23. Opportunity of a Lifetime

You may have thought that casting a vote for the first African-American president was a singular event, but Seattle has upped the ante: we have the opportunity to elect the first real pro-bike mayor of a major city (disclaimer: I don't really know if this is true, but it sounds good). He has promised to give up the mayor's black SUV and ride his bike around the city for mayoral functions (though no San Francisco, Seattle has some tough grades). He has won the endorsement of the local bike club and has promised to upend plans for a multi-billion tunnel under city streets to replace a crumbling viaduct. When asked how suburban drivers would get in to the city, candidate McGinn replied, "Let them ride bikes."