Of Awards and Warnings on Cinco de Mayo

Ninja on a Bicycle, by Rob Sol

According to my unverified Wikipedia source, “the functions of the ninja included espionage, sabotage, infiltration, assassination, and open combat in certain situations.”  BTA, do you really think we’ll have to resort to these tactics as we’re “building the future city?”  Rob Sadowsky, are you challenging Moses to the role of sensei?  OK, I admit that circumstances sometimes feel that dire, but we’ll do more study along the lines of Wing Chun Kung Fu first.   

Moses chats with Adam from Coventry Cycle

 That much said (playfully of course), our family graciously and humbly thanks Rob and the BicycleTransportation Alliance for a 2012 Alice Award. All four Alice awardees are credited with demonstrating “outstanding achievements and dedication to building the future Oregon where bicycling is safe, convenient, and fun.”  The BTA tasks us specifically with “shaping the future of Washington County and transforming attitudes about who can ride a bike.”  Challenge accepted! But not even Justin Bieber gets away without a helmet in our future city, especially not caught on film.

Washington County, and more specifically Hillsboro, is an exciting place to live as champions of active transportation.  The insights we’ve gained from attendance at recent meetings for the proposed Hillsboro Stadium, CPO7, and Tanasbourne Stakeholders’ group have helped shaped our understanding of the challenges and opportunities not only to active transportation, but also to public health as a whole in our community.   And we’re ready to put our experience and credentials where our feet are to pedal a whole new health promoting paradigm.  

We like the BTA's vision of the future city!

In case you’re worried that we’ll use ninja tactics in a fanatical quest to rid the city of all motor vehicles while Depave-ing all the parking lots and strip malls to create the carfree mecca we envision, never fear.  Unlike the years of overt and covert marketing and advertising, reinforced by numerous social institutions, that convinced Americans to buy into the car-centric dilemma we find ourselves in, we will warn you up front of the possible side effects of going carfree. 

carfree kids look down from the silent auction balcony

silent auction bidders helped raise $205,000 for the BTA

If you missed the disclaimer in the May 5th Alice Awards, here it is our acceptance speech again:

Thank you for this honor and allowing us time to warn you of the possible effects of going carfree.  You may experience:

results may vary; we're pleased with ours

·         Weight loss
·         Fewer expenses
·         Improved physical fitness
·         Less stress
·         Smaller carbon footprint
·         Improved air quality
·         Reduced noise pollution
·         More wildlife sightings
·         Enhanced sense of overall well-being
·         Stronger connection with community and nature
·         An urge to commit random acts of compassion, love, acceptance, and peace
·         Renewed sense of balance, abundance and gratitude
·         Never having to hear “are we there yet?” again

See our photos on Carfree Family on Facebook
Enjoy more event photos by Alice winner Will Vanlue

Learn more about the BTA
Watch the Prudent Cyclist's "Alice Awards in 1 Minute"

Fabulous photos of the von Borg Cycling Seven, thanks to Will Vanlue, the Prudent Cyclist:

Photo booth fun

Thank you!

Carfree disclaimer