GtB Bike Bunny Reports in

Scorching hot daytime temperatures? Rush hour traffic through some of the most congested streets in the city? No problem for the Greening the Beige Bike Bunnies!

Last week nearly 200 bicyclists including members of Greening the Beige joined The Beijing Green Train, an event launched by The China Charity Challenge to directly benefit Roots & Shoots - Jane Goodall Institute environmental education programs in Beijing. The goal of this 10 kilometer ride was not only to raise money for charity but also to promote awareness of carbon polluting transportation alternative options. In a city where access to clean air is widely recognized as a scarce public resource, reducing our carbon footprint is one step towards more record-breaking blue sky days.

The Green Train departed from the north end of Wangfujing pedestrian shopping street promptly at 1900. Donning our playful white bunny ears, made by GreenLadyC, members of Greening the Beige set off at the beginning of the pack of riders. Riding east, we passed taxicab passengers who pressed their faces against the window and waved (and sometimes perplexed) commuters. We certainly caught their attention!

Taking a water break before a traffic light, I looked back at my fellow cyclists. Children, a lone unicyclist, men in dress shirts who looked like they just left the office — the Green Train attracted a rather diverse crowd.

More bikers joined the Green Train as we headed north through CBD. As we passed Ritan Park, a bicyclist behind me shouted, "Hey, careful! Don't get distracted by the lights on that bike and the bunny ears!" Perhaps our fabulous ears were too much to handle. Between keeping one eye on car traffic and another eye on 200 bicyclists jammed in the bike lane, navigating was tricky.

Reaching the The Village in Sanlitun, we sweaty Bike Bunnies were welcomed by a much needed cold beverage, a few heavenly minutes under the mist fountains and bike tricks by Ines Brunn (http://www.trick-bike.com), one of our very own Bike Bunnies.

Riding on The Beijing Green Train was a fun way to spend an evening and I hope that we've encouraged commuters' towards the joys of bicycle riding. Riding once may not be enough for me. Anyone want to do this again next month?