ROAM

This summer, 50 velomobiles from Europe, Canada and the United States will be rolling (or riding or driving, I'm not sure what to call it) across America. Leaving from Portland, Oregon on July 28th, they will pedal an aggressive 200km average per day to reach Washington, DC on August 26th. I will be there to cheer at their departure, though I'm really hoping to be involved in at least some token way, so I can say, "I was there and I helped make it happen." My club, Oregon Human Power Vehicles, will be volunteering in the background to help make the delegation's Portland experience a good one.

The official ROAM (Roll Over America) website has links to several blogs that riders will be using to post their stories and pictures as this never-before epic event unfolds. I will be following their trip and wishing I could be apart of it, while I ride my bike to and from work. Take some time and read over the information on their website - I think you'll start to appreciate just what a tremendous undertaking this is. The Trans-Am bike trip has been made plenty of times before, but seldom on such a short itinerary, and rarely with such a large group. Never, has it been done with a 50 velomobile team.

I think this marks an important milestone in bicycling history. While we complain about gas prices, rising costs of medical care and crowded city streets, a tsumani of solutions will be quietly rolling across the country, proving the viability of pedal powered transportation.