A shadow of my non-motorized self

Cold Roll Detroit 2013, photo by Randy Repicky

Yesterday, I missed the Cold Roll ride sponsored by Detroit Bike City, which a good friend and dozens of other brave bikers completed in 17 degree weather!  This made me realize how long it has been since I had posted, and how separated I have become from my bike and my summer long commitment to a non-motorized life.  As soon as I returned from Torino, Italy in September, I was quickly seduced back into the tyranny of my automobile, justifying it as a necessity to meet the demands of my teaching, research and service responsibilities on campus (including cargo lugging).  I did share my 5x8 project blog with all of my students, as a means of introducing myself and my commitment to a more sustainable city and region. And, in other ways, I have continued to promote the values and goals of the 5x8 project over the fall semester: I commuted to campus with a colleague two days a week, made conference and field trips to Torino, Boston, and Toronto using only mass transit, and raised awareness by continuing to develop our campus bicycle program - Blue Devil Revolution (topic of another post) including Tour de Troit and Homecoming events. But now, as 'finals' begin and the fall semester comes to an end, I am reflecting on how I might integrate non-motorized movement into my life, year round.  Certainly, Detroit's weather and lack of a robust mass transit system make that difficult, but others do it!  Perhaps there will be some 'cold rolling' in my future!