Jessica Harris: Discovering (and rediscovering) freedom on two wheels

In this conversation, Jessica and I talked about her adventures from Wyoming, Michigan, and North Carolina; her experiences in critical care medicine, and how she isn't giving up on bikes, even after two serious crashes.

Cam: We’re here with the one and only Jess Harris to talk about bikes, collarbones, and maybe even the Wild West. Let’s start from the top: who are you, how’d you get here, and where are you going?

Jessica Harris (JH): Wow, existential right off the bat. I’m Jess. I like coffee, bikes, science, and people. I came to North Carolina for grad school at Duke, stayed because I got my dream job, and decided the warmth outweighed the cockroaches.

Cam: What did you study at Duke?

JH: I got my master’s in health sciences for PA studies, and now I’m a physician assistant in critical care medicine. I love it—I can’t imagine a better job.

Cam: Where’d you grow up?

JH: Powell, Wyoming, near Yellowstone. It’s beautiful—mountains in every direction. Everything else was brown and dead—sagebrush everywhere—but it was still incredible.

Cam: Why’d you leave?

JH: Opportunities for growth, and, let’s say, diversity of thought weren’t great there. I graduated high school and left the next week. I didn’t even stick around for the summer.

Cam: So, how’d you get from Wyoming to Duke?

JH: First, I went to Michigan State for undergrad on a scholarship. It was a huge shift—my hometown had three stoplights, and suddenly, my campus neighborhood had more people than my entire town. Michigan State had 50,000 students, which was almost the population of Wyoming at the time. It was overwhelming but amazing.

Cam: Did you bike in college?

JH: A little. I wouldn’t call myself a cyclist then—I bought a $20 bike and didn’t wear a helmet. It was just faster than walking the massive campus.

Cam: What happened to that bike?

JH: It got destroyed when I got hit by a car.

Cam: Wait, what?

JH: I was a junior, biking to class off-campus. I wasn’t wearing a helmet—I was 20 and thought I was invincible. A driver turned into me from behind. I tried to dive out of the way but didn’t make it. Her side-view mirror hit my ribs, my bike went under her car, and I went face-first into the pavement.

Cam: My god.

JH: Yeah, I broke my nose, bruised some ribs, and had a concussion. I didn’t know you were supposed to call the cops, so I just stood up, bleeding, and asked the driver, “Is my nose straight? Are my teeth broken?” She was too upset to answer. I was scared of biking after that—not bikes themselves, but the drivers.

Cam: How’d you get back into it?

JH: After college, I moved to Grand Rapids and started riding on bike trails. Slowly, I got more comfortable—first on trails, then mountain biking, and eventually some road riding with groups. When I moved to Durham for grad school, I biked the Tobacco Trail and greenways. Then I found a flyer for The Bike Library and came out to the Espresso Express which helped me rebuild my confidence riding on roads.

Cam: You’ve seen the worst of what can happen with cars in your work as a PA. How many car-related traumas do you see?

JH: A lot. At least at my hospital, motor vehicle collisions are probably our biggest trauma population, even more than gunshot wounds. Cars feel safe because they’re the default, but they’re only as safe as the people driving them and the conditions. Distracted driving, DUIs—it’s all too common.

Cam: Back to bikes—where are you with them now?

JH: Bikes have become freedom for me. After my crash in June, where I broke my clavicle, I couldn’t ride for months. That was hard—biking was how I moved my body, cleared my mind, and connected with friends. Losing all of that at once was rough. But I’m back on the bike now, and I appreciate it so much more.

Cam: That first ride back must’ve been emotional.

JH: It was. I teared up—it was actually on that Christmas Eve Espresso Express before we went to Press. Just being able to ride again felt incredible.

Cam: What’s next for you and bikes?

JH: Long-term, I want to live somewhere more bike-friendly and use bikes as my main transportation. Meeting different kinds of people at The Bike Library and seeing how they integrate bikes into their lifestyle has been inspiring. I’m also thinking about outfitting my bike, Francis Scott, to carry more stuff for commuting.

Cam: Ever thought about an e-bike?

JH: I’ve looked at them, but they’re too fast for me! I’ll stick with Francis for now.

Cam: That’s fair. Thanks for sharing your story, Jess. We’ll see you on the roads—and maybe in the greenways.

JH: Thanks for having me!