jerryfaust (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} jerryfaust) wrote,@ 2009-06-25 19:31:00 |
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Pedalling Revolution
I discovered the existence of Jeff Mapes’ new book, Pedalling Revolution, via a review in the New York Times that was written by David Byrne, former lead singer of the Talking Heads. Mapes is a Portland resident, and his book was published by the Oregon State University Press, so I wasn’t surprised to see it prominently displayed at Elliot Bay Book Company in downtown Seattle last week. I purchased a copy of the book, which surveys the movement to promote bicycling as a ‘mainstream’ form of transportation in the United States. So far I’m finding Mapes’ work to be engrossing and well-written, and it will definitely rank as one of my favourite non-fiction reads of 2009.
The book has prompted me to think about the popularity of bicycling in Victoria and the infrastructure that supports and encourages it. Two major trails, the Lochside and Galloping Goose, cover a major portion of the region and are heavily used for commuting and recreational purposes; a third trail will be constructed in the upcoming months. Bike lines exist on multiple streets, another factor that contributes to the city’s national status as a leader in the percentage of resident who commute by bike. And office buildings, such as the building I will work in starting in mid-2010, are being constructed with on-site bike storage and shower facilities.
But I still ride far less than many of my peers, a fact that I primarily attribute to my proximity to multiple transit lines as well as the ease of reaching multiple destinations on foot from our home in downtown Victoria. :)
I discovered the existence of Jeff Mapes’ new book, Pedalling Revolution, via a review in the New York Times that was written by David Byrne, former lead singer of the Talking Heads. Mapes is a Portland resident, and his book was published by the Oregon State University Press, so I wasn’t surprised to see it prominently displayed at Elliot Bay Book Company in downtown Seattle last week. I purchased a copy of the book, which surveys the movement to promote bicycling as a ‘mainstream’ form of transportation in the United States. So far I’m finding Mapes’ work to be engrossing and well-written, and it will definitely rank as one of my favourite non-fiction reads of 2009.
The book has prompted me to think about the popularity of bicycling in Victoria and the infrastructure that supports and encourages it. Two major trails, the Lochside and Galloping Goose, cover a major portion of the region and are heavily used for commuting and recreational purposes; a third trail will be constructed in the upcoming months. Bike lines exist on multiple streets, another factor that contributes to the city’s national status as a leader in the percentage of resident who commute by bike. And office buildings, such as the building I will work in starting in mid-2010, are being constructed with on-site bike storage and shower facilities.
But I still ride far less than many of my peers, a fact that I primarily attribute to my proximity to multiple transit lines as well as the ease of reaching multiple destinations on foot from our home in downtown Victoria. :)
