Kurmaskie’s plan? To enlist one million cyclists to unite in rides and rallies in cities across the country next summer and to collect one million bicycles to give away to new riders.
“Think of this as the cycling equivalent to Woodstock — but in 50 states and upwards of 100 rallies all on the same day. We’re trying to be positive agents of change by talking our talk through the rallies and walking our talk, or in this case, riding our talk.”
To make this change happen, he’s spent the last three months organizing and coordinating a “national day of action” that will happen on August 9, 2009 (which happens to be Bridge Pedal in Portland!) where rides and rallies will be held in every major city across the country (including a rally in Washington D.C.).
And the rallies won’t be just photo-ops for the media. Kurmaskie says the purpose of the movement is also to: support Congressman Blumenauer’s National Bike Bill, to call for a doubling of current funding for bicycling at the state and national levels, and to give away one million new and used bicycles — creating one million new (and returning) riders.