Thanks to everyone who packed into Plan B tonight to listen to my interview with City of Portland Bicycle Coordinator Roger Geller. As a special bonus, we also streamed the event live right here on BikePortland thanks to the technological magic of Dan Kaufman from Crank My Chain CycleTV. What a thrill to know folks from all over were tuning in via the web!

Steven Feigenbaum has been training for more than a year for his journey. The 27-year-old Hightstown High graduate plans to rollerblade across the country from Georgia to California in February. Earlier this year, he was teaching English as a foreign language in Seoul, South Korea, where, he says, he spent every free moment preparing for the trek. ”I wanted to go and train in the hardest-working city in the hardest-working country in the world,” said Mr. Feigenbaum, who just moved from East Windsor to Queens, N.Y. ”You can’t help but get caught up in that kind of work ethic. When I wasn’t at school, I absolutely lived in the gym,” he added.

Missoula, Montana — North America's largest cycling membership organization — is pleased to announce the winners of its 2009 Pacesetter, Bike Shop, Trail Angel, and Volunteer of the Year awards "There is an extraordinary community of people, groups, and shops who make the life of the traveling cyclist easier and more fulfilling," said Jim Sayer, executive director of Adventure Cycling. "Our awards single out some of leaders in this community in order to honor their contributions and to raise awareness about how bicycle travel is making the United States a better, friendlier, and more connected country."

In Alabama’s Black Belt, economic development opportunities are few and far between. That, at least, is the perception. But Cheryl Morgan, the professor and director of Auburn University’s Center for Architecture and Urban Studies, believes the Black Belt has far more to offer than many realize. So when the head of an fledgling toy maker asked her for a good place to locate a future headquarters, she steered him to the Marengo County town of Linden. “It’s potentially a great marriage of a combination of local resources, a community that has a building it’s not using right now and Auburn University,” Morgan said.

MISSOULA, MT (BRAIN)—Adventure Cycling Association—North America's largest membership cycling organization—reported strong income numbers for FY09 (ending September 30) with overall growth in its membership, sales, development and tours' programs. Surprisingly, in a year where many tour companies suffered, the big star for Adventure Cycling was its guided cycling tours. Total tours participants were up 9 percent over FY08, with total tours revenue increasing 23 percent. Adventure Cycling offers more than 40 cycling tours each year, including supported trips, self-contained tours and educational trips such as its unique Intro to Road Touring course.

It's never too soon to start planning for a major bike ride next year. Although cross-country bike travel isn't in the cards for me, I started checking into self-contained or fully supported coast-to-coast bike tours that are offered in 2010. Here a a few that I stumbled across that are being offered by non-profits or as fund-raisers for charitable causes. The rides are targeted for everyone from college students to women over 50. I'll update the 2010 Cross-country Bike Travel page for more rides as I come across them.

Here are the latest and final election results. Trust me. There will be no charges of mudslinging or requests for recounts. I'm talking about the results from the Bicycle Travel Award contest hosted by Adventure Cycling Association, the nonprofit that has developed 38,000 miles of bike routes criss-crossing the US. The folks named below were nominated by some of you. The individuals were chosen for making the on-the-road lives of bike travelers easier and their work in furthering the enjoyment of bicycle touring.

When Daniel Penner and Anona Whitley yearned for a change of scenery, they didn't just hop on a plane and head some place warm. Instead, the two former Champaign Cycle employees decided to move to Portland, Ore., and experience all the scenery along the way from the top of their bicycles. Neither of the 23-year-old biking enthusiasts owns a car and they were attracted to the bike-friendly atmosphere of Portland. Advertisement Ladies Night 2009 "We've chosen not to own cars," Penner said. "If you're going to do that, Portland is the place to be." As they were contemplating the best route to take cross country, they found a map from the Adventure Cycling Association that followed the Lewis and Clark trail from Missouri to Oregon. Eureka, they had a plan!

It's six in the evening and I've already ridden 80 miles off-road, over rocks and through streams. I've just been drenched by a cloudburst and terrified by the proximity of the lightning overhead. Right now, instead of riding, I'm hauling my bike, laden for four weeks of riding, up a cliff made of loose shale and even looser tree roots. One wrong move, it seems, and I or my bike – or both – could well disappear into the river below.

Missoula, Montana — Adventure Cycling Association cartographer Jennifer Milyko was recently elected to the North American Cartographic Information Society’s (NACIS) board of directors during the Society’s annual meeting in Sacramento, California. “As one of the conference hosts in 2008, it’s been clear that Jenn is very committed to the cartographic community,” said Lou Cross, NACIS’ executive director, “NACIS is grateful for Jenn’s enthusiastic involvement with our organization and her upcoming service on our board.”