That was fun!
I’m not going to recap yesterday’s festivities because it’s all been amply done over at Tucson Velo. Suffice to say that the Cyclovia, which has been a dream of mine for several years, was a huge success.
When I started this blog almost three years ago it was in part out of revulsion for the idea that Tucson might become a “Platinum” bike-friendly city (an application for that status was being prepared at the time). I did not think we deserved it, and I feared that if we got that award we would have no incentive to continue improving. I still don’t think we deserve the highest award, but I am growing a lot more convinced that we are deserving of our current “gold” status, and the changes I have seen just in the last few years astonish me. Bicycles and bicycling are rapidly becoming more common in this city, and riding is becoming more safe. I am no longer the only person riding a bike around town in a suit and tie. More and more upright bikes are appearing with regular folks using them to get around. Drivers are getting used to us, and more tolerant. There is a greater diversity of age and gender among the people on bikes now, which signals that more people feel comfortable and safe on a bicycle. And the city is pretty much behind us. Mayor Walkup rode the Cyclovia and had intelligent things to say about it.
I want to say that we owe the volunteers who put the Cyclovia together, from scratch, on short notice, with next to no money, a huge thank-you. They include Jennifer Donofrio, Tom Thivener and Ann Chaneka from Tucson and Pima County governments, and many local folks who contributed their time and skills to pulling this thing off. If I try to list them I will leave people out, so I am not going to start, but many hard-working people donated their design skills, their computer skills, and their time. Daniela Diamente was corralled and talked into taking the lead just two months ago and she pretty much got the whole thing off the ground.
A round of applause to all. I’m proud to live in Tucson.
–Erik Ryberg
April 20th, 2010 at 8:55 am
It was fun! As someone who has an interest in racing, commuting and cruising, I wished the events could have been spread out between two weekends.
I know the organizers of the events said they were targeting different types of riders, but I am sure there were more people who had to make a decision about what event they wanted to participate in.
April 20th, 2010 at 9:27 am
I, too, hope that this Cyclovia won’t be the last. However, as I posted before, the event is not universally loved by those along the route.
While riding Cyclovia, I spoke with an acquaintance, who had volunteered to monitor an intersection, and she told me that she had been verbally abused by someone who came out of a nearby house.
This individual also took umbrage at the hula hoops that my acquaintance had brought for Cyclovia participants to try out. He kicked her hula hoops into the street, then stomped off, got in his car and drove off in a very erratic fashion.
My acquaintance called the police and reported the incident.
Apparently, what ticked the individual off was that he had to walk two blocks to get to his car so he could drive away in it. Although I didn’t see this particular individual, I suspect that there was some sort of impairment going on, and that he shouldn’t have been getting behind the wheel.
I hope that the Tucson Police Department takes this incident very seriously. Riders and volunteers should be able to participate in future Cyclovias without fearing for their personal safety.
April 20th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
Yes, thunderous applause to those who worked so very hard to make this great event happen. Thanks for all you do, Erik — I know you are a busy man.
April 20th, 2010 at 11:42 pm
[...] is taken off life support. Bike sharing kicks off in Denver on Thursday. Tucson celebrates a successful ciclovia. New Orleans’ Gentilly Blvd gets a road diet with enhanced bike lanes. Making Portland cycling [...]
April 22nd, 2010 at 9:07 am
It was a very nice event. As others have said I hope next time the Cyclovia can get its own day so we aren’t torn between the GABA bike swap and the Urban Assault ride – all of which were big fun.
Thanks to all who made it happen
April 26th, 2010 at 10:29 am
I dragged my husband out, and we rode the entire route, stopping along the way to enjoy the various attractions. Thanks to all who planned and managed this event.