As you all know Mayor John Curtis has committed to riding his bicycle to work at least one day a week through out the summer. In conjunction with this Mayor Curtis is also posting here at BikeProvo about his experiences while riding. The following is his newest installment.
It‘s amazing what a “little assist” will do when you are riding a bike.  Of course, I am referring to the electric assist that was loaned to me from Mad Dog Cycles.  Not being a hard core cyclist, but certainly enjoying riding a bike, it is amazing how often I found myself turning to the bike, over the car.  Trips where I would usually drive, I would  take the electric assist.  I actually was looking for opportunities to ride a bike.  I was again at a late night meeting at the City Center and it was then time to go home.  Having the “assist” to get me home was great.  I don’t know if you can call the “assist” a piece of exercise equipment, but it is a bike and you do have to pedal.  Riding a bike home at 10:30 pm at night, with my helmet and light, is so much easier when you get a little extra help.  If nothing else, I am now getting more into the habit of riding and enjoying it.
Speaking of “joy”, for those of you who don’t follow the Municipal Council meetings on Provo Channel 17, wow you missed a great meeting. Â We made a proclamation about clean air and bicycling this last Tuesday night. Â I would again encourage all of you to use your bike, clean the air and enjoy the ride. Â Whether on an “electric assist” or regular pedal pusher, get out there and have fun.
Next week I will be making arrangements to ride a “belt” driven bike from Mad Dog. Â This is a bit new to me. Â Instead of having the traditional greasy bike chain, it uses a carbon belt much like the ones you find on some motorcycles. Â I wonder if it’s the same getting your pant legs caught in the “belt” as getting it caught in the chain? Â For all you out there that ride, or used to ride a bike with bell bottom jeans, you 70’s children know what I am talking about. Â I will let you know how that goes. Â In the mean time, ride safely and keep both wheels on the ground.
Thank you so much Mayor for the great post. Also thank you for the wonderful proclamation and challenge for Provo. It is so great to hear you are enjoying riding in Provo as much all of us do. I hope that you will still be looking for ways to go for a ride when the assist is gone :).
Alright Provo, the Mayor has stepped up to the plate it is time for all of us to do the same. In the challenge the Mayor gave he called for citizens in Provo to replace one car trip with one bicycle trip a week for the month of July. This is in conjunction with the Utah Clean Air Challenge. If this is the first you have heard of the challenge then pretend that today is the first of July and, for the next four weeks, work on replacing one trip to the store, or to dinner, or to the movies with a bike ride. Also if you have not already check out the Mayor’s blog it is pretty neat and has a little more on the challenge and what it means for Provo. As always thank you MadDog for lending the Mayor bicycles to ride during the challenge and, thank you Trevor Christensen for the great photos.
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