Strava Art: Cyclists Get Creative
Strava Art has been around for a while. But with social-distancing rules in place across the country, more folks are getting into the game.
Creativity During Quarantine
With many cities under varying levels of lock-down and USA Cycling canceling race and event permits through May, cyclists have had to find creative ways to keep fit and entertained. Many have turned to Zwift racing (something I still find abhorrent), indoor bodyweight exercises or yoga, and a myriad of Instagram fitness challenges. But for those of us who crave riding outdoors, there are still ways of doing so responsibly and self-sufficiently while also getting your creative juices flowing: Strava Art.
During NYCβs quarantine, my teammate happened to be poking around BikeReg to see what other local promoters were doing, and noticed that Connecticut based Stage 1 Cycling Team was organizing a βGo Paint US a Pictureβ Strava Art competition. He shared the discovery on our team Slack and we all thought it was a really cool idea.
The competition is open to all, and the entry fees will be split among the selected winners and STAGE 1 Cycling to support the teamβs non-profit activities, including junior development, grassroots fun, trail maintenance and advocacy, and competitive events. You have until 6pm, Sunday April 12th to submit your entries by: 1) registering on https://www.bikereg.com/go-paint-us-a-picture and joining this public Strava Challenge. There will be a winner for βMost Creativeβ, βBiggest/Bestestβ, and βBest Overall.β
As it turns out, other folks across the country are also doing this. Velo News reported that coaches for Coloradoβs Boulder Junior Cycling program encouraged their athletes to use their rides to sketch out pictures on their respective Strava accounts as a way to keep them motivated & engaged. Right on!
My Own βWorks Of Artβ
Having dabbled in very rudimentary Strava Art on my own in the past, I naturally was excited to participate. Here are a few of my early entries, including some out-takes. Set your expectations low, people. But donβt worry, my masterpiece is yet to come. Check back in a couple of weeks for the big reveal. I hope I can pull it off!
The Master
Strava Art is pretty hard to execute well. You have to spend some time planning your route by studying a map (Strava heatmaps is a great tool for this), then meticulously mapping out your route (I use Ride With GPS), and noting any βweird thingsβ, including mid-block u-turns, double backs, or salmoning (going the wrong way down a one-way street). GPS units tend to be glitchyβoftentimes re-routing you if it doesnβt like where youβre goingβand itβs hard to keep track of what youβve already done, so having a backup cue-sheet and picture of the map you planned is crucial. Also, GPS doodling in NYC is especially challenging due to our streets being planned on a grid. This makes it very difficult to incorporate curves or diagonal lines. But, there are some tricks Iβve learned from GPS doodling legend, Stephen Lund.
While Iβm sure there were others before him, Stephen Lund has made quite a name for himself and put Strava Art on the map (pun intended). His collection of self-professed βGPS doodlesβ is nothing short of a masterpiece. Iβve been a fan since the beginning. Below are just a handful of my personal favorites from Stephenβs collection.
If you read through Stephen Lundβs blog, youβll quickly get a sense for the amount of creativity, map-reading proficiency, patience, and technical savvy one needs to be able to execute one of his large works of art. But you donβt have to be super fast, fit, or have a fancy bike to create Strava Art. You just have to be willing to flex some of those thinking muscles, draw your route, and head out on your solo mission in the name of art.
Stephenβs TEDx talk:
We hope you and your loved ones are and stay well, and are finding your own creative ways to get through these difficult times.