Let's Go Ride a Bike

There is a pet project that I have had floating around my head for the past year and a half or so.  It deals with the idea of cycling in the suburbs instead of driving.  I know, trust me I know, this seems to be a crazy idea; suburbanites ditching their SUV's in favor of Sport Utility Bicycles?  Preposterous!

I know this, I have been riding a bike instead of driving a car for the past three years.  I've gotten it all, from being called a fag,  I really don't think I look like a cigarette when on my bike; to having rednecks throw beer bottles at me, fortunately they missed; even being forced off the road by a truck, caught that ass hole at the light and let him have a piece of my mind!  So all this has happened and yet I still do it, why?  because I love to ride my bike!  I really am obsessed with it, it is a passion of mine and I truly believe that if everyone comes out on a ride with me they'd feel the same way.

So here I am in Texas of all places, home of cheap gas and big trucks, and I continue commuting by bike.  And you know what?  People are starting to come over to the pedal side, albeit slowly, and it really is amazing.

Perfect example, last summer I was riding my bike 12 miles each way to go to class Monday through Thursday and had this been any other summer I would have simply been made fun of to no end every time I rode up.  The difference, though, was that particular summer was the summer of the expensive gas.  The price at the pump shot up to $4.50 a gallon, even more in some areas.  Now with this in mind think about what started going through these kids' heads when I would pull up on my bike, "Whoa, I would save so much money if I rode my bike to class"!

So the same asshole kids that always made fun of me for riding a bike instead of playing football all of a sudden changed tack and started asking me questions like "What route do you take", "What is the best bike to use", and my personal favorite "Man, I've got this old bike in my parents garage that I haven't ridden since Jr High, do you think you could fix it up for me?".  I absolutely love it!

It really is about time though, there are many- innumerable- benefits that can be had simply by replacing a car with a bike and I believe that right now our civilization is at a tipping point where it could really jump on this and ride into a new era.

Just look at us though, our country is an awesome place but come on; CHRONIC Obesity, Diabetes, gas prices, and green house gasses.  America is looking for an answer for these problems so why not give them a bike to ride?