The tour leaves Tribune, near the Colorado border, on Saturday, June 9th, and arrives in Elwood, on the Missouri River, on June 16th.

The route covers about 475 miles, with overnights in Sharon Springs, Oakley, Hoxie, Logan, Downs, Clyde, Centralia, and Troy.

Prices for the Biking Across Kansas tour have gone up a bit this year, with the full adult tour now costing $175 for indoor lodging and $155 for tenting (up from $165/$145 last year), and other age groups going up by similar amounts. The single-day cost is now $32 (up from $30). Despite the increases, BAK is still one of the very best values in the nation.

Learn more at the Biking Across Kansas web site.

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The tour leaves Tribune, near the Colorado border, on Saturday, June 4th, and arrives in La Cygne, near the Missouri border, on June 11th.

The route covers about 474 miles, with overnights in Tribune, Scott City, Ness City, Hoisington, McPherson, Cottonwood Falls, Burlington, and Garnett.

Learn more at the Biking Across Kansas web site.

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Kansas’ wide open spaces have been a hot spot for cyclists through the years. So much so that the Emporia Convention and Visitors Bureau has decided to use it as a theme for its 2011 marketing campaign.

The CVB is putting its money into the cycling theme and movie advertising and steering away from popular women’s magazines for now.

Betty Senn, CVB director, said the reason for choosing cycling for the theme was because it has become a great family sport and it seems to be growing across the United States. She also said there always seems to be a commercial for cycling apparel, gear and energy drinks on television. Since the success of the Dirty Kanza 200 and the Flint Hills Death Ride, the Emporia area has gotten a reputation for a great place for cycling.

“It has been discovered within the last five years by the rest of America,” Senn said. “There’s a lot of people who want to drive through the Flint Hills because they haven’t seen such wide open space. We’re kind of capitalizing on that.” [ read more ]

The Flint Hills, that vast expanse of native tallgrass prairie in east-central Kansas, is indeed a growing mecca for cyclists wanting to experience the rugged beauty of nature, far from crowded roadways, where it’s just you and your bike for dozens or hundreds of miles. Pretty much as far as you’re willing to pedal, there’s open country in the Flint Hills to lose yourself in.

As new Kansas Governor Sam Brownback has said in the past (Brownback Backs Biking Trails) and repeated during his campaign (Brownback touts Flint Hills for tourism):

“I think we’ve got a real chance to expand the growth of tourism and recreational access in the Flint Hills,” Brownback said, mentioning biking trails, horseback riding and opportunities for people to get out and enjoy nature. “We’ve seen a step-up increase, and I think if we can become more accessible consistently, I think you’ll see more people come.”

“I think Emporia’s positioning itself as the Front Porch to the Flint Hills is great,” Brownback said. “I think these are excellent activities. We’ve got to grow. We’ve got to create jobs and opportunities or we’re going to lose people, and Emporia’s working hard at doing that.”

I think both Gov. Brownback and the Emporia Convention & Visitors Bureau have it right: The Flint Hills are a great place to ride a bicycle.

(I’d go further, and say that the whole state of Kansas is a great place to ride a bike, but the Flint Hills is a great place to start!)

Promoting cyclo-tourism should be a priority for communities across the state, and it’s good to see some small steps in the right direction.

If you’d like to experience the Flint Hills from the saddle of a bike, here are some links to check out:

• Adventure Monkey
• Cottonwood 200
• Dirty Kanza 200
• Flint Hills Bike Tour 2010
• Flint Hills Death Ride

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He never made it. His mysterious disappearance in eastern Turkey sparked an international outcry and compelled Outing to send William Sachtleben, another larger-than-life cyclist, on Lenz’s trail. Bringing to light a wealth of information, author David Herlihy’s book captures the soaring joys and constant dangers accompanying the bicycle adventurer in the days before paved roads and automobiles. This untold story culminates with Sachtleben’s heroic effort to bring Lenz’s accused murderers to justice, even as troubled Turkey teetered on the edge of collapse.

Author David Herlihy presents The Lost Cyclist at a reading and book signing on Wednesday, September 29, 2010, 6:30pm at the Plaza Branch of the Kansas City Public Library, 4801 Main Street in Kansas City, Missouri.

