Bike Swag

 by Meg Gordon

I’m an ex-bike racer so swag—promotional stuff that can be super useful and cool and free—still holds massive appeal. Living solely on cash winnings and making meals out of things like Saltine crackers and butter at condiment bars when a race didn’t go your way makes one appreciate every cent. And, however it happens,, once you have been poor, that awareness never leaves you.

So when Madison Metro, RoundTrip and City of Madison Vision Zero announced they were setting up shop with swag on offer at the Capitol City Path at East Wilson and Ingersoll, I couldn’t resist. The event was part of Madison Bike Week all over the Madison metropolitan area, where each day brought pop-up promos; robust coffee, baked goods, bike service support and the like. The goal? Celebrate car-free transportation alternatives.

The rain wasn’t too big a deal, as I borrowed a bike with fenders and put on a rain jacket. It’s 2022, and the drier winters giving way to wetter springs that local climate change experts told us would be our future are now reality.

Alternative transportation options are special. They are key to pumping health and vitality into communities and they are an investment in our future. Walk, ride the bus, use RoundTrip, BCycle, opt for a bus-bike combo, or just bike for errands or commutes instead of jumping into a single-occupant personal vehicle whenever possible and you’ll keep pounds of climate-warming carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. These are powerful tools.

If you missed these events, consider joining us for our June 30 Ride with the Pros event with BCycle, as we learn about the alternatives together. Or experiment on your own to devise a personalized carbon-reduction plan that works best for you. And there is always Madison Bike Week 2023!

Special thank yous to:

• Metro Operator Jack Kyles, who helped people try out the bike rack on the front of the bus in a no-stress, no-pressure setting

• Jessica Stammer, Metro Transit

• Renee Callaway, City of Madison Traffic Engineering/Vision Zero Madison

• Zia Brucaya and Ben Lyman, Greater Madison MPO/RoundTrip program, who have been key to making our LWVDC Ride with the Pros bus and BCycle events a reality.

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