01.23.12 // When It Rains, It Pours

The rains are upon us! This is the time of year that creates an internal struggle of my heart. I am excited for the storms to wash everything, leaving it all clean once again. Breathing the air in deep after a day of rain is so refreshing. Plus, I am super stoked for the snow to finally dump down on the Tahoe slopes. I went up a couple weeks ago and, no joke, dudes were mountain biking in the same area we were snowboarding. Yet, with this cold, wet weather, I end up debating whether or not to ride my bicycle around my own neck of the woods. However, it’s easy to find some motivation online, with people from all around the world sharing stories about cycling despite bad circumstances.

There are unfathomable numbers of people around this planet who don’t even have access to bikes, let alone automobiles. They have to walk everywhere they go. Yet, we Americans choose to drive short distances, using ridiculous amounts of petroleum without so much as a second thought. Luckily, some people are spreading the benefits of access to bicycles in areas of the world too impoverished to before enjoy this. Check out this cool short preview for the story of The Bicycle City in Rivas, Nicaragua.

Imagine if we only used our cars when we needed them, and I mean really needed them. All these people who sit in commute every day to get to the hustle and bustle of downtown cities could easily get there using bikes and public transit. People do their shopping within a mile of their house but still prefer to use their car. That is just laziness. They might make excuses, saying “I’m getting a lot of things, too much to carry on my bike.” Well, check out this photographer’s art exhibit focused on people in China using their bikes to haul tremendous loads. The artist admits to exaggerating the piles slightly, but from witness accounts they are not too far from reality. These peoples’ livelihood depends on repeatedly hauling huge amounts of goods, yet they do it without the expensive luxury of an automobile. Truly inspirational.

So I will ride out the storms this winter. It will certainly take extra care to prevent the metal parts of my bike from rusting, and definitely extra safety precautions while riding on busy streets. But in the end, I know it will be worth it. I have never gone on a ride and afterwards thought “I shouldn’t have done that.” And believe me, there are numerous other activities that have resulted in that thought. At least I don’t live in the snow, or I might have to invest in one of these bad boys. But hey, at least I could still ride.