David Herlihy will discuss his new book, and answer audience questions. A limited number of pre-autographed copies of The Lost Cyclist will be available for purchase from Rainy Day Books.

This event is open to the general public, and you can call 816-701-3407 to make reservations, or RSVP online.

Watch this video to learn more about The Lost Cyclist and get a preview of the event:

David Herlihy is also the author of Bicycle: The History, winner of the 2004 Award for Excellence in the History of Science. “The author’s vivid account of this story could not be more detailed if Herlihy himself had personally lived through every experience he recounts. Each chapter is filled with eye-catching illustrations and photographs spanning nearly two centuries, and Herlihy takes what could have been just another history book and makes it a story worth telling your friends about.”

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They’ve been making their way across Kansas over the last week, and are due to arrive in Kansas City tomorrow.

The cycling community in KC is now also doing something to celebrate Team Will:

There are a group of cyclists joining Team Will on the 40-mile stretch from Lawrence to Olathe. Not a cyclist? Join us to ‘welcome them in’ at Heritage Park on Saturday afternoon between 2 and 2:30- PM! Meet at the 160th and Pflumm entrance.

We have the route set for the ride on Saturday June 19th leaving from Lawrence and ending at Heritage Soccer Park. We are anticipating to leave either at 11 or 11:30. The time is dependent on the Team Will schedule and arrival in Lawrence. This is an unsupported ride (no SAG cars), so come self sufficient.

Want a longer ride? Ride from Heritage Park to Lawrence and back. Have questions on logistics? Need a ride to pick up car after ride? Contact Phillip Charlton at (913) 530-8302 for more information.

Here’s the proposed route from Lawrence to Olathe via MayMyRide:

Following the ride is an event for the whole family:

Team Will ‘Kickin’ Kids Cancer In KC’ Rally!

Saturday, June 19, 2010, 7:00pm – 10:00pm
Blue Valley Northwest High School Performing Arts Center, 13260 Switzer, Overland Park, KS

Come out and join us for a night you won’t soon forget!

Team Will’s plight caught the eye of a filmmaker a couple of years ago. He was SO touched by what this amazing group of guys is doing for children with cancer – the documentary “Go The Distance” was born! (http://www.gothedistancemovie.com/index.html) This touching movie chronicles the journey of Team Will’s 16 cyclists ride across America in 2008. (Read the director’s statement here and why he decided to do this movie: http://www.gothedistancemovie.com/dirstatement.html)

We’re very excited that Team Will is going to be at Blue Valley Northwest High School to have a showing of their documentary…AND a rally against childhood cancer!

After a showing of this VERY special movie, Team Will will speak about what inspired them to begin their group, what they do to raise awareness about childhood cancer and what they’ve accomplished to do just that!

United States Congressman, Jerry Moran, will also be speaking. He was the first Kansas Congressman to join the Childhood Cancer Caucus. You will also hear from Kara Cunningham, who will read a poem about her son, Lane’s, battle with cancer. The poem really puts a voice to what these families have endured with their children’s diagnoses.

You will also meet several childhood cancer patients, families and survivors here in the KC area. Each family will introduce themselves and tell you a little bit about their fight for life. These children are heroes who have endured unthinkable medical interventions at a very early age. They are courageous and inspiring and your hearts will be touched by them!

THIS EVENT IS OPEN FOR THE FIRST 800 PEOPLE TO ARRIVE AS THERE IS ONLY ROOM FOR THIS NUMBER IN THE AUDITORIUM – THANK YOU!

Come out and have a fun evening with your family AND see why we’re fighting so hard for these kids to bring awareness to childhood cancer!

Here’s the movie trailer:

Also, check out Team Will Cycling Charity on Facebook.

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• Bill Harrison is a Lenexa, Kansas cyclist who recently embarked on a long-time dream of bicycling across America. He began on May 4th in Williamsburg, VA and will finish in Eugene, OR on August 4th. Follow his journey on BetterBills TransAm Blog.




• This summer, Erin Renard is riding her bike form Russell, Kansas to New Jersey on her Cycling for Alzheimer’s “Ride for your Life” tour. You can follow along on her blog. See also: Russell woman will ride for Alzheimer’s




• Cross-county cyclists want to ‘outsmart’ brain cancer: Anne Feeley, whose parents live in Olathe, is in the midst of a 4,000 mile bike ride across the country to raise awareness and funds for brain tumor research and support, called Brains on Bikes. In May 2006, Feeley, 55, was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.




