Troy Bogdan and Nick Hein completed their ride in from Washington DC yesterday and stayed busy rattling cages, as you will see below, for the rally that will take place at 12:30 there today. And a worthy rally it will be! Just got off the phone with Ro Fischer, Mayor Tom Murphy's Sr. Aide, and she tells me that there is now way her boss is going to miss the event. THX to Michael Sobkowiak of Venture Outdoors, the local TV, radio and newspaper all plan to be there to receive Nick and Troy who will have symbolically ridden back into town from the Trailhead joined by a crowd of local cyclists that could even include the Mayor's daughter. A police escort will usher them to City Hall!!
========================================
D.C. to Pittsburgh, Bicycle Rally Today! Newspaper!!
Good morning everybody,
Looks like I (Troy) made the local newspaper, or at least online, since I haven't read it in person yet. Being the local boy, I guess that is why I was mentioned by name, and not Nick. Anybody have any press contacts in Morgantown W.V. (Nick's Home Town)????
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/search/s_202530.html
Also, last night I went to a bar on the South Side (Our official celebration H.Q. is at the Holiday Inn Express on the South Side, next to the 10th St. Bridge) called "Smokey Joe's", where there was a promotional party set up to cheer on Lance Armstrong of the United States Postal Team's "Tour De France" race. There were many cyclists in the audience, and they were having giveaways, and an endurance contest to see who could ride a stationary bike the fastest in 102 seconds. The radio station D.J. that was running the event was from local rock station 102.5 WDVE, one of the sponsors for last night's event.
We promoted the NGB Mayor's Ride and Rally on the microphone, and the crowd cheered us on and hopefully we will get some of them to attend either today's trail ride, and/or Market Square Rally.
By the way, Rudy from "CycleWorks" was at the event last night, and we want to give him a Big Thank You. His bike shop along the trail in "Little Boston," PA. really helped us out by fixing Nicks recumbent bike when he lost his brakes along the trail. THANK YOU CYCLEWORKS!!!!!! They also have a bike shop in Monroeville, and best of all, Rudy donated his time and services to the NGB cause, and didn't charge Nick for the repair, nor the shuttle to the Monroeville store to get a special part!!!! THANKS RUDY!!!!
Cycleworks gave away a Trek Mountain Bike last night to the biker who went to farthest distance in 102 minutes on the bike. Both of us NGB bikers tried to win it. First, I started off real strong, making that rear tire hum like a machine, but half way through the trial, I popped the chain, much to the sadness of the crowd. I did get a second chance, out of fairness, but I never recovered my strength. I won a consolation prize of a "Outdoor Life Network" t-shirt and a Trek/USPS Water Bottle.
Nick was next, and he put in a good enough ride to earn third place, and won a new helmet.
The second place person received a POWERBAR duffel bag, and the winner got to take home the bike last night. It was fun!!!!!!
Today is the big day. We plan on starting out this morning, riding the river trails in the city, promoting the rally today, and then meeting at the Eliza Furnace (Jail Trail) Trail at 11:00 in preparation for the rally.
Remember, the first twenty bikers at the trailhead will get a free t-shirt, courtesy of our Venture Outdoors sponsor, and then we will ride to celebration at Market Square at Noon, with a 12:20 scheduled arrival and Mayor's Ceremony. I hope to see as many of you there as possible.
From Pittsburgh's South Side, Reporting Live, Troy Bogdan, NBG Bio:
http://NationalBicycleGreenway.com/Events/Mayors_Ride/bios/Troy_Bogdan.php
========================================
Good morning,
Just wanted to let you know that we got NBG on another local radio channel last nite. Cycleworks, a local bikeshop chain, was putting on a party last nite with a local radio DJ (FM 102) broadcasting live while coverage of the Tour de France was shown on TV. After showing up and introducing ourselves we were given a few minutes to explain NBG to the radio audience and invite local riders downtown for the proclamation signing. The night's party game was a resistance trainer. The rider to go the farthest distance in 102 seconds would win a Trek mountain bike. Troy and I both gave it a shot. On Troy's first turn the chain fell off, and when he tried again he was unable to place. As I got on I decided to give it everything I had since I was riding for NBG. This was enough to tie me for first place with 2 other riders (who looked to be about half my age of 47). I place 3rd in the final runoff, but the timer came over to let me know how close it had been. First and third places had average speeds of 41.7 and 41.5 mph respectively.
