You Can't Keep a Good Bike Advocate Down

After taking a week off for her daughter's wedding, Bicycle Alliance of Washington's Executive Director Barbara Culp was looking forward to returning to the office last Monday.  She donned her new summer dress, mounted her bike and pedaled out of her driveway.

Barb makes her way to her office.

Less than two blocks from her home, Barb encountered street construction and moved to the sidewalk to get around it.  As she made her move to return to the street, she hit loose gravel from the construction and went down.  (You can read an accounting of it in Publicola's Morning Fizz.)  The result was three hairline pelvic fractures for Barb and doctor's orders to stay off her right leg for three months.

But you can't keep a good bike advocate down for long.  After ten days of house rest, Barb has returned to the Bicycle Alliance on a part time basis.  Our office is ADA accessible so Barb can negotiate her way around with crutches and a walker specially equipped by the staff and JRA Bike Shop with a water bottle cage, basket and Hello Kitty bike bell.

Barb's tricked out walker.

"This is an exciting time for the Bicycle Alliance and I'm delighted to be back in the office," said Barb.  "We're bringing Safe Routes to School to six King County school districts under a Public Health grant and expanding our Mobility Education curriculum to up to 30 school districts around the state."

The Bike Alliance is also planning a Hub and Spoke event in Walla Walla, some outreach efforts in the Tri-Cities, and a Complete Streets meeting with Whatcom County bike advocates--all in September.

Welcome back, Barb!