Marci Cohen, husband Jack Vinson, and their tandem bicycle.

1. Where are you from originally?

I grew up in the Philadelphia suburbs. I went to college in Philly and lived there after college.

2. When did you start cycling, and what got you into it?

I didn't bike much as a kid; I wasn't into sports and I grew up in a hilly neighborhood. I discovered biking as an adult, initially for transportation when I lived in Center City Philadelphia. I got into biking for fun with my then boyfriend Jack Vinson. We bought a tandem and got married, in that order, including planning our honeymoon around riding our tandem to see the Tour de France.

3. When did you join CRW, and what brought you to the club?

I joined in 2021. Bikes clubs had been a big part of my cycling and social life during my 12 years in Chicago (1996-2008), but I didn't get back into organized riding until my kids were older. We heard about CRW from doing a ride with Pamela Blalock in '95 or '96; we were living in Western Mass, and Jack had connected with her via a tandem listserv. My neighbors Keren Hamel and Tsachi Avrahami were already doing rides with CRW when we started riding with the club.

4. Do you volunteer for CRW, and if so, in what way(s)?

No, I'm too busy doing library-related volunteer work.

5. What type of cycling do you enjoy the most?

Definitely a roadie; no gravel or mountain biking for me! Mostly for leisure but sometimes combined with transportation riding, such as the 13 miles round trip to a regular volunteer gig. And I'm not competitive, so I'm never striving to be the fastest, most hardcore hammerhead. However, I always appreciate new scenery.

6. What’s your favorite ride or route?

At the first sign of spring, I want to do a 30-mile loop from my house in Arlington past Ponyhenge in Lincoln. But I also enjoy longer rides that get away from traffic. We've been biking out and back to Worcester each fall to take our daughter at WPI out to brunch, about 92 hilly miles round trip.

7. What has been your favorite moment or experience with CRW?

Gene Ho led a ride around Gloucester on a sunny summer day than explored every beautiful nook and cranny of the coast. We had a leisurely outdoor lunch near the end.

8. What advice would you give a new CRW member?

The great thing about cycling is that you can enjoy it without being the best, fastest rider. Riding is always more fun that not riding, and riding with others on a club ride is more fun than riding alone.

9. What’s a fun fact about you (cycling or non-cycling)?

Cycling: There is terminology for tandems. Riding in the back, I'm the stoker. I've been the captain, riding in front when my kids were stokers.
Non-cycling: I'm an engaged retired music librarian. When I'm not riding, I'm often doing library-related volunteer work, writing about music, and going to see bands.

10. What do you enjoy most about being part of CRW?

Exploring new roads with other riders.

11. Anything else you'd like the club to know?

I'm not on Strava. I'm happy to not record and publicly report every ride.