My name is Erin Fitzgerald and I’m from Doylestown, PA. I’m a wife, stepmom, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. I started seriously cycling (more recreationally than competitively) about 5 years ago. I always found running to be therapeutic and healing and when I started cycling I got those same feelings but now I felt like I could fly. The ability to cross so many miles in one day and see so many beautiful places and connect with so many more people opened a whole world. I found out early on that not everyone understands those sentiments and some don’t even understand that there are humans on these bikes. During my first half century ride, an angry motorist threw a full can of beer out of his window at me. I actually thought it was a firecracker because of the sound of it coming at me and the sun hitting the aluminum. And it burned. Turns out it wasn’t anything quite as horrible (gee thanks, Mr. Pickup Driver). I was bruised pretty badly, but otherwise fine. Thankfully I was a fairly solid rider and I didn’t fall and thankful the beer only hit my arm and thigh. If it had hit my face or there had been other cars on the road at the time or if I had fallen, it would have been a different story. Sadly, I know many who are part of that other story. These other stories sometimes make it difficult to get out there unless I’m on a closed trail and it just shouldn’t be that way. I want to see more of us in the news stories that make us smile, not the ones that make us get lumps in our throats. So I want to help raise awareness and understanding to make our roads safer and friendlier to all of us… and recruit some haters to see the light, save some lives, and maybe even come join the dark side with us (winking). I’m thankful for It Could Be Me and proud to be part of a team working toward change.