Ventura County needs safe cycling infrastructure for recreation and transportation. Our kids are apt to spend many hours a day staring at a screen living surrounded by a beautiful place with lovely country and environment. But how do you ride from Fillmore to Santa Paula or Fillmore to Ventura or Fillmore to Santa Clarita?  I can and do ride these places - but I'm a hardcore experienced cyclist who cut my teeth riding in New Haven, CT in the 60's and in NYC for 40 years.

My wife and daughter (the two most important people in the world to me) lately said to me - "let's all ride to the museum in Santa Paula, Dad loves that ride and does it all the time".  They are both cyclists - we have all rode in a lot of places including NYC, DC and Copenhagen - so off we went.  But coming back home in the mid afternoon on South Mountain road was horrible.  They were scared for their life and I could only ride behind and feel how bad it was for them.  What will they take away from this?

The future is bleak and it will continue to get worse but I see our responsibility - my responsibility - to try to fulfill the promise that California is a safe healthy place for the future.  I'd like to see a place for kids and adults on bikes, riding for fun, independence, transportation and recreation.

Ralph Perri recently relocated from New York to Fillmore, and rides regularly to volunteer in Ventura at the Bike HUB.