I recently got a new basket and reinstalled my saddlebags on my bike. Without them, there was an additional friction to using my bike for errands. Even so, I still had to convince myself to ride to the store and back when we were running out of bread last week. The total trip took only 29 min but even more important were the human connections that I made in those short 29 minutes.
I met and chatted with a junior high student from my workplace, who was unlocking his bike at the same time as me. Now when we cross paths at school, he goes out of the way to say hi.
Then when I was almost home, I saw another student riding her scooter with her younger sibling, who was new to the school. They both came over and gave me a hug and have again when I see them in the hallways at school.
These human connections are what we miss out on when a car is the default means of transportation. As glad as I was for those moments of connection, I thought about all the times that I missed those opportunities when I had hopped in the car, instead. This isn't about guilt but rather about building the rich life that we could be experiencing.
Tomorrow morning, I will be hosting coffee at Glengarry Park, then later in the day we will be riding to Kaleido Festival. Finally, October 4th, the Great Edmonton Alliance will be hosting a referendum civic engagement event; the poster is below.
