[Please distribute this announcement widely until August 15th, 2002;
apologies to those who receive more than one copy]


*============================================================*
* ANNOUNCEMENT:                                              *
* BikeKC "Victory Lap" Ride, 2PM, Thu, August 15th, 2002     *
* Berkley Riverfront Park to Union Station to City Hall      *
*============================================================*



"Victory Lap" Ride Time & Place
===============================
Departure
   Where: East end of Berkley Riverfront Park, near the parking lot
   When:  2:00PM

  (See driving instruction to Berkley Park below.)

Arrival
   Where: Kansas City MO City Hall 
   When:  In time for the City Council meeting at 3PM, where BikeKC
          will most likely be passed into law.


Driving Directions to Berkley Riverfront Park
=============================================
From I-35, exit as though going to the Isle of Capri Casino (Front
Street Exit; if going northbound on I-35 this is Exit 4B).  Take the
road (E. Front Street) that goes northwest past the casino and the
west under I-35.  After you pass under I-35, the park will be on your
right and the parking lot on your left.

From downtown, take the Grand Avenue viaduct north; this leads
directly to the Berkley Park along the riverbank.

The parking lot is on the east end of the park, near Lydia Ave.  There
is plenty of free parking here and in other areas around the park.

A map of the area showing the starting point and route is at
http://staff.mwsc.edu/~bhugh/bikeride.gif.


The City Council Meeting
========================
If you ride in the Bike Parade, you *don't* also need to attend the
City Council meeting.  You can attend either, or both.  If you're
short on time, just plan your lunch break to participate in the
Victory Ride, then return to home or work.  If you have more time,
please plan to join us at the City Council Meeting.

Large numbers of bicyclists have attended previous committee meetings
and their presence has had a significant impact in moving BikeKC
forward.  I urge all who support BikeKC to attend the meeting if at
all possible.

Be aware that BikeKC will not be the only item on the meeting agenda. 
Meetings can last a while, so bring a book.  Public comment is not
allowed at City Council Meetings.  But just by being there (especially
with your biking gear/biking clothes) you show your support of
bicycling in Kansas City in the most tangible possible way.

You can bring signs or other items to show your support.  Meetings go
from 3PM to as late as 5PM.  Best guess as to when BikeKC will come up
is 3:30PM.  After the issue has been voted on, you can leave.  We may
present the council with some kind of special recognition for passing
BikeKC.  This might happen during the council meeting or after.

After the hearing, many of us will probably go somewhere together to
get some refreshment and talk.  Feel free to join us.


Victory Lap Route
=================
Generally, we're going to go from Berkley Park south on Grand to
Pershing, then north on Main/Walnut to 12th, then to City Hall.

Specifically: From Berkley Park, go west on the Grand Avenue Viaduct. 
Grand Avenue naturally turns south as you go up the viaduct; follow it
all the way to Pershing.  Pershing west to Main.  Take Main Street
north, take the right-hand lane that veers over to Walnut Street, then
north on Walnut to 12th Street to City Hall.

On our previous ride, we rode all the way around City Hall's block and
invited them to immediately surrender, since they were surrounded.  No
word yet on whether they are planning to do so.

Total ride length is about 4.5 miles.


A Shorter Ride For Those in a Hurry
===================================
Anyone wishing to do a shorter, flatter ride could park (3 hours free)
at Union Station.  Probably the best way would be to park, then wait
for us with your bike on Pershing between Main and Grand.  Then join
us as we come west on Pershing and turn right (north) on Main Street.

We should arrive at Main and Pershing about 20 minutes after we leave
from Berkley Park.

From Union Station to City Hall is about 1.5 miles.  The route is
quite flat.


Important Instructions
======================

1. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE Be Polite and Courteous
-------------------------------------------------
We have found by hard experience that we make far more headway in
Kansas City by being polite, courteous, and law-abiding.

So be polite, courteous riders and ABOVE ALL, obey ALL traffic laws.  

That means breaking the group when the light turns red, signaling
turns, and EVERYONE coming to a COMPLETE stop at stop signs! 
Absolutely stop and put that foot down!!

Also, ride pretty much in single file (no more than two abreast).

We can set a good example--and avoid giving fodder to the
anti-cyclists looking for excuses.  A mass-arrest, bicyclist-motorist
altercation, or even bicyclists blowing stop signs/lights would not
make good TV coverage.


2. Moderate Pace, Stay Together
-------------------------------
We will ride at a moderate pace and plan to generally stay all
together as a group for maximum visual impact.  We invite cyclists of
all speed-, interest-, and ability-levels.  This is a parade, not a
race!


3. Dress and Prepare for the Weather
------------------------------------
Temperatures have recently been as high as the mid- to upper-90s. 
Dress appropriately and bring/drink plenty of fluids.  Apply sunscreen
if necessary.

Many of us will be going to the City Council Meeting at City Hall at
the end of the ride, but in this weather we probably need to dress
more for the heat than to look like a group of business people.  I
find it useful to bring a towel to deal with some of the perspiration
after a nice warm ride.

We actually found (accidentally through experiance . . . ) that it has
been more useful to "look like bicyclists" than to try to look like
business people at the meeting.  If you are there with your bicycle
helmet, your riding clothes, and a little bit of sweat, there is NO
QUESTION about why you are there and about where you stand on the
issue.


BikeKC "Victory Lap" Reason
===========================
BikeKC is a proposal to 

   *create a network of on-street bike lanes, routes and other
    on-street improvements

   *encourage bicycling; educate and inform bicyclists and 
    motorists about safe practices

   *encourage government and businesses to support bicycling with 
    helpful facilities like bike racks and showers for employees

   *integrate bicycling into our mass-transit system; add bike
    racks to city busses
   
   *reserve a little more right-of-way in future developments for 
    pedestrian and biking facilities. 

The BikeKC proposal had been held in Kansas City Council committee
since September 2001.  Many of us thought the proposal was dead, but
now, thanks to a grassroots effort involving hundreds of area
cyclists, BikeKC has passed a major hurdle by receiving a "Do Pass"
recommendation from the Planning and Zoning Committee.

The next step is a vote by the full Kansas City, MO, City Council at a
meeting on the 24th floor of City Hall, 414 E 12th Street, Kansas
City, Missouri, at 3:00PM, Thursday, August 15th, 2002.

There could always be last-minute problems--that is why your support
is still crucial.  But we are hopeful that there are enough votes on
the full council to pass BikeKC.

To make attending the committee hearing more fun, we are planning a
"Victory Lap" ride  to City Hall (name chosen to encourage positive
thinking . . . ).  Besides being fun, this will show Kansas City in a
tangible way that bicyclists really do ride on their streets and
really do support BikeKC.

We're hoping for a big turnout, but to do that on short notice on a
Thursday afternoon, we need YOU to join us if you possibly can.

Our previous "Bike Parade" to the committee meeting made a BIG
impression on the media and on the City Council.  Make a difference
and have fun at the same time--you can't beat it!

We have invited all Kansas City television stations to cover the
Victory Ride.  All area TV stations and the KCStar covered our last
Bike Ride to City Hall; they are likely to give us some coverage again
as they cover the event that will (cross your fingers!) wrap up this
issue.




Contact:
Dr. Brent Hugh
bhugh@mwsc.edu
(816) 356-1740