The pandemic hit Amy Tucker very hard.

鈥淚 felt overwhelmed with anxiety and stress that caused me to feel 鈥渁lone鈥� in my own little world. I felt cut off from my family, friends, co-workers, and the rest of the world. In the first six weeks following the pandemic outbreak, I didn鈥檛 know what to do except eat, watch the news, and plunge into a deep depression,鈥� says Tucker, who lives in Kamloops.

鈥淏y the middle of May 2020, I鈥檇 gained nearly 15 pounds and did not feel healthy. I realized I had to make some changes if I didn鈥檛 want things to get darker in my life. I started my journey to make healthier choices by riding my bike and adjusting my diet. After making these slight changes, I noticed I felt better and healthier overall.鈥�

For Tucker, cycling was more than just a way to burn calories.

鈥淕etting outside to cycle in the sunshine was very motivating and got me moving. Aside from providing me with exercise, it provided me with the opportunity to explore the world around me. While I was cycling, I focused on another world filled with adventure and exploration, making things much easier for me to manage. I鈥檓 thankful for the opportunity to discover new places and new experiences.鈥�

鈥淪lowly, I realized how much joy riding my bicycle brought to me. My favourite part of the day was being outdoors in the fresh air and the sunshine. I started documenting my adventures and sharing them on Instagram and Tiktok @adventureswithamytucker. The experience of riding my bicycle gave me a new sense of purpose to explore and share my experiences. It made me feel connected to the rest of the world.鈥�

鈥淢ore than a year has passed, and I have lost over 40 pounds and have gone down about eight dress sizes. My body feels stronger, healthier, fitter, and lean because of cycling and changing my eating patterns. I also experienced a lift in my depression, and my love of cycling brought me pure joy and happiness. It was a pleasure to share my cycling adventures with the world via my social media channels.鈥�

United by cycling

There have been long stretches of time over the last 15 months when recreation facilities were closed, but through it all, BC has remained united by cycling. Whenever we needed a break from the Zoom screen, a space to recharge or burn off energy, cycling has been 鈥榦pen鈥�.

鈥淲e鈥檝e heard from many people who dusted off their bikes during the pandemic and tried cycling for the first time in a while. Not only are people surprised at how easy it is to remember the skills, but they鈥檙e also surprised at the pure joy and freedom they feel. From the seat of a bicycle, most people simply cannot be sad, stressed, or in a bad mood, so it has helped a lot of British Columbians flush out, and work through, some of the negative emotions brought on by the pandemic,鈥� says Terri-Lynn Gifford, Provincial Program Manager for .

Cycling is a healthy, low-impact activity that people of all ages can enjoy daily 鈥� and the bicycle naturally helps keep people at a safe physical distance.

May 31 - June 6, go by bike!

Register for free at , and then between May 31 and June 6 log as many rides as you can!

鈥淎ny ride counts,鈥� Giffords says.

Cycle around the neighbourhood with your family or meet up with someone from your bubble for a trail ride. Take a break from work and school screens, bike to the grocery store, or ride for exercise. Create a team with your co-workers or extended family and see how many kilometres you can tally. The cities of Abbotsford and Chilliwack are competing to see who can get the most riders registered! If you use Strava, it鈥檚 easy to .

Every time you ride your bike instead of using a motor vehicle, you鈥檒l be saving greenhouse gasses from entering the atmosphere, and getting great exercise. Plus, the more you ride, the more chances you have to win great prizes!

Bike to win!

• Register for your chance to win the , an Exodus Travels cycling adventure for two on the Dalmatian Coast in Croatia! You can also win Visa gift cards, bike tune-ups, and other local prizes.
• Students have even more chances to win, with the . Create a short video sharing tips for safe cycling, or the reasons cycling is good for you and the environment, or how cycling has helped you during the pandemic.

Stay safe!

• GoByBike BC Society encourages everyone to review online
• Check out these for all road users, drivers included
• Use care and consideration when sharing the road

GoByBike BC Society supports BC Cycling Coalition鈥檚 Safe Passing campaign. To learn about the BCCC鈥檚 efforts to bring a minimum passing distance law to BC, visit .

Connect with us to win more!

Follow GoByBikeBC on , and to participate in more fun contests for chances to win limited edition 2021 United By Cycling hats and other great prizes!