HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Posted Dec 20, 2006
6,256

Here's to a GREAT Holiday Season! Check out the 2006 BIKEIOWA Recap

RIDE SAFE and a have a GREAT HOLIDAY SEASON! There is still plenty of time to ride in 2006! Has 2006 been a great year for Iowa cycling or what!?! The Iowa cycling has certainly been kicked up a notch this year, and I'm proud to live in this state! BIKEIOWA has continued to grow this year. Thanks to everyone who actively participates to make Iowa a better place to be a cyclist. No longer do you have to hunt down something to do on the weekend. You now have a choice of several events each weekend that are cycling related. It's been a ride! I do hope that BIKEIOWA continues to be a place where you can "stop in" for awhile and learn something no matter what kind of cycling you do! Here is a partial list of people, places and things that have happened over the year. This is the stuff I'm thankful for! What are YOU thankful for? email Biker@bikeiowa.com and I'll post a list! ADVOCACY

Iowa's media coverage on cycling
Iowa Bicycle Coalition
Formation of Trails and Greenways Advisory Committee
MPO Trails Round table activities
Safe Routes to School program
Complete Streets starting to make more sense
Iowa Bike Summit
Carl Voss and Mark Wyatt's activism

RACING

Iowa Racing Scene growing!
Urban Rides & races
Trans-Iowa
JingleCross
X-town
alley-cats
Des Moines Dirty Duathalon
24 Hr Mtb Race
Cranksgiving
Quarter-Rage
SOAR Adventure Race
Waterworks Park Omnium Race Series

CYCLING AS TRANSPORATION

Bike To Work Week
Bike rack installations
People using Bus Bike Racks
DART Bike & Ride Program
Liberty Bike Station
Iowa City Bicycle Library
Bike Lane construction

TRAILS

Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation's new Trail website
Lot of Trail funding dollars
Center Trails Rock
All the work CITA does
Trail Connectors
Trail Daze
Walnut Creek Trail
Colby Park Trail
Bill Riley Resurface
Bicycle & Pedestrian Bridge revitalization
Raccoon River Trail Association formation
Banner Pits mtb Trails
All the others that I'm not listing
IMBA Trail building school
Windsor Heights FINALLY completed the connection

EVERCHANGING CULTURE

The whole BIKEIOWA growing community
BIKEIOWA sponsors
Single speed, fixed gear and commuter bike popularity
CycleSound
Iowa Bike Shops
Lance in Iowa
Cycling lifestyle
GPS technology
BLOGS
Real Bikers Pedal T-shirt
Baggers
29ers
Cycling LUV
Iowa City cyclists
Coffee shop stops
East Village
Weekly rides
B&B - Pedalers Inn in Panora
Safety Meetings
Bicycle funeral attendance for those killed on two wheels
Monthly Hosts
post-ride Tacos
youTube and Google Video
Google Maps

EVENTS

Big Wheel Rally
RAGBRAI
TOMRV
Charity Rides
BikeWorld Expo
Team and Club Rides
Ride of Silence
Br. Bob Memorial Ride

2006 FACTS

A record 468 events were added to the BIKEIOWA calendar! (363 in 2005 and 78 in 2000)
639 News postings were made to the site (381 in 2005 and 102 in 2001)
73 Features were showcased
53 new links were posted
5,513 Photos were posted - WOW! (2173 in 2005 and 885 in 2001)
410 cyclists joined the BIKEIOWA Ride Reminder (273 in 2005 and only 99 in 2000)
Here is a little cool little riff from Specialized!
WHAT I'M NOT THANKFUL FOR
- Motorists killing cyclists
- Lack of prosecution for motorists who kill cyclists
- Lack of a response from State of Iowa regarding increased cycling accidents
- Cyclists who don't have lights after dark
- Monthly Hosting Fees
- Breaking a foot in late June!
Happy Holidays to you, your family and all your bicycles!