Plain put everything was pretty good today. The weather was perfect, I got to ride my bike like 30 miles, and I got to meet some very like minded people. As you already know or might know, KanBikeWalk held their annual meeting this year in Wichita. I was lucky enough to get to be involved in the Pre-Meeting ride as well as stick around for the meeting. I met some wonderful people from out of town as well as here right in our own ICT. I will go through the list and try to list the credits correctly so bear with me if I blow it. There are more people involved then I will actually list and I will only name the people I interacted with today and their respective sites. Hopefully I will get a hold of some of the in ride pics Randy took and update this post with them at that time. KanBikeWalk, KanBikeWalk Facebook (@KanBikeWalk) is Pedestrian/Cyclist advocacy “KanBikeWalk’s vision for active transportation includes increasing safety to reduce incidences of injury and death for all road users, and encourages walking and bicycling as modes of transportation, recreation, tourism, and sport.”
Right before the ride we (my cousin Danny and good friend Kevin) swung by the Hyatt seen friend of the site Rob Anderson and his Young Marines (@youngmarines) group during PT, before their cleaning up of the Veterans Memorial. Then it was off to Meet Randy Rasa of Kansas Cyclist , Kansas Cyclist Facebook (@kansascyclist) (@ksbikepodcast). I had been looking forward to meeting him for a while, not only is he a cycling junkie but he is a tech junkie so I felt we had some common interests. Cracks me up he seemed so relaxed and collected for a guy who has a million things going on while he’s doing a million things. After meeting Randy I met Mark Rainey (Board member of KanBikeWalk). Then it was over to meet Dale Crawford and Gina Poertner (and here) (@GinaSport). Then I also met Jay Wright with Oz Bike Club, finally we got to riding !! We made a stop and I was like wait a second there’s one more person then I thought we originally left with. Sweet Greg Standifer (@gcstandi) did show up this is great I was really hoping to meet him since he has helped out with the site a little bit. …..Still with me??
Here’s some photos toward the end of the ride
After the ride it was time for business and I met yet a few more people. Roxanne Wright(Oz Bike Club), and Cecile Kellenbarger (Oz Bike Club) (KanBikeWalk) There was another individual who came to the meeting from seeing the meeting listed on Kansas Cyclist website and I feel horrible I did not write his name down but I will get it from one of the others and correct this post at that time. The have made some accomplishments and went over several things they are hoping to get in the works or already working on. I would say visit their site and stay updated as this post is already quite long and I don’t want to get any information wrong lol.
Don’t miss your chance to ride and be heard. There will be a leisure ride through Wichita and follow up with lunch. Ride starts at 10am, at the Holiday Inn @ Kellog and Broadway 10-31-2009!! Contact me through the form if you like to meet up with me and bike up to the start of the ride.
Meet here 10 AM Saturday the 31st
Call Me if you need more info
Info below from actual KanBikeWalk Website
Spread the word !!!!
KanBikeWalk Annual Meeting 2009
Please join us for the KanBikeWalk 2nd Annual Meeting.
KanBikeWalk is a non-profit, statewide organization whose mission is to promote a safe bicycling and walking environment for Kansans through education and advocacy.
KanBikeWalk’s members are working to become Kansas’ center for bicycle and pedestrian issues and advocacy with the goal of making Kansas a premier bicycling and walking state through improved safety/education programs and infrastructure improvements at the local, state and federal level.
As a 100% volunteer organization, KanBikeWalk is reaching out to you as a member of the bicycle and walking community. We all walk and bicycle for transportation, recreation, tourism, sport and/or exercise. We need your help to make Kansas a safer, friendly state to bicycle and walk in. Please join us!
When: Saturday, October 31st, 2009, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. (Pre-meeting ride at 10:00 am weather permitting.)
Where: Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites, 221 E. Kellogg, Wichita, KS 67202 [map]
Please RSVP to gksport5@yahoo.com so we may best accommodate all attendees.
We also believe in having fun!
Please join us for a Pre-Meeting Bicycle Ride (weather permitting) through Wichita. Start time will be 10:00 a.m., with a route taking us on the Wichita bike paths along the Arkansas River, approximately 15 miles at an easy and comfortable pace.
If you have questions about the Annual Meeting or Pre-Ride, feel free to contact any of the KanBikeWalk officers:
- Gina Poertner, President, gksport@gmail.com, 620-342-2477
- Dale Crawford , Vice President, kanbike@comcast.net, 913-829-6588
- Cecile Kellenbarger, Treasurer, cbkellen@yahoo.com, 316-744-7786
Meeting Agenda:
- Welcome and Introductions
- Orders of Business
- 2009 Year in Review – Our accomplishments this year.
- Open Forum/Roundtable – A discussion of issues affecting Kansas bicyclists and pedestrians
- 2010 Activity Goals
- Summary and Closing
We look forward to seeing you!