People cycling in Amsterdam by Matthew Peoples licensed under Creative Commons.

Jealous of those bicycling havens on the other side of the Atlantic? Don't get mad, get even — by adapting from the incredible success of the Netherlands to build cycling cities right here in the US.

Come to Politics and Prose at Union Market (270 5th St NE) at 6 pm this Saturday, September 8 to meet the authors of “Building the Cycling City: The Dutch Blueprint for Urban Vitality.” Learn from their engaging interviews with local experts and stories of their own delightful experiences riding in five Dutch cities.

Building the Cycling City examines the triumphs and challenges of the Dutch while also presenting stories of North American cities already implementing lessons from across the Atlantic. Discover how Dutch cities inspired Atlanta to look at its transit-bike connection in a new way and showed Seattle how to teach its residents to realize the freedom of biking, along with other encouraging examples. Get your free seat here!

Other events from around the region:

Wednesday, September 5

Advocate for cyclists: You can represent the interests of bicyclists in DC by attending the city's Bicycle Advisory Council at 6 pm at One Judiciary Square (441 4th St NW, 11th floor).

This month, you'll hear from guest speaker DDOT Director Jeff Marootian and get updates on DC's Comprehensive Bicycle Transportation and Safety Program. Find more information here.

Thursday, September 6

Learn about the “missing middle” homes: Visit the National Building Museum (401 F Street NW) at 6:30 pm to learn how “missing middle” housing can help communities bridge the gap between single-family homes and apartment buildings by providing attainable, walkable neighborhood housing options for evolving demographics.

“Missing Middle” housing includes house-like, multi-unit buildings such as duplexes, fourplexes, and bungalow courts planned within walking distance of shops and amenities. This program complements the exhibition “Making Room: Housing for a Changing America,” which will be open prior to the program. Get your tickets here.

Saturday, September 8

Beautify a local food hub: Join University of DC and The Mission Continues for their second annual 9/11 Day of Service. This year's service day will take place on September 8 (not September 11) from 9 am to 3:30 pm at UDC's Bertie Backus Urban Food Hub at 5171 South Dakota Avenue NE.

Volunteers will help beautify the food hub and help it better serve the Ward 5 community by installing additional grow space for the native plant nursery and painting a mural, among other improvements. Sign up to volunteer here.

Thursday, September 13

Drink with us: Don't forget about GGWash's next happy hour at Streetcar 82, the East Coast's first Deaf-owned brewery! Join us for drinks and conversation with contributors, readers, and other Deaf urbanists. ASL interpretation will be provided, and hearing folks are encouraged to attend.

We'll be meeting from 6 to 8 pm. Streetcar 82 isn't near a Metro station, but you can get there from Rhode Island Avenue (Red Line) on the 83 Metrobus, or from West Hyattsville (Green Line) on the F8 Metrobus or The Bus route 13. It's also a few blocks from the Anacostia River and Northwest Branch trails, which meet near Rhode Island Avenue. There's a Capital Bikeshare station five blocks away at Baltimore Avenue (Route 1) and Jefferson Street. RSVP here today!

Jeb Stenhouse is a clean energy economist who wants to help everyone enjoy livable, walkable public places, and to reach them by as many clean transportation options as possible.  He studied in Montpellier, France and still marvels at the quality of life in its car-free downtown (and the 15 pounds he lost roaming its charming streets).  Between adventures, Jeb lives with his husband in Adams Morgan.