#facesofindego

Back in October, we recruited 5 Indego Community Ambassadors to be a part of the "Faces of Indego" campaign. This year we are creating 5 more ads to be featured on buses, billboards, TV and social media, and we want to highlight you! If you ride Indego to work or school, to run errands, or just for fun, we want to tell your story. 

Participate in our Faces of Indego contest and become the next Indego star!  

Name: JW Wiggins Occupation/Interest: Librarian Neighborhood: South Philadelphia

Favorite thing about Philly: There are just so many neat things to see and do all over the place--I lived for years in a rural area, so I have a great appreciation for the opportunities in our city!  Things are so accessible--whether by walking, transit, or cycling.

Submitted by: Sarah-Ashley Andrews Founder/CEO Dare 2 Hope (Suicide Prevention & Awareness Non-Profit)

My favorite thing about Philly is the hope that I feel when I ride through my city, the hope that it will one day be a place of peace and love. I take pride in where I am from. I’m looking forward to the day when we really live up to our city’s motto: Brotherly Love & Sisterly Affection.

Kristin Gavin moved to Philadelphia to pursue a Master’s degree in exercise and sport psychology at Temple University in 2007. As part of her coursework, Kristin developed a business plan to make bicycling accessible to individuals experiencing homelessness and addiction.  In tandem with earning her degree, Kristin founded Gearing Up, a nonprofit organization designed to engage women with histories of abuse, addiction and incarceration in bicycling as a means of establishing a long-term habit to promote physical, emotional and social health. Over the past 7 years, Gearing Up has brought bicycling and indoor cycling programs to women’s facilities, including the women's prison, throughout Philadelphia, creating opportunities for more than 1,000 women to ride a bike.

Over the past decade, Kristin has engaged in bicycle advocacy work as a Research Fellow with the Safe Routes to School National Partnership and as a Project Coordinator for the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, and is currently is a Philadelphia Cycling Advisory Board member. Prior to moving to Philadelphia, Kristin spent several years working as a tour guide for Bicycle Adventures, a multi-sport adventure tourism company, as well as enjoying her own self-guided bicycle tours through Vietnam and Cuba. 

“Passion and talent –it’s what drives the city’s bikeshare staff and what Kristin brings to Bicycle Transit Systems in her new role of General Manager. Her commitment to bringing bicycling to everyone was evident in her work at Gearing Up, and we see great things in the future for Indego,” said Denise Goren, Director, Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities.

"I am thrilled to be tasked with leading an amazing team to ensure Indego is a fun, accessible and reliable bike share system for Philadelphia," said Gavin.

Name: Marni Duffy

Occupation/Interest: Small business owner and coding newbie

Neighborhood: Olde Kensington

Favorite thing about Philly: Family and friends and bikes! I love the parks, the rivers, how small the city is, how old the city is, how diverse it is, and that there is always something to do or see.  

In celebration of all the riders who keep Indego moving, the Faces of Indego campaign will be highlighting users throughout the month of November through interviews, photographs, and stories . Want to show your face? Email [email protected]

Name: Albert Lee

Occupation/Interest: Social and Content Manager for Philly 311 - City of Philadelphia. | Interest - street photography, community engagement

Neighborhood: Chinatown

Favorite thing about Philly: Our honesty. We are a city.

Why do you ride Indego? It's so convenient! You never have to worry about where you are going to park your bicycle!!! And, there are plenty of stations to choose from at any time, day or night.  

What views do you see on your ride? Center city, South Philly, Northern Liberties. Philly neighborhoods are so easily connected from one end to the other.

Any tips for new Indego riders? Keep in mind that Indego bikes are slightly heavier than most bikes so be sure to adjust your gears when you start pedaling. 

Submitted by Joel Mandelman

I live at Seventh and Sansom, a block from Washington Square. I often start at the station at 8th and Market. The stations at 10th and Chestnut, 9th and Arch, and 5th and Market are also close. I wouldn’t object to a station in Washington Square, but I don’t want to sound spoiled. I know most people don’t have stations this close.

I moved to Philadelphia from Wichita in March and have been looking for ways to get to know the city. I joined Indego in June and have been using it regularly ever since. I’m a big fan. I have a bike, but I like the convenience of the bike share program. It's great for short trips. I don’t have to worry about bringing my bike up to my apartment or locking it up, and you guys take care of the maintenance. I’ve been using the Indego map a lot and thought visiting and photographing all the stations would be a fun project. I’m an Instagram novice, but I like the app and am rooting for a bike-friendly Philly.

The ride took about eight hours, a little longer than I thought. I was thinking, well, one minute per station would be 73 minutes, but I knew that wasn’t realistic. Five minutes per station would be about six hours. That would be possible. In the end, it took a little extra time because I had never been to most of the stations, and I took some time to explore. I’m excited to get back to the Clark Park farmers’ market for mushrooms.

I started about ten-thirty. I wrote out the route the day before. Start close to my apartment, ride out to West Philly, cross the Schuylkill at Spring Garden and get the Art Museum, head to North Philly, wrap around Fishtown, back to Logan Circle, then South Philly, and finish up with the Center City stations near my apartment. I knew where most of those stations were located, so I thought if I could get the first sixty, I know where the last ones are located. During the ride, I used the bike2go app to fine tune the route. And, at the end, I had to stop at my apartment to recharge my phone, which I was using as my camera. Then, I went back out and got the last five stations: 9th and Arch, 12th and Filbert, 6th and Race, 2nd and Market, and Independence Hall. I numbered the photos in the order I took them. I'm thinking maybe someone else can help me with a shorter route.

I would definitely do it again. The photos turned out to be kind of a fall Philly valentine. It was a nice day, and I like photos of street scenes, interesting public spaces, brightly colored leaves, murals, the skyline, and blue bikes.

In celebration of all the riders who keep Indego moving, the Faces of Indego campaign will be highlighting users throughout the month of November through interviews, photographs, and stories . Want to show your face? Email [email protected]

Name:Keola (Kay-ola)

Occupation/Interest: Financial Planner

Neighborhood: West Philadelphia (born and raised). Yes - the playground was where I spent most of my days :)