I’m excited to announce the addition of Britt Brouse to the Tucson Velo team. Britt is a car-lite writer and blogger. She’ll be contributing posts occasionally and is currently working on blogs about grocery shopping by bike and being a bike ambassador.

Here are a few more details about Britt.

Tell us a little about yourself. What do you do?

I am a freelance writer with expertise in blogging and online marketing. I live a car-lite life style in central Tucson with my boyfriend and our dog Jackie. I am a bibliophile, mac-user and coffee addict. I like working from home because I get to spend the day with the dog by my side!

When did you start riding bikes and why did you stick with it?

I started riding bikes as a kid. I was one of those teenagers who waited forever to get a driver’s license. Throughout high school and college I bummed rides and used my bike or walked to get around everyday. I have been car-lite ever since, never owning a car and living a very bike-centric lifestyle instead.

You were car-free in New York and Philly and moved to Tucson, can you tell us what adjustments you had to make to remain car-free here?

I miss the fabulous public transportation and density of an east-coast city, which make car-free living fairly easy. However, I don’t miss bundling up in ten degree weather to bike to work during February! Tucson is a great, flat, dry place to ride a bike. The major challenges in Tucson are more frequent flat tires, the need for bike lights on dark streets and bearing the heat in the summer time.

What types of stories do you want to contribute to the site?

I would like to write about the cycling and car-lite lifestyle and bike commuter culture. Just stories that will resonate with regular people out there who bike for health or environmental reasons.

What type of bike do you ride?

I have schlepped the same mid-1990s Teal Green “Rincon” Giant mountain bike with me for over 12 years. I took the bike to college in upstate New York, then to New York City where I lived and worked in publishing and on to Philly where I worked as a magazine editor. This bike has been with me for more than 12 years and made it all the way to the Old Pueblo. The Giant is on its last legs but it’s like a part of my identity now and I will ride it until the wheels come off!

What do you think about Tucson?

I love the people, the culture, the weather and how close the beautiful mountains are. I knew it would be a challenge to navigate such a sprawling city on a bike, but it’s a challenge I am up for!