If I told you there is something that you could do right now that could help end the war in Iraq, fix health care, prolong your life, give you a sexy slim figure, bring your family closer together, save yourself and the children from asthma and diabetes, save some air for your kids, maintain the natural beauty of your neighborhood, save you enough money to buy three new laptops a year; would you believe me? It is simpler than you think; it’s as easy as riding a bike.

Actually, it is riding a bike.

I shouldn’t have to plead a case here; the benefits of riding a bike are so great, that if all the folks fit to ride bikes utilized their pedal power, instantly, our America would experience an immediate and instant transformation towards health. Riding a bike daily gets your heart pumping and the blood flowing strong through your veins. Your breathing exhales toxins stored within your muscles. You work you ass and thighs, building the power source of your strength. You burn healthy calories instead of polluting petroleum; keeping the air in your community fresh and clean. If you want “health care” then get health care; get your kids and the wife and go for a bike ride, you’ll live longer.

The Healthy No Car Life Style

Biking in combination with the bus becomes more convenient especially when the weather is cold. I do my grocery store runs on a bike utilizing a backpacker's hiking pack; I load my groceries in my pack instead of plastic bags and ride home easily. For trips to other towns I sit back with my laptop and headphones on riding smoothly along on the train; when I get to my desired town, I use the town’s bus system, whose routes I easily accessed online, to get around quickly and on the cheap. The Amtrak Cascades on the West coast allows you to bring your bike aboard the train without any disassembly, as does the Amtrak's bus service. For me, bike riding to work allows me to mentally prepare my mind for the rigors of the workplace; at the end of the day it offers the time to process the day at work, riding out the accumulated tension fro the days labors, I am clear of the drama by the time I come home making sure I do not bring the stress of the workplace inside to my family.

Weekend Bus Service

Towns that do not have Sunday bus service border on criminal neglect of the people they are supposed to serve. Think of the elderly people who need to go somewhere, the non gas users, and the disabled; do they not count? In order for the healthy no car lifestyle to work it is imperative that all towns fix bike racks to the front of their buses and have seven day a weak bus service. Upon returning to the train station on Sunday after visiting a nearby city, there must be some bus service to avoid costly taxi cab rides. All economies could benefit from the people having access to downtown and the mobility to get out and spend their hard earned money. For many people Sunday is a workday like all others and need the service to get to and from work.

Reap the Benefits of Money Saved

As I write this article I am enjoying happy hour in a high rise restaurant having cocktails over looking the beautiful pacific valley while planning a trip to Thailand with the money I have saved from not buying oil, paying for insurance, and upkeep on a ton of metal. It really is a great trade; I get rid of a huge waste polluting machine, and in turn, I get in shape, healthy, tour the world, save some air for my kids, and feel better. It’s clear to me, I’ll see you all when I get back from Thailand.

"Health Care is a Way of Life"

Mark Stegman