There is a certain comfort with the trappings of home. The familiar nooks and crannies of a house that one has grown up in, the hiding places, the comfort that is bred through this familiarity. The trails I grew up on evoke similar feelings. My travels take me all over the world, but my roots run deep into the dark forest loam of the Kootenays, my first home. I recently visited my hometown of Nelson for a few days, and managed to get out for a few mountain bike rides.
More than just the trails themselves, the feeling of re-immersing myself in an environment that nurtured me from a young age was a comfort in itself. The stoic and silent mountains that I grew up in seemed to welcome me as I climbed up the logging road towards the first Kootenay trail of my return. Even the scents of the forest seemed familiar, reminding me of my youthful adventures on the very same mountain.
Interesting combination of a cyclist and street art in London; urban living at its best!
Have a lane that you love? Send us a photo! You can post it to our Facebook page, shoot us an email at blog[at]ospreypacks[dot]com or upload to our Flickr group and we might just feature it here on our weekly photo feature, Lane Love.
There’s no question that bikes can provide independence and livelihood, especially in the developing world. World Bicycle Relief was founded on that exact idea, using bicycles to assist in poverty relief and disaster recovery initiatives.
Founded in 2005, WBR has an enormous amount of industry support, and for good reason: since its inception, the organization has distributed over 75,000 bicycles and trained over 700 field mechanics.
After seeing their efforts highlighted in With My Own Two Wheels, a film that we recently saw at Mountainfilm, there’s no doubt that WBR is doing amazing work.
We caught up with Matt Pierce to learn about WBR and the organization’s work.
What inspired the launch of World Bicycle Relief?
World Bicycle Relief was founded in January, 2005 in response to The Indian Ocean Tsunami. Cofounders F.K. Day and wife Leah Missbach Day traveled to Sri Lanka and found an acute need for basic transportation amongst those individuals struggling to rebuild their homes and their lives.
Why bikes?
The need was for simple, sustainable transportation. At the time, F.K. Day had nearly 20 years of experience as head of product development at SRAM Corporation and connections with some the worlds brightest minds in bicycle engineering. World Bicycle Relief was founded by SRAM Corporation and industry leaders to address this need.
You learn new things all the time, and today was no exception. Did you know it was International Yarn Bombing Day a couple of weekends ago? This occasion was put to good use in Vancouver where the bike racks along one lane were beautified with yarn.
Have a lane that you love? Send us a photo! You can post it to our Facebook page, shoot us an email at blog[at]ospreypacks[dot]com or upload to our Flickr group and we might just feature it here on our weekly photo feature, Lane Love.
Designed by jacek holubowicz, the eccentric ‘sofa bike’ has been conceived for the notion of the ‘bike date’. The design includes two separated 8-gear hubs, hydraulic brakes (all operated by a front handle bar), and dynamic chain steering for manoeuvring through the streets. Two extra soft bolsters are included that can be removed according to the driver’s height. The ‘bike couch’ is also equipped with a sound system, 17 AH battery and a folding roof with gas springs.
The perfect bike date maybe?
Every Wednesday on Ditch Your Car we’ll be bringing you just another reason to spend more time on two wheels. Be it a photo, a statistic or an inspirational video, we want to keep reminding you about why riding is great!
It’s no traditional bike lane or path, but we love this photo of a foggy ride in the Peak District of Britain.
Have a lane that you love? Send us a photo! You can post it to our Facebook page, shoot us an email at blog[at]ospreypacks[dot]com or upload to our Flickr group and we might just feature it here on our weekly photo feature, Lane Love.
Nothing says “ditch your car” like looking good on two wheels, so we hope that this new video inspires some creative bike commuting.
And we’re so excited about this new What Are You Wearing Today series, we’re even offering up a few Momentum packs to those who show us just what they wear on their commute. Check out the details and enter.
Every Wednesday on Ditch Your Car we’ll be bringing you just another reason to spend more time on two wheels. Be it a photo, a statistic or an inspirational video, we want to keep reminding you about why riding is great!
Sometimes your bike lane takes you through the heart of the Cambodian forest and past ancient temples, like Prasat Sambor in this photo.
Have a lane that you love? Send us a photo! You can post it to our Facebook page, shoot us an email at blog[at]ospreypacks[dot]com or upload to our Flickr group and we might just feature it here on our weekly photo feature, Lane Love.
And what’s that solution? One of them just happens to be bikes. Check out the trailer to With My Own Two Wheels, an inspiring film about just why bikes are having an impact in all kinds of communities around the world.
Every Wednesday on Ditch Your Car we’ll be bringing you just another reason to spend more time on two wheels. Be it a photo, a statistic or an inspirational video, we want to keep reminding you about why riding is great!
