Bike Month is winding down, and this year it's been a fun opportunity to raise awareness and gain momentum for the future, particularly since we celebrated here by opening the Swamp Rabbit Trail and—thanks to some forward-thinking city council members—by keeping some bike infrastructure projects in the city's 2010 budget. There was even a Critical Mass ride this evening, which was a great chance to get out there and see a nice mix of faces both familiar and new (pictures soon).

It seems like this blog has become all local advocacy, all the time. I promise I'll try to sell you something, soon. For now, though, here are a couple of active transportation links that caught my eye:

I mentioned this event on Facebook earlier this week, but this Bicycle Retailer article has a few more details about ASI President Pat Cunnane's repeat victory in the Philadelphia commuter race that pits a cyclist against a driver and a transit rider. Two details to note. First, that his ride was a Breezer Finesse, probably the sweetest commuter rig you can buy off the peg (there's my commercial angle, since we'll happily sell you one just like it). Second, I'd like to highlight this, from the article:

"Cunnane wore a business suit to prove the point that biking is an activity suitable even for workers who must dress up for the job." 

Depending on the length and circumstances of your ride, you can comfortably wear just about anything while riding. Don't let clothes, changing clothes, or a perceived lack of appropriate clothes convince you not to try making a trip by bike. A friend said almost the same thing to me this evening, and reading an allusion to it here made me want to share that simple but powerful sentiment. 

Also, this NYT collection of opinion pieces about American automobile fatalities features active transportation guru Dan Burden, who was in Greenville not long ago as part of one of the delegations bidding to create Greenville's forthcoming Bicycle Master Plan. There's a lot of food for thought there. I'll end our Bike Month coverage by urging everybody who wants a safer, greener, healthier, and more connected community to vote, work, and fight for the future you'd rather see.