Lots Of Bicycle Fun In The Tampa Area Tonight

You wouldn't know it from the dearth of bike lanes in Tampa, but Tampa has a growing bicycle scene with no less than THREE bicycle events happening tonight. The bad news was that I could attend only one.

The St. Pete Times Forum hosted an environmentally-friendly "Green Night" at tonight's Lightning-San Jose Sharks and invited bicyclists to pedal to the game and get in for free.

Then there was a movie about a mountain-bike race in the high-mountain area of Leadville in Colorado showing at Citrus Park. The movie, Race Across The Sky, included Lance Armstrong.

I normally would have attended at least one, if not both, of these events.

But I was off to Carrollwood Bicycle Emporium -- a founding SWFBUD member store -- for its annual customer appreciation night to man a SWFBUD table at the gathering.

Here's CBE owner Brian Eckman, a terrific bicycle advocate who sits on the Hillsborough Bicycle-Pedestrian Advisory Committee. In attendance tonight was Tina Russo, chair of the BPAC and CBE customer and friends from the Seminole Heights Bicycle Club.


Manny drew a crowd of bicyclists interested in getting tips on fixing flats.


There's Ellen of the internationally-reknown and Tampa-based American Classic wheel manufacturing company enjoying a hearty chuckle with CBE's Brian G. on the right and friend.

Doug and Doreen from Seminole Heights enjoy the night. Doreen bought her first road bike tonight.