Riding a bike is my passion. I ride because it is fun; I ride because I am competitive; I ride because it helps me relieve stress; I ride because I love the feel of my legs pedaling me from point A to point B and then back to point A; I ride because riding means freedom.
I love everything about riding a bike. I love the mechanically supreme simplicity of the bike; I love the pain that I feel on my legs as I climb a tough hill; I love the feeling of elation as I descend the other side of the same hill; I love the sweat pouring down my back when I sprint; I love the wind blowing on my face; I love the sweet smell of orange blossoms that greet me as I ride by an orchard; I love the sight of the rolling hills that surround my home; I love the waves crashiing right below me when I ride down PCH.
When English mountaineer George Mallory was asked why he wanted to climb Mt. Everest, he famously replied:
“Because it’s there.”
Ask any cyclist why he rides and invariably you will get a similarly succinct answer:
“Because it’s fun.”
As much as I love to ride my bike, however, I am not unmindful of the dangers that all bike riders face as we share the road with 2-ton steel vehicles. Every year, in the United States alone, more than 600 cyclists are either injured or killed by careless or inattentive drivers.
In 2003, Chris Phelan organized the first Ride of Silence in Dallas after endurance cyclist Larry Schwartz was hit by the mirror of a passing bus and was killed. Since that time, The Ride of Silence has become an international event.
This year, on May 18, 2011 at 7:00 PM, the Ride of Silence will begin in North America and roll across the globe. Cyclists will take to the roads in a silent procession to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways.
The Ride of Silence is a free ride that asks its cyclists to ride no faster than 12 mph and remain silent during the ride. There are no sponsors and no registration fees. The ride, which is held during National Bike Month, aims to raise the awareness of motorists, police and city officials that cyclists have a legal right to the public roadways. The ride is also a chance to show respect for those who have been killed or injured.
In Thousand Oaks, riders from the local bicycle club (the Conejo Valley Cyclists) will join cyclists across the world in honoring the memory of our fallen comrades.
I love riding my bike – on May 18, I will ride for all those other riders who cannot longer enjoy the pleasures of cycling.
God bless them!
For more information about The Ride of Silence, go here:
Ride of Silence
For more information about the CVC 2011 Ride of Silence, go here:
Conejo Valley Cyclists 2011 Ride of Silence
To read more about the Ghost Bikes project, go here:
Ghost Bikes
1 comment:
Debbie, this is a very nice post about the pleasures and dangers of riding a bike. Please be careful when you ride your bike. There are way too many jerks out on the road. Have fun and bed safe.
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