Bike Summit

Man, IMBA’s got it pegged. A couple of years ago, the International Mountain Bike Association would meet on Capitol Hill a few weeks or months after the League of American Bicyclists had already met with Congress. But IMBA figured out quickly that to lawmakers, all bike helmets look the same – the honchos on the Hill were scratching their heads and muttering to themselves, "Didn’t we just meet with you bicyclists?!?"

In the same way, although this year’s Arizona delegation represented a six fold increase in numbers over last year’s one-woman delegation, there’s a lot we could learn from the folks at IMBA. To Congress, we’re all folks on bikes. And we’re all dedicated, fit, and committed enough to travel to the nation’s capitol. Additionally, when visiting congressmen or congresswomen from our home districts, it is probably often prudent to mention the local groups we represent. But ultimately, we can gain more political firepower at the national level if we present a united front. By this, I simply mean that it is best if we all register for the Summit and act under the umbrella of a state organization.

I don’t make this statement lightly, or without some level of personal pain. For many years, I have labored at an extraordinary level to found and help sustain the Verde Valley Cyclists Coalition. It has cost me many thousands of dollars, hundreds of hours, and even personal relationships. But when in Washington DC , progress at the national level is what is most paramount, and the VVCC is only mentioned when it is appropriate. There, we can make better progress when operating as a state coalition – it is what Congress is more likely to recognize. 360 days of the year I’m the founder and a board member of the Verde Valley Cyclists, but for the National Bike Summit I register as a member of the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists – so that I may serve as a delegate for everyone in our state who rides.

I didn’t have the opportunity to have lengthy discussions with all of our delegates this year, but I did have a chance to speak to Mark Gullo of Flagstaff Biking Organization, and he seemed to pick up on this point quite readily. It is my hope that if any of the other delegates, or if potential delegates for next year’s Summit read this, they will take this important cue that other groups such as the California Association of Bicycling Organizations did (their delegation of 51 members was quite impressive), and work hard to present an even more united front in 2008.

That said, the Summit went pretty well. The Legislative Directors, Correspondents, and Assistants in all of the offices seemed to respond well to all of our asks. They certainly remembered who we were, and the recent congressional shakeup seemed to have left them all in a mood to listen. Key issues this year were:

1. Getting Congress to Fund the Conserve By Bicycle Program – Basically a $6.2 million dollar transportation study that would show Americans exactly how much they’d save by switching some trips from car to bike.
2. Bicycle Commuter Tax Benefit Act - would extend the transportation fringe benefit currently available to individuals who commute by mass transit, car and van-pool, to bicyclists.
3. Preserving the Land and Bicycle Access – Right now, to most folks, preserving the land means designating an area WILDERNESS. Unfortunately, that also means NO BIKES. There’s a way to do BOTH. Designations such as National Scenic Area, National Protection Area, improved National Conservation Area and improved National Recreation Area achieve many or all of the results of the Wilderness designation, while still allowing families to ride through on their mountain bikes!
4. Fund NPS Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program (RTCA) at $12 Million - The RTCA program is a technical assistance program of the National Park Service. RTCA yields enormous conservation and recreation benefits to communities by fostering partnerships between federal, state and local interests.
5. Join the Congressional Bike Caucus – This gets our Congress on board for the upcoming battles well face as we fight for the Transportation Bill over the next few years.

Delegate Sara Kittelson’s sales skills (Ya!Ya! Bike) were definitely appreciated, as she made a point of "closing the deal" in the offices we visited. Sue Knaup of the Thunderhead Alliance was able to visit Congressman Rick Renzi’s office the Monday before the Summit .

For first-time visitors to the Hill, Elaine Mariolle of Perimeter Bicycling, Zach MacDonald of Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists, and Mark Gullo of Flagstaff Biking Organization, the day on the Hill had its ups and downs – psychologically and physically. We had an excellent meeting in Congressman Trent Franks office, with Legislative Director Jeff Choudhry as well as a few "exciting" moments in Congressman Raul Grijalva’s office with Senior Policy Advisor Glenn Miller (regarding some pending Wilderness legislation - doubtless they’ll find a way to work things out). We also paid visits to the offices of Representatives John Shadegg and Gabrielle Giffords as well as Senator Jon Kyl.

The Transportation Bill is still two or three years out, and with the experience gained and relationships formed, I foresee the possibility of bigger strides for Arizona in the future.

Trips like this aren’t cheap – the first two practically bankrupted me. So I’d really like to thank the folks who helped out with this one – first, all the volunteers, friends, roadies and mountain bikers at Dead Horse Ranch State Park who literally threw $500+ into a coffee can; then the good folks at the Coalition of Arizona Bicyclists, who covered hotel & registration, and finally Salt River Materials Group who were kind enough to provide a grant. Thanks to you, Arizona has a voice in Washington.