Andy Clarke, the president of the League of American Bicyclists and one of the most influential bicycle advocates in the United States, will be in town participating in several events next week.

Pima Association of Govenments planner Ann Chanecka said the Platinum Challenge Committee — a group devoted to obtaining Platinum status, the LAB’s highest bicycle friendly designation — are hosting Clarke starting on Sunday when he will attend an invitation-only mixer with Tucson bicycle advocates. Tucson is currently ranked as a gold-level bicycle friendly community.

Monday, Clarke will participate in a ride on portions of the Urban Loop, then he’ll have lunch with various elected officials and administrators. The main event on Monday is a public forum called “Pedaling Toward Platinum in the Tucson Region.”

Chanecka said Clarke will be honoring the University of Arizona for their recent Bicycle Friendly University award. He will also give a short presentation about what it means to be a bicycle friendly community and why it is important to invest in bicycling.

Following his presentation, there will be a panel discussion and a question-and-answer session. Chanecka is encouraging people to come and ask lots of questions.

The forum and presentation is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. at the Tucson Convention Center’s Apache room. More details here.

On Tuesday he will speak to the Pima County Board of Supervisors as well as the city council and mayor.

He will also participate in a bike ride organized by Chanecka, which will focus on improvements in the Downtown, Fourth Avenue and University areas.

“His whole time here we are focusing on the improvements that have gone in since 2008, which is the last time we submitted [a bicycle friendly] application,” she said.

Clarke was last here in 2008 for El Tour de Tucson and the Basket Bridge dedication.