If you could post the flier as a PDF, it might might make it easier to get it posted around town. I'm much more likely to print something out to post it than to meet up with someone to get some fliers. Save you some cash, too, perhaps.

I will post up as a PDF as soon as I have one.

Forgot to mention, wear all black with an orange ribbon on your arm or handlebars.

I thought about all white, then realized that I don't own much for white shirts or pants, and I'll guess most other bikers don't either. We've all got black because it hides chain grease, right?

I'll wear black for the memorial ride, and because it's slimming.

I'll bring some extra orange ribbon and black shirts.

EDIT: I'll definitely have extra ribbon (unless there's some crazy turnout...!) but I won't have that many black shirts.

Orange ribbon will be appreciated. I don't think I have any black shirts... I do have a black sweatshirt with a giant white M on the front.

Where are you getting orange ribbon? How many do you expect to bring? Do we need more?

I was just gonna get a long spool of it, so I think we should be good.

I was actually going to go looking for that orange ribbon that they use for marking trails. Super bright and visible, comes in huge rolls. I'm guessing most camping stores and maybe even hardware stores or target or similar would have it, too.

Edit: sounds like evil jelly has the same idea

That's the stuff I was thinkin' of.

My sister works in the media and I asked her to contact some of her sympathic reporter friends.

Here's what I have so far, unedited and unformatted. Does anybody want to volunteer to be a contact person, for media and/or for interested cyclists?

Ghost Bike Memorial Ride
Saturday, October 4th, 2008
Wear a black shirt with orange ribbon around your arm or handlebars (ribbon will be provided if you do not have any)

10:30am meet
11:00am ride starts
13.6 miles for Twin Cities route (http://www.bikemap.net/route/89109)
14.3 miles extra for Blaine route (http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2304032)

We will meet at Summit and Snelling at the ghost bike memorial for Virginia Heuer-Bower. We will then head west down Lake Street to Excelsior and West 32nd Street, the ghost bike memorial for Jimmy Nisser. Then, we will head back up Excelsior/Lake then northeast on Hennepin to the ghost bike memorial for Nik Morton.

There is an initially unrelated “group photo” event at 3pm at Gold Medal Park (the red square on the bikemap). A photography company admired our community and has offered to take our photo free of charge.

After that, for those brave enough to pedal it, there will be a ride up to Blaine at Central and Cloverleaf to the ghost bike memorial for Dale Aanenson.

Riders are expected to be orderly and respectful. If you are riding recklessly, you will be called on it and asked to leave.

More discussion on this ride can be found at viewtopic.php?f=20&t=9557&st=0&sk=t&sd=a.

Yes I believe we have a PR person in place.

If anyone has a blog, a mailing list, or public bulletin board available please post info about the ride.

Great work all. I will begin posting / sending the information around. If we all do the same, I expect we can gather a number of people for the ride.

If anyone has any contacts with the families or friends of the victims, please make sure it is sent to them - for example, to churches, schools or employers if those have been listed.

The PDF flier idea is great. I'll print a bunch at work and post 'em where I can, as soon as a PDF is posted here.

Here is a link to the Press Release in PDF form.

And here is the press release. Please send it to everyone you think would benefit from it. We are handling press agencies and the like but if you have any suggestions as to where to send it and how please let us know.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Ghost Bike Memorial Ride to Honor Fallen Bicyclists

Minneapolis / St.Paul-October 2008 - This Saturday, the bicycle community will come together to honor the memory of cyclists who have been killed in recent accidents on Twin Cities streets. A memorial ride will visit the sites of three of the most recent crashes, where "Ghost Bikes" have been placed as a memorial to the victims. For more info on Ghost Bikes please visit http://www.ghostbikempls.org .

Family, friends and cyclists are invited to participate in this group ride. Organizers are asking that participating cyclists please wear a black shirt with orange ribbon around their arm or handlebars. Ribbon will be provided for those who need it.


What: Memorial Ride to Honor Fallen Bicyclists
13.6 miles for Twin Cities route (http://www.bikemap.net/route/89109)
14.3 miles extra for Blaine route (http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2304032)
Where: Meet on the traffic island at Summit and Snelling Avenues in St.Paul
When: This Saturday, October 4th, 2008. The ride will meet at 10:30 am; depart 11:00 am
Contact: ghostbikempls@gmail.com or 612-276-1008

The ride will begin at Summit and Snelling Avenues near the ghost bike memorial for Virginia Heuer Bower. It will then head west down Lake Street to Excelsior and West 32nd Street, the ghost bike memorial for Jimmy Nisser. The ride will then head back up Excelsior/Lake, then northeast on Hennepin to the ghost bike memorial for Nik Morton.

There is an unrelated “group photo” event at 3pm at Gold Medal Park (the red square on the bikemap) and participants are welcome to continue on to be part of the "Unite Bike" group photograph: http://www.unitebike.com/

In the afternoon, another ride will head to Blaine in order to place a Ghost Bike at Central and Cloverleaf, where cyclist Dale Aanenson was killed.

Riders are expected to be orderly and respectful of traffic. If you are riding recklessly, you will be asked to leave.

More discussion on the memorial ride can be found on the community message board Minneapolis Bike Love: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=9557&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

Information about the victims of these tragedies can be found here:

Dale Phillip Aanenson - http://www.legacy.com/StarTribune/Obitu ... =117902776

Virginia M. Heuer - http://www.legacy.com/StarTribune/Obitu ... =118137017

Nik Morton - http://www.legacy.com/startribune/obitu ... =118097033

Jimmy Nisser - http://www.legacy.com/StarTribune/Obitu ... =117453438