The 1% We Can Change.
We really didn’t think we’d be doing #solokolo again this spring, a full year after the pandemic began. We didn’t think we’d see Mud, Sweat, and Beers, Arcadia Grit’n’Gravel, and all the spring Classics of Michigan under threat of getting kicked back to fall or canceled. We didn’t think group rides would still be risky, or that, at the time this writing, our local hospital would have more COVID-19 cases than in April 2020, or November 2020, or January 2021, for that matter.
We thought this would be over by now.
We thought that we’d be able to safely and confidently get together for our normal group rides, at the very least. Over the past six years, I’d missed a grand total of four Tuesday Night Rides, our local group-road-ride-but-also-race on Old Mission Peninsula. Last summer, I didn’t do a single one. As we hit April, I can’t honestly say I’ll join until more of the people in attendance have the opportunity to get vaccinated (and actually take advantage of it) or until the half-dozen people in my immediate bubble are all vaccinated, too.
It’s probably overkill. But since Day One, my position, and my family’s position and, as holy-than-thou as it might seem, kolo t.c.’s position has been plain; if there is a 1% chance we can help keep our community safe by staying home, wearing a mask, and skipping group rides, it’s worth. That 1% is the part we can play. So we’ll play it.
That’s an attitude that can add up. 1%, on the right scale, adds up. Think cancer. In 2020, there were an estimated 1.8 million new cancer diagnoses in the United States. 1% is 18,000 lives. What if you or I could play a part in reducing that number? First, we can do things to protect ourselves and our families and ensure that we aren’t a statistic. But the rule of 1% is about ‘us’, it’s about others. What if we all took responsibility for trying to help that 1%? Even when it comes to cancer, we can.
For the fourth year, we’ve organized a kolo t.c. team for the Less Cancer Bike Ride America. Like last year, there won’t be a single, large, group ride to bring cancer fighters together. But we’re thinking bigger. On June 5, 2021, riders across the country will ride on their own or in small groups with the same mission; to pedal the path to prevention. Through their $25 entry fee and fundraising efforts, our goal is to put Less Cancer, a non-profit that works to educate healthcare professionals and legislators on cancer prevention issues ranging from diet to exercise to chemical contamination. They do work in over 40 countries around the world, but they have a special connection and support here in Michigan from Rep. Dan Kildee and Rep. Debbie Dingell, two stalworth allies in the fight against the cancer-causing chemicals known as PFAS.
It’s really quite simple. You sign up, and you ride. June 5 is the launch date, and Less Cancer will be highlighting and celebrating riders through July 5. We’ll work to put in a few more miles than usual in that month-long window, but it’s not the tally that matters so much as the intent. Your support builds awareness, but to be frank, we’re tired of awareness; we want change.
Already, we’ve got a strong squad forming and, at this point, we’re planning on organizing a small group ride for Saturday, June 5. We’ll offer up a number of routes based on who signs up and how long each person is hoping to ride, which may help us divide into smaller, safe groups if necessary. If you don’t feel comfortable riding in a small group, please feel invited and encouraged to ride solo, but stay a part of the mission by joining the Strava Club and sharing your photos and stories with us at ilikefatbikes@gmail.com, and we’ll share with the great LessCancer community.
