Editor's Statement
Inspiration comes in many forms, and I’m personally very lucky to be surrounded by incredibly smart and resourceful people that continually push our entire community of cyclists and non-cyclists alike to strive for more. In the face of adversity it can be helpful to look beyond the circumstances of my own life to the more trying struggles of others—not to bask in their misfortune but to hopefully gather strength and perspective to help conquer whatever challenge lies in front of me. This issue features one such story that I’ve been chasing for some time, that of Matt Gilman and his remarkable riding skills, all done without sight.
His story is especially touching to me, mainly because we are roughly the same age and have followed similar paths of bikesbikesbikes since childhood. I can’t begin to imagine what it is like to deal with a significant disability like blindness, let alone having it strike you in your mid-twenties at the supposed peak of your physical conditioning. Coming to terms with his new reality and reclaiming his passion for cycling is an unbelievable example of what we can each be capable of if we truly want it. I’m thrilled to present Matt’s story to you, and hope each person reading along can draw from his life in some way when it seems like everything is crashing in around you.
It seems inappropriate not to mention the change to full color that this issue of Urban Velo ushers in, and the excitement that Jeff and I each have in sending this issue to print. Like our switch to a binding and color cover with Issue #8, this switch to color is just another effort of many to create a better magazine, and to keep from being stagnant or accepting the status quo. While this has been in the cards since the beginning, it’s still remarkable to me that with the support of our readers, friends and family we’ve been able to turn two laptops and about a hundred dollars initial investment into what you see today, less than three years later. If I could thank each person who has helped us achieve this goal in this space I would, but the list is far too long. You know who you are, and rest assured so do we.
We want your words. Send your editorial contributions to brad@urbanvelo.org
Riding in Chicago's underground. Photo by Brad Quartuccio