I arrived home to this email, thought it was worth a mention!

Dear Tony,

National Bike Month is officially here! With longer, milder days, May is a perfect time to recognize bicycling for the multitude of benefits it provides – improving our health, economy, and environment. Here are three ways to make the most of this year’s National Bike Month:

1)     Go for a type of bike ride that you normally wouldn’t: If you’re a road rider, try a mountain bike ride. If you’ve never ridden your bike to work, give bike commuting a shot. And if the ride to work isn’t something you can tackle this year, ride your bike to run an errand you would normally do by car, even if it’s just a trip to the coffee shop or ice cream parlor. Remember—forty percent of trips Americans take are two miles or less, an easy bicycling distance.

2)     Introduce one other person to bicycling. Whether it’s your partner, a coworker, a family member, or just a friend, help someone find a bike and go for a fun ride. Bicycling is a pretty amazing thing, right? Why not encourage someone else to discover the activity that brings you so much happiness.

3)     Participate in one or more National Bike Month events. A list of community rides can be found at the League of American Bicyclists, and here are some key national events:

• National Bike to School Day (May 9)
• CycloFemme, the International Day of Women’s Bicycling (May 13)
• National Bike to Work Week (May 14-18)
• National Bike to Work Day (May 18)
• National Bike Challenge (May 1-August 31)

This May and this summer should be an amazing time for bicycling in America. An increasing percentage of our national leaders recognize bicycling as a simple solution for transportation challenges, jobs and economic development, and health and obesity issues. Communities are investing in bike lanes and paths more than ever, helping bicycling to become safer and stress-free. We encourage you to take advantage of these new places to ride by participating in National Bike Month!

Happy riding,

The PeopleForBikes.org crew

Brilliant concept

1) From the list I’ve completed number 1 and have to agree it is totally worth trying new disciplines. I’ve been a dirt rider all these years and feel robbed of the Tour de France experience! don’t get me wrong, knobbly tires rule…. Yeah baby…. but with thinner bars you can squeeze through city traffic and race the traffic lights! I’ve been playing at a New York cycle courier today!!!

2) Number 2 states introduce a friend to cycling, this is something I read in the “Summer of Cycling” campaign (see this article by http://www.bikebiz.com for more info) So if you are a cyclist why not spread the love this year? Or if you don’t cycle, will you be my plus 1?

3) The british cycling industry has been declared recession-proof. More and more people are giving it a try or picking it up again. The more that do the more weight the movement will carry and better amenities/routes and facilities at services will improve as they realise the business it will bring in, (Think, bike lockup station at your local cafe.) So this third point in the email I’ve put the links back in, great for ideas and motivation. Dust off and oil up that 3 speed clanger with the retro handlebar basket….

This blog: Tony Hemans and Glen Eccles cycled the Camino Frances from St jean Pied de Port in France to Santiago de Compostela covering 845km in 6 days in October 2012.  If you are trying to get fit, planning an adventure, long distance cyclist or just curious about my mid-life crisis then subscribe and share!