GARY JOHNSON, HONORARY CHAIRMAN OF OUR AMERICA INITIATIVE, TO PARTICIPATE IN THE 38TH ANNUAL RAGBRAI BIKE RIDE ACROSS IOWA; WILL HOST PUBLIC EVENTS EACH EVENING TO
DISCUSS KEY POLITICAL ISSUES
Former Governor of New Mexico is an accomplished athlete; in additional to endurance bicycling and running, he has hiked the highest peaks on four of seven continents
July 7, 2010, Santa Fe, NM —Gary Johnson, former Governor of New Mexico and Honorary Chairman of the OUR America Initiative, today announced that he will participate in the 38th annual Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI) from July 25th through 31st, covering a total of 442 miles. In addition, Governor Johnson will host public events at the end of each day’s ride during RAGBRAI, where he will meet and discuss pertinent issues of the day, such as: lowering taxes, cutting deficits, creating jobs, his six-point plan for effective immigration reform, the failure of the war on drugs and a return to common-sense governing.
Governor Johnson has been a life long advocate of physical fitness and the promotion of living a healthy lifestyle. Johnson frequently competes in biking events and has been an avid tri-athlete and marathon runner. In 2003, Johnson successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest. His goal is to climb “The Seven Summits”, which are the highest peaks on each continent. In addition to Everest in Asia, he has already completed Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa, Mount McKinley in North America, and Mount Elbrus in Europe.
Since the launch of OUR America in December of 2009, Governor Johnson has garnered significant media coverage, recently appearing on several prominent national news programs, including the Hannity Show, FOX News, FOX Business Network, CNBC, the Colbert Report, and Real Time with Bill Maher, as well as on radio programs around the country.
As Governor of New Mexico, from 1994 to 2002, Johnson was known for his common-sense business approach to governing. He eliminated New Mexico’s budget deficit, cut the rate of growth in state government in half and privatized half of the state prisons. During his term, New Mexico experienced the longest period without a tax increase in the State’s history. Additionally, Governor Johnson vetoed 750 bills (which was more than all the combined vetoes of the other 49 Governors in the country at the time) and thousands of line item vetoed bills.
The schedule for this year’s RAGBRAI is as follows; Governor Johnson will be available for interviews each afternoon and evening during the week.
July 24 - Sioux City
July 25 - Ride Sioux City to Storm Lake
July 26 - Ride Storm Lake to Algona
July 27 - Ride Algona to Clear Lake
July 28 - Clear Lake to Charles City
July 29 - Charles City to Waterloo
July 30 - Waterloo to Manchester
July 31 - Manchester to Dubuque