So in the last week I’ve been learning the wonders of cycling in the city of cities, NYC. And while I am super excited, I have to admit that it’s a little daunting to head out on a bicycle not knowing what lies ahead in terms of the terrain, wondering if there will be a bike lane or not. Not to mention that as a non-NYC bicycler for 3 years now, I spend a lot of my travel time underground on the subway and actually don’t know the streets that well. Plus, I don’t have health insurance and the possibility of an accident is always in the back of my mind…

But, biking is a really good thing, not only for the environment but also for people (keeps up strong!), so I’ve decided to figure it out and have spent the last week getting started. Luckily for me, I found an awesome website called RIDE THE CITY that actually maps out the safest route one can take on their trip. They factor in bike lanes and mark all the bike shops that come up on your ride.

I can’t tell you how excited I am about this… I’ve already mapped out the ride to BAM (a Brooklyn movie theater and arts center that I go to a lot!). If you live in New York City and have been scared to get on a bicycle check this site out now. And if you don’t live here in NYC, takepart and learn how you can promote bicycling anywhere in the country with the League of American Bicyclists Take Action page.

And read on:

• Bikes help commuters get around gas prices
• Young man starts journey on bicycle to Beijing
• Most cycling accidents are preventable, trauma doctor says