Professor and former WQAD-TV reporter Alan Sivell is biking RAGBRAI and blogging for LMQC about it this year. Follow his adventure right here … and tell him what you think, too!

The Internet – and this blog – may have saved my life this week.

How?

Alan Sivell, The Rolling Reporter, blogs about biking and life’s adventures on letsmoveqc.com

My best friend from high school, Hunt Barrows, is an expert bike rider and racer. He has biked seriously for nearly 50 years. Thanks to the Internet, he can follow my ride here in Iowa even though he lives in New Hampshire.

Because we always revert to age 17 when we talk, I didn’t immediately give a 2nd thought to his criticism of my helmet on a Facebook post. We always give each other a hard time.

He had said, “Your helmet’s too loose. Tighten it.”

Then I thought about it again. I knew my helmet was a little loose. I hadn’t tightened it since purchasing it 6 years ago. He could see it in the photo.

Heads might not grow, I realized, but straps can stretch.

So I tightened it. And sent him a pic. Better? I asked.

Better. The idea is for your helmet to stay in place when you smash your head into the pavement or a tree. It won’t do any good if it slides off to the side or the back.

He may have saved my life. That’s what friends – and the Internet – are for. Happy – and safe – biking.

Do you have biking advice as we head off for a week of peddling across Iowa? Share it here or email me. I want to hear all about it!