Ride of Silence in Dunedin Tonight @ 7

Harold Mitnick, my good friend from the Suncoast Cycling Club, informs me that there will be a Ride of Silence to remember all those bicyclists who have been killed and injured on the road everywhere.

This is a short, slow-paced ride.

Harold said the ride will meet at the club's Alt. B starting point-- Curlew Road & Alternate 19 in Dunedin, and roll out at 7:00 PM.

Tales Of Two Bicycling Countries

Contrasts of two countries' attitudes toward bicycling.

In the United States, CNN did a story on the clash between bicyclists and cars for space on the road. The link includes a map showing the U.S.'s 10 most friendly bicycle cities -- six in the West and four in the North. Not a single one in the Southeast or Texas.

That contrasts with this video showing a scene from a city in the Netherlands, where in this city an amazing 33 percent of all trips are done by bicycle.

The Mighty Bicycle As A Key Part Of Hillsborough's Mass Transit

Movinghillsboroughforward.com is a group committed to updating Hillsborough County's transit system, which consists of HART buses.

Modern mass transit consists of light rail, bus, bike and pedestrian modes interlocking in a holistic system to get you efficiently where you need to go.

My mantra for Pam Iorio is that if you want light rail as badly as you say you do, you need to find efficient ways to get people to the light rail stations without cars.

Bicycles do that. They're fun, efficient and amazingly cheap compared to driving a car to a light rail station, paying for parking at a light rail station and then driving your again at the end of the day after you get off light rail. Plus, the local government has to create parking lots -- a very expensive job. Bicycles take up so little space compared to car parking -- and can also be taken on the light rail car.

I commend Movinghillsboroughforward for using a bus with a BICYCLE attached to its front grill. The bicycle use to buses is one of the great success stories in HART, which should do more to promote the bike use.

Hub Grub Ride Grows To 9 Restaurants

The Seminole Heights Bicycle Club has included a ninth restaurant on the Hub Grub 2 bike ride for Saturday, Nay 22.

Stephanno's Pizza, located right next-door to Viitals bakery, will be part of stop three and HG2 bicyclists will visit both Viitals and Stephanno's at the same time.

Please gather at 2:45 PM in front of the Seminole Heights Garden Center as the ride will start promptly at 3 PM. Cyclists are advised to wear helmets and this is a meet-up style bike ride. Participating restaurants and approximate times:

3 PM: Garden Center, 5800 Central Ave., The Hub Grub begins.

3:10: Reservations Gourmet-To-Go, Nebraska/Osborne. Owners Anthony and Elke are in the leadoff position and are ready to get the ride off to a delicious start.

3:40: Starbucks, Hillsborough/Central. Manager Tiffany says come on over, they'll be ready.

4:10: Stephanno's Pizza & Viitals, specialty bakery, Florida Ave.: Viitals Owner Ivan can't wait for the Hub Grub to pull up.

4:30: Smokin' A's BBQ, Hanna/Florida: Owner Alex is the new kid on the block and will be ready with samples of BBQ and bottled water.

4:55: Front Porch, Florida Ave.: Lisa says the staff will be ready for Hub Grub!

5:25: Ella's, Nebraska Ave.: Owner Big Ernie will be ready with snacks. We will BIKE THROUGH the Ella's dining room, ala The Refinery on Hub Grub I on Feb. 27.

5:50: The Refinery, Florida Ave., owners Michelle and Greg are happy to be on the tour.

6 PM: The Independent, Florida Ave.: Owner Veronica says $1 off beers.

Lance's Bike Gets Better Protection This Year

Lance Armstrong's racing bike is getting better security treatment this year compared to last year when his bike was stolen in California.

Ellen Completes Her Journey To Washington, DC To Remember Fallen Law Enforcement

Ellen Pierson biked more than 1,000 miles and reached Washington, DC and the National Law Enforecement Officers Memorial Thursday.

Ellen notes, "My friend Mark Parker, Orange Co. Sheriff's Office, Florida, was added to the NLEOM. Mark, and two other officers, were shot in an incident at the Orange Co. Court House in 1984.

"Mark was 19 at the time and was paralyzed as a result of being shot. Mark passed in March of 2009 after leading the fight to have all court security officers armed. My sister was on jury duty that fateful day. RIP Mark and thank you for all you have done.

"I have several friends on the NLEOM. I ride for every officer on that wall. God Bless them all."

Tonight's Transit Tax Message: Bicycling Is Transportation

Bicycling is transportation -- that was the message I delivered tonight at the county's transit tax hearing.

I led a SWFBUD bike ride to the hearing at the All Peoples community center next to King High School off Sligh Avenue. There was a nice bicycle turnout among the more than 125 speakers, including Jim Shirk, Julie Bond from Tampa Bay Cycle, Jessica Brenner from the University of South Florida and big Tom, a bike-commuting maven who attends many bike events.

When I addressed the commission, I invited Commissioner Jim Norman to ride a bike. He gave me the thumb's up -- so I'm going to hold him to that.

My message was simple: bicycling effectively and efficiently blends into the tax proposal's three parts -- light rail, buses and road improvements.

Here's Jim Shirk, who is amazing and selfless bicycle volunteer who was honored this week by the Florida Bicycle Association as "Volunteer of the Year" in Florida. That's Mayor Light Rail Iorio in the background.


While Jim is chatting to the county commission, check out Commissioner Kevin White. He doesn't seem to be paying much attention to the speaker. That's because texting is far more important.


There here is, more texting during the meeting.


We had a great bicyclist turnout tonight. Here's Jessica from the University of South Florida advising the commissioners on the importance of bicycling.


On the way home, Bridget, Dale, Jim, Margaret and I biked along Hanna Avenue back to Seminole Heights. We all had front lights to safely navigate home. I liked this shot.


In the end, the county commissioners approved putting the penny sales tax transit proposal on the November ballot. Light Rail Pam as happy about that.