Back Home From The National Bike Summit

It's good to be back home in Tampa after a week in Washington, D.C. Thank you bike commuter and old college friend Laura and her husband Guy for their hospitality of allowing me lodge during the week in the DC suburb of Rockville, Md.; my sister Deb and her husband Harsh for getting me to and from the airport and Tampa's Steve Swiger, official tech guy of SWFBUD who supplied the laptop that sent the Bicycle Stories words and images from the 10th National Bike Summit.

After downloading this week's photos at SWFBUD headquarters, I had a few extra photos to share.

Portrait of the modern bicycle advocate -- killer sideburns, a crisp haircut, a snappy suit and tie and a little pre-congressional meeting fruit to provide the energy. This is Chris from California, one of many new friends I made this week.


Gary Fisher was dressed in his signature tweed garb and blackberry before we visited our congressional members Thursday.


Gary's socks clinch the deal.


Jon Orcutt, New York's DOT director of policy, shows off a bike rack created by artist-musician David Byrne, who donated several very cool bike racks around the Big Apple. Bryne wrote Bicycle Diaries, a book of his observations of bicycling in cities around the world.


On Wednesday evening, it's fun to break the crowd into our state delegations before Thursday's full day of lobbying on The Hill.


The Herblock cartoon about America's dependency on fuel was hanging in front of the Library of Congress and quite appropriate for the National Bike Summit.


A very cool bike store and bike rent center is right next to Union Station.


That's Randy Myhre, owner of SWFBUD bike shop Oliver's of new Tampa in front of the bike center next to Union Station.


Congressman Jim Oberstar from Minnesota is America's biggest political supporter of bicycling and it's a good thing he's the chair of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.


The guy with the bow-tie is Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer, a hard-core bicyclist and Oberstar's political velo sidekick.


I hope I can return in 2011.


And don't forget, the Florida Bike Summit at the state Capitol is Apr. 8 and the summit is free. Register at www.floridabicycle.org.

And the ProBike/ProWalk Florida conference is May 11-13 at the Lakeland Center/Hyatt Place at Lakeland Center. For more details and to register, visit www.floridabicycle.org.