Tomorrow, June 3rd, is World Bicyle Day of 2026. I am grieving.
I had to sell my beautiful eBike. I was afraid to ride it. Little kids on skateboards scared me. You see, sidewalks narrowed and curbs became dangerous cliffs. Facebook Marketplace is a wonderful thing. I was offered more than I asked! Still, I miss my Lectric step-thru eBike, fully equiped with baskets and saddlebags. It recided like an art piece in my living room for over 2 years.
But some people are not sissies. In 2018 The UN declared June 3rd to be World Bicyle Day. The resolution was spearheaded by Turkmenistan, which is famous for its carpets. Though they no longer fly, you can still travel 75 miles of the historic Silk Road in Turkmenistan via bicycle. It is rugged. (Obviously, not for me.)
Some roads are just roads. The Ancient Merv Silk Road Ride is a conversation between you and the landscape — desert roads, flat terrain that shifts, surprises, and ultimately transforms. From Mary to Ancient Merv, 120 km / 75 mi of pure cycling joy. The challenging difficulty means you’ll earn every single view — and they are spectacular.
But bicycles are not just for fun and adventure. The World Health Organization (WHO) promotes bicycles for a myriad of reasons.
WHO actively promotes cycling for its myriad benefits to health and the environment, including increasing physical activity, reducing noncommunicable diseases such as cancer and diabetes, and decreasing air and noise pollution. Like governments worldwide, it also recognizes cycling as a facilitator of achievement of many Sustainable Development Goals, including those on education, energy, employment, cities and inequalities. The underlying premise is that in order to unleash the potential of cycling, roads must be safe.
