(Photos © J. Maus)
In a few hours, North American Handmade Bicycle Show founder Don Walker will make the announcement of where next year’s show will take place.
Each year it is a closely held secret, but Walker has already already shared clues and has made it clear it won’t be in Portland, and rumors about NAHBS ’09 are swirling through the aisles.
Here are the clues Walker has shared:
- The governor of the state concerned wrote to express his desire to host the show
- The host city is within one day’s drive of approximately 100 million people
- The state concerned is adding $20 million a year to build, expand and link the state’s trail systems, and sees bicycling as a major part of that
- Three micro-breweries are situated within two blocks of the expo hall, and the host hotel is right across the road
- The city is regarded as one of the most hospitable in the USA
Fabrications.
Any guesses?
The inaugural NAHBS was in Walker’s home town of Houston, Texas and the last two were in San Jose, California. So far, most rumors going around the show are that he might once again bring the show home in 2009 — to Indianapolis, Indiana.
Given the huge attendance and the community support for the show here in Portland, some people would wonder why Walker wouldn’t stick around for at least one more year.
I’ve talked to several builders and they would all love to come back to Portland again. Matt Bracken of Massachusetts-based Independent Fabrications was one of them. He said, “I was hoping it would go another year here [Portland]. We’ve really enjoyed this city.”
Regardless of Walker’s final decision, these past few days have sent a clear message to the bicycling world that Portlanders love bikes.
In an article in VeloNews this morning, reporter Matt Pacocha wrote that he was so impressed with how “the cycling community…has embraced the show and its builders” he wonders what it would be like to have Interbike in a city like Portland where, “the public is very much into the bicycle.”
I’m not so sure Portland needs Interbike, but it sure would be nice to have a smaller, handmade show like the NAHBS here every year.
Stay tuned for the official announcement.