Instead of Steve Stevens kicking our international Mayors’ Ride off today on Earth Day from Golden, CO and then my doing our Tour of Dublin, Ireland, San Jose’s sister city, next weekend while I am still over here, we are going to hold off on Dublin until later in the summer. By then I will have returned to the Emerald Isle. There are a few reasons why this is so.
Most importantly, our key rider, Peter Matthews has had to withdraw. While he still wants to show Dublin off, his family will not let him. The irregular heartbeat he has recently been diagnosed with, common among athletes, has caused him some dizzy spells of late and his wife and adult kids don’t want him on the high saddle any more. I suspect that they are afraid this 78 year-old powerhouse won’t just lead us on a casual tour but that he will throw in a few tricks too. Tricks that could end up being tragic.
So with Peter out, we have decided to use the Irish summer to do a lot more with the capital of Ireland. First of which is to build a large ride to it – from the bicycle heaven of western Ireland’s Great Western Greenway. The starting point for such a coast-to-coast ride across Ireland is best symbolized by the world class Greenway infrastructure found at Lough (Irish for lake) Lannagh, here in the town of Castlebar (Caisleán an Bharraigh in Irish, which means Barry’s castle). Details as they emerge, including possible involvement of the world class Lough Lannagh Village complete with their very own Greenway Cafe!!
Until then, here is the Dublin proclamation that their council approved. The presentation date then, is still to be determined:
————– Dublin Proclamation —————–
Whereas the City of Dublin is committed to fulfilling the Republic’s intention to have 10% of trips to work being made by bike by 2020; and,
Whereas the City of Dublin supports the efforts of cyclists with Dublin City Cycling (DCC), a project of the City Council of Dublin; and,
Whereas through the use of an extensive web site, DCC encourages biking in Dublin with many programmes, including bike route maps, bike news, safe cycling tips, an activity filled Bike Week, and DublinBikes, a low cost bike rental scheme which saw its 4.67 millionth trip at 12th January, 2013; and,
Whereas the numbers of people cycling in the City of Dublin has increased by over 100% since 2004; and,
Whereas the City of Dublin acknowledges the important work of the Dublin Cycling Campaign; and,
Whereas Dublin Intl airport is one of the bike friendliest in the world; and,
Whereas families, young people and also visitors can now enjoy the 4-km long off-road Grand Canal Pathway in the middle of the City; and,
Whereas the Dublin City Council has plans for a continuous Canal Way route over 14km long crossing the City along the Grand and Royal Canals; and,
Now therefore be it resolved that today is National Bicycle Greenway Day in the City of Dublin.
Councillor Andrew Montague
Chairperson, Cycle Forum, Dublin City Council
Back in the States, there is much excitement at hand. HERE, for example, is the tour another HiWheel legend, Steve Stevens, led in Golden, CO today. And here is the proclamation that resulted:
Steve’s final report and pictures are at out schedule/scorecard that details, the who, what and where of our event
The 2013 California Mayors’ Ride begins in earnest this Friday May 3rd, Here is the 12-mile ride San Jose bike coordinator, John Brazil, will be taking us on at noon to see just some of the sights that can be enjoyed from a bicycle seat in his city
http://www.pingg.com/nw7m2xtdyjjkbe8xg
And here is the proclamation that appears in my book, “How America Can Bike and Grow Rich“.
San Jose proclamation
WHEREAS, San Jose’s bicycle heritage dating back to the 19th Century has been rich and multi-faceted; and
WHEREAS, the city of San Jose foresees a safe bicycle connection that connects our city with Washington, DC; and
WHEREAS, in its general plan, the city of San Jose recognizes the bicycle as an important part of its goal to become this nation’s leader in sustainable transportation; and
WHEREAS, San Jose’s weather and plethora of bike paths and flat traffic calmed streets, as well as its abundant smorgasbord of back road biking, long have combined to make it a place where cyclists place their wheels.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, THE MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN JOSE, do hereby proclaim May 3, 2013, as “NATIONAL BICYCLE GREENWAY DAY” in San Jose, CA
Moving up the peninsula, here is the fun ride you are invited to join us on that former Palo Alto bike centric Mayor, Yoriko Kishimoto, will be helping me lead to San Francisco.
