Between an outreach email mini-fiasco and a Seattle Times story that suggests they are downplaying their role in politics, Cascade Bicycle Club had a weird day in the spotlight Monday.

First, a cover story in the Seattle Times carried the headline: “Cascade Bicycle Club’s new path: more riding, less politics.” Emily Heffter reports on the club’s big staff changes in the past year and new Executive Director Elizabeth Kiker’s shift to a “more inclusive path, with less emphasis on lobbying and a more welcoming tone.”

The story says that the club is doing less lobbying than it did during the days David Hiller was Cascade’s aggressive Advocacy Director three years ago. But the story (well, the headline, really) gives the idea that less lobbying means less politics, an idea Cascade rejected on Twitter saying they prefer “More riding, better politics.”

We have been covering the shakeups at Cascade and whether there has been a movement away from advocacy work at the club, a fear some people close to the club have had. But considering they have hired Thomas Goldstein (formerly with Washington Bus) and have a sizeable advocacy staff, these fears have not yet been actualized.

One need only look back a couple weeks to see clear evidence of advocacy work, as Cascade got about 100 residents, the mayor’s office and several councilmembers engaged in an “advocacy ride” to promote a safer Westlake and pressure a group of people suing to delay the Bike Master Plan to drop the suit. Within weeks, the suit was dropped. While Cascade is not solely responsible, the ride and the club’s legal assistance against the suit certainly were factors. (more…)