Rainwater in Aquifers, Bicycling, and Your Health

We typically associate rainwater with watering plants or filling rivers and lakes. But rainwater that replenishes aquifers can impact your overall health.

 

What’s an Aquifer?

Aquifers are underground layers of water-bearing rock or sediment that store water. When it rains, water soaks into the ground and replenishes these aquifers, a process called groundwater recharge. Aquifers are essential sources of fresh water for drinking, agriculture, and industry. They also impact the environment in ways that can affect bicyclists, and Pedal America fans who don’t ride a bike. So read on!

 

Cleaner Air and More Accessible Biking Routes

Healthy aquifers support healthy ecosystems, which in turn help maintain air quality. This is critical for air intake during outdoor activity like road and mountain biking, even low-impact walking.

 

For us cyclists, air quality is a crucial factor for comfort and safety while riding. Clean air means less exposure to harmful emissions that can reduce respiratory conditions and enhance your overall riding experience.

 

Furthermore, areas with well-maintained aquifers often have more green spaces and trails for cycling. Many parks and nature reserves—whether in urban or rural settings—are sustained by underground water sources, providing cyclists with safe, scenic routes to explore. So, as aquifers are replenished by rainwater, cyclists benefit from cleaner environments and more opportunities for recreational cycling.

 

It also impacts the food we consume. Cleaner topsoil, fertilized by clean grass consumed by cows produces higher nutrient-based foods for staying nourished during and after outdoor activity.

 

Aquifers and Sustainable Transportation

As the world increasingly turns to biking as an eco-friendly mode of transportation, the health of our water systems becomes even more important. Bicycling, as a low-carbon, sustainable transportation option, is deeply linked to the health of our environment. When rainwater replenishes aquifers, it supports the ecosystems that help combat climate change, indirectly encouraging more people to embrace sustainable modes of transportation like bicycling.

 

So, let’s all do our part! Get out there and Pedal America!

 

With Love,

Ira David

11/11/2024

 

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Montreal Knows What Many Of Us Don’t

The Go Bike Montreal Festival is more than just a week-long bicycling event for 32,000 riders. It’s a reminder to how important bicycling is to each of our respective communities.

 

Montreal residents understand the value of bicycling and bicycle tourism and I deduce that such a mindset has a direct impact on their quality of life. In Montreal crime is low, flash mobs don’t bother innocent pedestrians, drivers and cyclists don’t curse at each other, and women say they feel safe walking the streets at night. In Montreal, bikes are everywhere as a prime transportation choice for both tourists and locals alike.

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For me, it begs the question: What type of life do we want here in our U.S. cities? Bicycling opens doors to shared public spaces, common interests and values, and creates opportunities to discover and share new stories.

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Build a bike and lane and you not only improve biking and tourism, you improve your city, you improve people, and you improve the world.

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Red Rocks: Where The Women Rule The Vortexes (Part 1)

Only one word describes Red Rock country: Spectacular! The energy center vortexes and vistas are so bedazzling that it made no difference where we pointed the cameras; we always had a shot. 

 

If the vortexes do emit energy forces that influence our inner male-female balance, well...uhm…hands down, the women win out in Sedona.  I'm amazed at the number of women who have found the balance between tranquility and power just from cycling here. Thanks so much to Jan A. Sullivan and her friend Gina for guiding me along the Bellrock Pathway and Mystic Trails.  I’m still not a mountain bike expert but my time in Raystown, Pennsylvania and Sedona are quickly diminishing my inhibitions and advancing my love for the activity. My full suspension Trek Bike helps too; I’m astounded at just how much of the work the bike does for me.

 

If you’re more the road cyclist, you’ll have little problem finding fun here thanks to the efforts of Sedona's Bicycle Coordinator, Dave Singer, who played a large part in building the designated bike lane on Hwy 179. We support his efforts toward proposing the additional bike lane along Hwy 89A – you go Dave! A special thanks to my road cycling partner, Heather Paris. Once the episode airs you’ll help to teach the world that women at any age and skill level can ride. 

Continued next blog…

 

 

 

Red Rocks: Where Dale Gannon Rules (Part 2) (In memoriam)

"Help, we need food and massage!"

Traveling on the road for a month is no easy task and as a team we welcome comfort wherever we can get it. In Sedona, we found it at the Amara Resort and Spa.  Manager Dale Gannon and his illustrious staff took care of our every whim. I’m confident his valet employees quickly lost count how many times we asked for the Pedal America production vehicles to be waiting in front for us, even so our Sound Mixer, Wil Masisak, could record voice-overs in the car while sitting in the parking garage.  The resort’s 100 Rox restaurant catered to my crew’s high-maintenance dietary needs.  The dishes and plating far-exceeded what our palates would expect from any other high-end hotel and resort fare. 

 

But my real treat was mountain biking with Dale Gannon himself. Thanks Dale for sporting a ride with me and for helping to arrange a special in-room massage for my endearing and hard-working production manager, Stephanie Rabiola. If anyone ever wants to know what it's like to carry backpacks, a computer, multiple cell phones up and into the mountains while slating scenes, and carrying on discussions with contacts at our next shoot location, just ask Stephanie – well…uhm…maybe don't ask. After listening to her, You'll need a massage at the Amara too.

 

My only disappointment in Sedona was not spotting any of those Havelon Pigs. The closest thing I saw to wildlife was a dead baby snake and one red ant.  Oh well, onward to Napa Valley!