• Wichita bicyclist raising money to fight breast cancer: Richard Stephens, a retired high school administrator from Wichita, Kansas is riding 1,000+ miles from Wichita to Winnipeg, Manitoba as a fund-raiser for the Susan G. Komen Foundation to help in the fight against breast cancer. See also: Long bike ride makes Wichita State plane crash survivor feel even more alive.




• KU students plan to bike across country to benefit affordable housing: Jillian Strobel will be leaving in June for a two-month bike ride across America. The Kansas University senior will be part of a group of youths riding to raise funds and awareness for affordable housing efforts.




• Murrs Across America: Mom, Dad, and 2 kids from Springfield, Missouri take off on an epic journey across the United States: “Brady wears a cape. Jane has 8 imaginary sisters. We’re biking across America this summer with kids! We’re undertaking this adventure to promote family engagement, health, and environmental mindfulness.”




• Springfield MoDOT Worker Biking Cross Country for Fallen Workers Memorial: Nearly 130 MoDOT workers have died working to make our roads safer and easier to travel, so now Kris Sandgren, a Springfield MoDOT maintenance worker, is taking nearly a month of his own vacation time to help raise money to build MoDOT’s Fallen Workers Memorial. “I carry all my tent, my sleeping bag, air mattress, basically everything I need, and I am going to travel from Anacortes, Washington to Jefferson City,” he said.




• Lincoln, MO woman raising funds for cancer center by biking to Nashville: Freda Swigert, who has battled breast cancer, is biking and walking more than 500 miles to raise money for the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center in Columbia. She left May 19th on a journey to Nashville, TN and hopes to arrive by Memorial Day.




• Retiring priest is ready for his next mission: cycling to fight poverty: Five years ago, Matthew Ruhl, a 51-year-old Catholic priest, was riding a bike on the Katy Trail in Missouri on an early spring day when he had an inspiration. “I would love to cycle across the country,” he said. “And then a thought came to me that I could maybe do a lot of good for somebody.” He plans to ride over 5000 miles from Cape Flattery, WA to Key West, FL, leading the Cycling for Change tour, a call to action for all people of goodwill to address the growth of poverty in America.




• Oklahoma State Student Rides Bike to Alaska: A college student takes going for a bike ride to a whole new level. Oklahoma State University student Curtis Moss took off from Oklahoma last week, his destination, Anchorage, Alaska. A trek that will take him nearly 4,000 miles, Moss is raising awareness about the National Student Exchange or NSE Program, which allows students to study at other participating colleges or universities for a semester or year.

Good luck and pleasant cycling to all!

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May 29th: La Junta, CO or Horace, KS … 200km (125 miles)
May 30th: Horace, KS to Great Bend, KS … 300km (187 miles)
May 31st: Great Bend, KS to Herington, KS … 200km (125 miles)
June 1st: Herington, KS to Kansas City, KS … 300km (187 miles)

Here’s a rough map of the brevet tour:

Here are some details of the tour, provided by Keith Gates of commuterDude.com:

The main purpose of a brevet-tour is to prepare prospective 1,200 and 1,000km riders for the rigors of multi-day grand-randonnee rides, like Paris-Brest-Paris, and the like. The goal is simply to complete each subsequent 200/300km ride within the same time limits as if they were stand-alone rides – but they are all strung together. This teaches mental toughness, preparedness of equipment and body, and teaches hard routines – just waking up and crawling right back on the bike.

As romantic as camping and leisure would be in this scenario, the schedule is pretty grueling. Each brevet has the same time windows as normal, so even though each route ends at a new hotel along the way, conceivably you could be placed into a scenario where you wouldn’t get much sleep, depending on your pace. On the first day, this might not be an issue — but day three-four, it could pose a problem. Better to learn these lessons on a “casual” tour, than on an overseas 1,200km brevet!

