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ACCEPTING THE CHALLENGE

Between the League of American Bicyclists' National Bike Challenge and several independent challenges, people who ride bikes have plenty of opportunities to log miles ridden in the name of bicycle advocacy. Bike challenges unite teams of riders around common goals. Individuals, workplace teams, and even entire cities and states strive to reach personal bests and outpace competitors. Most bike challenges reward habit over athleticism: participants in the National Bike Challenge could score 20 points per day just for saddling up for a one-mile ride; points were awarded at one point per mile thereafter.

Here's a peek at how some of our members are plugging into the bike challenge phenomenon. 

The Wisconsin Bike Fed was pleased that the Badger State topped this year's National Bike Challenge, which ended last week.

For the second year in a row, Pittsburgh and Cleveland fostered their longstanding rivalry through the National Bike Challenge. Last year, Pittsburgh outpedalled Cleveland to win the Rust Belt Battle of the Bikes Trophy; this year, Cleveland emerged victorious. The trophy is en route to Ohio. Cleveland is not above gloating. 

Georgia riders pedaled 482,000 miles in the National Bike Challenge, the equivalent of a round trip journey to the moon. 

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance created their own challenge for the state of Oregon. As of the halfway point in September, over 9,000 Oregonians had logged a total of 750,000 miles. BTA advocates entices riders with prizes throughout the course of the challenge, post daily inspiration on the organization's blog, and even threw a party for participants at City Hall. 

And down South, the Atlanta Bike Challenge just got started!

INFRASTRUCTURE INLET

Advocates welcome supersharrows to Billings, MT. 

The Valley Centre Pathway opens in Teton Valley, Idaho.

Philadelphia seeks public input on bikeshare station locations through street-level outreach. 

The District of Columbia has installed permanent automatic bike and pedestrian counters on popular trails and bike lanes – a first for the area. 

BIG PICTURE BOULEVARD

PeopleForBikes will administer $900,000 in grant funding over three years to partnerships of bike share operators, cities, and local non-profits to help U.S. cities implement and increase bike share use in underserved communities.

BikeTexas is mighty proud of the Lone Star State's new bike friendly businesses. 

Several people on bikes have been attacked while riding on San Francisco's Panhandle.  

ADVOCACY AVENUE

The Wisconsin Bike Fed holds a rally for better biking. 

Congrats to Baltimore City for receiving a TIGER grant to improve bike and pedestrian infrastructure along the Hanover Street Bridge. 

Billings Chamber of Commerce + trails and biking = <3. 

Georgia Bikes held Complete Streets workshops in Albany, Macon, Milledgeville, and Valdosta.

Plans fell through for a Capital Crescent Trail tunnel underneath Wisconsin Ave in downtown Bethesda. Boo.

The Active Transportation Alliance teams up with other advocacy organizations to oppose a new $1 billion highway project. 

San Diego's new Downtown Mobility Plan is headed in the right direction. 

Cyclists riding 325 miles from Philadelphia to Fredericksburg met Governor Jack Markell to discuss Delaware's bike-friendly developments and encourage the governor's support for the development of the East Coast Greenway in the state. 

HUB's new map depicts existing low-stress bike routes in grey and known gaps in pink. Let's #UnGapTheMap! Also, this Communications Director loves the fact that the map is a GIF. 

LEGISLATION LANE

Wisconsin advocates push back against a Milwaukee County Parks requirement that any event supported by public advertising – even a free run or bike ride with a Facebook event – secure a permit that requires $1 million insurance coverage. 

ELECTION ESPLANADE

Ed. note: It's get out the vote season! (Or, as my favorite political training network likes to call it, GOTMFV.) Lil Jon thinks we should all get ready to go vote. 

Check out WABA's new T-shirts. 

In partnership with a coalition of organizations, Oregon's Bicycle Transportation Alliance urges the city of Portland to consider changes to a proposed transportation fee. Among their demands: pin rates to income brackets, prioritize funds for safety, and provide an opportunity for city council to sunset the fee. 

Bike San Diego has released some candidates' answers to the organization's candidate survey. We can't link to them, but Google probably knows where they are. 

San Francisco advocates explain why Proposition L would make the city more expensive. 

MassBike urges supporters to vote No on Question 1, which would eliminate the gas tax indexing law and place transportation investments in jeopardy. 

Bike Walk Connecticut urges supporters to pledge to register and vote this fall. 

In preparation for an upcoming transportation ballot measure to increase the sales tax by one cent, Bike Walk Greenville released this great Safe Routes to School video. 

PROGRAMMING PROMENADE

The Atlanta Bicycle Coalition rounds up some amazing photos and videos from the most recent Atlanta Streets Alive, which drew 106,000 people. It looks like it was SUCH a blast. 

Ride Richmond will hold the area's first women's cycling summit on October 23. 

The Florida Bike-Ped Safety Summit is coming up on October 24. 

Thanks to walking school buses, kids have a great time walking to school in San Francisco's SOMA neighborhood. 

GET A JOB

Executive Director positions are open at the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, Trailnet (St. Louis, MO), Bike Miami Valley (Dayton, OH), and the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition.

The state and local biking and walking advocacy movement is growing. Check out the Alliance for Biking & Walking job board for listings all over North America.

TRAILER

Wouldn't it be annoying if everyone on a bike took up as much space as a car? Geez, it's a good thing that bikes are small. Come to mention it, it's a good thing that people ride them, too.