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School’s out for summer, but the students and staff at the University of Wisconsin-Madison certainly aren’t slacking when it comes to cycling. To the contrary: The Badgers are nipping at…
Read More →It’s a somewhat relaxing week in D.C., with the heat wave showing no signs of abating and the Fourth of July breaking up the work week. People are on vacation…
Read More →As many blog readers will recall, in May we ran a special series in honor of National Bike Month: 31 Days, 31 Reasons. A diverse collection of bicyclists from coast to coast shared their inspiration for riding — and the more than 3,000 Facebook shares proved that I wasn’t the only one captivated by the personal stories.
So we’re bringing back Why I Ride… with a slight twist.
Building on the success and energy of the Women Cycling Forum at the National Bike Summit, the League and APBP are co-hosting a National Women’s Bicycling Summit on September 13 in Long Beach, CA (immediately following the conclusion of the Pro Walk Pro Bike conference). To get you geared up about the event — and share the stories of some of the women who will be speakers, presenters and behind-the-scenes organizers — we’re kicking off a weekly Women Who Ride series.
First up, a member of the Summit steering committee: Green business consultant, April Economides.
April, her daughter and their “bike limo”Like many kids, I learned to ride a bike at age six, with a parent or grandparent holding onto the back of my seat until that magical moment when they let go and I kept on riding. It’s one of my clearest memories from childhood, and I think it’s because of the exhilarating feeling of freedom and independence it gave me.
Fast-forward 30 years, and not much has changed. I love to ride and find it freeing. So much so that I don’t own a car and ride practically everywhere – and in Southern California, Land of the Automobile.
So does my daughter, who is now six herself and learning to ride solo. Most of our riding, though, is on our “bike limo,” which is the fancy I name I call our tandem (also called a co-pilot or tag-along). It’s our car, if you will, getting us to and from play dates, the grocery store, and more.
We happily ride for miles, and she never seems to tire of it. Actually, she’s tired of cars. She recently complained that “cars are more complicated” and “cars aren’t fun like bikes.” Indeed, her usual happy self can get rather bored or whiny in a car.
Aside from bringing us great joy, bicycling helps us ward off laziness. When I owned a car years ago, I’d often choose it for most of my short trips – to places I could have easily biked. This inactivity had costs in addition to the fuel I was paying for. It made me less in shape and less happy. In the worst cases, this sedentary lifestyle that has become a U.S. epidemic leads to obesity, diabetes, and depression. In contrast, bicycling is stress busting and reinforces our zest for life by bringing us fresh air, fun, and exercise. It’s a simple solution to staying healthy all-around.
Speaking of simplicity, I also ride to maintain a “simple” (or “European”) lifestyle. I intentionally choose to live where I can bike and walk most places, including taking my daughter to school, running errands, commuting to work meetings, and going out with friends. This lifestyle affords me more social interaction, the discovery of nearby small businesses, and seeing and hearing the environment around me, like birds singing. Bicycling is a foundation for happiness.
Read More →It’s cliche but true: A picture is worth a thousand words. During the debate about the next federal transportation bill, we talked up the benefits of biking until we were…
Read More →I still remember decorating my purple Huffy bike for our neighborhood 4th of July block party in Fair Oaks, Calif. I got that bicycle all dolled up in red, white…
Read More →Almost exactly a year ago, Chicago officials put paint to pavement for the Windy City’s first protected bike lane. The facility on Kinzie Street was just the start of the…
Read More →AAA may serve millions of motorists, but the association is getting serious about helping bicyclists, as well. Back in April, the President and CEO of AAA of Northern California, Nevada…
Read More →There’s a new rider at the top of the individual leader board for the National Bike Challenge: Michael Lemuel. But who’s the man behind that purple and white shield, logging a mind-boggling number of miles deep in the Kansas heartland?
Well, Michael Lemuel isn’t your average cyclist (and we’re not just talking about superhuman stamina). He’s a disabled veteran on a limited income — $123 per month, plus government-assisted housing/food — who’s taken the lead in the Challenge despite suffering from epilepsy and ringing in his ears so intense that it causes chronic insomnia.
Michael was kind enough to share his story in this week’s Challenge Recap…
How and when did you start riding?
Before, I can remember. I think I was four years old. It’s one of the family stories because, the first time I rode a bicycle, my dad put the training wheels on, and I was off. Then dad decided to give me a chance with no training wheels — and they never were put back on. My earliest memory of being on a bike was at five-years-old and climbing on an old banana seat cruiser. It was way too big for me, but I’d ride it up and down the block from the moment I got out of school until my mom would call me in for the night.
Michael LemeuxWhy did you decide to participate in the National Bike Challenge?
Kaw Valley Bicycle Club (featured in last week’s recap) and Topeka Community Cycling Project (TCCP) were planning Bike Month activities with the city of Topeka. Tee KVBC president told us of the Challenge, and we were trying to get local businesses, and even government bodies, to compete against each other for fun (and bragging rights). None of the “profit” bike shops wanted to particapate so TCCP challenged KVBC (all in good fun, of course). I really only planned on helping my team compete against KVBC, but then I found my city, workplace, team and myself all in the top 10 percent with Kansas in the top 10. From there it just so much bigger than our two teams. I won’t lie: I was constantly thinking, “I’m in the top 1 percent, .5 percent, .01 percent.” It made me feel both special and important.
You ride a really impressive number of miles per day —what’s your average day like? Where do you go, where do you ride?
Read More →One of the best things about bicycling is seeing the world up close and personal, rather than speeding through it behind the wheel of a car. With more than 6…
Read More →From America Bikes: On Friday, Congress will vote on a new transportation bill that reverses years of progress on biking and walking policy and cuts by 60 to 70 percent…
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