National Conference of State Legislatures Bipartisan Bike Ride 2010

One of the elected officials who participated said afterward, “The bipartisan bike ride was a tremendous promotion for exercise, safety and the enjoyment of cycling… Thank You Soo Much!!!”

The ride was co-hosted by Senator Rodney Ellis (D-Houston), Representative Linda Harper Brown (R-Irving), Senator Dorsey Ridley (D-KY), Senator Scott Dibble (D-MN), Senator Katie Stine (R-KY) and Senator Tom Buford (R-KY). Unfortunately Safe Passing bill champion Linda Harper Brown (LHB) missed the ride because she was working in her district and preparing for a meeting on August 10th of the Texas House Transportation Subcommittee on Vulnerable Road Users that she chairs. (LHB is also the new Chair of the NCSL Transportation Committee.)

View BikeTexas Photos

BikeTexas founded the NCSL Bipartisan Bike Ride in 2005 at the request Senator Rodney Ellis. Each year since 2005 BikeTexas staff has taken our fleet of bikes to the NCSL Annual Legislative Summit. Since the NCSL Summit is in a different state every year, BikeTexas partners with a local group to make the ride a success. Bicycling for Louisville, led by Barry Zalph, provided 16 volunteers, expert cyclists as ride marshals and planned the route. Barry also shared his great contacts at the Louisville Mayor’s office and Police Department to make the 2010 ride the best yet.

Durwood and Allene Mayfield from Lubbock, with help from Fernando Martinez from Austin, managed to deliver the BikeTexas fleet of Trek and Fuji bicycles to the right place at the right time. They also handled coffee, food, helmet and bike fitting and ride logistics and sag support. BikeTexas Executive Director, Robin Stallings, served as MC, recruited sponsors and hosts and is the only person to have ridden every single year, although many have participated four or five years.

BikeTexas staff Mark Stine helped plan the route, Emmy Cravey and Chris Gardner managed online preregistration while Denise Luckey produced the graphics. NCSL Policy Specialist Doug Shinkle played a key role in co-coordinating in the months leading up the event and managed NCSL staff volunteers for the on-site registration.

Sponsors for the 2010 NCSL Bipartisan Bike Ride included Walmart, BNSF Railway and General Mills. General Mills provided a healthy breakfast and Texas Coffee Traders provided some great coffee. Fuji Bicycles generously donated 17 hybrid bikes to enlarge the BikeTexas VIP bike fleet to 67! This is the second year that Fuji has helped, third time for General Mills and BNSF and the fourth year in row for Walmart! Thank you sponsors!