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Human Powered Vehicle Association President's Page |
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Human Powered Vehicle Association President's Page |
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(from HPV News, August 1999) As our name states the HPVA is a 'Vehicle Association', and that means all types of vehicle. But many members have said we are focussing too much on recumbent bicycles. Recumbents have been a very large part of our activities in recent years, but now we want to widen our focus on events for other forms of human powered transportation, especially boats and aircraft. The HPVA receives a substantial number of requests for information on how to build human powered vehicles or how to participate in races and other events. We have recently received about a dozen requests for airplane, boat and submarine information in less than two weeks. Our events have mostly been driven by a small core of volunteers who have been organizers, coordinators or advisers. It seems to be the same set of faces each time around, and it is very easy to rely on them to run HPV races or organize rides. It is a lot more difficult to organize events for airplanes, or boats, and submarines present some very unique challenges. With the increasing interest in these different types of transportation, we need some of the silent majority to step forward and help. Our current volunteers are spread too thin, and they can't compete because they are organizing. If you would like to see more water or air events, please step forward and help run them. Yes, it may be a new and difficult task the first time, but it will be a learning and rewarding experience as well. The flip side of this coin is that we are seeing a rapid growth in sales and public acceptance of recumbent bicycles, tricycles and tandems. We now have wide choices of ready-to-ride machines, if we don't have the desire, abilities or facilities to build our own. We are starting to see a smaller, but significant growth in the availability of human powered watercraft. In the United States, a number of manufacturers have formed the North American Water Cycling Association (NAWCA). They offer some very interesting and fast craft, ready-to-ride. If you are considering these vessels, ask the dealers about races and events, and tell them about the HPVA. If there isn't an event in your area, think about volunteering and organizing one yourself. Contact the HPVA and we'll do everything we can to help make it a success. Thank you, in anticipation, for volunteering. -- Chris Broome, August 1999 |
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