Spokes Spotlight
Meet Amanda hop, a local Grand Rapids cyclist. Amanda has been biking around Grand Rapids for about 20 years, first as a GVSU student commuting to class and now as much as she can. She takes any excuse to ride a bike—to work, school drop off, grocery pick up…and even for her cut flower business!
Can you tell us about your flower bike?
I have a small cut flower business, Garden of Hop, and I use my bike for local flower deliveries. In the past, we’ve taken the flower bike to vend at local events. This year I plan to host flower bike events/pop-ups where you can come visit the flower bike, build your own bouquets or purchase fresh bouquets grown right here in GR.
What do you love about biking with flowers?
It brings me so much joy, and it makes other people smile. I’m the silliest kind of goose, and I like to have a good time wherever I go. My bike is a bright blue Madsen bucket bike with rainbow streamers and the occasional bubble machine. It’s usually full of kids, toys, snacks, flowers, or a combination of the above. When you ride around town delivering flowers dressed like a rainbow floating in a cloud of bubbles, it makes everyone smile. And that makes me smile.
If you could change one thing about biking in GR, what would it be?
The mindset of humans who don’t want to share the road with bicycles. I love riding here, but I don’t love when people argue that I shouldn’t be allowed to ride in the street.
Can you share a bit about what you’re passionate about when it comes to biking, climate, or our cities?
I just want to leave the world a little better than I found it and show my kids how to take care of Mother Earth and each other. Biking through town, buying locally produced goods, and supporting small businesses helps build this community that we love being a part of.
Any fun bike transportation stories to share?
First day of school this year, I decided to strap the bubble machine to my bike and told the kids it made my bike go faster. While I rode, the bubbles floated behind me like a bubble rocket booster, but every time I stopped, the bubbles would fill the air around me and it was pure magic. I’ve never felt cooler than I did riding my bike to the school with the bubble machine. Now I take it wherever I can.