So now it's not just Bike Month--its *officially* Bike Month in Missouri.
An important part of MoBikeFed's Vision of Active Transportation in Missouri is to promote National Bike Month across Missouri--it is one of the most effective ways we know to promote bicycling to citizens and elected officials, and get more people out enjoying bicycling as a fun, healthy, and quick way to get around town or improve their fitness.
If you live in a part of the state without organized Bike Month activities, you're welcome to join the Car Free Challenge--a fun way to encourage yourself to bicycle (and walk, carpool, and use transit) more during Bike to Work Week.
The Car Free Challenge web site was created by volunteer and MoBikeFed Board Member Eric Rogers. It's been advertised in the Kansas City metro area but in the future we'd like to find funding to take the Challenge statewide. So if you'd like to try it out this year, it would be a great pilot project for our future, statewide plans.
Whereas, the bicycle is a viable and environmentally sound form of transportation and an excellent form of recreation; and
Whereas, millions of Missourians will experience the joys of bicycling during the month of May through educational programs, races, commuting events, trail work days, helmet promotion, charity events, or just getting out and going for a ride; and
Whereas, Missouri's Katy Trail attracts hundreds of thousands of bicyclists each year from all 50 states and from across the globe, providing economic, health, and scenic benefits to the citizens of Missouri and the world; and
Whereas, Missouri hosts four major cross-country bicycle tourism routes that attracts thousands of cross-country and local bicyclists each year, including the Mississippi River/Great Rivers Trail, the American Discovery Trail, the Lewis and Clark Trail, and the TransAmerican Trail; and
Whereas, the Tour of Missouri bicycle race is poised to again bring hundreds of world-class athletes and thousands of bicycle tourists to Missouri on September 8-14, 2008, and put Missouri's bicycling attractions and scenic countryside before a world stage; and
Whereas, these bicycling activities and attractions have great potential to have a positive impact on Missouri's economy and tourism industry and to stimulate economic development by making the state attractive to businesses and citizens who enjoy the out of doors and healthy lifestyles; and
Whereas, creating bicycle-friendly communities has been shown to improve citizens' health, well-being, and quality of life, to boost community spirit, to improve traffic safety, and to reduce pollution and congestion; and
Whereas, May has been declared National Bike Month for each of the last 52 years, and is so again in 2008; and
Whereas, the League of American Bicyclists, the Missouri Bicycle Racing Association , the Missouri Bicycle Federation, bicycle clubs, schools, parks and recreation departments, police departments, hospitals, companies and civic groups through Missouri will be promoting bicycling as a leisure activity as well as an environmentally-friendly alternative to the automobile during the month of May 2008; and
Whereas, the education of bicyclists and motorists as to the proper and safe operation of bicycles is important to ensure the safety and comfort of all users; and
Whereas, the Missouri Bicycle Federation, the Kansas City Share the Road Safety Task Force, St. Louis TrailNet, the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation, GetAbout Columbia, the Columbia PedNet Coalition, Velo Girardeau, SpringBike, Ozark Greenways, Parkland Cyclists, St. Joseph Bicycle Club, Quad States Trails of St. Joseph, and other organizations across the state will promote bicycle safety during the month of May 2008: Now, therefore, be it resolved that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-fourth General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby recognize the month of May 2008 as "National Bike Month and Bicycle Safety Month", and the week of May 12-16, 2008, as "Bike to Work Week"; and
Be it further resolved that the General Assembly urges all who support bicycling to participate in the events planned and urges all road users to share the road safety with bicyclists.
Just in time for the first day of Bicycle Month, both Governor Blunt and the Missouri House have officially declared May as Bicycle Month in Missouri.