Number me this, Bike Man!

May 29, 2012

An astute friend of mine has informed me that our own ho-humble berg of Umoho (aka Omaha) has been elevated to the lofty status of #36 in Bicycling magazine's top 50 bicycling cities in the US list! Bravo Umohoans! We are moving on up! Last year we were #42 or #43 or so, which I think is still pretty good, since there are lots of cities in the US meeting Bicycling magazine's criteria of 100,000+ populations, geographically dispersed (i.e., not just every city with populations between 100,000 and whatever size San Francisco is in California). Based on the expository paragraph included in the list, Omaha seems to specialize primarily in recreational bicycling opportunities. Touche con accento, oh wise purveyors of bicycling information and news. Touche con accento y itlaliacs tambien.

While #42 in 2011 wasn't bad for Omaha, the rest of our state hasn't done quite as well. Nebraska received a less than stellar #43 in the League of American Bicyclists bicycle-friendly states list. Well, that's not great. But many of us Nebraskiiers will not sit still for this type of rep. Approximately 600 of us will sit and pedal our spandex-clad asses across our beloved Cornplex in the upcoming event known as the Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska. I personally hope to spread serious amounts of goodwill and interest in bicycle-oriented actions by demonstrating that men in spandex are also willing to share their emotions with the sensitive people of small to medium sized towns of our prairie home. Yes, I am sure that many Nebraskans would like to have a good, heart to heart talk with a potentially inebriated man in spandex or a skirt about their feelings towards roads, transportation, families, pets and vegetable gardens. I am on my way, fellow Nebraskans! Meet me at your local watering hole. Or just pull over at the nearest BRAN rest stop.  I'll be the one bitching about a lack of vegetarian options.  Hell, we might even make #50 #41 by next year! Two wheels 2 power!