In 1976, a time when
bikes were still mostly for kids and cross-country cycling was
virtually unheard of, a few friends got together to map a bicycling
route across the U.S. in celebration of the nation’s bicentennial.
Twenty-five years and 25,000 miles of bike trails later, the group,
the Adventure Cycling Association, is attempting to track the trek
of Lewis and Clark. It will again mark a 200-year anniversary –
this time commemorating the three-year Corps of Discovery journey
in 1804-1806.
Paralleling the Lewis and Clark
National Historic Trail, the new route will cover approximately
3,000 miles and traverse 11 states from Illinois to Washington.
Riders will huff and puff alongside the towering Breaks of the
Missouri River, the wilds of the Bitterroot Mountains and the water
highway of the mighty Columbia. Adventure Cycling’s maps –
waterproof and sized to fit in a handlebar bag window or jersey
pocket – highlight scenic stops and bike repair
shops.
Ready to ride? You’ll have to wait a bit.
Completed maps of the Lewis and Clark Bicycle Trail aren’t slated
to be ready until the fall of 2002. To help the process, become an
Adventure Cycling “Trailblazer.” One hundred dollars will literally
put your name on the map and buy a one-mile sponsorship. Or become
a member of the association, which includes a subscription to
Adventure Cycling magazine, for $30. For more information, go to
www.adventurecycling.org or call 800/755-2453.
Copyright © 2001
HCN and Jenny Dalen
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Pedal where Lewis and Clark paddled.
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