Wheels of Africa

Such a wonderful experience I had today, perhaps it's a fitting time to break out of my long lapse from blogging with you all. Of course there is so much to tell from the last months captured in notes and ruminations stashed in dusty corners throughout my computer, I sincerely hope I can begin sharing it again with my lingering audience.

Today I attended a meeting of the fledgling club Wheels of Africa while tucked beneath a tree overlooking a pond of peddle-boats (how fitting) in Nairboi's beautiful and massive downtown park. Thirty cyclists occupied their piece of grass and outlined in their incredible, humble Kenyan eloquence, full of analogies, morals, and truisms, their passion for cycling and the ways it has shaped their lives. Facing a group familiar to me almost exclusively from competitive cycling events, I was stunned and my heart soared as each and every one described cycling as a lifestyle with a deepness that would impress even the most dedicated Western cycling evangelist. Having arrived early ( in Kenya that's 15 after the scheduled start time) I had a chance to talk to Raymond, the group's founder, and his recruited management consultant cum co-organizer, ________ (her name is currently escaping me). They outlined for me the themes that had emerged from their first gathering and I shared my reservations about my observed fixation on competition amongst Kenyan cyclist. As the a sea of logo spattered cycling jerseys swelled, I braced myself for the fallout of imported American commercial cycling literature and culture. That is bikes as toys, bikes for competition, bikes as status symbols, bikes for anything but that for which they are best: LIFESTYLE. But instead of being knocked flat by my fears, I came to find this incredible undercurrent of complex understanding that a bicycle is truly a vehicle for citizenship. The same sense of citizenship that has been gripping the American cycling movement and is now sanctified by the phrase “yes we can”, is glowing brightly in Kenya. I now know that here too the bicycle is worn as the global citizen's badge of honor standing resolutely against the tides of self-serving politics and institutionalized injustice. To these Kenyans cycling was youth empowerment, livelihoods, a national transportation agenda, environmental stewardship, an undeveloped economic sector, a public health solution... it is everything but training schedules and gram counting. Their slogan: Redefining mobility.

Now, a lot of hot talk can quickly find itself untethered and drifting inevitably towards that overflowing scrap yard of good ideas with no champions. Its a place that Nairobi's cyclists know well and something that was articulated during a recap of previous attempts at cyclist solidarity in the city. I myself, having ridden the highs and lows of group organizing, have little patience for big ideas without stalwart leadership but here too, I couldn't have been more impressed. Raymond, heading up the leadership department, sprang gracefully into introductions, transitioned smoothly into ground rules, and rounded out nicely with his first initiatives on behalf of the organization. These include 1) recruiting the full support of the chief of police to engage his force in a cycling rights to the road workshop and 2) convincing the writer of the Sunday column Motoring (that's right) in one of the country's top newspapers to do a feature on cycling and Wheels of Africa. Not bad for a couple weeks on the job.

I'm delighted to report that I will be using my graphics skills in the marketing department for the group logo and first run on t-shirts. I'm even more delighted to say that I'll be catalyzing Nairobi's first Critical Mass on December 19^th at 4pm (avoiding the holiday difficulties on the 26^th). Come and join us! On the 16^th we'll be joining Eco-Challenge to plant trees with youngsters at a school on the outskirts of the city.

Two members are just starting a mobile repair shop. There is talk of leading a cycling trails development initiative as a component of a forest reclamation project within the city limits (maybe IMBA would like to help us with that). Particularly brilliant, someone suggested that we initiate a club touring tradition as a sort of international forum for cyclists. And, taking it a step further, support the tours with club gear allowing the tours to stake camp wherever they travel while also accommodating the many cyclists who can't afford hotel rooms.

I can hardly restrain my anticipation for the 19^th and the opportunity to put Nairobi's cycling network to the test. I believe we could have 200 people for CM's debut. I also now have a new grand vision for Worldbike, the Kibera workshop (now up and running by the way), and Wheels of Africa. Here it is. The greatest challenge that this club is going to face is that most cyclists in Kenya have no money. Club membership fees will be almost non-existent and the ability of people to participate even in very low cost events will always be an issue causing contention. In other words, Wheels of Africa needs a funding source if its going to succeed. Raymond has already beautifully detailed his reluctance to play the donor game and outlined his vision of using mobile bicycle-mounted advertising as a revenue source. This is an idea that I discussed with George Njuki (my veteran cyclist friend mentioned in previous posts) a couple months back and which has been circling in conversations within the context of Worldbike's project ever since. George and I were also hot on the idea of using pedicabs as a means of employing the youth. My vision now is to use the Kibera workshop to build the rickshaws and mobile billboards that are owned and operated by Wheels of Africa and driven by youth. The proceeds would fund the operations of Wheels of Africa while a placard mounted on each vehicle would provide an unmatched opportunity for club publicity. Because Wheels of Africa is a citizen organization, passengers will have even greater incentive to utilize their services. Finally, in order to retain drivers and promote discipline, the group can use an earn-a-bike incentive program that will provide bikes to responsible and committed drivers.

I couldn't have been more impressed with the turnout at this first meeting and couldn't be more excited to share with you of the coming developments stemming from what I hope has been a historic moment. To be continued....