Improve your life: take the wonder drug

By Beck BakerIn October I was pushing a heavily loaded touring bike up a very steep, rocky climb in tears. Then I reached the top. I got back on the bike, looked at the incredible view of Snowdonia stretching out ahead of me and set off downhill, feeling a rush of excitement. This is why I love cycling.Once upon a time, riding a bike was something that I did as a child.  I was lucky to live in a tiny hamlet with quiet lanes so riding a bike with my siblings was something we did often. Then I stopped cycling, as many do, as I entered my later teenage years, went to uni and started my career.Then, nearly 8 years ago I met Sam, someone who has always cycled. He wanted to share the joy he got from being on a bike, also riding as a child but never stopping as he reached adulthood. Honestly, to begin with, I didn't share the joy. It was hard. Hills were horrible, the weather was tough and being on the roads was sometimes scary.  But by cycling together, I grew in fitness and in confidence with Sam's support.The cycling obsession slowly crept up on me and began to take hold. Our holidays became cycling holidays, weekends were all about which ride we'd do next. Crucially though, I started to ride the 12 miles to work and back a few days a week with Sam as company.Gradually I built up my confidence and made this trip on my own and started cycling every day to work. Then something amazing happened.I have struggled with mental health issues my whole teenage and young adult life but cycling has been a 'wonder drug'. Since I have built cycling into my daily commute, my health has improved significantly. The exercise, time in the outdoors and the social side of cycling has had an enormous impact on my life. Despite being recently struck down by debilitating Long Covid, being able to do gentle exercise on my bike has helped me recover both mentally and physically. I now very rarely suffer with my mental health which at times had totally controlled my life.Seeing the positive impact of cycling, Sam and I made more and more journeys by bike and after watching the moss grow on the remaining vehicle on our drive, we sold it to become a zero-car household.Living in a village, 5 miles or more from a city, train station, supermarket, doctors etc this was a big step but we have succeeded. Now, 99% of our local journeys are made by bike (train if further afield). This means we have to plan our trips, but we have made it work, whatever the season and whatever the purpose of the journey.As was the case on my recent Snowdonia trip, cycling (like life) has its ups and downs but the cold mornings, occasional puncture and dodgy driver are significantly outweighed by the joy and benefits being on a bike can bring.I was lucky to have a supportive and confident partner but I want to see more and better cycle infrastructure in Worcestershire to enable and encourage more people to make the choice to travel by bike. In conjunction with this, providing free Bikeability training will build confidence in people new to cycling or who want to return to cycling for local journeys. These opportunities (like Bike Bus and Critical Mass) are essential in building connected communities and raising the profile of cycling in Worcestershire as an alternative to the car.The benefits to an individual's health and savings for the NHS, the economic and environmental advantages of cycling and active travel are plain to see. We need politicians to be brave and make the necessary changes to move toward a happier, healthier community.Who wouldn't want some of that wonder drug?