Thursday Thoughts ~~ State of the Bicycle in North Georgia

Cycling Friends, I stand before you to inform on the condition of the Bicycle in North Georgia.  By this, I do not mean any particular, physical bicycle, but rather, the very idea of cycling and things related.

We have made great progress in the last quarter century.  There is much yet to be done.

Twenty five years ago, a lone adult, riding a bicycle in Fayette County stood a better than one in four chance of being stopped and questioned by police.  At that time, our local motorists were largely ignorant of us, and frequently hostile to us.  Roads were, to put it mildly, extremely unfriendly. It is likely that the overwhelming majority of our local population had no idea what a triathlon was.  There were bright spots, but they were few and widely separated.

Since then, many things have happened.  Advocacy organizations and efforts have arisen.  The Silver Comet Trail has been built and enjoys wide usage.  There are businesses in our community, whose specific function is to serve cyclists.

Now, even in the Winter, cyclists are a fairly common sight on our roads.  It is even possible to see the occasional utility rider, going to work, or to the shopping centers.

There is a strong triathlon club here, and it promotes two very large, very high quality events each year.

Organized cycling events have come into existence and thrived all over the state.

We have a new and vibrant club to connect us, and to promote our causes.

There is signage around the county, reminding both motorists and cyclists to “Share the Road.”  (We should note, that means “Share the Road.”)  It is even possible to find the occasional bit of bike lane here and there.

These strides and advances have come from the efforts of many people.  Many of you have worked long and hard, gone to meetings, written letters, read masses of reports, and (most importantly) invited others to share our two wheeled passion.

Let’s all keep it up.  Bring a friend out to a ride.  Help someone get started.  Invite folks to join the club.  Wave to a motorist and give them a smile.  Strive to be ambassadors for our sport.

Ride like your life depended on it.

Happy New Year!