world carfree cities conference portland

Hey all,

the Towards Carfree Cities VIII: June 16-20, 2008
Rethinking Mobility, Rediscovering Proximity
is happening real soon
carfreeportland.org
great slogan "live free or drive"

I was fortunate, along with Haley, to be able to go the the 2006 conference in Bogota, Columbia and it was really inspiring to see all the international perspectives on this and how so much progress is being made outside of North America that we can learn so much from. Last year it was in Istanbul. This will be the first conference in North America! And Portland is such a great biking city to host it - and so close to us too!

Jane, Finnegann and I are planning to head down for this. We plan on taking the train, which is quite reasonably priced. travelportland.com/deals/amtrak.html

The only dilemna is when we leave as the June 15th is spectacular first real Carfree Vancouver day but the conference starts right after (and the train is infrequent...) That and getting stupid paperwork together for the stupid stupid stupid american border.

Anyone else planning to go? I'd recommend it very strongly. The conference registration fee is quite steep but I think there is a low-income option - and it's worth it to be there meeting all that positive energy, thinking and experience.

~rusl