Cyclists flex their muscle

When Jeff Olsen first attempted to ride a mountain bike in Grand Canyon National Park in 1990, he was denied access. “It didn’t make any sense to me,” says the architect and bikeway designer from Sarasota Springs, N.Y. So he pushed for the creation of a 70-mile paved path on the rim -- still under construction -- part of which is open to cyclists. “It’s been a very uphill battle with a lot of frustration and institutional obstacles,” he says. Los Angeles lawyer David Axelrad is also passionate about establishing bike paths in national parks. In 1999, Axelrad’s 13-year-old daughter was hit by a car and killed while riding her bike along the road in Grand Teton National Park. “This is not just a matter of doing something to appease overly enthusiastic bicyclists,” he says. “It’s a matter of common sense and safety.” Olsen and Axelrad will address these issues as panelists at the National Bike Summit in Washington, D.C., which runs Wednesday through Friday. The annual summit will cover such issues as the effect of new wilderness legislation on trail access for cyclists in California, Oregon, Idaho and Virginia. Presentations will include information on how to encourage legislators to listen to the folks in the saddle. For information, go to bikeleague.org.

-- Bonnie Obremski