The village of Schuylerville, New York, is often eclipsed by Saratoga Springs, its tonier neighbor to the west. Which is too bad, because Schuylerville is a pleasant hamlet, and much of the old-time, small-town atmosphere has survived more or less intact, despite the economic storms which have blighted so much of rural America in the last two decades. Schuylerville has history, too. One of the most important battles in the American War of Independence was fought just a short bike ride to the south of the village, on a height of land overlooking the Hudson River. Yet this famous American victory—often celebrated as the turning point in the Colonies’ struggle for independence—is today known as the Battle of Saratoga. Go figure.
But Schuylerville has shrugged off this and other, lesser slights. Moreover, it seems determined to remain a good place to live and work. A case in point: community bike racks. Schuylerville has ’em. A small thing, you say? Maybe so—if you’re accustomed to European cycling infrastructure. But many cyclists in the States quickly discover that finding a place to lock their bikes is the hardest part of any ride. We have plenty of parking spaces, of course. For cars. Cyclists are on their own. If any provision at all is made for us, it usually takes the form of a rusty “wheel-bender” rack, often relegated to a scrap of overgrown waste ground that sees regular use as a dog toilet.
Schuylerville cyclists are luckier than most. Here’s a for-instance:
At first I thought this was an example of public art. But then I took another look. Each bike in the picture is a bike rack!
Here’s a close-up:
Form fused with function. And while the racks aren’t state-of-the-art, they’re miles ahead of anything in my corner of New York. Moreover, they’re conveniently sited, right across the street from a cluster of commercial establishments at the heart of the village. I shot these pictures while I was passing through, early in the morning. In a few hours’ time, I’ll bet the racks fill up with shoppers’ bikes. At least I hope so. Instead of a Park-and-Ride lot for commuters’ cars, Schuylerville has seen fit to offer cyclists the chance to Ride-and-Park. I only wish more American communities would follow suit.
Starting with mine.