Take Action Daily - Spin Your Wheels

Cycling around Vancouver is so easy, it's no surprise we have such a vast bike culture. With gas prices the way they are, combined with the gorgeous pre-summer weather we've been enjoying, what better time to dust off those wheels of yours hiding in your storage locker. If you don't have a bike yet, there are lots to be found, whether by perusing craigslist, local papers, sports junkies, or scoring from your local bike shop, now is the perfect time to look. I've added a map of cycling routes in Vancouver for a quick glance, and have also added links at the top of the blog for a more detailed look as well as links for sub Vancouver maps. These links are in PDF. format so you may need to download free Adobe Acrobat Reader software (www.adobe.com) if you don't already have it.
Now that you know where to go, rather than hopping in your gas guzzling, air polluter for a jaunt to the store, grab your newly greased up two wheeler and get a splash of fresh air. Trust me, it may seem like a pain at first to get going, but once you do, you will love it.
Before long you'll be ready to peddle with the rest of the cycling cult at Critical Mass, a large scale cycling group that meets up around 5-5:30pm at the Georgia side of the Vancouver Art Gallery on the last Friday of every month. The name "Critical Mass" is taken from Ted White's 1992 documentary film about bicycling, "Return of the Scorcher". In the film, George Bliss describes a typical scene in China, where cyclists often cannot cross intersections because there is automobile cross-traffic and no traffic lights. Slowly, more and more cyclists amass waiting to cross the road, and when there is a sufficient number of them -- a critical mass, as Bliss called it -- they are able to all move together with the force of their numbers to make cross traffic yield while they cross the road. The idea started in San Francisco in 1992 and has since spread throughout the world. Every place has a different feel to their rides which I imagine says a lot about each individual city. Here in Vancouver, the rides are as diverse as is the city. From people riding with barbecues and delicious food, to BMXers, to stylish cruisers, to hard core cyclists, most people come out to have fun and enjoy the company and the view from a new perspective. If you live in Vancouver or have friends visiting, it is a great way to spend an evening!