I recently returned from my bike trip to Winona, Minnesota. Once again it was a most enjoyable trip filled wi
th headwinds in Illinois, rolling hills in Iowa, and great descents and climbs in and out of the Mississippi River Valley. Also making the trip great was the company. I went with three colleagues from PCHS and the verbal jabs, encouragement up the hills and laughter were frequent.
We all feel that the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) road in northeastern Iowa is a great example of cycling and motorized vehicle harmony. On each side of the road (a two lane highway) there are paved and clean cycling lanes about seven feet wide each side. It made for safe riding on the bikes and kept the traffic from coming close to our sides. The day earlier we were on a two mile stretch with little to no shoulder and we were constantly beat
en by trucks and cars driving by at 55+ MPH. Not only does this toss a cyclist around but the cars and trucks are, in most cases, closer than 3 feet. This is not fun for either the drivers of the cars and trucks, but it is not fun or safe riding for the cyclist.
It seems that the Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood (from Illinois) supports road projects like the MRT. He says in a written statement that, "We are integrating the needs of bicyclists in federally funded road projects. We are discouraging transportation investments that negatively affect cyclists and pedestrians. And we are encouraging investments that go beyond the minimum requirements and provide facilities for bicyclists and pedestrians of all ages and abilities." I hope that this includes more new road and road repair projects that include biking lanes like those found on the MRT.
Here is the irony to this statement and my accolades of Iowa's MRT project. In the most recent issue of Bicycling (July 2010) there is a small piece I will quote here. "Iowa Congressman Tom Latham ridiculed transportation secretary Ray LaHood for his support of cycling, declaring that 'one biker is one less person paying into the transportation trust fund.'" Isn't that an amazingly disappointing statement coming from anyone, but especially from someone who represents a state that has the MRT and citizens happy to see us riding through their small towns spending money. And, as Bicycling editors note, "Hey, Latham: You know most cyclists drive right? We vote, too."
th headwinds in Illinois, rolling hills in Iowa, and great descents and climbs in and out of the Mississippi River Valley. Also making the trip great was the company. I went with three colleagues from PCHS and the verbal jabs, encouragement up the hills and laughter were frequent.We all feel that the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) road in northeastern Iowa is a great example of cycling and motorized vehicle harmony. On each side of the road (a two lane highway) there are paved and clean cycling lanes about seven feet wide each side. It made for safe riding on the bikes and kept the traffic from coming close to our sides. The day earlier we were on a two mile stretch with little to no shoulder and we were constantly beat
en by trucks and cars driving by at 55+ MPH. Not only does this toss a cyclist around but the cars and trucks are, in most cases, closer than 3 feet. This is not fun for either the drivers of the cars and trucks, but it is not fun or safe riding for the cyclist.
Here is the irony to this statement and my accolades of Iowa's MRT project. In the most recent issue of Bicycling (July 2010) there is a small piece I will quote here. "Iowa Congressman Tom Latham ridiculed transportation secretary Ray LaHood for his support of cycling, declaring that 'one biker is one less person paying into the transportation trust fund.'" Isn't that an amazingly disappointing statement coming from anyone, but especially from someone who represents a state that has the MRT and citizens happy to see us riding through their small towns spending money. And, as Bicycling editors note, "Hey, Latham: You know most cyclists drive right? We vote, too."
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