This thread has siblings all over the board so I'm sure that what I'm about to post has been posted in the past... but since I'm here:

Check out, join, lobby for (whichever is your bent) the League of American Bicyclists.
Website: http://www.bikeleague.org/index.cfm

One of the pluses is, as a member, you get some great publications about rides all over the U.S.