In order to demonstrate that the National Bicycle Greenway is for all Americans, we long had needed to do this from a central location. This is why, in 2018, we moved to Indianapolis, the Crossroads of America, the Greenway Capital of the Nation, the real Gateway to the West, and the world’s Transportation Birthplace, all of which  Martin Krieg has demonstrated in his book, “How Indianapolis Built America and How it will Rebuild it with the National Bicycle Greenway“

 

Strategy

Because of the pandemic, we were forced to reassess our direction. What we learned in our time away from the front burners was how pervasive America’s uninhabited lands really are – well over half of this country is unpopulated and desolate. Even though I have seen much of this with my own two eyes on my Trans Am bike rides, I never really understood how much of the USA these land represented until very recently.

The areas marked in green are Uninhabited. There are 1.78 million sq. miles where no one lives in America. These lands are made up of large wilderness areas, filled with uninhabitable mountains, endless deserts and off-limits nature reserves. There are also endless miles of farmland and military installations, etc

With that in mind, our focus has shifted from dialing in the route we have forged to celebrating  the 20  NBG anchor cities between and including San Francisco, Indianapolis and Washington DC. 

 

Since Indianapolis is the Greenway Capital of the World,  led by the only Downtown Greenway on Planet Earth, the world class Indianapolis Cultural Trail, 

 

 

 

 

 

 

we will be using the Indianapolis Anchor City Page we created as a template for all of our satellite cities.

 

 

 

 

 

 It is with this new awareness that the pandemic has re-calibrated our vision on another front. Instead of trying to bring America to Indianapolis in 2020 for its Bicentennial with our National Mayors’ Ride, neither of which happened, we will be bringing America to Indianapolis nine years later for NBG National Bike Week. As we place the Indianapolis example on center stage, 2029 will also mark the  20th National Mayors’ Ride, the  40th Anniversary of the NBG and  the 50-year celebration of Martin Krieg’s first solo bike ride across America. 

For all the world to see, we will use 2029 to celebrate Indianapolis, the city with the most bikeable downtown in the known galaxy. Nor is Indianapolis unfamiliar with hosting events of national/international consequence.  In 1982, it hosted the National Sports Festival (later called the Olympic Festival as produced by the US Olympic committee until 1995). For that event, it enrolled the support of 3000 volunteers and built stadiums, athletic fields, swimming pools and other sporting venues including the Major Taylor Velodrome.

Five years later, in 1987, it made use of these facilities and 37,000 volunteers to become the first and only US city to host the PanAm Games. In doing so, this event became a worldwide sensation that was kicked off by President George Bush. Sr. It brought nearly $175 million to Indianapolis’s economy.

In giving credibility to its reputation at the Sports Capital of the World,  Indianapolis has also hosted Super Bowl  XLVI, the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Fours, Big Ten Football Championship Games, Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments, U.S. Olympic Team Trials, etc

And the timing could not be any better, as cities and government officials are becoming more aware that events of the future need to leave as a light of a footprint as possible. Especially in the face of our current climate crisis. And what could be better eco-tourism* than a bicycle greenway festival? What could be a better way to take advantage of what “Momentum Magazine” calls Wallets on Wheels? For what we have in mind nothing needs to be built. For what we foresee, all we are asking for is the media bull horn and volunteer support.

Soon, a Vision Statement is forthcoming that will include:

– A festival on the White River State Bridge (with Food, Booths, a Bicycle Concourse, Unicycle Performances, Speakers, Jugglers, Clowns, Trials Bike Exhibitions, etc)
– A concert at the new White River State Park music stage
– Velomobile races on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
– A downtown criterium to include a HiWheel (Penny Farthing) race
– Bike races at the Major Taylor Velodrome
– Dedication ceremonies honoring Indy’s 19th century transportation past
– Swap Meet, Symposiums, Lectures and Conferences
– Guided tours of the local Greenways (Monon, Fall Creek, White River, Central Canal, Pennsy, Pleasant Run, Cultural Trail, Indy Canal)

 

*Bicycle tourism is a form of eco-tourism that supports local communities, businesses, and economies because of the slow pace of bicycle travelers and the frequent need for services like food and lodging. Bicycle travelers stay longer in a region and spend up to 40% more than the average motorized tourist