2nd PA Bike Summit

Greetings folks.  It has been way too long since something has been posted here.  Have spent much time on bikes with all this lovely weather - has made for some great commutes as well as many laughs screaming through the woods on my mountain bike.  Sprinkle in some preparation for and subsequent running of both a half marathon and the best event ever in the Tough Mudder and it becomes clear - to me at least why I have been away for so long.  No excuse for not updating this blog and will try and do better moving forward.

I spent the day in Harrisburg yesterday with Fritz Walker attending the 2nd Annual PA Walks and Bikes Summit.  Kudos to the organizers for putting on a great event - more organized than last year and leaves me excited to help in the planning of next year's event.  We met some great folks from organizations accross Pennsylvania and walked away with alot of great contacts.

Fritz and I chose to ride in with a nice sized group that had gathered at th PA Farm Show Complex - was a very leisurely paced ride led by a gal from the Harrisburg Cycling Club on a tricycle.  Other folks chose to walk in - that group included Tina Amato who had also attended a Safe Routes to Schools get together the previous evening.  Cyclist and walkers came together on the Capital steps for a rally and listened to some positive words by some cycling friendly politicos as well as folks from PA Walks and Bikes, League of American Bicyclists, Rails to Trails, Safe Routes to School and many more I am sure I am forgetting as my notes are at home.  After the rally we headed inside for some networking and lunch before heading off to speak to folks from the House and Senate to which we were assigned randomly.  Fritz and I spoke to folks in 13 offices - hopefully that will be our lucky number to garner additional support for walking and cycling.

As mentioned above - we had the chance to walk away with some great contacts.  We were also able to put BikeAllentown contact information in the hands of many and walked away with some positive input from groups such as BikePittsburgh, Philadelphia Bicycle Coalition and League of American Bicyclists to name a few.  It was a great day - we were blessed with great weather and I walk away with some great new friends.  Look up positive experience in the dictionary and I am pretty sure you will see a picture of yesterday.  Another beautiful day get out there and enjoy it - whether by bike or by foot you cannot go wrong.  Ride on!