Bike (and Train) to the Future!

I live four miles away from the Sandy Springs transit station in Metro Atlanta, where I catch the train that takes me to the heart of Midtown, Atlanta in just about fifteen minutes! (Honestly, too quick to even get my TikToks done — there's one about PATH 400, which I see out the train window, coming soon!) I usually bring my bike with me on the train and use it as transportation all over Atlanta, but today (ironically) I had a ticket to go to the Bike to the Future exhibit at the Museum of Design right near Midtown's Arts Center station so I left it at the station where I caught the train. (So don't be impressed with my distance or speed, if that's your thing — only eight of it was on bike, and I tend more toward the 4-10 mph zone depending on how many photos I'm taking or strangers I'm meeting!) (Here's the link for MODA's exhibit of Bike to the Future: https://www.museumofdesign.org/bike-to-the-future.)

The Museum of Design is directly across the street from the High Museum of Art (which I rejoined last week, as my membership expired during the pandemic). Midtown Atlanta is called an Eco District and continually reinventing itself to include more welcoming ways for people-powered transportation. Midtown Atlanta also includes the global headquarters of Interface (one of the most sustainable companies in the world), and the Georgia Institute of Technology (a Gold-level Bicycle Friendly University, and the home of the Kendeda Living Building: https://travelingatthespeedofbike.com/2019/11/10/if-thats-the-effect-a-building-can-have/).

I made a reservation weeks ago to attend this exhibit at the Museum of Design, which turns out to have given me private access to the whole place for a solid hour. Two employees, Veronica and Thomas, answered all my questions. Thomas, in fact, became my designated Today's Nice Stranger! (See 196 others here: https://www.instagram.com/todaysnicestranger/)

The exhibit is curated/underwritten partially by BYCS, an Amsterdam-Based social enterprise that provides consultation services to cities around the world, plus it sponsors the Global Leadership and Bicycle Mayor Program. There are currently about 120 designated bicycle mayors serving pro bono around the world (see here: https://bycs.org/our-work/bicycle-mayor/), and I'm the one for the 10-county Metro Atlanta area (If interested, see my 6-month executive summary as bicycle mayor here: https://travelingatthespeedofbike.com/2021/04/28/6-month-exec-summary-as-your-metro-atlanta-bicycle-mayor/).

I have clear favorites from what I saw at the Bicycle to the Future exhibit — the Nespresso bike below, definitely; as well as the Dart concept bikeshare bike designed by students at GA Tech; plus also some things relating to zippers, cork (I did a super-immersive investigative reporting project re: cork several years ago where I traipsed around the forests and factories of Portugal, so this is close to my heart), bamboo (hello, Africa, where I've been delayed from service in Peace Corps Uganda since June 2020 due to the pandemic — although, frankly, bamboo is abundant right here in Metro Atlanta, so, hmmm, what can we get going?), cargo bikes, and airbags (this particular solution would address the reasons that head-protection design needs rethinking: https://travelingatthespeedofbike.com/2020/12/04/helmet-hair/). 

I was pleased to see numerous women highlighted as designers. However, I was disappointed to see no adaptive cycles for those with disabilities (I know an exhibit can't include everything, but this seems like a definite oversight). FYI, the Peachtree Creek Greenway is featured at this exhibit — my Ridespot self-guided tour of that is number 9 on this list: https://travelingatthespeedofbike.com/bike-routes/ ). 

I'm taking a break from my blog right now (for these reasons: https://travelingatthespeedofbike.com/2021/05/08/im-rethinking-things/), but maybe when I write there again, I'll give you the list (or if someone wants to hire me to do so, or provide other sustainability writing, here are my rates: https://travelingatthespeedofbike.com/about-me/)

By the way, Thomas asked me about my face mask. It features original art. If interested, you can buy it here: https://travelingatthespeedofbike.com/artsy-bike-face-mask/. All proceeds help me provide free bike skills classes to women and girls (as do proceeds from my book). There's also a super-soft, cute baby bib with the same original design, if interested. I posted photos below. I also included a link to the only book shop in the world with books just about bike riding (carefully curated to include only books I've read and loved — or written). Several of these books are also available in the interesting MODA gift shop. 

Hope to see you out there, Traveling at the Speed of Bike!

In the meantime, enjoy a brief virtual visit below. And don't forget to support a local business during your bike ride (which, in this case, was after my return train trip, on the final bike miles home). 

Am so happy to be back on MARTA this week, for the first times since the pandemic started. See my separate Ridespot titled "We Go Together" about my bike/bus trip!

Everyone knows that the metal strip near the edge of the platform is too dangerous for people. Why are we accepting bike lanes this size in our communities? Say no to greenwashing about too-narrow, unprotected bike lanes that don't meet NACTo guidelines. Don't let your city ghost you about this when you bring it up (or try to gaslight you into thinking you're being negative when you are simply being truthful), and let's eliminate the need for ghost bike memorials.

You're gonna be wanting this bib after visiting that family bike room at the Bike to the Future exhibit! Best part? ALL proceeds are used to help more women and girls ride bikes (maybe even one day this granddaughter of the Georgia Bike Law attorney who represented me after I survived a hit-and-run while riding my bike on July 14, 2020). It comes in three different trim colors, by the way. Order here: https://www.cafepress.com/travelingatthespeedofbike.604419646

It doesn't hurt to have a mask handy, and this is my fave when riding my bike outdoors in crowded areas (hello, Atlanta Beltine's Eastside Trail). Order here: https://www.contrado.com/stores/traveling-at-the-speed-of-bike/artsy-bike-face-mask-595854. All proceeds help more women and girls ride bikes. I created the original art, which is also featured in the Joy Campaign all over Metro Atlanta (and beyond): https://travelingatthespeedofbike.com/2020/11/22/interstate-285/

Whether you were in "the boom where it happened" in the 1970s or you've joined the biggest bike boom since then, welcome to the only bike book shop in the world! You may find some inspiring information in these bike-related books (all of which I've purchased, read, and loved). And 10% goes back to help indie book stores all over the USA, which makes sense because studies show bike riders shop local more! (Tip: When you buy my book, Traveling at the Speed of Bike, proceeds are also used to help more women and girls ride bikes.) https://bookshop.org/lists/bike-books

Here are some ways to ride out the rest of National Bike Month, by the way (here in the USA in May, and then let's send a #RollingWave to Canada for their National Bike Month in June). Then, join me in continuing to ride your "Bike to the Future" one #ridespot at a time. See welcoming self-guided tours in Metro Atlanta here; https://travelingatthespeedofbike.com/bike-routes/. See BikeToursATL.com for guided tours complete with comfortable, expertly-maintained bikes (including electric bikes).