Kansas Cyclist Podcast Episode 21 - KansasCyclist.com and EPNetwork

Episode 21 of the Kansas Cyclist Podcast for June 15, 2010 includes an interview of Andy Clarke who is the president of the of the League of American Bicyclists.  We also, catch up with a few cyclists that are Biking Across Kansas during their tour, and finally we talk with the folks at RoadID about their personal identification products for cyclists.

Andy Clarke has more than 25 years of experience in cycling advocacy. He is currently the president of the League of American Bicyclists, whose mission is to promote bicycling for fun, fitness and transportation and work through advocacy and education for a bicycle-friendly America. His past experience includes stints at the Rails to Trails Conservancy, the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals, the Bicycle Federation of America (now the National Center for Bicycling and Walking), and as a consultant to the Federal Highway Administration.

Andy’s passion for cycling started when he was growing up in England, and has stayed with him through hundreds of thousands of miles of cycling on four continents. He is recognized as a policy expert on almost every aspect of bicycling, and still enjoys a tough climb on his Trek touring bike better than anything else.

After the Bike League released their recent Bicycle Friendly State rankings, in which Kansas made a huge leap, from the 33rd most bike-friendly state, to the 13th. Although this was great news for bicycling in Kansas, we were frankly a bit puzzled by the big jump.
Andy fills us in on how the Bicycle Friendly State program works, as well as the related programs such as Bicycle Friendly Communities and Bicycle Friendly Businesses. We also discuss the League Cycling Instructor (LCI) program, which offers instructors and classes to help people ride their bikes safely and confidently on our roadways.

This is a fascinating discussion, and not just the details about how the programs work, but the larger picture, of how America as a whole is moving toward becoming a much better place to ride our bikes. This is an exciting time!

We’d like to welcome RoadID aboard as the latest sponsor of the Kansas Cyclist Podcast. In this episode we talk with RoadID co-founder Edward Wimmer (shown on the right) and Director of Marketing P.J. Rabice (left) about the RoadID a product line, how the company was started, and how their products benefit cyclists, runners, and other athletes.

RoadID is an innovative personal identification product that you wear around your wrist, around your neck, or attached to a shoe. In the event of an accident, if you can’t speak for yourself, your RoadID will. It contains all the information first responders, such as police and EMS, need to get you the medical attention you need, and to contact your loved ones.

RoadID has kindly provided gift certificates, which we’ll be passing along to podcast listeners in the coming months. We’re still working out the details, so stay tuned to upcoming episodes.  In the meantime, check out the RoadID product line, which includes not just the wearable identification, but safety accessories such as lighting and reflective products, as well as RoadID apparel.

Both Randy and Ed, co-hosts of the Kansas Cyclist Podcast, have been RoadID customers for a long time, and neither of us will go for a ride without this critical piece of safety equipment. We think it’s that important.

The Biking Across Kansas tour wrapped up their week-long ride across the Sunflower state last weekend, and the podcast team got the chance to ride along for part of one day. In our “On The Scene” segment, we check in with BAK riders Mark and David Rainey, Robert Garcia, and Tim Oberle and let them share a bit about their experiences on the tour.

Pictured left to right are Robert Garcia, Tim Oberle, Randy Rasa, Mark Rainey, David Rainey, and Ed Eroe

This post is copied and adopted from Randy Rasa's Show Notes for Episode 21 of the Kansas Cyclist Podcast.