Notes From The Underground: Joshie and Jose's Excellent Adventure

Joshie and Jose went to Day 2 of the IMBA Summit after The Blog's forceful expulsion from Thursday's afternoon session (big thumbs up to the city of Augusta's SWAT team. You guys were totally professional). They didn't get any funky-fresh t shirts or mesh caps or anything schwaggish but they did get a free lunch, tons of good info from the day's sessions and a chance to SIT next to a man who looked suspiciously like Hans Rey. According to Joshie, Jose wouldn't quit talking to him. Blah blah blibbity blah-blah-blah for 20 minutes. Hans excused himself, politely, and as he walked away Jose leaned over to Joshie and whispered "Who the heck was that?" Here are some nuggets and factoids gleaned from Joshie and Jose's notes...

(The Bike Polo lobby was in full force. Rumor has it they've hired Grover Norquist)-60 million dollars gets you 300 miles of bike pathways for every one mile of freeway (yes, but how many lanes?!)
-Communities want trails to make them more "livable".
-Trails attract businesses concerned with employee quality of life.
-Trail riding is less nerve wracking than road riding, thus perhaps a better way to get non-cyclists on bicycles?
-Gateway!
-Snail and slug racing is illegal in Puerto Rico.
-The wacky Canadian IMBA representatives drove their new Subaru all the way from Canada in a day and a half, but forgot their mountain bike shoes!

-"Vicious Cycle" doodle in Joshie's notebook with the following: More recreational cycling builds a better bike culture. Better bike culture boosts community cycling. Boost in community cycling boosts political will. Boost in political will boosts cycling infrastructure projects like pathways, trails, etc.
-Chattanooga drops a singletrack manifesto, minus the communism. Shaboom!
-Relationship between Industry and Advocacy.
-Luncheon consisted of food prepared by a catering company owned by Chris Eigeman who played Lionel Herkabe on "Malcolm In The Middle"!

-Specialized Bikes' Dealer Grant Program focuses on Youth (youngin's), Access, Wellness and Sustainable Transportation. "Specialized got it going on" (Jose's words)
-Check out the Aquaduct Mobile Filtration Vehicle
-"Ride your bike. Get organized. Show up and ask. Dream Big."
-Hans Rey: Who the heck was THAT?