If you look at marketing, TV, everything around us, the driving force of American society (second only to survival) is being cool and being accepted. The type of car, the brand of makeup, the shape of your body, whether your face has wrinkles or not, whether you have outdated paneling or not in your house, what the Kardashians (sp?) are doing, what your friends think of you, who is winning "Dancing With the Stars", - - on and on. As our highways and streets are getting more and more congested and road rage is on the rise, as chronic disease makes historic impact on our society, as we're spinning into our little self-made black hole, how many people are thinking that Bicycling as transportation is an answer? I think the only people that think that Cycling is a valid answer are people like you and me that are already doing it. Perhaps a few will join the ranks, but not many. Watch the ads on TV - The solution to our problems is prescription drugs, new cars that are cooler and faster, new weight-loss plans, the correct electronics, a blind obedience to what Doctors tell you (without spending one minute researching and confirming). I think if we are utilitarian bicyclists in most of the USA we may as well face the fact that we will remain in the minority and we better keep our traffic skills honed - - There is no true cycling infrastructure coming. Nobody but us cares about cycling, and as a solution it will only be a solution for you and I.

I love riding. I feel better, I am almost 60 and my bloodwork is wonderful, I have no chronic disease, I take no prescribed medications. I breathe easily, I climb stairs effortlessly, I can keep up with the grandchildren. I'm always in a good mood, and I love the feelings when I'm riding - the sounds, the smells, the occasional wave from/to a fellow rider. I am clearly healthier than anyone I know that is my age. Sometimes when I am leaving on a pre-dawn commute or a spin over to the local grocery, one of my peers - somebody that is overweight, taking two or three prescriptions, needing to shoot up with insulin daily, unable to walk down the street without panting only a half-block away, says this: "Don't you know how dangerous riding a bicycle is?" I can only turn and stare. I have nothing to say. And the sad thing is I know there is no logic that would convince them that they are the ones taking the dangerous course. I don't know how to fix it.