Thunderhead Alliance Leaders Ride with Mayors for Independence

Prescott, AZ - July 12, 2004 - State and local bicycle advocacy leaders have reported a strong showing for the second year of the Thunderhead Alliance U.S. Mayors Bike Ride targeted within one month of the 4th of July. The Thunderhead Alliance is the national coalition of state and local bicycle advocacy organizations and promotes this event to help leaders of its 99 member organizations in 45 states better connect with their mayors. This ride is a memorial to one of Thunderhead's founders, Susie Stephens.

This year Mayor Bud Lacy of Stillwater, Oklahoma won the longest distance award for leading his community's ride for 36 miles on the 4th of July. In the brochure for the ride distributed by the Oklahoma Bicycle Coalition, Mayor Lacy wrote to his citizens, "Everyone should try pumping pedals instead of gas!" After the ride, Mayor Lacy sent this message to Thunderhead, "Stillwater is a great biking community and I'm proud to be a leader in our efforts to encourage our citizens to become more involved in this healthy and environmentally friendly form of alternative transportation. This is the second year in a row that I've ridden farther than any other mayor in the entire country. Pretty cool!!"

In York, Pennsylvania, leaders of the Bicycle Access Council, reported that their ride nearly didn't happen. But some last minute scheduling adjustments brought Mayor John Brenner out to ride with a nice group and some great media coverage on July 5th. After the ride, Mayor Brenner was inspired to make it even bigger next year. Then he added, "Heck, why wait until next year. We can do this again anytime I want."

In Madison, Wisconsin the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin has already prepped their Mayor Dave Cieslewicz with a Bike to Work Week event in May. As a self-proclaimed bicyclist, Mayor Cieslewicz has designated his Mayors Bike Ride on July 17th as part of his Fit City Madison campaign. It will be a relaxed amble of 15-20 miles through part of Madison's bikeway network.

This year the ride attracted most of its participation in June including Mayor Daley of Chicago who took the stage with leaders of the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation on June 18th to greet bicycle commuters on Bike Day. Other mayors joined forces with Thunderhead organizations in Colorado Springs; Shaker Heights, Ohio; Nashville; Denver; Jackson Hole; Tulsa; St. Paul; Austin and Chicago's southland.

For more information, please contact Sue Knaup, Executive Director:
928-541-9841, sue@thunderheadalliance.org