This column marks the 20th edition of BIY, Bike-It-Yourself. It seems like a good time to reflect on things and do a spot evaluation. Either that or my job title (Program Planning Analyst) has permanently poisoned my mind.

When I started writing this feature I had a few goals in mind:
1. Bring bicycle advocacy issues to a broader audience. I'd been dealing with the usual suspects for almost six years and I started to wonder, "Does anyone out in the real world know what we're trying to do?" If there's anyone reading this who didn't know me a year ago, I've succeeded.
2. Write one feature a week. At 20 columns in 23 weeks, I think I've done reasonably well with this goal.
3. Represent a broad range of bicycling interests and issues.

On that last count, I've fallen down completely. I'm a navel gazer. I focus on myself and my own interests. Most of what I've written over this nearly half a year has been from my perspective as an overweight, introverted, gender-ambiguous, garbage-picking, bicycle commuter and professional transportation planner. I ride my bike to get from point a to b. I ride it as slowly as possible, usually at a flaming 8-10 miles per hour (yes, really). I don’t care about racing and I’m not interested in riding my bike for recreation. I don’t care about the newest bike gadgets. The most I've ever paid for a bike was $325, and that was only because I bought it before I knew better. I now own a dozen more, the majority of which were plucked from the side of the road for free. My fanciest bike I bought for $40 at the Cronometro/Brazen Dropouts Bike Swap a few years ago.

I don't fault myself for writing from my own perspective. Write what you know, that's what they say, and I'm not sure how anyone could really write too far a field from what they know.

But there's a lot more out there in this great big biking world.

We're now officially nearly three months into the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin's 2008 Ride Guide listing of events and the 56 page document has more than four more months left to go. There's everything in that book from single day family-friendly charity rides to multi-day tours to the Wisport, Superweek, WORS (Wisconsin Off Road Series) , WEMS (Wisconsin Endurance Mountain Bike Series) , and WCA (Wisconsin Cycling Association) series. There's even an occasional listing for a (gasp!) bike safety class.

Coming this weekend alone (not a complete list!):
June 21-28, GRABAAWR

June 21st
GMRBC Recumbent Ralley (Ottawa)
Wisconsin Cycling Series (Grafton and Sheboygan)
Omro Classic Road Race
Superior Vistas Bike Tour (Washburn)
South Wood County YMCA triathlon (Wisconsin Rapids)
Badger State Games (Marshall)

June 22nd
High Cliff Triathlon (Sherwood)
Reforestation Ramble (WORS, Suamico)
River Valley Bike Ride (Newburg)
Sheboygan Criterium

That's just one weekend, folks. Clearly, if you have the faintest interest in cycling you have no lack of opportunities to indulge yourself. Need more suggestions? Visit the Wisconsin Tourism Bike Page.

And if you're tired of my navel-gazing and would like to see more exposure for your little corner of cycling, please submit content to www.madvelocity.com. The folks there would love to become a one-stop community center for all things bike-related in Dane County. But they can't do it without your help. Put your own navel-gazing to good use and spread the word about bicycling.

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