Cycling

On the road again…

Leave a comment

I’m off to the Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, CA with my trusty co-pilot Grizwald for a few days of bike racing, bike advocacy, bike testing, bike networking, bike love… You get the idea. I’m looking forward to spreading the word about the School Food Tour, connecting with my current sponsors (while searching for more) and chatting with like-minded cycling advocates. It’s going to be a fantastically action-packed weekend.

While I’m gone, here’s a few interesting school-food related articles to peruse:

Have a great week , everyone!

The Portland Bicycle Show

1 Comment

I can’t imagine a city that loves its bikes more than Portland, Oregon. Its two-wheeled (and sometimes three!) pedaling obsession was proudly displayed this past weekend at the Portland Bicycle Show. While I entered the show a bit groggy from my early morning drive with a sick dog and multiple pit stops, I was soon swept up in the energy of the event and was chatting up a storm. As I grabbed a Clif Bar sample, the energetic guys from Ruckus Components tagged my coffee cup with a sticker and I was off in a flurry to the next booth in line.

I attended the show with dual purposes. My role as School Food Tour ‘Spokes’woman allowed me to connect with many like-minded folks and I was pleasantly surprised with how many attendees were very interested in both cycling and good food.

Along with promoting the School Food Tour I was also there as an ambassador of People for Bikes and spent my days collecting signatures, handing out buttons and spreading the good word of bike love.  People for Bikes is working to gather one million signatures of people who are ‘for bikes’ – unifying cyclists and leveraging our collective voice in Washington DC.  This great program is an initiative of Bikes Belong, a national bike advocacy organization. If you haven’t done so yet, please sign the pledge!

It was a fantastic two days of bike-related celebrations and cycling gear. There really was something there for everyone – children and adults alike had smiles on their faces. A few other photos from the weekend:

There was a freestyle area:

A test-ride track:

Ryan Leech gave an amazing trials riding demo:

Family fun:

More photos here.

Go Be It: Implement change in your community

Leave a comment

This is the first post in what will be a weekly series of suggestions to get involved with school food and cycling. I will be giving one simple (and fun!) idea for students, schools and families.  Let the growing of change commence!

Theme of the Week: Educate yourself

STUDENTS:

  • Introduce yourself to a kitchen staff member. Ask him or her what their favorite part of working in the cafeteria is. Share with your class.

FAMILIES:

  • Take a family outing (bike ride, walk, scooter roll, etc.) in your neighborhood. Take note of pedestrian/bike friendly areas along with obstacles to traveling car-less. Are destinations such as stores or parks within a reasonable distance?

SCHOOLS:

  • Poll your students – what are their favorite cafeteria meals? Why?

Folks, remember: “Decide what to be and go be it.” -The Avett Brothers