What Did The NBG Accomplish -- Where Is It Going?

Q: My name is Liat Hoffman, one of the twin sisters who rode from CT to DC for the >rally. I am writing a paper about our ride as a positive form of activism, and I am hoping that you will answer a few questions for me. If you are willing to answer them, please respond ASAP since I tend to procrastinate and my paper is due soon The following questions are not only provocative but well timed! And as I said in the message asking about your timing with regard to a reply, of course I remember you and your wonderful sister! The following words endeavor to supplement the story that is told about all of this. What do you think the rally accomplished?

A: To begin with, it needs to be noted that our event in DC was far more than just the rally at the Capital. The success of our message was contained in merging this event with the town of Mount Rainier. It gave the NBG and Cycle America 2000 a face and a sense of place over and beyond the words and images on the Internet and the cliche pictures an American public has come to know our Nations Capital for. With regard to the latter, we brought Mount Rainier, a working class community, and many of its citizens on bikes to a Nations Capital often only known for its landmark buildings and dignitaries and other suit and tie clad officials. In doing so, it established the National Bicycle Greenway as an agency of change; a potent force, far greater than an organization made up of only bike activists. It showed that there is a strong public will for the National Bicycle Greenway as people from all walks of life and all age groups and color participated in our event. In addition. it brought coalitions (with a lot of help from Car Free Mayor Fred Sissine), all working on the same thing, Greenways, a little closer together. And finally, our effort proved that we can truly walk the talk of a nationwide network of bicycle highways since we were able to do what we did what we did with such with limited resources. In giving Mount Rainier the best party its townspeople have ever known, as Washington DC becomes next, many towns and cities across the nation will want to be a part of our success with send-offs and receptions of their own as they send their riders to our event! We have proved that the NBG can make magic Not this year but as we grow this event on a year in, year out basis,

indeed we can anticipate exactly this. Especially as we better organize such marching orders here on the net and as other population centers, as I said above, feel drawn to our event.... More than one contiguous trail, from one coast to the other, we see this as more of a network, a labyrinth of which the one pathway stands out as a metaphor. As such, our work will never be completed....... Indeed. We learned that we can't rely *only* on the Internet to make this happen which is why I am resurrecting the Cycle America Directories and changing them from Regional to National (called CAN-D). These books were very well received at the just completed Las Vegas Interbike.