24 December 2007
Where do these people live?
Posted by todd under: Words from cycling sages .
“Surely enough, the urban jungle is not necessarily the most romantic environment to ride a bike. But many people live and work outside the inner cities. Even if you don’t, have you ever wondered where this lush green heaven is where the healthy looking folk who are featured in the advertisements for bikes and accessories (and recently even in ads and commercials for items ranging from chewing gum to cigarettes) ride in pursuit of fitness? In real life they finish up riding on the same roads where we travel. They encounter about as much traffic as we do, and their accident rates are not lower but higher than ours. Because we bicycle commuters have learned to handle our bikes confidently and expertly. It’s not hard, you can learn to do it too…”– Rob Van der Plas, The Bicycle Commuting Book
In fact, I almost ALWAYS wear one (while riding a bike anyway). (On the other hand, if YOU don't want to wear a helmet, I have no problem with it.) I don't remember what happened on this particular day. Fortunately for all of us it makes for a less-nerdly picture. My exceptionally talented professional photographer friend Charles Bertram took this photo.
I asked my 6-year-old son, Caleb, an avid bicyclist and artist, to draw a bike for me. I think he did a great job!