http://www.pingg.com/xr5n47k6j3y2fn4st
Here is the proclamation she helped me draft:
Palo Alto proclamation
Whereas Palo Alto is one of only fifteen other cities in America recognized by the League of American Bicyclists (LAB) as having a remarkable commitment to bicycling at the gold level; and
Whereas, Palo Alto has been a leader in the development of innovative bicycle projects and programs for over three decades; and
Whereas former Palo Alto councillor and pioneering bike activist, Ellen Fletcher, helped Palo Alto become one of the first cities in America to build bicycle infrastructure into its planning process; and
Whereas Bryant street, aka the Ellen Fletcher Bike Blvd, was the first bike boulevard in America inspiring a growing number of bike boulevards all across America; and
Whereas while Ellen Fletcher changed the face of Palo Alto she also brought about great change for cyclists on the San Francisco Peninsula as she also inspired a whole new generation of cycling proponents; and
Whereas the Wilkie Way bike bridge connects thousands of SF Peninsula bike commuters with other Santa Clara County cities as it keeps them off the heavily car traveled north-south options that exist; and
Whereas the Cal Ave bike tunnel arguably the most active bicycle undercrossing in the world connects to one of Palo Alto’s two Cal Train stations, each of which facilitate more bike trips than any train station in the world and with Stanford University where the more than 13,000 daily cyclists there have given it the highest possible LAB bicycle friendly ranking of platinum; and
Whereas the percentage of middle school and high school students at 55% and 40% respectively biking to Palo Alto schools is one of the highest rates in the nation
Once we get to San Francisco, the following day, Carla Laser of the San Francisco Bicycle Ballet, will have all the stops pulled out for the epic 12 mile tour of the city she is showing San Francisco off with. She has lined up a gang load of businesses and ambassadors, including Andy Thornley, former highly sought program director for the SFBC, to help us get a rare look at a San Francisco few people ever see. Dozens of people are already signed up here
http://www.meetup.com/Bay-Area-Easy-Riders-Bicycle-Touring-Group/events/112825242/
Here is the proclamation we crafted with the help of Leah Shahum, Director of the San FranciscoBike Coalition:
——- San Francisco proclamation —————————————–
National Bicycle Greenway Day
May 5, 2013
By virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor of the City of San Francisco, I do hereby issue this proclamation honoring
WHEREAS, San Francisco is a gold-level bicycle friendly city as recognized by the League of American Bicyclists; and,
WHEREAS, the San Francisco Bike Coalition has worked hard to make bicycling safe in San Francisco and has helped to bring about the 71% increase in cycling San Francisco has enjoyed over the last five years; and
WHEREAS, the San Francisco Bicycle Ballet with the help of neighborhood escorts will be showing what makes our city great with a 12-mile tour of San Francisco on May 5 for the National Bicycle Greenway.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, THE MAYOR OF San Francisco do hereby proclaim May 5, 2013
as “NATIONAL BICYCLE GREENWAY DAY” in San Francisco , CA
The following weekend on Saturday, we cross the Bay Bridge (or travel under it on BART) to tour Oakland as a memorial to Ron Bishop, a bike activist friend of current mayor Jean Quan who passed away last Fall. Ron and I did a lot of work on the NBG and had many discussions about it and our Mayors’ Rides over the years. The ride is being led by the Bay Area Easy Riders, a group Ron started with Mary Ann Blackwell who will be at the Jack London Sq ferry to help lead. Here is the ride we want to see you at:
http://www.meetup.com/Bay-Area-Easy-Riders-Bicycle-Touring-Group/events/92037562/
And here is a draft of the proclamation we have before Mayor Quan.
Ron Bishop National Bicycle Greenway Day
May 11, 2013
By virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor of the City of Oakland, I do hereby issue this proclamation honoring
RON BISHOP NATIONAL BICYCLE GREENWAY DAY
May 11, 2013
WHEREAS, in 1884 Thomas Stevens rode a HiWheel bicycle from our city to Boston, making his the first ever bike ride across America; and
WHEREAS Oakland has 90-miles of on-street bike lanes and hosted the first US city-sanctioned Car Free Day as well as the first big city Bike-to-Work day; and
WHEREAS, Ron Bishop, recognized as Mr. Bike Oakland by City Council, played an important part in building a consciousness for bicycling in Oakland; and
WHEREAS, the city of Oakland recognizes Ron Bishop’s work with the National Bicycle Greenway (NBG) to build our city into its network of bike friendly roads and bicycle pathways that will form a bike route connection from San Jose/San Francisco/Oakland to Washington, DC; and
WHEREAS, Ron collaborated with NBG Director, Martin Krieg, who was born in Oakland and used its beautiful mountain roads to rebuild his body for his first bike ride across America, and the quiet of its neighborhoods to write the book about his recovery from head injury and the two bike rides across America that followed.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, THE MAYOR OF Oakland do hereby proclaim May 11, 2013
as “RON BISHOP NATIONAL BICYCLE GREENWAY DAY” in Oakland , CA
The CA Mayors’ Ride resumes the following Saturday when we leave Davis City Hall at 9:30 am with the following proclamation:
Davis proclamation
Whereas in the early 1960’s, UC Davis Chancellor Emil Mrak and local residents took it upon themselves to make Davis a fabulous place for bicycling.,
Whereas the bikeway system that Mrak helped to bring about was adopted by the City of Davis with one of its requirements being that all new subdivisions add to it
Whereas for the last half century, the City of Davis has been the model bicycle friendly city by which others are judged
Whereas the City of Davis long referred to as “The Bicycle Capital of the U.S” was the first of now only three other platinum-level bike friendly cities in the USA as determined by the League of American Bicyclists
Whereas the City of Davis has been a signature stop on the National Bicycle Greenway’s Mayors’ Ride since 2002
Whereas the City of Davis is one of 17 other great American cities that will connect to the Nation’s capital along the greenway the National Bicycle Greenway envisions.
