Please go ahead and read the paper. Today, however, I’ll be bringing you just fresh, local (mostly), bicycling news.

Norfolk city government seeks expert advice on urban cycling

They’re getting into cycling at city hall. On Friday, July 22nd, Virginia First Cities Coalition hosted a 1-hour Webinar/Q&A with Mia Birk, which many from Norfolk city government attended. I don’t have a link to that presentation, but I have this clip of Ms. Birk speaking at TEDx in Houston, describing her long journey to help transform Portland, OR into bicycle city, USA.

Mia Birk is president of Alta Planning + Design, a national firm with Virginia offices that focuses on creating active communities where bicycling and walking are safe, healthy, fun, and normal daily activities. She is also the former Bicycle Coordinator for Portland OR, a professor, and author. Lately, she’s been on the lecture circuit, bringing her transformative message to other cities in the US, including our own.

As a member of Bike Norfolk, I’m encouraged that our city is taking steps to inform itself about how to become more bike-friendly, and to understand the benefits that such a change can bring. Ms. Birk makes a convincing case for dedicating at least 1% of the transportation budget toward building bicycle infrastructure. I hope to see Norfolk moving in that direction soon.

Richmond is getting into biking in a big way

While Norfolk is just getting started on this journey to cycling-awesomeness, Richmond has already achieved considerable momentum. To begin with, our state capital recently announced it had hired Jakob Helmboldt to be Richmond’s first Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Trails Coordinator, starting Monday, August 15.

Go RVA.

These days, if you visit Richmond, you’re likely to see cyclists whizzing all over the city, making routine trips by bike on roads that are increasingly safe. Richmond has committed to adding 80 miles of bikeways including on-road markings and trailways. And, ambitiously, the city is making a sincere bid to host the 2015 World Cycling Championships.

Review of the Coast Guard Century in Portsmouth

Last weekend I rode in the 2nd annual Coast Guard Century in Portsmouth. The route began on High Street downtown, crossed over the West Norfolk Bridge and passed through the Coast Guard base and the TCC campus. It wound through neighborhoods in Portsmouth and Suffolk.We got lucky with the weather–temps stayed in the low 80s for the morning, and it did not rain. As a bonus, every rider got a $10 voucher to eat lunch at a selection of restaurants on and around High Street. Now, if we could only convince them to run the Elizabeth River Ferry early on Saturday next year, I could get to the ride without a car!

Solo rider Sheryl “Bike” Taylor has reached Kansas

In the spring I took a Spring Equinox bike-camping ride that started at Waterside in Norfolk, passed through the Great Dismal Swamp to stay over night at Merchant’s Millpond State Park (a distance of 62 miles). Along with a couple of local riders, we were joined by a woman named Sheryl Taylor who was on a short training ride prior to commencing a cross-country ride from Williamsburg to San Francisco. Sheryl has been riding all summer, keeping us updated via Facebook (friend “Sheryl Bike Taylor” to see her posts). She survivied a hailstorm in Kansas yesterday, and continues riding 50-60 miles a day, on her way toward the Rockies.

Sheryl inspires me with the daring and tenacity that have driven her on this solo ride so far. Hats off to you, Sheryl: keep on riding!

USA Pro Cycling Challenge

Sheryl is approaching Colorado just in time to witness the first ever USA Pro Cycling Challenge, which begins on August 22 in Colorado Springs. This 6-day event is a top-tier, world-class cycling race, aimed to capitalize on the increasing interest in cycling in the US. Tour de France winner Cadel Evans has announced his participation, as have Andy and Frank Schleck and many other top pros. How could they resist a race that bills itself as “the highest altitude course ever created“?

Sport cycling enthusiasts have long dreamed of a US-based event with the visibility of the Tour de France. The USAPCC won’t upstage that race any time soon, but it just might become a standard part of the pro cycling circuit, and will help to continue to raise the profile of the sport in the US.

Local boys headed to Belgium

Speaking of bike racing in the US, Norfolk’s own Frank Cundiff and Dan Netzer, of Celerity Cycling, have placed among the top amateur riders in the country, and have been invited to race in the UCI Amateur Cycling World Championships in Belgium taking place September 9-11, 2011. They be competing against amateur cyclists from around the world in a 20k time trial and road race.

Of course, they could use some help to get there. Frank set up http://belgiumorbust.com/ to raise money for the trip.

Upcoming rides in the area

Heart of VA Bike Festival Sept. 17 & 18

Ashland, VA (just north of Richmond)
Early bird registration ends August 15.

DR100 Ride, Run or Walk, Sept. 17

Harrisonburg, VA
100% of the net proceeds go toward expansion of bike/pedestrian lanes on public roads! (raised $24,000 last year).

Jeremiah Bishop’s ALPINE LOOP GRAN FONDO, Sept. 23 & 24

Presented by Sport-Vista, LLC for Jeremiah Bishop and the Prostate Cancer Awareness Project
Harrisonburg, VA
100 miles featuring 11,000 feet of climbing.

The 3rd Annual Beach Century Bike Tour, Oct 1

33, 50 and 100-mile ride through Virginia Beach

Fat Tire is coming

Finally, bike-nuts in Hampton Roads will rejoice to hear that the most bike-friendly brew in the US will finally be available locally, starting in September. Next maybe we’ll get an Urban Assault Ride or a Scavenger Dash…