I ride for transportation while boosting physical health and fitness (and reducing environmental impacts) almost each and every day — and because I know that if I want to be able to ride a bike with any grandchildren I may have in the future, I need to ride one now.
I also ride for my mental health. In fact, Traveling at the Speed of Bike helps me more than anything else I’ve ever tried in my life. Although I’m naturally positive and optimistic, I’ve had to double-down on my toolkit of coping tricks during these challenging times. Bikes continue to work for me. Honestly, my family sends me out to ride my bike. This is a good little situation I’ve created!
Working full-time on a project titled Healthy You in 2022 (centering physical and mental health; nutrition; sleep; and healthy goal-setting), I’ve been encouraged to incorporate healthy habits into and around my work day as well. In fact, here I am riding bikes this week with one of my long-distance supervisors (hi, Celia!), whom I just met in person for the first time. We could have connected over coffee. I’m glad we did this instead:
If you are struggling and have not yet tried the miracle machine of the bicycle, I would encourage you to do so. Just for ten minutes — once around the block, up and down a little trail, or across an empty parking lot — and see how you feel. If you don’t have access to a bike, here are some tips for how to get or borrow one.
If you live in Metro Atlanta and would like some ideas about welcoming places to ride, see my self-guided PeopleForBikes Ridespot tours.
Also, consider booking a tour with Bicycle Tours of Atlanta. This woman-owned-and-operated small business (hi, Robyn!) just surpassed 1,000 five-star reviews on TripAdvisor and continues to be its #1 Outdoor Activity in Atlanta, as it has been for years. They provide well-maintained, comfortable bikes during your tour, including the option of an ebike. The guides are phenomenal. They handle groups from one to sixty people with ease. Workplace Wellness outing, anyone? It’s another day-at-the-office for them!
If you need help learning to balance and ride a bike, brushing off your old bike skills, or perfecting additional bike handling and hazard avoidance skills, see my free classes anywhere in the world.
If you live in the Metro Atlanta area, feel free to join me the next two Wednesdays for the BikeBloom weekly ride. Meet at the most gorgeous bike rack in the USA for a casual two-mile gently-hilly bike ride 100% separated from motor vehicle traffic.
Traveling at the Speed of Bike 