Elly Blue bike tour photoOur crew.For the month of September, I’ll be traveling around the western U.S. as part of the Dinner & Bikes Tour, talking and learning about the bike economy in places as far-flung as Tucson, Ariz. and Spearfish, S.D.

I’ll be blogging here about the bicycle economy and culture in the places we visit along the way.

From San Jose’s booming Bike Party scene to the quiet but quick expansion of the bikeway network in Reno, Nev., there will be a lot that residents of any city — including my own famously bike-friendly town of Portland, Ore. — can learn about how to make sure bicycling is an accessible and equitable option.

My compatriots in this endeavor are bike activist, publisher, and filmmaker (and my partner in life as well as in bicycling) Joe Biel, and world famous vegan chef Joshua Ploeg (the word on the street is someone’s conspiring to give him a reality TV show, so look out).

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We’ll have books and zines for sale, serve delicious food, and hopefully spark some good conversations about our favorite topic: bikes! If we’re coming to your town, please join us!

Last year, Joe and I did a similar tour, and he made a little movie about it. Enjoy: