| June
2005 |
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Afternoon in the Intersection of Equality and Safety School and Ped Safety Bills Passed Taking It To the (Healthy) Streets DuPage County Observes Bike Day |
Diversidad a Pedal! By Carlos Cuarta “You got here on a bike? Wow!” That is what I usually hear when I arrive at meetings and bicycling activities. Though urban biking seems challenging, it’s never as difficult as we imagine. I’ve always been fond of bicycling, but it never crossed my mind to use it for daily transportation, let alone as a way to earn a living. It is a fun way to get around, despite my increase in pounds and years. Bicycling also is a great way to remain active. In the past three years, I’ve done two things for my health: I quit smoking, and I started riding my bike nearly every day. Coming from Venezuela, which has no urban bicycling culture, I’m learning to deal with traffic, negotiating with drivers, surviving the climate, emergency bike repairs, clothing, lane conditions, hydration and safety. Quite the learning curve. Urban bicycling gives me a new outlook on life and greater self-confidence. The views of Chicago and its neighborhoods are completely different from a bicycle seat. One truly feels a part of the environment with its scents, colors and tastes. The sense of freedom is undeniable. Riding in Chicago, I also see how we’re claiming a place for ourselves on this city’s streets. Urban bicycling is taken seriously in Chicago, which has transformed itself into a bike-friendly environment, perhaps more so than any other city in the U.S. There are countless resources here: bike racks galore, free bicycle carrying throughout the mass transit system, bike lanes, the Lakefront Trail, Forest Preserve paths and the Millennium Park Bike Station, to name a few. Thanks to Mayor Daley and to the efforts of the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation over the past 20 years, this is a city planned around the use of bicycles as a mode of transportation, recreation and health maintenance. It is also possible to participate in a myriad of bicycling events including Bike The Drive and the Boulevard Lakefront Tour. There are no excuses not to be riding your bike in Chicago with your friends, children or the entire family! As for me, I’m off to put foot to the pedal! Carlos Cuarta is the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation consultant for Hispanic outreach. Bilingual services courtesy of Accent On Spanish.
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