Talk about reverse engineering, using the below example as a precedent, we are taking a quantum leap forward:
On 1/01/06 MArtin Krieg wrote
In the research I am doing for my book, I delved deeper into the Lincoln Hwy Assn (LHA). Started by Carl Fisher, the same man who created the Indy Speedway, in a very conspicuous way, in 1913, his group set out across America from Time Square in NY, in search of the best roads, of which many were dirt, needed to reach San Francisco. Those roads (and trails) they picked as the best became the Lincoln Hwy, the standard bearer for the road movement that was later to sweep America.
The fact that for the next 15 years, the LHA concentrated on publicity because it could not afford to build the highway, should have a familiar ring to it. I see so many parallels in their success that I am giving it a whole chapter in “How America can Bike and Grow Rich, The National Bicycle Greenway Manifesto” !!
In fact, in our yearly Mayors' Ride from Folsom to Davis, the open boulevard stretch that we ride in West Sacramento is part of the old Lincoln Hwy. I am wondering if the organization once dedicated to building America's first transcontinental highway for the automobile (in 1992, a heritage group was formed to honor the LHA's transportation pioneers = http://www.lincolnhighwayassoc.org) might be interested in seeing at least a section of it reborn as America's first transcontinental highway for the B I C Y C L E !! ??
Yahooo - the possibilities here are exciting!!
All about the Lincoln Hwy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_Highway
At 11:26 PM -0500 12/30/05, JMuellner@aol.com wrote: Are you interested in my doing the Boston to SFO ride?
On 1/02/06 MArtin Krieg wrote:
Absolutely!! However I am leaning toward starting the Author Tour that we are riding, in NYC, from Times Square (or maybe the Brooklyn Bridge), the same place that the Lincoln Hwy Assn (LHA) started their transcontinental connection to San Francisco in 1913 as per the links I sent out yesterday. I really like what they did and their philosophy of promoting and not building their transcontinental connection bcuz they had not the $$$$ either. And here in Palo Alto (the NBG home office), with the Bryant St Bike Blvd that connects three cities, we have an example in place of the Seedling Miles they moved their vision across America with.
For that matter, there are tons of Seedling Miles (they only had one near Indianapolis and yet it is still in place) for our transcontinental connection all across America. For example I just got this from Captain Hydrate:
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At 8:46 AM +0000 1/2/06, Jack Martin wrote:
Martin and Co.
Regarding the Lincoln Highway. A rather "substantial" portion of it also is right here in Folsom. It is the Orangevale Avenue Bridge, and located only about 2 miles from the Walker Bridge, where we started our ride last year. There has been debate going on for months now about what to do with the bridge, as it is presently too narrow to meet state highway regulations. It spans the gorge of American River Canyon just north of Greenback Lane.
If you wanted to incorporate it into next year's ride, it would be an easy diversion........
Jack MArtin
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There's also the C&O (DC to Pgh), the Berkeley Bike Blvd, the Folsom to Davis American River bikeway that we use, etc, etc, that we could sign in the same way that the LHA signed their route with red, white and blue markers that told that U were on the Lincoln Hwy.....
Jim wrote:
I would like to do it, but if it is overkill just let me know. I have a few other rides that I want to take if my riding it will not benefit the cause.
I am working on a few Rotary Clubs to help out, but do not have any feed back yet.
Martin wrote:
I say we just focus on those Rotaries along the EW corridor (as the Lincoln Hwy for Humans or ..., they s/get excited) that we meed to use this next summer to fully identify for Max and his awesome map. In other words do U agree (input from others also requested) that we drop the coasts and only work on building one connection (the coast to coast) this year and next?
Jim wrote:
Also, I am working on finding a Minn. rep to help out coordinating riders from here.
Martin wrote:
Bearing the above in mind, unless you have the resources, time and energy to bring in St Paul as a spur, I say we just focus on NY to SF. Agree?