It was the last Friday in the month of April – one of the coolest and wettest Aprils I’ve ever experienced – and a group of bike enthusiasts/environmentalists was gathering at the Victoria Park bandshell. Our purpose – to make a stand (errrr – ride would be more appropriate) against Global Climate Change!
We wanted to demonstrate a simple alternative to using fossil fuel powered vehicles – bicycles!!
This gathering happens every single month, in downtown London, Ontario. We meet between 6-6:30pm on the last Friday of each month – rain, snow or shine – before we set off on an hour-long bike ride through the streets of our city. This month, Bill Paul, our city’s ‘town crier’/social activist/radio show host was there to clang his bell as we began our journey.
There were close to 80 of us present for this day’s bike rally, as we set off from the park…
… to hit the streets of London!
We journeyed along many of the main roads and along some smaller residential streets. Small chants could be heard throughout this group, “Who’s streets?” – “Our streets!” “We’re not stopping the traffic – we are the traffic!”
During events such as this, I’m always looking for an opportunity to share one of my own ‘repeat after me songs’. At this point in our journey, I did start a song… but it didn’t last too long. I had sung the 3rd line and it was followed with silence. Someone said, “What did he say?” So I repeated that line again, followed with more silence. Then someone cracked a joke and my effort died!
Oh well! We continued on our ride….
This was only the second ‘Critical Mass Bike Rally’ that I had attended, so I wasn’t up to date with all of the things that go on during the rallies. Sure, we ride our bikes around shouting out small slogans and all of that, so I was surprised when we were reaching the main intersection of London – Dundas and Richmond – and everyone got off their bikes and lifted them over their heads – with lots of shouts and whoops and hollers!!!!
I quickly learned that this was called a ‘Bike Lift!’ I cracked up cuz it is a really hilarious thing to have happened. It happened three times during this rally and after the first time, I participated as well.
This is Maryanne! We’ve known each other for several years and we’re always sharing information about community environmental happenings. Maryanne is a hero of mine! She could be one of the most active environmentalists in the city!!!
I’ve shared stories about how Maryanne organized London’s first environmental magazine – that I submit stories to – called Ecovox Magazine. During this bike ride, Maryanne told me how she has been working with Rogers TV to evolve the magazine into a television series. A few weeks after this event, Maryanne and a film crew showed up at one of the schools that I drive bus for, to interview the students and principal of the school – to highlight the children’s involvement with creating environmental art for The Peacebus.
This is a link to several clips from the Ecovox TV series – http://www.rogerstv.com/page.aspx?lid=12&rid=9&sid=4271
A little while later, we were nearing the end of our bike rally. As we were making our way back to Victoria Park, the girl beside me said that she was tired of the same chants we were yelling out and that she wished someone knew some other kind of songs that we could sing as a group. Maryanne was close by and she smiled and said that I probably knew a song or two.
The next few minutes had me smiling. I mentioned earlier how I had put effort into trying to get a song going, but I had failed. Now, without any effort, I was able to start another song – sung with the help of just a few people – and it grew and grew until everyone had joined in!
The Earth is our friend
The Earth is our friend
And she needs a helping hand!
And she needs a helping hand!
The Earth is our friend
The Earth is our friend
And she needs a helping hand!
And she needs a helping hand!
Singing Way-oh, Wayy-oh!
Singing Way-oh, Wayy-oh!
Way-oh, Way-oh, Way-oh, Way-oh!
Way-oh, Way-oh, Way-oh, Way-oh!
Wayyy-oh, Way-oh!
Wayyy-oh, Way-oh!
Way-oh, Way-oh, Way-oh, Way-oh!
Way-oh, Way-oh, Way-oh, Way-oh!
We can plant some trees
We can plant some trees
Making home for birds and bees
Making home for birds and bees
Repeat…
Way-oh part of song….
We can clean the air
We can clean the air
To show the future that we care
To show the future that we care
Repeat…
Singin’ I want peace
Singin’ I want peace
Puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-peace!
Puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-peace!
We’ll work hard for peace
We’ll work hard for peace
Puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-peace!
Puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-puh-peace!
I wonder if any of the students who rode my bus happen to be reading this story. If there are they’re probably saying, “Hey! We sing that song on the Peacebus!!!” I wrote this song for them!
I met a lot of interesting people during this bike rally. One lady works at the University of Western Ontario and she shared stories about initiatives that she is working on to make it easier and ‘greener’ for the students to get around the city. I also listened in on a conversation that involved one of the City’s council members as he shared ideas that he is hoping to build on to make it easier and ‘greener’ for all Londoners to get around.
This rally was not just a bunch of people trying to stir up controversy and annoy people driving their cars. It was a large group of people taking a small peaceful initiative to inspire the city, all the while sharing ideas and initiatives meant to create a stronger future for the world. A very honourable event to be a part of!
But then it was time to go home…
After the last rally, I simply hoped on a transit bus to make my way home. I live way out in the west end of the city and I thought that it would take forever to ride my bike home. This time, I challenged myself…
… and I’m so glad that I did!
As you can see, the bike path is fairly flat, with just a few small rises and falls along the way. It passes through many different parks throughout the city as it winds its way along the side of the Thames river.
It had been many years since I last made such a long ride, and the time passed rather quickly as my mind wandered and my eyes enjoyed the scenery.
When the paved path ended and I found myself on a gravel bike path, passing many soccer fields, picnic areas and children’s playgrounds, I knew that I was almost home.
The cool damp air contrasted with the body heat that I had been producing and when I got home, Koly enjoyed licking at the moisture drops that had collected on my stubbled chin!!!!
This ride home taught me one thing – 35 minutes passes by very quickly when I’m enjoying myself! Since then, I’ve made it a part of my weekly routine when coming home from work. In the past – on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday – I would drive my car to Joanne’s work, leave it for her to get home, and then I’d hop on a bus to get myself home. Now, I put my bike in the trunk of the car and on these three days instead of taking the bus, I’ll ride my bike home. This saves us a few dollars on bus fare, I get a bit more exercise while cutting back on my carbon footprint!
It’s small initiatives like this that allows us to continue to search for more and more ways to lessen our dependencies on fossil fuels. My quality of life has been improved and so has the quality of lives for future generations.
“I’ve got a bike
and you can ride it if you like.
It’s got a basket and a bell
that rings and things that make it look good.
I’d give it to you if I could
but I borrowed it!”
Pink Floyd
Be inspired! Participate in community environmental rallies!
Jim
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