Stop to smell the roses

Getting outdoors is not only a way for me to stay active, but it is also a way for me to slow down and really stop and enjoy the world around me. My work, my email, my computer will all be back in my office when I return, and to get out and be outdoors for even the shortest amount of time, is renewing and rejuvenating. The sun provides us with energy, the air provides us with life, the earth gives us what we need to survive physically: food, water, shelter.

Northern Colorado and Fort Collins are great places to stay connected to the outdoors. With the many activities that surround us on a daily basis, we only have to choose which ones we want to do. We have roads that go on for miles and miles through the foothills of the Rockies or the rolling hills of the Front Range. We have rocks that rise up from the earth that seem to be there for the sole purpose of climbing them to the top. We have trails and paths that wind through trees and hills and even mountains for biking, hiking, or horseback riding. And, not far away, we have warm water that springs from the earth in which we can bathe our sore muscles from a long day of play.

Thinking about the earth in this way helps me to realize that the earth is our playground, but we need to take care of her also. In order to breathe the air which gives us life, we must stop putting toxic fuels into our skies. In order to eat and drink and sleep in a comfortable place, we must stop polluting the earth around us by recycling, reusing, and reducing our waste. Earth day is coming up in April, and some states, cities, and countries will be celebrating Earth Day over the next few months by distributing information about what we can do to make our world a better place. This is something that we need to do now, and it is something that we need to be serious about.

I am proud to live in a city where cycling is not only a form of recreation, but it is also a form of transportation. This alone provides a sensible option for reducing toxins in the air and on the earth. Fort Collins has a strong support of local businesses, which also reduces carbon footprint. There is also a wonderful community of gardens throughout the area as well. Growing our own food is essential to providing a sustainable future for our community.

So, the next time you are outdoors gardening, hiking, cycling, or just walking your dog, stop and just smell the roses. Look around and enjoy the air, the sun, and the earth, and find ways that you can improve our existence here on earth for the multitudes of generations to come.

If you would like to find out more information on how you can get involved in helping your community or doing some eco-adventure work in and around Colorado, contact Northern Colorado Outdoors at www.NorthernColoradoOutdoors.com or info@NorthernColoradoOutdoors.com

A Glimpse of Spring

Well, whether Spring is officially here or not, the weather has certainly changed for the warmer and windier. It has been such a nice treat to get outside in shorts and t-shirts for a change and not have to bundle up in layer after layer just to protect from the blistery cold. Well, I'm being a bit dramatic, but it was cold for quite some time.

Just in glancing around at the streets and the trails, it is obvious that cycling season is underway. We see many more road riders and mountain bikers out on the streets getting their rides in while the weather is accommodating. I even took off for a couple of hours today and hit the streets for some exercise and fresh air. It's amazing what activity and the sunshine can do for the soul. The wind didn't even dampen my spirits. It was just so nice to get out and pedal that the wind gave me that much more of a challenge.

Riding against the wind most of the way, I took up the challenge and pedaled even harder. The wind picked up to the North and along the open spaces blowing me this way and that. I laughed at it and kept on riding. It calmed back down as I rode back into the trees and the protection of buildings. Taking off from my busy day of work at the computer, I felt liberated by being on my bicycle just for a couple of hours. I felt rejuvenated, relaxed, and refreshed as I went back to work for the remainder of the afternoon.

Taking advantage of the sunshine even more and after a short rest while working at the computer, I'll be going for a run with Charlie Brown. The hustle and bustle of after-work traffic will be calmer in an hour or so and the perfect time to take to the streets for a short run. This glimpse of spring won't last long. The cooler weather will be arriving this weekend making it a bit more uncomfortable to get outdoors, but as I've said before, I'll get out anyway. The nice weather just makes it easier. Enjoy our glimpse of spring and get outdoors and have fun!

Gotta Run! See you outdoors!

Pedal Driven Couriers: A Messenger of Goodness Arrives

Pedal Driven Couriers is hitting the streets of Fort Collins on April 1st! You can look for them to be delivering throughout the Fort Collins area. You can visit their website for more information: www.PedalDrivenCouriers.com The Press Release below was submitted on March 2nd to the local media announcing their inception and launch party, which are happening on the same day: April 1st.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: March 2, 2009

Contact: Silas Rappe, info@pedalDrivenCouriers.com

Pedal Driven Couriers to Launch Business in Fort Collins

Fort Collins, CO - Pedal Driven Couriers, a bicycle messenger service, is set to launch its business on April 1, 2009. Pedal Driven Couriers is a fun, inventive, and earth friendly messenger service aimed at offering speedy, conveniently priced deliveries to businesses, organizations and individuals in and around the city of Fort Collins. The company already has a list of clients waiting to get started. Pedal Driven Couriers views themselves as partners with their clients, their community, and their environment and hope to be able to raise awareness for cycling in their service area.

Pedal driven Couriers was developed by masterminds Silas Rappe and Jo Van Cutsem. Silas grew up in Moab, Utah, and moved to Fort Collins pursuing his Masters Degree at Colorado State University.  After graduating, he began working with REI, and for the past two years, has been working deeply in the cycling community by supporting events and advocacy programs. He is an avid cyclist himself and is determined to provide an effective and sustainable mode of delivery service to customers in Fort Collins.

Jo Van Cutsem was born and raised in Belgium and moved to Colorado to seek out more adventures after graduating as a Physical Education teacher.  He strives to motivate people to live a healthy, active lifestyle and loves to share his cycling passion with others.  Jo is a year-round bike commuter, volunteers with Diamond Peaks Mountain Bike Patrol, and shares Silas' dream of providing an environmentally friendly and fast delivery service in Fort Collins.

Pedal Driven Couriers will be launching their business with a community launch party on April 1st at Full Cycle Bikes in Old Town Fort Collins, 230 S. College Ave.; Fort Collins, Colorado, 80524. There will be a champagne toast to inaugurate the event. Pedal Driven Couriers invites the community to celebrate the opening of their business with them and join the effort in making cycling a way of life in our community.

The mission of Pedal Driven Couriers is to provide a fast, reliable delivery system utilizing bicycles as a means of environmentally friendly transportation for envelopes and packages with familiar faces. It is an all-in-one powerful customer service package, capitalizing on the increasing interest and enthusiasm for cycling within our community.

By focusing their business on three principle beliefs: sustainability, advocacy, and efficiency. Pedal Driven Couriers will breakaway from the current view of bicycle messengers and will implement bicycle safety laws as part of their business strategy. Their responsibility is to their community and to their environment, both of which will be served through this company.

You can find out more about Pedal Driven Couriers by visiting their website at www.PedalDrivenCouriers.com or emailing info@PedalDrivenCouriers.com