Now that I’m a city resident, my means of transportation have changed. My car isn’t always readily available, and while Boston is a small city, it’s not always possible to walk. So after a month of paying way too much for cabs, taking the T in the wrong direction (what the heck does inbound/outbound mean?), and being late to work after sweating it out on a 2 ½ mile trek along the waterfront, I decided to finally take my own advice and get a bike.
During a trip to Amsterdam this summer, I really fell in love with biking. From the Van Gogh Museum and Rembrandt Square to the Heineken Brewery and Anne Frank’s House, there is so much to see in this amazing city. Amsterdam’s public transportation is enviable, but the true way to experience the city is by bike. Plus, there was something about seeing a businessman in a suit riding a bike to work that made me really want to hop on and pedal around. So after renting a bike for the day and seeing the entire city, I decided I was going to bring the biking spirit back home with me.
Not only do I enjoy biking now, but I’ve realized that biking is a great way to go green. Bikes don’t use gas, so the only thing you’re burning are calories. They are also much smaller than cars and take up less space, which is a great thing in crowded urban settings. It’s a really leisurely way to see the sights without contributing to city pollution with car traffic or the structured schedule of a tour bus. Plus, who doesn’t remember when they first learned to ride without training wheels? A day on a bike will bring you back, and what’s more fun than that?
Biking around Boston? Mayor Menino is a supporter. As an avid biker, the mayor supports local business initiatives aimed at promoting biking for customers and employees alike. Click here for a link to the 2009 Bike Friendly Award Winners for the annual Boston Green Awards.
