The Bicycle Transportation Alliance has just named their 2012 Alice B. Toeclips award winners... And one of them is BikePortland contributor Will Vanlue! Check the winners and excerpts from the BTA's website about each of them below...

Gail Achterman (Bud Clark Award): (more...)

It was a sell-out crowd.
(Photos © J. Maus)

The 2011 Alice Awards & Auction, presented by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, once again raised the bar for bike advocacy events in Portland. At a stunning new venue in the Pearl District, about 480 of our region's bike luminaries showed up — and dressed up — for a night to honor great work by both the BTA and this year's crop of Alice winners.
(more...)

Citizen activist Kiel Johnson is one of
four winners announced today.
(Photos © J. Maus)

I got an unexpected email this morning from the Bicycle Transportation Alliance. The local bike advocacy group is working on their major fundraising event of the year, The Alice Awards and Auction (set for April 23rd); but instead of announcing the winners at the gala like usual, they decided to share the winners today.

Why? Here's how the BTA puts it:

"...These individuals did not sit back and wait for the movement to come their way. "Why wait?" they asked. Instead, they took stock of their resources, looked to their allies and partners, and seized the moment of transformation.

Inspired by the actions of these individuals, the BTA asks the same question of ourselves. "Why wait?" Why keep the knowledge to ourselves, when we are bursting to shout it out to the world?"

So, without further ado, below are the 2011 Alice Award winners (a.k.a. "Bike Superheroes"): (more...)

For some heroes, winning an Alice is
quite emotional.
(Photo © J. Maus)

There are just a few days left to nominate your bike hero for an Alice Award. The annual Alice Awards and Auction event hosted by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance is always a good time and it's also a time to recognize the work of dedicated advocates from throughout Oregon.

The deadline to nominate your bike hero is this Saturday (1/22). The BTA will select three winners (over 30 people were nominated last year) and the announcement will be made at the big gala event on April 23rd. (more...)

Mayor Sam Adams addressed the crowd.
- Slideshow below/Gallery -
(Photos © J. Maus)

About 500 people turned out in their bike-chic best last night for the Bicycle Transportation Alliance's 15th annual fundraising gala, the Alice Awards.

In marvelous outfits (see them in the slideshow below), bike lovers from around the state rubbed shoulders with fellow activists, politicians, bureaucrats, and industry luminaries. The mood was celebratory and optimistic and the energy was directed at one purpose: to raise money for the BTA. After signing in and perusing a number of raffle options and other items up for purchase, attendees gathered outside the venue under warm clear skies to watch a performance by The Sprockettes. (more...)

Screenshot from Alice Awards site.

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) has unveiled a new website and theme for their 2010 Alice Awards and Auction event. They have also confirmed this year's list of nominees.

"Alice lifts off: Soar with us on two wheels" is the tagline on the new website, which features a vintage aviator aesthetic (due to the hangar-like feel of the Bison Building where it's being held).

The 15th annual event is the most important fundraiser of the year for the BTA (in 2008, they raised $150,000). In addition to ticket sales (which go for $100 a piece), it also includes both a silent auction and a live auction. Attendees dress in their off-bike finest and are treated to dinner and a night full of toasts to Oregon's bike advocacy movers and shakers. (more...)

Graphic from the Too Po' Fo' Alice
event website.

As a reaction to the high price of tickets for the BTA's Alice Awards & Auction fundraising gala, a group of well-meaning Portland bike activists have announced their own version -- the "Too Po' Fo' Alice Potluck."

On the event's Facebook page, organizer of the potluck, Matt Picio writes,

"Do you have $100+ to go to the BTA's Alice Awards this year? I don't. Whatever you think of the BTA, that night is when the BTA recognizes that there are other people (gasp! who might not even be MEMBERS!) who also contribute to the bicycle community in Portland - and we also think they should be honored. So we're going to an AFFORDABLE awards dinner that same night, and give our own awards to the Alice nominees who we feel have contributed most to Portland's bike community."

(more...)

An estimated 750 came out
to toast the BTA.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Saturday's Alice Awards gala had all the glitz, glamour, and inspiration you'd expect when 750 of Oregon's biking superstars get together to toast their collective success.

Since most of the crowd are used to meeting up at bike events and work meetings, many people use the night to show off their fashion sense. Check out a few samples below...

Here's Portland Mercury reporter Sarah Mirk and her interesting choice in hats (one commenter on Flickr called her grin a "S-mirk"): (more...)

(L to R) Mark Ginsberg (an Alice Award
nominee), Dat Nguyen, and Ben
Salzberg at last year's Alice event.
(Photos © J. Maus)

The BTA's biggest annual fundraiser, the Alice B. Toeclips Awards and Auction, is happening this Saturday and the Portland-based non-profit is pulling out all the stops to make sure it's a successful event.

They've lined up Congressman Earl Blumenauer as a speaker (update: he has cancelled), they've got auction prizes galore, and I'm sure many other fun surprises in store for attendees. This year's Alice Award nominees include everyone from the Cross Crusade's Brad Ross to perennial nominee Mark Ginsberg and BikePortland's very own Elly Blue. (more...)