Here is a draft of the 2020 Proclamation Whereas language for the City of Oakland, CA. It adds the Indianapolis Cultural Trail and our 2020 Mayors’ Ride to the 2017 citation that is on record:

WHEREAS, in 1884 Thomas Stevens started the first bicycle ride across America from our city; and

WHEREAS, the City of Oakland recognizes the National Bicycle Greenway (NBG) mission to build our city into its network of bike friendly roads and bicycle pathways that will connect Washington, DC with San Francisco/Oakland; and

WHEREAS, NBG Director, Martin Krieg who was born in Oakland, 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 story about his recovery from head injury and the two bike rides across America that followed; and

WHEREAS, Oakland with over 90 miles of on street bike lanes, hosted the first US city sanctioned Car Free Day as well as the first big city Bike to Work day; and

WHEREAS, besides the beautiful cycling in its hills and around the jewel in its center, Lake Merritt, the city of Oakland has many bikeways under development along its bayfront and all throughout the city; and

WHEREAS, the National Bicycle Greenway has selected Oakland as one of the cities in which it will build a downtown Greenway similar to the world renowned Cultural Trail that has completely transformed the city of Indianapolis; and

WHEREAS NBG scout cyclists will take this message as a part of the 17th National Mayors’ Ride that will end September 27 at the Indianapolis bicentennial celebration

HERE was our 2017 Oakland Mayors’ Ride

HERE is our 2020 Mayors’ Ride