Bicycle Friendly America Fall 2017 - 2

VIEWPOINT

omething wonderful happens every time I get on a bike. Besides that amazing feeling of freedom we all know so well, biking consistently creates a sense of calm when the world around
me seems anything but. On the bike, a quiet settles in my mind, the fog clears and the noise
subsides. And as I reflect during my rides, something that keeps coming into focus is the question
of what good leadership means, both individually and as an organization. How can the League be
more effective in accomplishing our mission to lead the movement to create a Bicycle Friendly
America for everyone? We've been fortunate here at the League to have a vantage point that allows
us to remain optimistic about our collective progress towards these goals. We see good leadership
every day in the amazing work being
done by thousands of changemakers nationwide - the individuals,
organizations, businesses, universities and communities that take action to make bicycling better for all.
That momentum makes us both tremendously proud and hopeful for
the months and years ahead.
I think you will find this issue of
Bicycle Friendly America filled with
inspiring examples of leadership
at all levels. Last month, I had the
great pleasure of participating in the
Smart Cycling Coach Workshop, in
Fort Collins, CO, a Platinum-level
Bicycle Friendly Community. Smart
Cycling Coaches are those that train
and certify LCIs nationwide. It's impossible overstate how inspiring it
was to see these experts in action,
sharing best practices and techniques with each other and the next generation of coaches. Bicycling education, at its core, meets people where they are, at any skill level - in any community. It
provides a platform for improvement and builds the confidence and skills needed to bicycle anywhere. Similarly, the Bicycle Friendly America program is being used as a tool for transformation
in all kinds of creative ways by businesses, schools, and communities big and small. Keeping in
line with the lessons of great leaders, we are dedicated to listening to and serving the people at the
front lines, to providing programs that are platforms for creative action and uniting as one voice
from Capitol Hill to the streets of your community. Thanks for riding with us!

Bill Nesper, Interim Executive Director
billnesper@bikeleague.org

2 BICYCLE FRIENDLY AMERICA

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Bicycle Friendly America Fall 2017