By Terry Lowe

Photography: David Niddrie

In the spring of 2005, I was sitting in a restaurant when I saw a Critical Mass ride go by. I saw people wearing dinosaur costumes, waving bubble-dippers and streamers, blowing horns and happily enjoying their own silliness. And all riding bikes. “What the hell is THAT? Looks like a circus! Looks like they’re having fun!”

Fun had been missing from my life, I realized, so when I saw Mass posters a few weeks later, inviting one and all to attend, I went, and I loved it! “How could this have existed here without me knowing about it? Oh well, I know about it now.” At the next Critical Mass, someone handed me a momentum: black and white, newsprint, 24 pages. “Wow, they have their own magazine and everything. This is great! Free, too.”

After reading a few issues, it dawned on me that momentum is made by the people who read it, and a light went on in my brain: “Hey, I could do this, too!” Thus, in the spring of 2006, I first met Amy and crew at a DIY picnic down at Stanley Park. They were friendly and welcoming, and liked the writing samples I’d brought. I knew that I wanted to join, so I did, starting as a volunteer proofreader.

Since then, it’s been gratifying to see the magazine expand as it has, and I’m proud and honored to have been part of that. From my freshly tidied desk as the new Vancouver/Victoria editor, I aim to continue presenting our own local self-propelled stories. In this issue we have a profile of the Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition, a guide to getting a bike rack installed in front of your favorite store, a story of a remarkable volunteer therapy program involving seniors and a DUET wheelchair bike and a visit to the user-friendly New Denver Bike Hospital.

Momentum has educated, entertained and surprised me over the years, and I hope to continue that tradition here.