wondered how we could practice more giving.

Luckily, we didn’t have to search long to find a solution: Cranksgiving! Hosted by the Cascade Bicycle Club, the same group that brings us STP (Seattle To Portland) and RSVP (Seattle to Vancouver) every year among many other excellent rides, Cranksgiving is a wonderful way to give: to food banks in need, their hungry patrons, and your body a great workout!

How It Works

Each volunteer brings their own bike and bags to the first checkpoint. Many got festive and creative with their cargo setups.

Cranksgiving volunteers with cargo and costume!

At the first checkpoint you receive a list of requested items from a local food bank.

Cranksgiving shopping lists

You then bike around town buying the requested items and turning them in! You get points for each item you bring, as well as patronizing select grocery stores and taking fun pictures with your team, such as climbing a tree.

Cranksgiving volunteers swarm a small store. This one had a great day of business, selling out of almost everything!

Impact

I believe that the bicycle is the best vehicle for local exploration. You can cover a lot of ground, easily stop anytime, and while you’re riding you’re not going too fast to appreciate the scenery. Today I loved discovering new parts of Seattle and visiting familiar parts for the first time on bike. I felt grateful for the beautiful weather and for no flat tires today.

The tires stayed pumped in large part thanks to clean and clear bike routes and paths. I felt grateful for the groups who are advocating for a more safe and interconnected cycling network in the city. Today we covered about 25 miles! I worked up quite an appetite for my Thanksgiving meal.

Our Cranksgiving route

We contributed a small part of the 3400+ lbs of food that were collected and donated to three food banks in three different neighborhoods (Rainier Valley, Central District, and University District). Cheers to Cascade for a fun and creative way to combine bicycling, charity, and urban exploration!