Bicycling changed Dave's life. What about yours?

Today I  want to link to another friend's great blog post on how a mountain bike saved his life. Dave Schlabowske is the "bike czar" of Milwaukee, and someone I consider a friend. We worked together back when we were both at Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, and I always found Dave an interesting guy and fun to be around.

He's one of those people that has had several careers that don't seem linked at all. I'm like that a bit myself, but that's another blog post.

What I love about this his story, laid out in the link above, is that owning and riding a bicycle transformed his life, physically, professionally, and mentally. He found his calling, or maybe his second calling, changed career paths, and made some changes in his life that he feels literally saved his life.

We never know what decision today will take our lives in a different direction or have deep meaning years down the road. Bicycling has certainly led me to where I am now, and I have heard many stories from others about how it has changed their lives as well. That's why I love to help others learn to ride their bikes comfortably, safely, confidently.

Later today or tomorrow I'll have a link to a class I'm teaching in mid-July. It's a class I've taught many times before, but this time it's a women-only class. If you want to feel better riding your bike; if you want to be able to bike around town without worrying if there is a path; if you want to be able to enjoy your bike more, let me know.

But for now, I'm just going to link to Dave's great post. I have a bad cold (how is that possible when the weather is so nice?), and can only manage short bursts of productiveness.

Well Said: Our friend in Oregon tells off his state rep

 Hans Noeldner is fighting the good fight down south in Oregon (WI, for my friends in other parts of the US.)

Today he had an excellent letter to the Cap Times taking Rep Brett Davis to task for standing in the way of progress and a better, greener future.

Start with fresh ambitions for the lieutenant governor’s office. Shovel in supersized helpings of campaign funding from road builders, Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, and petroleum interests. Whip to a froth with party ideologues desperate to thwart any progress for which Democrats could take some credit -- and the public interest be damned.

What do you get? Brett Davis trotted out in front of the cameras to torch clean energy jobs legislation. Davis spearheading efforts to derail 21st century train service in the highly congested Madison-Milwaukee corridor. Davis conniving to cripple fledgling steps toward regional transit authorities -- i.e., more local and regional control over local and regional issues. [more]

Read more from Hans at his blog, Entropic Journal.