Sunday marked the end of the 94th edition of Le Tour de France. And I must admit, I feel a tinge of loss. It's more than a bike race to me: it's a 3-week investment. When I watch, I don't see man competing against man in a bicycle race. I see man battling himself and his demons each day; the Tour, for me, is a metaphor for life. Looking through writer's eyes, the tour looks to me like a novel, a drama about human struggles unfolding in chapters, or stages, as it were. In the early stages, we (the spectators) become familiar with each of the characters. Their pedaling styles and specialties are revealed as we delve deeper into the plot. Eventually, each character becomes the protagonist of his own story; he writes his own ending. His reaction to each stage's route symbolizes his approach to real-life issues outside the race. Whether it's illness or injury, public humiliation or personal loss, each racer must develop the best strategy for navigating his course in life, and in the Tour, to achieve his ultimate goal -- reaching the end with dignity and honor intact.
Those of you who aren't fans of cycling might perceive the Tour as nothing more than a bunch of emaciated guys in tight spandex shorts, pedaling like lunatics over the Alps and Pyrenees. I tell you, it's more complex than that. Being presented with the yellow jersey (or maillot jaune) on the Champs-Elysees at the conclusion of the final stage is the highest honor for any cyclist. But there are also the green, polka dot, and white jerseys awarded for best sprinter, best climber, and best youth (under 26), respectively. Best overall team and Most Aggressive Rider are also recognized on the final day. Points are accumulated over the twenty or so stages. A rider may be strong and rack up points one day, then crash out in tragic fashion the next. As in life, the journey -- what happens along the route of the tour -- is equally important in the final analysis.
Every year I hope my neighbors, too, are watching the Tour and becoming inspired to hop on a bike. I monitor my neighborhood for increased cycling activity and cross my fingers that this will be The Year more of us begin accepting The Bike as a viable mode of transportation. My hometown isn't exactly bicycle friendly. Sure, we have miles of trails, but they lead to nowhere via vast expanses of Bermuda or St. Augustine turfgrass, and they often traverse dangerous intersections to reach trailheads. This year, patches of wildflowers were sprinkled throughout parts of the trail system. Most are not native to our area, but at least an attempt was made to beautify our trails. Many times I noticed smiling residents stopping to photograph the flowers.
Adding bike lanes to city streets would tremendously benefit our bodies and our community, and would help to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Cities like Corvallis, OR, and Boulder, CO, already employ similar systems. Metropolitan areas, like Seattle, WA, have successfully incorporated bicycling into their city's transportation infrastructure. Bike racks mounted on the front of city buses allow even novice cyclists to opt for a more sustainable commute. Small towns, such as Santa Rosa Beach, FL, in Walton County, are connecting lodging accommodations to their world-famous beaches by way of bicycle lanes and trails. With gas prices on the rise and the phrase "global warming" entering mainstream vernacular, our interest in advancing "green" technologies has been piqued.
One very simple yet efficient planet-friendly change we could make relates to transportation. We need not send our cars or trucks to that big scrap heap in the sky. Rather, we must learn to rely on a variety of modes of transportation. In other words, the right "ride" for the right route. Don't live in a bike-friendly community? No problem. Take your bicycle on short commutes (less than 5-10 miles round trip) by navigating sidewalks, not-so-busy neighborhood roads, and bike trails, if you have access to them. Going to the zoo or museum? Take a bus, train, subway, or other public transit. For longer commutes, dust off your petroleum-powered vehicle. And carpool when possible, or at least coordinate multiple errands on one trip.
Commute Bikes in the US – http://nordicgroup.us/commutebike/
League of American Bicyclists – http://www.bikeleague.org
Canadian Cycling Association – http://www.canadian-cycling.com
International Bicycle Fund – http://www.ibike.org
International Institute for Sustainable Development – http://www.iisd.org |
Christy Ilfrey |
| About the author: |
| Christy Tinsley-Ilfrey is an entrepreneur, gardener, eco-goddess; a wife, mother-to-be, daughter, sister; but mostly she sees herself as a writer. Someday, she hopes to become a really good one. Read more about her and by her at http://greenqueendom.blogspot.com or contact her at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
