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Editor’s StatementBy Brad QuartuccioDrying out by the fire after a wet day of Allegheny National Forest bike camping with old friends. Photo by Brad QuartuccioIcan still remember the first day that I rode on twowheels. It was in a neighbor’s driveway, and for whateverreason I had decided that particular summer daywas the day to remove the training wheels from my departmentstore, 1980’s bmx-like bike. With help from childhoodfriends that I’ve long since lost contact with, the trainingwheels came off and I turned circles in the driveway beforegoing home and announcing my achievement to my parents.Amongst my friends at the time I was the last to learn toride on two wheels, I’ve never been a particularly gifted athlete.It’s crazy to think how influential that single momenthas been on my life up until now—I’ve been seriously in lovewith bicycles ever since. I can’t say I remember much aboutbicycle riding before that time, but I can’t say I remembermuch about life that didn’t involve riding a bicycle since.For most kids the move to two wheels is just a steptowards a move back to four. While I admittedly own a carand put a fair number of miles on it, my life has been shapedby the people I’ve met and things I’ve done on a bicycle, notin an automobile.Each issue reflects at least some part of that story formany of our contributors. Some never stopped riding sincethey were a kid, others picked it up as an adult, and othersstill are truly just getting started. We’ve all come to it fromdifferent angles, at different times with a certain fascinationwith community and machine keeping each of us comingback. Not to mention, lots of fun. If going really fast on twowheels didn’t feel so universally good, I doubt many of uswould be as obsessed. No matter how serious it gets I tryto keep in mind what first got me hooked.We want your words. Send your editorial contributions to brad@urbanvelo.org12 URBANVELO.ORG