In a few days I will turn 83 and will once again attempt to “Bike My Age,” but here’s a far more urgent issue: Housing insecurity and food insecurity. Both are significant problems in communities around the world, including the island that Joan and I have retired to, Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
Combating Hunger: World Central Kitchen and Feeding America are two notable organizations helping combat food insecurity, and on Martha’s Vineyard our Food Pantry helps hundreds of families.
Finding a safe, affordable place to live: Creating affordable (or attainable) housing may be a tougher nut to crack, but here on Martha’s Vineyard the Island Housing Trust has built 156 affordable homes, which it has sold or rented to qualified Islanders, the teachers, health care workers, police and firemen and civil servants (and their children) who keep the island running. IHT also has 149 new units currently in production. The need is greater, which means that IHT needs more support.
“Biking My Age:” Some of you may know that every year since I turned 70 in 2011 I have managed to “bike my age.” For the past few years I’ve asked friends to contribute to a worthy cause, and many of you have. In a few days I will turn 83 and will try to bike 83 miles. If I make it, I hope each of you will contribute $8300000000000 to the Island Housing Trust–leaving the placement of the decimal point up to each donor.
It is very, very easy to make a tax-deductible donation with a credit card or PayPal. Just click here.
Although I have managed to “Bike My Age” for the past 13 years, I am now a year older with a lot more aches and creaks, and the distance has increased by another mile. Which means that what stockbrokers say about investing in the market is equally true about biking one’s age: “Past performance is no guarantee of future results.”
If you’re looking for a reason to make a charitable, tax-deductible gift, here it is. If you’re rooting for me, please support IHT.
And if you’d like to join me for part of the ride, or if you want to keep apprised of my progress (or lack thereof), please text me at 646.373.3034.
And thanks very much…..
The Merrow Report 
Dear John,
I know sooner finished and sent this composed letter out below when your ‘Biking My Age,’ came into my inbox. As you remember I wrote to you on how much I respected you for riding ’82.’ You’ll find my comment in your last year’s post. You’ll find my cycling connection. You’ll find it again below.
John, I commend you on your endeavor and cause. I wish you all the very best. A wish you a safe cycle. I hope not only a lot of money is raised but your actions will spark more to follow suit like I speak of below. This cycle of life.
I thank you. I thank all for reading.
Pump Legs Not Gas
With much love,
Miles Patrick Yohnke
Good morning, CTV, Cynthia, Greg, Reid, Susan, Saskatoon Cycles,
“We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t like.”
– Dave Ramsey
“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy.’ They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”
– John Lennon
Tomorrow night is the function ‘The Movement for a Bicycle Friendly Canada’ and I commend Saskatoon Cycles for bringing ‘Velo Canada Bikes Executive Director Samuel Benoit’ to our city as this aligns with my article ‘The Grey Owl Challenge’ I wrote five years ago (found below).
I hope that CTV Saskatoon will cover the event, do an interview with Samuel Benoit to bring more attention to this cause as it affects every single person in our city. We have a health crisis mostly brought on by people that are unhealthy due to years, if not decades of not taking care of themselves physically. This health crisis costs everyone millions and millions, if not billions, and it all could have been avoided with proper education. Creating a proper culture. A proper lifestyle.
We have massive draught that has created bail outs for our Saskatchewan framers in the billions in recent years that all could have been avoided with the very same proper lifestyles laid out in my article from five years ago. We have massive shifts in our weather patterns creating catastrophic heat, wildfires that has caused needless deaths, massive property loss and again staggering costs to everyone.
So, this event tomorrow is essential for the well-being of everyone here in Saskatoon. Sadly, the beautiful venue only seats fifty people, thus its vital for CTV Saskatoon to cover it and cover it as much as possible, in all areas such as evening newscasts, CTV Morning Live, Wx Connect and online. It is essential for CTV to be at the forefront of this sustainable future that I write about.
Cynthia, I’m happy you through your hat into the race to be mayor. I hope to see you out tomorrow night. I hope that you’ll advocate for everything found in my article and this composed letter. I hope you run on the platform of making people happy as that’s all anyone wants. Everyone just wants to be happy and yet not one politician has every spoke of it. My article from five years ago speaks of it plus I expand on this with two short articles that are each just minutes in length but are the paradigm shift that I speak of to bring forth this happiness, this contentment of self. This peace within.
Below you’ll find all the information.
The Movement for a Bicycle Friendly Canada
https://saskatooncycles.org/the-movement-for-a-bicycle-friendly-canada/
The Grey Owl Challenge
https://salmonstudio.wixsite.com/yohnke/post/the-grey-owl-challenge-1
There’s No Recovery for Someone Who is Dead
https://salmonstudio.wixsite.com/yohnke/post/no-recovery-for-someone-dead
Put An End to Wanting
https://salmonstudio.wixsite.com/yohnke/post/put-an-end-to-wanting
I thank you for reading everything, you’ll notice videos on the ‘The Grey Owl Challenge’ please watch them to empower you with this new lifestyle I speak of.
Greg, I like to thank you for all of your time at city hall.
And let’s not forget about this Saturday and this event: https://ride.regfox.com/2024
I hope we can have everyone from Saskatoon and surrounding areas out on their bicycles, if that be old-fashion regular pedal or E-bike on that day and every day after.
Pump Legs Not Gas (please type that into your search engine and see what comes up)
Peace be with you.
Love,
Miles Patrick Yohnke
LikeLike