What could possibly be more positive and inspiring than stories related to kids and cycling? Children was the theme of the third BIKE MINDS virtual event on March 5th, 2020, and the Zoom audience was buzzing in anticipation.
Bradley shared the story of helping his special needs daughter find freedom and joy through cycling and eventually bike camping, bringing many of us to tears – especially when his daughter made a surprise appearance at the end! Next, Janice shared how, after realizing some of her students did not have access to bicycles, she started a massive community initiative that delivered 150 bikes to members of her community in one summer. Third was Karly, who shared their story of realizing the power of cycling through a bike trip with a supportive uncle, despite not seeing themselves as athletic. We closed off with Lotte, who travels the world teaching the Danish Cycling Games to school children, starting movements everywhere and sparking the next generation of bicyclists.
Bradley Fisher (2:15)
Bradley Fisher is a lifelong Chicagoan, teacher, husband, and father of two amazing daughters. He’s determined to live a life infused with adventure, nature and discovery. Passionate about inclusive bicycle travel, he’s never happier than riding with his special needs daughter, whether on a quick errand, a day ride, or a week long tour through the mountains of Idaho on their adaptive tandem, aptly named “Lilia’s Wings”.
Bradley is a member of the Out Our Front Door exploratory adventure organization. You can reach out to him at bradley@oofd.org, and learn more about OOFD’s Bike Camping for Everyone adaptive program here.
Go directly to Bradley’s story here.
Janice Battista Lowe (14:33)
Janice Battista Lowe is a high school teacher out of Malton, Ontario where she has been an educator for over 12 years. Janice has a specialty in Youth Outreach and started a community based organization called The G.L.E. Movement, which stands for Grow, Lead, Excel. Janice’s venture into the cycling community was sparked by the pandemic and the lack of bicycles in her school community of Malton. This then propelled her Summer Cycle 2020 initiative to target that need.
This past January, Janice was awarded the 2020 Phil Green Award by the City of Mississauga’s Cycling Advisory Committee, an award that recognizes a Mississauga resident or group who has shown exceptional effort to promote cycling in the community.
Go directly to Janice’s story here.
Karly Ross (26:16)
Karly Ross has been riding a bike since they were a child. From fun adventures with family to adapting to restrictions on urban mobility, they see cycling as a source of freedom and adventure. Beyond biking and growing food in their garden, they also tutor math and study computer science, all while playing with data and fostering community development as a member of the board of Bike Calgary. Drawing on early experiences of bicycling, these days their main passion is active transportation narratives and connecting others with the stories that inspire and illuminate mobility choices and challenges.
Go directly to Karly’s story here.
Lotte Bech (37:43)
Lotte Bech is Architect and Urban Planner and Consultant in Urban Cycle Planning. She is a member of Cycling Embassy of Denmark and the International Committee of the Danish Cyclists’ Federation. She is promoting Cycle Culture with Danish experiences on cycle education for children. She is a Cycling Games enthusiast sharing the method “Learning by Playing” on events, workshops and pilot projects in schools. So far cities in Colombia, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Brazil, Ecuador, Taiwan and Japan are practicing the Danish Cycling Games. She also organizes “Bikeable City Masterclasses” in Copenhagen for foreign urban planners, politicians and NGOs.
You can access the book by the Danish Cyclists’ Federation with 20 cycling games for children for free here.
Go directly to Lotte’s story here.
Join the BIKE MINDS Movement
Special thanks to the volunteers that made the event possible: Catherine, Rie, Suzanne, Gerry, and Robert.
Spreading the joys of cycling through storytelling has proven to be a powerful tool for empowering people to bring change to their communities. Why not join the effort? Here’s some ways you can join the movement:
- Submit Your Story: be considered as a storyteller for a future event
- Join Our Team: join the team of volunteers that makes the series possible
- Host a BIKE MINDS: host your own affiliate BIKE MINDS event. Get in touch and we’ll tell you more
Due to popular demand (and more great story submissions), BIKE MINDS will return in Spring 2021 with a second edition of Bikes + Children. See you there!
Want to keep the stories rolling? Check out more recaps and videos from our past events below:
BIKE MINDS 