Active Transportation is a State of Mind

Is active transportation about the body or the mind?

Both... That's the simple and honest answer. But mostly, it is about making the decision to move around the city for functional and recreational reasons... without using gas and emitting carbon dioxide!

I rode my recumbent bicycle ONCE this winter, when it was about -30... for a 30 km round trip from my home to the amazing Fort Whyte Alive Nature Centre where I volunteer with student nature interpretive programs. After the second trip I was hooked... even riding through frigid temperatures, icy streets and up to a foot of snow. It was invigorating.... It was eco-friendly. It was a real test of character... And I have put in 100 volunteer hours WITHOUT taking my car across the city to do it...

So here's the challenge. Instead of taking a car, or even riding the bus... walk or paddle or row or cycle or skate-board or ski somewhere... and then brag about it on my blog. Every km counts... towards your health and towards protecting the environment.

I could complain about some of the difficulties I have encountered, but instead I would like to list some challenges that would improve the active transportation situation in Winnipeg, and elsewhere. Challenge #1 - I wonder if the city crews that clean the streets could pick a couple of heavily traveled cycling routes, and if they could run a street sweeper along the shoulders a couple of times a month to clean up broken glass and thick gravel? Boy,would that ever make things easier! We have almost 3 million dollars allocated for a bike route along Bishop Grandin BLVD in Winnipeg, but in the interim before it is constructed.... a clean shoulder would really help my cycling safety!

And the deer along the forest paths... As beautiful as you are, would you mind slowly moving out of the way after a brief look at us cyclists. Several times I have just about had to carefully push you out of the way, my deer friends! I don't mind sharing our nature paths with deer and pedestrians, and moving at their speed when passing by... but sometimes there is just a bit too much nature along the way! (Just kidding)

Any BLOG visitors that have any comments or suggestions about cyclists and nature and pedestrians working together to share pathways amicably... please feel free to pass on your comments. I find that slowing down to pedestrian speed and saying a quiet HELLO.. or good afternoon, seems to work much better than a business like ON YOUR LEFT... or a bell ring or horn toot... What works for you!

Ecorider Len