Sunday 13 May 2012

My Top Ten Reasons the Help Build the U.S. Bicycle Route System Today


The other day while sitting at my desk I read an (admittedly outdated) article from NPR about lists and why people love them. And of course NPR got all 'meta' and wrote it in list format. This knowledge spurred me to think about my own personal lists. Now as I write to you we are in the second week of our Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It. fundraiser to build the U.S. Bicycle Route System. Though the campaign has only been officially running for eight days, in the office we have been working on it for months. That has provided me a lot of time to think about my personal reasons for wanting to build a national network of officially recognized, mapped, and signed bicycle routes. For your reading pleasure I have provided you with my list today. I hope you enjoy it. If you feel so motivated, please consider writing your own list. Share it with your family and friends. I bet they would be interested in helping to build the U.S. Bicycle Route System too.

My Top Ten Reasons to Help Build the U.S. Bicycle Route System Today

10. I like to bike. Don't you like to bike? My bike even has a name. She has been with me across the country and through thousands of miles.
9. If I give now I will be helping to meet the $2,500 challenge offered by Team Estrogen, and my dollars go twice as far.
8. How cool would an official bike route atlas look on my bookshelf?
7. All of the other countries are doing it. Spain, France, the UK, Norway, Switzerland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Ireland, just to name a few.
6. The first three people to give $25 or more today (May 8th) will win Planet Bike bike-safe gift packages. (See picture below.)
5. Signs on routes make navigating super easy.
4. Most of my friends and family don't live in my town. With a U.S. Bicycle Route System I can ride my bike to go visit them. Its a workout and a vacation all in one!
3. Rural America is chock full of corn. It is unfortunately not chock full of places that cyclists can use the bathroom and pick up supplies. Officially recognized bicycle routes encourage the development of cyclist specific infrastructure and facilities.
2. I know a lot of people who are afraid to travel by bike because of poor road conditions and a lack of knowledge. Give them an official bicycle route and they will be good to go!
1. The U.S. Bicycle Route System will bring better biking to more people by making it safe, accessible, and easy to travel by bike!

Why do you want to help build the U.S. Bicycle Route System? Go to our campaign page to make a donation and share your reason today. You can also tweet it to us using the #2012USBRS hashtag. Check out @USBicycleRoutes on Twitter to see what others had to say.

Don't forget to donate early to win the Planet Bike bike-safe gift pack.


Thanks to Team Estrogen and Planet Bike for sponsoring our fundraising challenge and gift offer this week!

Photos by Alex Campbell

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The 2012 BUILD IT. BIKE IT. BE A PART OF IT. campaign runs through May 31, 2012. Please donate $10 today! All donations are tax deductible and will support Adventure Cycling Association's organizing efforts and technical assistance for the U.S. Bicycle Route System. The campaign is supported by Adventure Cycling members, a dedicated group of Core Supporters, bicycle-industry partners, state and local bicycle organizations, and cyclists across North America.


In-kind product support to the Build It. Bike It. Be a Part of It. campaign has been donated by Osprey Packs, Moots, BOB Trailer, Brooks, Planet Bike, BikeFlights.com, and Hans Bagworks.



The U.S. Bicycle Route System is supported in part by grants from the SRAM Cycling Fund, the Surdna Foundation, the Lazar Foundation, New Belgium Brewing, and the Michigan United Tandem Society.

Thank you all for your support and participation!

Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2012/05/my-top-ten-reasons-help-build-us.html

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