The dream continues: Oregon Bike Summit begins tonight
Posted by Jonathan Maus (Editor) on April 4th, 2008 at 10:35 am
This afternoon, over 50 bike advocates from across Oregon will kick-off the third annual Oregon Bike Summit with, what else, a bike ride.
The kick-off ride will work up their appetites for a feast of an agenda that’s jam-packed with an impressive slate of speakers, interesting breakout sessions and workshops, and many opportunities to connect and network with Oregon’s shining stars of cycling.
The list of several hundred registrants reads like a who’s-who of cycling in Oregon and they come from every facet of biking you can imagine. Policy-makers, industry leaders, tourism experts, advocates, politicians, citizen activists — they’ll all be in the same place tonight and tomorrow.
And have I mentioned the line-up of keynote presentations? (You know you’re a bike nut if these get you excited):
- Why Cycling is Important in Oregon: Congressman Earl Blumenauer
- National Overview of the Importance of Cycling: Tim Blumenthal, President, Bikes Belong
- The Oregon Transportation Plan and the Role of Cycling: Gail Achterman, Chair, Oregon Transportation Commission*
Some of the big themes this year will be bike tourism, developing Oregon’s bike industry, and learning how to influence transportation policy on the local, regional, and national levels.
If you want to be part of the action, make your way out to the Red Lion Hotel in Janzten Beach (on the Columbia River) and help us make Oregon, “the land bicycles dream about!”
Check out the official event website for more information.
I’ll be there tonight and all-day Saturday to bring you all the photos, stories, and gossip that’s fit to print. Stay tuned…
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April 4th, 2008 22:40
This conference is a marvellous opportunity to network and to help shape the future of cycling in Oregon. A number of factors are converging to open new doors for advocacy, activism, funding, planning and tourism. Bikes are getting to be big news, and as Roger Geller said tonight in one of the opening speeches, bikes really ARE a simple answer to a set of complex problems. I think it's becoming evident that people outside the bike community are starting to see it, and if we as cyclists, advocates and activists take advantage of that, and respectfully and enthusiastically promote bikes and biking, we have a real opportunity to effect widespread and lasting change.
April 5th, 2008 18:44
My first time at the summit. Great time, met many great folks. Will always return. Thanks again Jonathan for your work there, and thanks to all for your work there.
I hope to hook up with schools to educate mid-schoolers about mountain biking, to catch them before they park their BMXs and possibly "grow out" of bicycling. - Mr Bob
April 5th, 2008 19:50
Funny that you predicted "over 50" bike advocates - there must have been closer to 200! Great Summit this year, but next year in Salem should be fantastic!