Our first Bikes + Children episode was so inspiring we just had to host a second one! Children, Part 2 was the theme of BIKE MINDS’ fourth virtual event on April 21st, 2021.
Chris and his daughter Emily shared a fun story of their bike trip abroad where, despite Emily renting a bike that was too small for her, their family cycled 200km over four days – with lots of ice cream along the way.
Céline inspired and amazed us all with the story of her family’s nomadic life, having cycled 74,000km over 10 years, with two daughters born along the way.
Next, Robin brought about a different type of inspiration, sharing her story about her family’s multi-year switch to biking that started with her husband joining a charity ride and ended with her family ditching their SUV and living car-free.
Cécile closed off the evening with a suspenseful story of her son’s first leap of independence riding to school on his own for the first time, and the flurry of thoughts she felt as she anxiously waited for him to come home that day (spoiler: he made it, smiling from ear to ear!).
Chris and Emily McCue (2:43)
The McCues went on a family cycle trip in Normandy France when Emily was 8. It was 200km in 5 days and she rode it on a 20” bike. There were some tough times along the way, but they saw and experienced great things. Emily’s longest day was 65kms.
Chris McCue is an avid cyclist and an occasional photographer & guitarist, though if you ask him, he will say he’s more of a guitar owner than guitar player. He also enjoys spending time with family, camping, canoeing and hiking.
Emily McCue is eleven years old and is a competitive swimmer. Emily has many hobbies such as playing ukulele, knitting, all types of art & reading. Emily really enjoys cycling with her family & friends, and has completed some cycling and triathlon events.
Go directly to Chris and Emily’s story HERE.
Céline Pasche (11:44)
For the last 10 years, Céline and her family have been nomads on the roads of the world. They have cycled 78,000km on four continents, from China to Alaska, from Syria to New Zealand. Celine’s two daughters, Nayla and Fibie, were born along the way. The Pasches are now exploring the Great Northern Horizon.
The family documents their travels on their website, As A Way Of Life. They speak at events and webinars on a range of topics and have even published a book, Nomads in the Heart of the Elements.
Go directly to Céline’s story HERE.
Robin Richardson (24:45)
Robin has lived and cycled in small towns and big cities in California, New Jersey, Washington, and Ontario. After their family ditched their SUV for an active travel lifestyle, Robin became more active in her efforts to improve safety for active transportation in Toronto, and joined the Bike Brigade, a volunteer organization which makes deliveries to folks in need. Her next project is to offer a selection of electric cargo bikes for rent, helping people see how easy it is to swap car trips for bike trips. Her mission is to entice more people to give cycling a try!
You can find Robin on Twitter and Instagram @CanadaRobin, and you can keep up with her new cargo bike loaning company @HappyFietsCA.
Go directly to Robin’s story HERE.
Cécile Lecoq (38:44)
Cécile came to Ottawa from France as an exchange student in 2006 and never left. She’s passionate about sustainable mobility and determined to walk, bike and bus the talk. Her family has been happily living car-free for the past two years. Apart from cycling, reading about transit and listening to urbanism podcasts, Cécile enjoys spending time with her two boys, learning to play the guitar, and (hopefully soon) going to the theatre.
You can find Cécile on Twitter @cecile_lecoq.
Go directly to Cécile’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
Our next event will be sometime in Summer 2021. We are always accepting stories – consider submitting yours today!
Want to keep the stories rolling? Check out more recaps and videos from our past events below:
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