Join me in supporting the Boston Cyclists Union. Your donation—no matter the size!—will help create safer streets and build stronger connections in our community and beyond.

In 2021 I joined Bos/tréal as a first-time rider. At the time I was looking for adventure, craving the challenge of riding a bicycle to Montréal (it still sound absurd to me even now), and (of course, given the moment in history that was the summer of 2021) wanting desperately to spend time with actual real people. 

Now, for the fifth year in a row, I’m back. While I still love the adventure, the challenge, and the socializing, I’m mainly drawn to supporting this cause because of the profound connections this organization and this ride have brought into my life.

• The BCU’s advocacy work is shaping a safer, more connected bicycle network in Greater Boston. Thanks to their tireless efforts, there are now far more safe routes to bike than when I started bike commuting here in 2017. Allow me a moment to shine a joyful spotlight on the new separated bike lane on Boylston Street, a key route for anyone moving around Boston. It’s nice to be able to ride a bike on Boylston without wondering if today’s the day you get sideswiped by a Mercedes.
• The BCU’s grassroots campaigns leverage its powerful network of individuals like you to push our leaders for real infrastructure upgrades that make our streets safer for all. 
• Getting out on my bike, riding the streets that the BCU continues to make safer, connects me with nature: the rhythm of the seasons, the changeable New England weather, the sights, sounds, smells of what makes today unique from yesterday and tomorrow. As a forest creature living in a city, this is critical medicine for me.
• Bos/tréal has given me a community. I didn’t expect to find a real sense of belonging with many dozens of people when I signed on in 2021, but I certainly have. I even met my fiancé on the ride that first year. He proposed to me three years later, in 2024, at a campground right outside Burlington, Vermont while all our fellow riders fell asleep in their tents scattered around us.

So please help me support the BCU’s work to make Boston a safer, more connected city. Your donation will help build the infrastructure, community, and connections that breathe life into our city. Do it for love! 

On behalf of everyone who wants to ride a bike in any city, I thank you for your generosity.