RRVT Association co-sponsoring a free seminar by national experts in Perry
Laura Crawford and Russ Roca, who rode more than 20,000 miles in four years of full-time bicycle touring around the U.S., say they eventually came to a realization that bicycling tourism is a perfect match for small towns across America.
And they are going to share their story, insights and expertise in a free seminar on Tuesday, Oct. 28, from 3 to 4:30 pm at the Hotel Pattee in Perry. Leaders of communities, tourism officials and trail advocates from communities on the Raccoon River Valley Trail and High Trestle Trail are especially invited.
Crawford and Roca were living in Long Beach, CA, in 2009 when Crawford was laid off from her job. They decided to take advantage of their sudden freedom from schedules and hit the road for a long bicycle ride. Along the way, they decided to keep riding indefinitely — and they did that into 2013, riding from coast to coast and border to border in the U.S. They continue to share their adventures and observations in “The Path Less Pedaled” programs, and more information is available on their Internet site http://pathlesspedaled.com.
They are now based in Portland, OR, working for the Oregon Tourism Commission, specifically in marketing and promotion of bicycle tourism in that state.
On Friday, Oct. 24, they are speaking at the annual Iowa Tourism Conference, this fall being held in Council Bluffs, and then they are traveling to Perry.
Mark Wyatt, executive director of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition, contacted officials of the RRVT Association, and suggested that Crawford and Roca would make a good program for RRVT communities, too. So the RRVT Association is co-sponsoring the Tuesday seminar with the Perry Chamber of Commerce, the city of Perry and the Hotel Pattee.
“Russ and Laura are one of the greatest assets to bicycle tourism,” said Wyatt, who saw them last year at a Bike Tourism Conference that was held in Iowa City.
“They understand visual storytelling and how it fits with bicycling,” he continued. “They will bring inspiration and craft to any bicycle marketing efforts. They just have an eye for simple visuals that makes the viewer say, ‘I want to ride my bicycle right there.’ When I saw them in Iowa City, their message was inspiring, effective, and simple — tell your story in ways that will compel others to enjoy it, too. Maybe one of the most effective tools they employ is the visuals. They don’t often use people sweating it out on bikes, but rather enjoying the places where the bikes took them. It reframes the message and activity.”
Cindy Jensen, chairperson of the RRVT Association, said the Tuesday seminar offers a real learning opportunity for people along the RRVT.
“This seminar is an excellent opportunity to hear first-hand what biking tourism can do for a community,” said Jensen, who lives in Des Moines and at Lake Panorama. “The economic impact to surrounding communities of the Raccoon River Valley Trail is starting to take hold, as the use of the 89-mile trail is exploding now that we have a new loop. In 2014 two events alone, the Market to Market Relay/Iowa and the BACooN RIDE, brought more than 6,000 people to the trail, not to mention other events that are also taking place throughout the year. The RRVT Association encourages all community leaders and businesses along the trail and potential new business owners to attend this worthwhile seminar.”
There is no charge for the Tuesday event, and the Hotel Pattee will provide free light refreshments.
