Which Relay link do you want to ride?
Omaha to Des Moines, IA

How did you find out about NBG/Mayors’ Ride?
Internet Search

Why do you want to do this ride?
This national trail is an important system of recreation and transportation for cyclists. It is important to build support for this system… perhaps as important as the Good Roads movement was in the late 1890s where the League of American lobbied to have rural roads built in the first place. It will become increasingly important to have a nation-wide system for cyclists’ travel and recreation as a supplement to a national DOT policy of including bicyclists in all roadway projects, construction, and planning as well as preparing for a future when auto-motorist travel will be increasingly viewed as a waste of natural resources, expensive in terms of cost including the costs driving generates in terms of environmental damage, injuries, lives lost, road maintenance, legislation), the cause of many unnecessary deaths, a cause of a great deal of pollution, obesity, general public road rage… wait a minute… that exists TODAY

Tell us about your touring experience- if little or none, indicate 
Lots of solo riding including 100+ mile rides supported and non-supported through many different states..

Tell us about your bike:
“Red”— my 2000 Lemond Tourmalet bing-cherry-coloured-bicycle in steel for long distance riding on freeways, highways, and other roadways… anything but the gravel. Survived several self-inflicted wrecks and dings/bends from cars.
“Blue”— my Trek 4000 shock-fork… a necessity at first for daily Winter commutes here in Iowa, but now a trusted friend for excursions such as this… a bagger when not in use for some medium-level off road riding or urban assault rides.

Please describe your training regimen:
Physical Regimen: Commute/Ride to work on a daily basis throughout the seasons. Ride for fun or necessity during other times. Try to snake in some centuries on weekends.
Philosophical Regimen: Read all literature I can obtain concerning bicycle history, current DOT and MPO bicycle/pedestrian planning documents, argue legislative issues: www.bikeiowa.com/uploads/Trails/SF2032VoteNo.pdf when these conflict with cyclists’ rights to roadways, work for fund raising Iowa license plates such as a currently in-the-works “Iowa Share the Road License Plate”.

How are you making time for this ride?
I will be coming down with a strain of a bio-engineered corn and pork related ailment that will prevent me from being able to work until I have plenty of fresh air and relaxation on this important ride.

What are your fears about doing this ride?
Mosquitos..

Do you have any special skills that you feel would benefit the Mayors’ Ride?
I have photo skills and can write so I will also be keeping a journal and inquiring into the riders perceptions of cycling through the Iowa roads and trails.

Do you have any personal contacts that you feel could help the National Bicycle Greenway or the Mayors’ Ride? If so, please list them here:
I already contacted Don by phone and will be developing a route from Omaha to Des Moines Iowa. I can set up some conversation with the Bicyclists of Iowa City for the route the cyclists will be taking from Des Moines there. Mark Wyatt is a key contact there and a member of a new statewide group of advocates (including me) concerned with making Iowa a better place to bike… also: contact Scott Sumpter at www.bikeiowa.com I will post that this event is happening to our statewide advocacy group too.

If you are involved with other non-profit organizations, please tell us about them:
Member: League of American Bicyclists..

Anything else you’d like to share with us?
I am developing a Share the Road Iowa license plate and fund. I have letters of support for this from the Iowa Games Commission, Bikeiowa, AAA of IA/MN, Legacy Health Care Trauma Nurses, and several bicycle clubs in the state. All that is left to do is find a Iowa State Department to host a Share the Road account line, and get the DOT or other agency to allow a modification to the Plate design standards. This is done as an independent project right now but may end up under the umbrella of a non-profit group in Iowa. I will be bringing materials about this project along the route as well! Des Moines will soon be the Nexus city for the national multi-use trail system. It is a very exciting time to be living in this growing city and watching the trail system grow here.

E-mail: rcraddick@desmoinesartcenter.org