Bike to Work Day was a few months ago.
While the sight of all those people on bicycles was one to behold, I didn’t really feel like celebrating. It made me a little sad that some people only got to do that once a year.
Riding my bike is something I do daily. It’s how I get to work and how I get home. Sometimes it’s how I get my groceries. Most often, it’s how I meet friends.
And I love it.
So, in true Letterman fashion and because lists are easy, I present you with the top ten reasons I adore bicycles.
Riding a bike…
- reminds me how strong my body is, how much I love to move and how, in the grand scheme of things, my bike (and my life) are controlled by me.
- is an easy way to get pumped up. Everything is better when approached via bike.
- makes me feel younger. (As I overheard someone here in Boulder say, “Forget Botox, ride a bike”.) It takes me back to my childhood and forces me to smile. There’s just something about the wind in your hair (cheesy, I know) and the cruising wheels underneath you. (Look at me, posing on the big brown cruiser, kickstand engaged.)
- reduces my carbon footprint. Since my car is a big ol’ SUV, I figure my daily bike-riding cancels out my once-a-week drive.
- opens my eyes to details that I would miss in a car and allows me to go places you wouldn’t be able to in a car. Plus, it makes me more available for synchronicity to better find me. Not to mention shouting hello to the friends I pass on bikes.
- has been a constant in all the different times of my life. I’ve been on a bike for twice the amount of time that I’ve been off it. No matter the situation, having my bike around has always been a good thing.
- is an easy way to sort through ideas, issues, thoughts, and problems. And it’s much cheaper than therapy.
- is good for all body shapes and types. It’s not about the speed or the destination, but really about the journey. (And if you can drink a glass of wine while riding, more power to you. Just don’t run into me on the bike trail…)
- is the best way to get to know where you live. You begin to find shortcuts and special places that you wouldn’t be able to access via car. I’m lucky because I live in a town that is VERY bike friendly but I appreciate it because I used to live in a town that was VERY bike unfriendly.
- forces you to be ready for anything. Especially if you’re bike commuting. You never know what you might run into and what you may need.
I agree with H.G. Wells who said, “When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race.”
Locally, I was inspired by Denver Mayor Hickenlooper’s bike-sharing program during the DNC. 1000 bicycles ridden over 8000 miles during the convention and there’s even a blog about it.
Globally, Kona (the maker of my beloved mountain bike) is involved in an amazing project called Bike Town Africa. This program aims to help health care workers in Africa deliver necessary medications to AIDS patients on a bike specially designed by Kona for just such a job. Making the world a better place yet again.
See? Now I’m just gushing…
Bikes are rad.
Love sonnet over.
