And it’s not even Bike Month yet!

Oregon, California, and Colorado often come to mind when people dream of bicycling through scenic vistas or experiencing the best mountain biking in the world, but Delaware is a state that rarely comes up. While their tourism board isn’t out selling themselves as a cycling hotbed, the state government is quietly making Delaware a great place to ride.

Having hosted the first annual Delaware Bike Summit and passed statewide Complete Streets legislation this year, the League has taken notice. Not only did Delaware jump to 9th in our annual state rankings, but the state earned an Honorable Mention in our Bicycle Friendly State awards. With all that is going on there, the League staff has acknowledged their accomplishments. However, we were still surprised to see this:

On Wednesday, Kusner’s typically uneventful ride took a VIP turn as she was joined by Gov. Jack Markell; Rep. Mike Castle, R-Del.; and about a dozen AstraZeneca and state workers. The politicians and colleagues turned out to encourage more Delawareans to give bicycle commuting a try.

Credit: The News Journal/FRED COMEGYS

We have to admit, the dog days of August seem an unusual time to encourage folks to get out their air-conditioned cars and try bike commuting for the first time, but we are excited by Governor Markell’s enthusiasm! The DelawareOnline.com article went on to add:

“Getting more people on two wheels would be a good way to eat away at some of our biggest problems, according to Markell, an avid cyclist. “It’s part of a bigger solution to two issues,” he said. “One is transportation — traffic, reducing congestion, reducing pollution. But it’s also part of the solution in terms of becoming a more fit society.”

Kudos to Governor Markell and the progress his state has been making. The League will continue to work with advocates, cyclists, Delaware DOT and legislators through our Bicycle Friendly State program to make Delaware a more bike-friendly place.