racks in front of their City Hall.
(Photo © J. Maus)
Oregon is a state on a mission. For the last few years, the movement to make this the premiere state for bicycling has been gaining some serious momentum. We’ve got nearly every piece of the puzzle on the table and we’re working to put it all together — but we need some big ideas, rallying points, an idea so exciting that it captures the attention of everyone in the state.
So I’m announcing a contest to find the best Big Ideas for Biking in Oregon.
With our impressive team of partners behind this effort, ranging for local tourism officials to Capitol Hill power brokers, we just might be able to turn your idea into reality (remember, the Ride Oregon website started as someone’s big idea two years ago).
So, what’s your big idea that will make Oregon the “Land Bicycles Dream About”?
I’ve partnered up with Cycle Oregon (who has put on the Summit annually since 2006) to find the best Big Ideas for Biking in Oregon.
The Grand Prize Winner will get to do a short presentation of their idea to attendees of the Oregon Bike Summit on June 4th. This is a big deal! Why? Among the powerful and influential people who will hear your idea are:
- Gail Achterman, Chair of the governor-appointed Oregon Transportation Commission, the group that sets transportation policy and funding for the entire state;
- Tim Blumenthal, executive director of Bikes Belong, the most active and well-funded national national non-profit that is known for going big;
- Sheila Lyons, the biking and walking program manager for ODOT;
- Jerry Norquist, executive director of Cycle Oregon, who helps dole out thousands of dollars to advocacy causes each year through the Cycle Oregon Fund;
- key decision makers at Travel Oregon and many other advocacy groups and partner agencies around the state.
The winner will also get a complimentary ticket (worth $50) to enjoy a full day of meals, workshops, and networking opportunities at the Summit. We’ll also give free passes to the two folks with the second and third best Big Ideas.
The winner will be chosen on Tuesday, June 1st (the Summit is on June 4th) and the decision will be made by myself, Jerry Norquist, and Kristin Dahl from Travel Oregon.
To enter, just leave your idea in the comments below or send it to us via email. If you leave a comment, please make sure you leave a valid email address so we can contact you if necessary. You’re welcome to collaborate if you’ve got a similar idea as someone else but only one free ticket will be given for each of the three best Big Ideas.
Good luck and check out OregonBikeSummit.com for more info on the event.