We’ll be taking it with us on our 15-mile ride to Ed Cox‘s first ever Tour of Sacramento. The Sacramento bike coordinator, his ride promises to let us really see the state Capital city in a way few ever will!
The California portion of the 2013 international Mayors’ Ride wraps up when we ride what the National Bicycle Greenway can look like in it’s highest form, on the American River Parkway, from the Sacramento State Capital to Rancho Cordova and the city of Folsom
Here is that ride:
http://www.pingg.com/bbq2436a7ij6kkxhj
Here are drafts of the proclamations that will be presented on the river:
Sacramento proclamation
Whereas the National Bicycle Greenway (NBG) has celebrated the city of Sacramento with eight visits since 2002 during it’s national Mayors’ Ride campaigns
Whereas the City of Sacramento honors the work of city bike coordinator, Ed Cox, who has been working since 2000 to make ours, a bicycle friendly city
Whereas Ed cox will be showing off the City of Sacramento off to bicycle visitors with the first ever tour of Sacramento on Saturday May 18
Whereas the City of Sacramento salutes the arguably biggest Bike-to-Work Day celebration in the Nation that we produce annually at the State Capital
Whereas one of the premiere bicycle Greenways in all the Nation, the American River Parkway, starts in our city
Whereas the City of Sacramento honors the NBG’s vision for a coast-to-coast network of bikeable roads and paths modelled in their highest form after the American River Parkway
Whereas the City of Sacramento is proud to be a signature stop on the initial Greenway the NBG foresees that will connect our Capital City with 17 other great cities in America including the Nation’s Capital, Washington DC
Rancho Cordova proclamation
Whereas the National Bicycle Greenway has celebrated the city of Rancho Cordova with five visits since 2002 during it’s Mayors’ Ride campaigns.
Whereas the city of Rancho Cordova recognizes the greatly enriched quality of life, one of the premiere bicycle Greenways in all the Nation, the American River Parkway, brings to our citizens
Whereas the city of Rancho Cordova salutes the many hundreds of thousands of cyclists who enjoy Sunrise Park as they pass through our city on the American River Parkway every year
Whereas four different Rancho Cordova mayors have received National Bicycle Greenway Mayors’ Ride cyclists travelling along the American River Parkway with proclamations, including Ken Cooley, who rode in the 2005 campaign when it left from the city of Folsom
Whereas the city of Rancho Cordova honors it’s nationally noted HiWheel cyclist, Jacques Graber, for helping make our city a stop along the National Bicycle Greenway’s Mayors’ Ride campaigns
Whereas Rancho Cordova is proud to be one of the signature stops the National Bicycle Greenway makes as it connects San Jose/San Francisco and Oakland with 14 other great American cities between here and Washington DC.
Folsom proclamation
Whereas the National Bicycle Greenway has celebrated the city of Folsom six with visits since 2002 during it’s Mayors’ Ride campaigns.
Whereas the city of Folsom recognizes the tremendous value and greatly enriched quality of life one of the premiere bicycle Greenways in all the Nation, the American River Parkway brings to our citizens
Whereas the city of Folsom salutes the many hundreds of thousands of American River Parkway cyclist users who annually eat, sleep, shop and play in our historic village
Whereas the city of Folsom acknowledges the important part our light rail stop facilitates in making bicycle day visits from the state capital easily possible
Whereas the city of Folsom honors the National Bicycle Greenway’s vision for a coast to coast network of bikeable roads and paths modelled in their highest form after the American River Parkway
Whereas the city of Folsom is proud to be the final destination city for this year’s 2013 California Mayors’ Ride as well as a signature stop on the initial Greenway the NBG foresees that will connect us with 17 great cities in America including the Nation’s Capital, Washington DC
THX 4 all of U!!
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