Leo: I’ve <\/strong>been biking to Steinm\u00fchle since fifth grade, with a few exceptions in the winter when I took the bus. My father also went to that school and used to bike there back then\u2014so it just made sense for me to do the same. <\/p>\n Anton: I\u2019ve <\/strong>also been riding my bike to school since fifth grade. I used to walk to elementary school, but when I started middle school, my friends\u2014including Leo\u2014and I got together to form a biking group. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n “It won’t be any faster by car or bus”<\/strong><\/p>\n Vielhaben: What <\/strong>advantages do you see in riding your bike to school instead of being driven by car or taking public transportation?<\/p>\n Leo: Well <\/strong>, ever since I turned 18, I’ve been driving to the Steinm\u00fchle every now and then when I get the car, and I’ve noticed for myself that driving a car or taking the bus isn’t any faster.<\/p>\n “I feel more balanced”<\/strong><\/p>\n Anton: Besides <\/strong>saving time, it\u2019s also convenient to be able to head out on a whim\u2014for example, when school lets out early. Plus, I feel more balanced when I get some fresh air and exercise in the morning. Bus rides, on the other hand, I often found more exhausting and tiring. <\/p>\n Vielhaben: Have <\/strong>you discovered any special routes that are great for biking?<\/p>\n Leo: We <\/strong>always drive through the Cappeler Felder.<\/p>\n Anton: My <\/strong>walk to school is almost entirely car-free. I only come into brief contact with traffic at one bridge. That makes the walk pleasant and relaxing. <\/p>\n Vielhaben: Were <\/strong>there any challenges with your daily cycling? How did you handle them? <\/p>\n <\/p>\n “Exercise warms you up.”<\/strong><\/p>\n Leo: Sometimes <\/strong>our large group\u2014at times as many as twelve people\u2014was a hindrance to others. Some people didn’t like that very much. Other than that, I hardly had any negative experiences. <\/p>\n Anton: Sure <\/strong>, rain and cold can be challenging sometimes. But with gloves and weatherproof clothing, it’s manageable. After a few minutes of riding, you warm up anyway from the exercise. <\/p>\n Vielhaben: How <\/strong>has cycling affected your daily life, your fitness, and your health?<\/p>\n Leo: The <\/strong>total distance I walk each day is about 12 kilometers\u2014it keeps you in shape without you even realizing it.<\/p>\n Anton: I <\/strong>also use my bike for after-school activities or when I go to practice. Even when I have the option to take the bus, I prefer to ride my bike because it’s more relaxing. I’d like to keep doing that in the future, too. <\/p>\n Vielhaben: Are <\/strong>there any special experiences that have stuck with you?<\/p>\n Anton: In the <\/strong>winter, there was always a frozen puddle in the Cappeler fields that we would ride over on purpose. Sometimes we\u2019d even leave 20 minutes early. It was a fun challenge\u2014to see who could fall the coolest or stay balanced the longest (laughs). <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n “Sustainable behavior doesn’t have to mean making sacrifices”<\/strong><\/p>\n Vielhaben: Has <\/strong>cycling influenced your attitude toward environmental protection?<\/p>\n Leo: The <\/strong>environmental aspect was never the main reason for me, but of course it plays a part. That’s why I think it’s a good thing, and I’ll keep doing it. <\/p>\n Anton: I <\/strong>think it shows that sustainable behavior doesn’t have to be complicated or mean making sacrifices. When there are good bike paths, it’s easy to choose to ride a bike. <\/p>\n Vielhaben: What <\/strong>advice would you give to younger students and their parents who are considering biking to school?<\/p>\n Leo: Just <\/strong>give it a try! It’s best to do it with friends\u2014it’s more fun in a group. It’s especially worth it when the weather’s nice. <\/p>\n Anton: Parents <\/strong>don’t need to worry. Kids are careful when they ride their bikes, and it’s safe across the Cappeler Feld. Plus, biking keeps you fit in the long run. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n “Tires should be inflated, and the lights should work”<\/strong><\/p>\n Vielhaben: Do <\/strong>you need <\/strong>a specific type of bike for the ride to school?<\/p>\n Leo: No <\/strong>, not at all. As long as the tires are inflated and the lights are working, we’re good to go. <\/p>\n Vielhaben: Do <\/strong>you prefer backpacks or bike bags?<\/p>\n Leo: A backpack <\/strong>\u2014that’s more practical.<\/p>\n Vielhaben: Are <\/strong>there any improvements that could make biking to school even more appealing?<\/p>\n Anton: Yeah <\/strong>, the path from the boathouse is a constant issue. It gets especially muddy in the spring and fall, and you end up with mud splattered all over your back. <\/p>\n Vielhaben: Fortunately <\/strong>, for some time now, you\u2019ve had the option of riding along the newly paved Steinm\u00fchlenweg when it\u2019s wet out. Thank you very much for the interview, and good luck on your high school graduation exams\u2014which I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll be riding your bikes to as well! <\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A generation of cyclists is leaving Steinm\u00fchle along with this year\u2019s graduating class. Steinm\u00fchle teacher Ines Vielhaben sat down for a conversation with two of them, Anton and Leo. Vielhaben: When did you start riding your bike to school, and what made your parents let you do that at such a young age? Leo: I’ve […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":46800,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[96,85,88],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46798","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ecology-and-sustainability","category-news","category-sports-health"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46798","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46798"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46798\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":51314,"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46798\/revisions\/51314"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/46800"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46798"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46798"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46798"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/steinmuehle.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/04\/IMG_4579-2_k-1030x667.jpeg\")
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