the dot connection in new mexico

The most wonderful side effect of my "summer project" is that I'm actually starting to feel more fit and get "hooked' on exercise. Exercise for exercise's sake has never been able to hook me. But since I've started using my bike daily for basic transportation, I'm beginning to feel the exercise "high" that others report from running or working out at the gym.

It's getting easier and easier: to ride up hills, to go faster and further. It's also getting easier to ride on city streets. I'm quite comfortable now on streets that at first seemed treacherous. And I'm learning that there are ways to be safer and more effective riding on city streets.

I had breakfast last weekwith Jule and Astrid from Bike Albuquerque. From them, I learned that statistically, riders who use city streets all the time have less accidents than those who primarily use recreational trails. I presume that's a matter of street savvy, and I want more!

Julie and others teach classes through Bike ABQ in effective and safe cycling. I really want to take that class, and as I've told friends about it, I'm finding there's a lot of interest. So I spoke with Julie at the Bike ABQ meeting tonight, and we scheduled some dates in September for the next class.

Meeting with these women has been both encouraging and inspiring. After breakfast last week, we went over to Alvarado Transportation center and I practiced loading my bike onto the bus bike-rack. It wasn't near as hard as I thought it would be. Once I removed my lock and paniers, It wasn't all that hard to lift my bike after all. It really makes a difference to just have someone there for moral support when trying something new and possibly daunting.

Astrid gave me another idea along similar lines. I was telling her how a lot of my friends love bicycling, but don't ride to work or around the city because they are uncomfortable riding on city streets. Astrid suggested that with my summer's off, I'm in a prime position to offer the person to person moral support that just might make a difference to some of those folks.

Her advice: "What motivates people the most is relationship. Just talking with people isn't likely to lead to change. But you could say, 'hey, why don't we give it a try? I'll meet you at your place and let's just try it, let's just see if we can figure out how you could ride to work.' "

Great idea, and I already got a chance to try it! When I told one friend about this idea, she jumped on it. She's starting a new job in a couple of weeks and she has been out of the habit of riding her bike, but she' like to get in the habit of riding to work. So we checked it out yesterday morning: figuring out the best route, timing how long she should allow for the commute. Then a stop at Java Joe's for breakfast. It was a fun morning for both of us--I can't think of a more fun way to encourage alternative transportation!