You never know when you'll get good advice from a prairie dog!
My friend JG has been riding a bike a lot more lately. I'd like to think that it comes from her reading this blog, but I know the real reason - her daughter, the bella monster, has recently learned to ride without training wheels. With this newfound mobility, they've been talking a lot about bike safety/the rules of the road/common sense and common courtesy. And the kid is sharp. She asked her mom why there weren't any designated places for bikes to ride in safety. Her mom pointed out some of our miniscule bike lanes around their neighborhood. (They live near one bike lane that is one block long.) Mom also explained that there are few cyclists in town so the city does not bother to add more lanes. So her daughter asked a simple question, "Wouldn't more people ride if there were more bike lanes?" This particular kid already has a way of asking questions in a way that implies Duh, isn't this obvious?
Links:
A book recommendation from Jesse over at Just a Car Guy - Roads Were Not Built for Cars. This one looks very interesting. I hope to purchase it soon.
Two more thought-provoking Lloyd Alter article from Treehugger this week - Sign the Pledge: "It's a crash, not an accident." and Bikes are not cars, and infrastructure is better than helmets. Lloyd and the bella monster have a lot in common.
As for me and the National Bike Challenge, I have been stinking it up pretty badly. It's been hot and breezy around here, so I've dusted off the electric bike and I rode it to work three days this week. The ultimate goal is carbon-neutral transport with exercise, and it is pretty darn close. And I still have the energy to accomplish things around the house when I get home. On hot and breezy days on the pedal bike, I take about an hour to recover, and I often lose momentum and opportunity. So, yes, I am still biking, but I am not logging the miles. The electric bike definitely helps to level the terrain and help with the wind.
Well, I better wrap this up. The Lubbock Downtown Farmers Market beckons and the backyard jungle has swallowed another explorer.
May you pedal one way or another!
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