Stay Pure to Your Passion: Pat Brown did and found Bicycling as a Business!

Photo by Richard Risemberg

Pat Brown was just hoping to hang on in a tough economy. When she relocated her art gallery in 2008, it was the rock-bottom rent that drew her to a still struggling strip of downtown Memphis, TN. “We were just trying to survive,” she said. Brown was betting on a small core of community members determined to transform Broad Avenue from a fast-moving thoroughfare, where traffic whizzed past boarded-up storefronts at 50 mph (80 km/h), into a bustling arts district. Little did she know that they would hit the jackpot with bicycling. Shortly after Brown opened T Clifton Gallery, Sarah Newstok walked in. The local nonprofit Newstok led, Livable Memphis, had a vision for Broad Avenue, too. They wanted to build a protected bike lane that would pass right by Brown’s door, creating a vital connection between a popular multi-use trail and the city’s largest park. “We’re a retail business, so any time there’s a concept to bring additional traffic directly by your storefront, it’s very easy to say ‘yes,’” Brown recalled with a laugh. In 2010, after garnering support from city officials and surrounding businesses, Livable Memphis and the Broad Avenue Arts District rolled out the idea in a dramatic way. They painted temporary bike lanes and crosswalks and invited the community to “A New Face for an Old Broad,” a celebration, complete with live music, street vendors and a kids’ bike parade down the freshly striped cycle track. “Until then, the area had been doing art walks once a year and, at best, those were bringing in 1,000 people,” Brown said. “Our goal for this day-and-a-half event, where the street itself would be a sort of theatrical performance, was maybe 5,000 people. We had 15,000 show up. The energy level was incredible. It was a huge tipping point for us – it changed the trajectory of the revitalization efforts.” The energy didn’t wane once the event was over and bicyclists started taking advantage of the temporary lanes. Since then, the promise of permanent facilities has drawn more than $6 million in private investment. More than 15 new businesses have opened and nearly 30 properties have been renovated. Traffic has slowed, new customers are arriving on two wheels and, suddenly the rock-bottom neighborhood is one of the hottest spots in town. Memphis isn’t the only city where bicycling is bringing business. Increasingly leaders in the public and private sector are realizing that being bike-friendly makes good business sense, boosting the bottom line and promoting community-wide economic development. Bicycling in the United States is a $6 billion national industry and one study estimates that the spillover effects of recreational bicycling alone could be as large as $133 billion. But that’s just the beginning, barely scratching the surface of the economic impact of transportation bicycling in communities across North America. See the full article by Carolyn Szczepanski April 29, 2013

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http://myemail.constantcontact.com/-TEDx---Choices---Choices--Are-You-Living-a-Life-Of-Purpose-.html?soid=1111684388586&aid=rbYoRquGbT4

Another Specialized EPIC stolen another day.

Something needs to be done about this problem. 
Locks, sensors etc. 

Man, that burns me.  Hope you are more fortunate, but if you aren't go this link: http://www.stolenbicycleregistry.com or Karmaarmy.com

One rider's message... probably it's pretty universal... Cars move it!

Kinda silly but effective stunts...



Any thoughts?

What a Wonderful World- For Bicycling Too

 

Yeah Willy!  Let's take care of our planet!

Zero Gravity Jump: Some stories seem unbelievable after they are experienced

I am reminded of the time when I was riding over the grassy, rolling foothills off the Interstate, across barren fire roads on hard packed clay, to be exact.

My Stumpjumper , hardtail, hard fork, balloon-tire clad, Mountain Bike, was one of those first introduced in the "Sharper Image" catalog that year. Although it was many years ago, those were some awesome bikes! The only suspension came from the flex and rebound of the forks and the assuring bounce of the balloon tires!

I can still remember people staring at those bikes saying, what the heck is that?

So on one of our rides one early morning, we scaled these 400 foot, rolling hill trails at full of speed. We were then promptly rewarded with numerous high-speed downhill combinations. Then right at the crest of one of those roller coaster hills, the entire trail dropped off into a bottom-less descent to nowhere I knew.

Here's my tip. It might seem pretty obvious, but not always. So when a challenge is thrust upon you in a split second just "LOOK WHERE YOU WANT TO GO"! Because once airborne all I could do was stare-down towards my trajectory, an endless downhill drop. What was unfolding was an exhilarating landing, without incident and a sigh of relief only I could hear.

So make sure you "LOOK WHERE YOU WANT TO GO". The bicycle will do the rest for you, just don't freak out. Ride it out. I did because there was nowhere else to go. So like life, make sure what your mind is focusing on, because it's going to lead your physical self in the exact same direction. Maybe it was just youthful tom-foolery, but it sure was fun!

More to be said soon.

Enjoy the Ride!

And now Bicycle Repair Man!

 

What a great video.  It never gets old.  

Their "deadpan" is terrific.  Jolly good!

Cheers!