Renata Falzoni - Pedalar é um direito! (pt. 1)

I had the honor of meeting and cycling with Renata Falzoni in São Paolo. She's like the Jeanne d'Arc of urban cycling and mountain biking in Brazil. She and one of her bike journalists met me at my hotel located in the mecca of transvestite hookers/glue sniffers and safely led me to greener pastures.

When I arrived at the corner in front of Renata's house, I instantly knew I was among my people.


Pedaling is a right.


The cement wall in front of her house is covered with gorgeous, colorful and inspirational stencil art.



She hooked me up with a mountain bike and we were off on our tour of the urban jungle.


Everywhere we went, people waved at Renata. She knew every ciclista paulista.


And if she didn't know them yet, it was only a matter of time that they would join her crusade for bicycle advocacy.


We were escorted on our tour by Felipe Aragonez, one of Renata's crew of bike journalists who call into São Paolo radio from the bike lane to report on traffic conditions during rush hour.


We posed for a pic in front of what is locally known as the Push Push Monument, a statue depicting the Bandeirantes who basically stole the land that is known as Brazil from the native peoples. The great push westward, otherwise known as land grab.

Standing here with my Brazilian bike comrades, I felt that the significance of the statue meant something greater for the bike movement, especially here in SP.

To be continued...