Solar bike part of RAGBRAI

A consultant hired by the state to promote the use of alternative energysources is riding a solar-powered bike in today’s leg of RAGBRAI, theRegister’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. Consultant David Osterberg is using an electric motor on a bicycle poweredby solar cells. Osterberg says it’s an extra 15 pounds on the bike — and alittle trailer with the solar cells pulled behind.Osterberg has traveled across the state before in an unconventional manner.His last trip was in a canoe as a candidate for the U-S senate in 1998.Osterberg will stop today in downtown Clear Lake for a news conference withthe Iowa Wind Alliance and other proponents of energy sources which are analternative to fossil fuels like oil and coal.