Increase of cycle path network leads to increase of cyclists

I am a very defensive rider. It means that I cede my priority, that I pay extremely attention at each pivate gate. Fortunately I can ride most of the time on a separate cyclepath when I come from Leuven to Brussels so that all those precautions and attention aren't really necessary.

The cyclepath I use is an exception. 

In the Netherlands they met in the '80 the same infrastructural problems. The roads weren't adapted for cyclists. Massive protests an political led eventually to a splendid cycle path network. Have a look at the video...

How the Dutch got their cycle paths

A remedy against autumn blues...

Past Friday rain convinced me to go by car to work. When I was at the office, I was in a bad mood due to minor incidents on the road, but dry indeed... Clouds moved into my mind :-s . 
The evening was worse: traffic jam from start to end: 21km/h. Awful. Cycling I use to have an average of 25km/h when I'm slow...
True. Bad, dark weather does require a bit more discipline than in the sunny summer days.
A first adversary is the rain. Meet and beat is my device: face the rain in the right clothings: clothings that repell or at  least don't absorbe all too much water and breathe at the same time. A classic rain jacket or a rain gown are ok when you don't need to go far. With 27 km ahead of you you'll be wetter from the transpiration than from the rain. Personally I protect only my valuable items against the rain (my breadbox for example: wouldn't want to miss my breakfast at my arrival at Mobistar...). Roughly estimated I got soaked less than 5 times a year. Rain is worse from behind the window than when you are actually in it...
A more dreadful opponent is the darkness. This real danger is systematically underestimated. Weapon you against darkness. Cyclists are the weak participants in the traffic.Their visibility should appeal cardrivers to a caring attitude towards cyclists.
I never leave without my safety jacket,  white front light,  red back light and reflectors in my wheels. 
What about the autumn blues? I don't autorize rain and darkness to predict my behaviour. Defying circumstances is a way to cope with upcoming blues. That power is in each of us. Feel wind and rain on your face and taste life.

Although the cyclist hasa back
light and reflectors, he isn't visible

A safety jacket increases
considerably visibility

Congratualations! Much more than 6000 km...

7115 kilometers in August with still 3 days to go… Mobistar employees know how to cope with challenges! Many persons helped to reach this goal: experienced cyclists, starters, but also supporters. We did much better than expected and we had to fight for it. Our adversary was the bad weather with in August more than 20 rainy days, not to talk about the stormy days! Nevertheless the 6000 km cape has been reached easily!

The Move Green event on 23/08 was the occasion to thank all the contributors and supporters wholeheartedly. It was great to welcome you!

Bike To Work for the good cause!

Bike to work and register your kilometers!
It's for a very good cause: Your Health and The Environment.

Discover Move Green on 23/8!

Inscriptions for Mobistar employees via "Insight" "Online Registrations""Cyclist's Rewards". Everybody is Welcome!

Rose-Marie started to Bike to Work: her findings...

Gazing out of the office window at the fifth floor, I can nearly see my home... This fact often made me consider the idea to come to work by bike. It would improve my condition without a supplementary time investment in sport.
Many obstacles prevented my thoughts from turning into action...Which route to take? How to organize? Are there facilities for cyclists? And especially...What about my condition? My condition was really poor.
Eventually a colleague convinced me to put all my hesitations aside and to try it out. The first time I "bikepooled" with a cycling colleague. It took me over 55 minutes to conquer a steep climb and to cover the 11 km to the office...
Today, about a month after that difficult start, I obtained a certain routine which facilitates considerably my organization: I decide to bike and to prepare everything the evening before so that I can leave early in the morning and am not tempted  to take my car.
It is still difficult, but I am improving: I am now in 45 minutes at the office... Still more important than time is that my body is boosted by this regular exercise. After all that's why I am doing it for! I feel good!

Encouragements from Dixie Dancercoer and Sam Deltour!

Dixie Dancercoer and Sam Deltour cross fingers for a successful challenge in August. Here, straight from the heart,  is what Dixie wrote:

"Met plezier wil ik een hart onder de riem steken van de mensen die zich geëngageerd hebben om de fiets als transportmiddel te gebruiken op weg naar Sirius. 

Ondertussen hebben jullie al begrepen dat open bloedvaten niet alleen een open mind opleveren, maar dat elke vermindering van CO2 een zeker sukses is.  Geen discussie, geen twijfels, het is telkens weer een persoonlijke overwinning in functie van een gezonder habitat!

Dat het weer soms roet in het eten gooit, dat weten we allemaal.  Maar maak de volgende bemerking:  jullie zijn niet alleen, en als het moet, probeer je je maar in onze kleren te steken als we op expeditie op ELK moment van de dag de kou moeten kunnen plaatsen, op de juiste manier bekampen, eigenlijk aanvaarden als een kleine handicap.  Het ga jullie goed!"

Dixie