My recent bike students were from Venezuela; the Democratic Republic of Congo (via a refugee camp in Uganda, where I was supposed to be right now); and Liberia (via a refugee camp in Guinea). See them riding bikes for the first time in their lives below (accompanied by music that TikTok recommended and I’m trusting the journey as I’m new there!)
Today I get to interview a person from World Bicycle Relief, a nonprofit organization that has provided more than 500,000 bikes to help people in developing countries administer and access medical care, attend school, and bring products to market (and where I’m planning to donate after receiving a legal settlement* following my survival of a hit-and-run).
And it’s early enough here right now that I can still catch the sunrise while Traveling at the Speed of Bike (which I’ve been doing almost every day for the past two weeks, and it has been so life-affirming at a time when that is desperately needed).
I still believe in a better tomorrow (now more than ever) for the United States of America following an historic win of the U.S. Senate right here in my State of Georgia and a thwarted coup attempt on our national government (both on my husband’s and my 31st wedding anniversary).
I still believe in my ability to make a measurable difference.
And I still believe in you.
Bottom line? Rant all you want. I hear ya. I’m with ya. It’s a frickin’ sh*t show out there.
OK. Now, let’s get going.
Carpe diem, as says the coin I crushed on a train track and turned into a necklace I wear every day (pictured above).
We have work to do to be the change we want to see and create the sustainable world we are morally required to leave to our children.
Join me in planting seeds, looking humanity in the face, bearing witness, rejecting the gutter of failed imagination, and realizing I, you, all of us hold the power as we face this inflection point as a civilization.
I’m a writer, so I’m telling the stories that need telling, now more than ever (blame it on Lola).
I’m a street photographer, so I’m continuing to bear witnesss.
I’m a League of American Bicyclists Cycling Instructor (one of only two in my Metro Atlanta city), so I’m continuing to teach underrepresented populations in our public spaces (specifically women and girls, and previously seniors on trikes) how to ride bikes for the first time in their lives, and how to add additional bike skills and expertise to their current lived experience.
In addition to my free, proprietary, downloadable PDF and the first (and only) text-based bike skills class in the world, I’m now providing free bike skills tips (and more) on my new Tiktok feed. Join me there @pedalpowerwithpattie.
*Additional payment from the legal settlement from the hit-and-run I miraculously survived while riding my bike in the place I call home are being used to underwrite my eight-hour-a-week pro bono position as Metro Atlanta Bicycle Mayor.
Thank you for your support. 100% of proceeds from the sale of my book, Traveling at the Speed of Bike, as well as my original-art Artsy Bike Face Mask, are used to help more women and girls ride bikes.
Traveling at the Speed of Bike 