In this Edition
- Editorial: New Editor
- Blurb from the Acting Editor
- My name is Andree Crepeau
- Rides Captain Corner
- Rumble Strips - Response from the NS Premier's Office
- The Amazing Clara Hughes
- Little Boy on a Bike
"Few people take objectives really seriously.
They put average effort into too many things, rather than superior thought and effort into a few important things.
People who achieve the most are selective as well as determined." - Richard Koch (The 80/20 Principle)
NEW EDITOR AT VCB ENEWS
Starting today, Shelley Porter is signing her first edition of the VCB eNews.
Shelley's involvement in the life of Velo Cape Breton dates way back to 2003, the inaugural year of VCB. The key positions she occupied were instrumental in giving VCB its recognition and momentum. From the role of Ride Leader, she's been VCB Secretary, coordinator of the 52-Week Bike Challenge, member of the VCB Cycling Ambassadors, presenter at several clinics locally and lately at the 2nd Int'l Winter Cycling Congress in Winnipeg. She recently re-joined the Board of Velo CB as Member-at-Large with the goals of increasing membership and cycling opportunities in Cape Breton (SummerFit Challenge), and to help improve safety and respect for all road users, especially cyclists.
A year-round accomplished on/off-road cyclist, she does the maintenance of her own two bicycles and those of her daughter and son. She is well organized and has super writing talents. I'm very proud to leave Shelley the pen..., or the keyboard if you like to share with you, not only her passion for cycling but the life and the spirit of Velo Cape Breton.
A warm thank you to all those who contributed to the VCB eNews since 2003. Your articles, comments and jokes (published and un-published) were an amazing source of inspiration and always very much appreciated.
See you on the road!
A Little Blurb from the Acting Editor
In my life, I've experienced a great deal of change - changes in location, changes in income, changes in relationships, changes in the environment - probably more changes than the average person. (For example, I've moved house 19 times, and no, I have never had any close association with the military or the RCMP!). Some of those changes were imposed on me, and some of them I chose. As cyclists, we have experienced a lot of change over the past, say, 50 years. The bicycle as a toy, the bicycle as a mode of transport, the bicycle as a symbol of "green" revolution, even the bicycle as an icon
of corruption in sport. Some of us may have become cyclists as a way of changing ourselves (to be fitter or slimmer) or as a way of changing our world (to reduce greenhouse emissions, or encourage traffic calming). In social work, there is a term applied when thinking about effecting change in ourselves: "behave as if". Maybe you are afraid of speaking to new people, you fear rejection. The trick here is to visualize a positive outcome, and then "behave as if" you expect it. Behave as if you are confident and positive, and after a while you make that your reality. What if we "behaved as if" the future of transportation was active, as if bicycles would one day dominate the roadways, as if we belonged there. Not to intimidate or make ourselves a threat to the safey of ourselves or others, but to ride with confidence and assurance. To speak in public about cycling with that same confidence.
Would we eventually make a new reality? Why not try it and see what happens? Meanwhile, I will behave as if I know what I am doing as the editor of this very popular and important newsletter . . . - Shelley P.
MY NAME IS ANDRÉE CRÉPEAU
I live in a family of three drivers with five bikes and one car. I own three of the bikes and spend more time on a bike or walking than the rest of my family but it's still safe to say that we don't own two or three cars because we own bikes. I got my first bike at the age of seven and have owned one since --that's 56 years (ouch). I've always used a bike to take me places I couldn't get to on my feet. And I'm still doing that. When I was a kid it meant I had friends all over the place. And I guess it still means that because I have met many new people though my involvement with Velo Cape Breton.
My
goal for Velo is quite simple---- I'd like to see more people on bikes. Why? I firmly believe that people on bikes are happier and see the world and the community that they live in from a more positive perspective. It's a simplistic and pollyannish idea but for me all the stuff about health, green economics etc. etc. always comes back to happy people and communities. How am I working working on this goal? I'm advocating for improved cycling infrastructure in CBRM and I'm working with people who want to learn to be safer more confident cyclists.
Hope to meet you on the road.
RIDES CAPTAIN CORNER
by: Shelley Johnson, Rides Captain, VCB Cycling Ambassador
Cycling is an activity that brings people together. Sure you can be a solo act and sometimes that is desirable. But those times we share cycling in the company of others can be most rewarding and beneficial. I am always saddened in the fall when the weather changes and the pleasures of riding with the company of others fades, like the fall leaves turning to winter brown.
As winter paints a canvas of white over our landscape and I transition into winter riding, I become a solo act. But am I really? Actually no. Did you know that our own B52 is 30 individuals strong. We have seasoned local cyclists committed to ride year long and we also have cyclists participating in places such as as USA.
For instance, Nita and Larry are strong tandem cyclists from Kentucky, who have also shared in our long winter challenge and have not escaped the frigid blasts of arctic air. This is Nita's second B52 and Larry's first. I have learned that they persevere as we do here. I've had the pleasure to correspond with them and to share our common challenges and experiences over these past winter months. I cherish their support. I like to think that it goes both ways. Ice is ice and snow is snow no matter the location. It can be difficult to ride those 52 weeks without missing a beat, especially after a winter like this one that was felt far and wide. Once again I am reminded about how cycling is an activity that brings people together no matter where we reside. Well, united if not only to commiserate about the weather. Oh woe is we.
Now the days are longer and I feel renewed
excitement at the prospect of what is to come. I hear bubbling from friends as to rides they hope to do this season. I know that very soon we will all ride together again, just as you can be sure that the first buds appear on the tree branches in the spring.
Here's what's going on this week:
"I have forwarded your comments to The Honourable Geoff MacLellan, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, who will ensure that they be considered as the policy for the installation of shoulder rumble strips evolves, and also as we develop and improve our Active Transportation practices. "
What do you
think?
Forward your comments to: editor@velocapebreton.ca
Thank You
THE AMAZING CLARA HUGHES
ClaraHughes is a six-time Canadian Olympic speed-skating and cycling medallist and the national spokesperson for BellLet'sTalk. Clara'sBigRide for BellLet'sTalk is a 110-day national bicycle tour through every province and territory, beginning in Toronto on March14,2014 and concluding in Ottawa on July1,2014. As part of Clara'sBigRide, ClaraHughes will cover 12,000km and visit 95communities along the way. Clara'sBigRide will help grow awareness, acceptance, and action to create a stigma-free Canada.
Little Boy
A little boy out riding his bicycle knocked down an old lady. She was a bit shaken, but got up, dusted herself off, then turned to the little boy and said, 'Don't you know how to ride a bike?' 'Yes,' he answered, 'but I don't know how to ring the bell yet'
source: http://www.jokes4us.com/sportsjokes/cyclingjokes.html
_______________
Shelley Porter
Editor, Velo Cape Breton eNewsletter
March 6th, 2014