The rides are organized by KCUC, specifically Spencer Klaassen, our regional permanents coordinator, and Bob Burns, our regional brevet administrator. Riders are treated as they are on any other brevet: they must be self-sufficient while on the route. But at controls, for a series of rides this spread-out and remote there is some mild support: a volunteer KCUC member has elected to drive the routes and make sure everyone is okay, and carries things like spare wheels and supply duffels, which are only accessible to the riders at prescribed controls. This is similar to how a larger 1,000km or 1,200km route would be run, so it’s also for good practice.

The 2010 Kansas Brevet Tour is part of a larger goal, and riders that are thinking of riding PBP or another grand randonee are wise to take advantage of the opportunity. I expect this will be repeated here next year, as the 2011 ride date gets closer.

There are other places in the country that also do “brevet tours”, but the format is a little different. In Wisconsin and Texas, or example, each spring there is an opportunity to ride an ENTIRE “SR” (Super Randonneur) series of 200, 300, 400 and 600km brevets, respectively, back-to-back, in ONE WEEK.

Appropriately, the event that is held annually in Texas carries the moniker “Texas Hell Week”. It’s a fitting name, as I’ve heard it is especially tough going through the eastern Texas hill country.

For the ultra-hearty, there are only a couple of weeks rest before the KCUC 1,000km ride kicks off on June 12th. Anyone strong enough to complete the “tour” and the 1,000km is truly ready for the challenge of Paris-Brest-Paris, and beyond!

Thanks, Keith!

The idea for the Kansas Brevet Tour is based on the Nebraska Brevet Tour, which was the original of this format, created by Larry Larson. This year’s edition of the Nebraska Brevet Tour takes place September 9-12, and is set up as a big loop, starting and ending in Bassett, Nebraska.

Anyone interested in learning more about the sport of randonneuring can visit Randonneurs U.S.A. (RUSA), which manages and promotes the sport in the United States.

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In 2008, much of the town of Ordway, including Gillian’s home and property, was destroyed by fire. Gillian vowed to rebuild, and now she’s done it:

I recently received notice that Gillian is back in the saddle again as a cyclists’ only lodging host. In her note she tells me that she has “invested in a 30 foot trailer/caravan in English speak… for cyclists to use while enroute.” No need to have her address to find the place when you arrive, “when they ask [for Gillian] in town it will work…small place…and many more now know of this stopover for cyclists…even with this ‘prehistoric’ method I still get tons of people.”

Read more from the Adventure Cycling blog: Cyclists’ Only Lodging: Ordway Trail Angel ready to serve again

Welcome back, Gillian!

Photo courtesy Craig Sternagel, via Biking Bis.

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But as I was passing through Pittsburg, Kansas over the weekend, I stopped in to talk with the folks at Tailwind Cyclists, and there I met Andrew Powell, who’s pushing the envelope a little bit.

Andrew started in Yorktown, Virginia in early February, just in time for some of the largest snowstorms in decades:

Charlottesville, Virginia.

Along the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Preparing to cross the Mississippi River from Illinois to Missouri.

Andrew in Pittsburg, Kansas.

By the way, in many of Andrew’s photos you’ll notice his mascot, Grommit (of Wallace and Grommit fame). Andrew says that Grommit has been very popular with the kids along the route.

And helping kids is one of the main reasons Andrew is doing this trip. He’s raising money for Great Ormond Street Charity, which enables Great Ormond Street Hospital to provide world-class care for its young patients and their families, and to pioneer new treatments and cures for childhood illness. The hospital is located in Andrew’s home town of London, England.

You can follow Andrew’s progress, and donate to his cause, by visiting http://www.justgiving.co.uk/Andrew-Powell.

You can also contact Andrew via Facebook, or via his event page on Facebook.

Andrew’s doing this trip self-supported, sleeping in campgrounds and city parks along the way. He’ll be passing through Kansas this week, so if you see him along our highways, stop and say hello and offer him a little hospitality.

Good luck on your journeys, Andrew! Hope Kansas treats you well.

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The tour leaves Syracuse, near the Colorado border, on Saturday, June 5th, and arrives in Leavenworth, on the Missouri river, on June 12th.

The route covers about 478 miles, with overnights in Goodland, Colby, Hill City, Osborne, Minneapolis, Herington, Osage City, and Eudora.

Learn more at the Biking Across Kansas web site.

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