This year we attended the National Bike Summit in Washington D.C. and we caught up with the winner of our H3 Smart Trainer Giveaway. Tulio Bertorini is the president of the Memphis Hightailers Foundation. Read about his extensive history with biking:
What did you think of this year’s National Bike Summit?
This year's National Bike Summit was great. It is always an opportunity to learn from other advocacy organizations and bicycle clubs around the country to see what they are doing well that we could do in our cycling community to make improvements. We can always do better.
What organization are you representing and how long have you been a part of it?
I am representing the Memphis Hightailers Bicycle Club and Foundation. I have been involved in cycling since 1992 but have been an active part in the Memphis Hightailers since around 2008 or 2009.
From MHBC’s page, it looks like it has been around for 60 years! As president, what is your view on how the club has changed over that time?
The biggest part of the club that has changed is the number of riders in our community. Most of it stems from bicycle infrastructure. We have also noticed more diversity in our club which is always great. It is awesome seeing more people riding.
What are you excited about in terms of bicycle advocacy activity in the Memphis area?
I am excited to see the city investing more in bicycle infrastructure. The City of Memphis has made great strides and I am looking forward to more happening in the future.
If you had the power to manifest a change in your community regarding bike infrastructure overnight, what would you change?
I would add protected bicycle lanes all over the city with a regular sweeping schedule to keep it clear of debris.
Any advice for other bike clubs or advocacy groups out there?
Get involved. If you want things to get better, you must become more than just a bicycle club. Work with city planners to make change happen.