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Bicycling is fun, safe and easier and faster than any other mode of transportation. It saves me money, makes me healthy and above all else, brings me joy every day.
~ Elly Blue
Hop on a Bike and Go Lean and Green by Debra Melani
A Passion for Pedaling
Trading in the car keys for more two-wheeled time could curb many of society’s woes, from spiraling healthcare costs to deepening carbon footprints. Yet, the main reason many bicyclists love going for a spin is that it yields a greater sense of well-being and contributes to a healthier, more rewarding life.
“
silver bullet for all of these things, but I think it is,” says Elly Blue, 34, author of the recently released book, Everyday Bicy- cling: How to Ride a Bike for Transporta- tion. Blue’s life was transformed when she made a bicycle part of her daily world; so much so that she now dedicates her writ- ing career largely to the subject. “Bicycling is just so much more re- warding than driving,” remarks Tammy
I 26 Collier/Lee Counties
know it sounds crazy to say that bicycling is a
Two-thirds of American women think their
community would be a better place to live if riding a bike were safer and more comfortable.
~ Princeton Survey Research Associates poll
Strobel, 34, who gained national attention with her husband when they simplified their lives by building a 128-square- foot house. Cycling to work and to run errands was “a huge” piece of their transformation, even after the couple hauled their tiny abode from Portland, Oregon, (where Blue also re-
sides) to a cattle ranch in California. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of Americans that generally bike to work grew by 43 per- cent between 2000 and 2008, a statistic
swfl.NaturalAwakeningsMag.com
that doesn’t surprise Blue. She first tried bike commuting after growing weary of relying on the bus system. “I got hooked on just how good it felt. It’s like flying.” Blue soon found that cycling was also a faster way to commute, re- storing control of her schedule, reduc- ing stress and boosting her happiness. Strobel, who adds that enjoying nature and increasing daily exercise are also cycling benefits, says it’s bolstered her happiness and quality of life. “I don’t have to spend time going to the gym,” explains the freelance writer and photographer. “I’m getting my exercise on my bike. I feel healthier and in bet- ter shape now.” Several studies show dramatic health benefits for bike commuters. The Archives of Internal Medicine reported that when University of Copenhagen researchers analyzed mortality from all causes in 13,445 women and 17,441 men, they found that non-bike com- muters, even those otherwise physically active, had a 39 percent higher mortal- ity rate during the 14-year study period than those that biked to work. In another study, researchers fol-
lowed 67,143 women in Shanghai (of whom more than 75 percent cycled) and found those that used bikes had a 20 to 50 percent lower risk of earlier mortality than their non-regularly exer- cising counterparts. They also boasted reduced rates of diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular disease (American Journal of Epidemiology). Studies published in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health further found that countries with higher numbers of bik- ing or walking commuters have lower obesity rates.
Cycling boons transcend health
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