Anyway, I think we can expect a pretty good turnout tomorrow - I'd like to thank Rudy of Cycleworks and Radio Station FM 102 for the opportunity. By the way, I met Rudy because of a mechanical breakdown and I also want to thank him for the exceptionally quick, careful repair and logistical assistance that got me back on the road with Troy without any delay.
Hope to see some of you at noon,
From the road,
Nick Hein
Morgantown, WV. NBG Bio:
http://NationalBicycleGreenway.com/Events/Mayors_Ride/bios/Nick_Hein.php
- I got the New York City proclamation in the US mail today and wow what a work of art and literary go power! Here is what we now have on line:
http://www.BikeRoute.com/NationalMayorsRide2004/NYC/NYCProc.html
It links from our schedule: http://www.BikeRoute.com/NationalMayorsRide2004
========================================
- Troy and Nick finished their ride from DC to Pittsburgh today and I was wrong when I said they had had great weather. They had rain. Lots of it as per:
At 2:16 PM -0400 7/8/04, Troy wrote:
Linkup Complete - D.C. to Pittsburgh riders arrive in Pittsburgh one day early.
Greetings from Sunny Pittsburgh, PA.
The two riders have arrived from Washington D.C. to Pittsburgh, safe and sound. The Mayoral proclamation is soaking wet, but it has survived a journey of over 300 miles, 4 states, at least 4 rivers, and gallons of pouring rainwater.
Since last report, the bikers have finished the Great Allegheny Passage, traveling through Ohiopyle, Connelsville, McKeesport and finally into the city limits of Pittsburgh.
Tomorrow the welcoming ceremony will be held in Pittsburgh, and will hopefully start off the next leg of the Mayor's ride from Pittsburgh to Columbus.
Sincerely, Troy Bogdan
========================================
- But I did hear from the Venture Outdoors people here tonite (early AM their time), and combined with Ro Fischer, Mayor Tom Murply's Sr. Aide who has Tom committed to be there, Troy and Nick's soggy biking looks like it will have been worth it:
At 12:54 AM -0400 7/9/04, msobkowiak wrote:
Martin,
Things are all in place for tomorrow. I just dropped off the sound system and the Mayor is on board. The Venture Outdoors press releases got us an interview on the local NPR station (I hope I did a good job of promoting the event) and the local news radio station WKQV called me today to say they were coming to the rally tomorrow. Also in Friday's Tribune Review there was a brief mention of the rally -
Good luck with Chicago.
Michael Sobkowiak
Rally will welcome bicyclists as they complete long trip
Friday, July 9, 2004
Rally will welcome bicyclists as they complete long trip
Venture Outdoors, the outside activity advocacy group, is sponsoring a ride and rally today to welcome four bicyclists completing a trip from Washington, D.C.
The rally will be at 12:20 p.m. in Market Square, Downtown, to celebrate the ride that is part of a relay across the country sponsored by the National Bicycle Greenway of Palo Alto, Calif.
The riders include Troy Bogdan of Bridgeville. They began this ride July 2 as part of the Greenway's efforts to increase awareness of bicycling.
The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. at the Greenfield end of the Eliza Furnace Trail. Bicyclists and inline skaters are asked to join the four cyclists for the last three miles of their trip.
Details: (412) 255-0564.]
-- Bob Karlovits
If you feel like taking a minute and a half to escape into the Idaho desert with popular middle school teacher Skot Pashal, on his ride from Boise Mayor Dave Bieter to the Salt Lake City Mayor's office, indeed do get a look at the epic slide show he created for us:
I mean Skot took what most view as a barren wasteland sparsely dotted with roads and an interstate, into a work of art. The sunsets and ghost towns and rainbow shadowed cliffs that he found out there formed a canvas on which he was able to paint an alluring tale of adventure. It will no doubt build a year in, year out following that will grow and grow of cyclists wanting to see what Skot saw.
WoW!!