Hold Tight: the Adventure of Adventure Cycling

A lot of emphasis has been placed on bicycles recently. With the current energy crisis and the movement toward energy-save modes of transportation, bicycle riding has experienced a surge in popularity. Cycling as a mode of transportation is cheap, energy-efficient and often time-saving, as bicycles are rarely caught in traffic and can be a quicker route especially in major cities. Bicycles have even become integral components of certain professions, from curriers and taxis to police officers and postal workers.

However, cycling, while a good transportation option, has other uses as well, even outside of athletic competition. Cycling is a good source of fitness and fun, as well as self-discovery and the discovery of nature. The Adventure Cycling Association, a non-profit organization, is dedicated to inspiring men and women of all ages to travel by bicycle, whether for work, pleasure or competition, but especially for the discovery of America’s natural beauty.

Purple Mountains and Blue Seas

Founded in 1973, the Adventure Cycling Association began with a single event. The Bikecentennial, created by Dan Burden, Lys Burden, Greg Siple and June Siple, was a cross-country bicycle event intended to celebrate the bicentennial of the United States. Over 4,000 cyclists participated in the inaugural 1976 tours. After the completion of the Bikecentennial, the organization lived on as the Adventure Cycling Association.

A non-profit member organization, it calls itself America’s bicycle travel resource and inspiration. It offers various programs for cyclists, including a national network of touring routes and organized tours and trips. The former Bikecentennial Trail remains its most popular route. Now titled the TransAmerica Trail, the route stretches from Astoria, Oregon to Yorktown, Virginia, with over 30,000 miles of mountain bike trails and road routes.

The Adventure Cycling Association has also published the Pedal Pioneers Guide, a manual designed to help with the planning and implementing of youth bicycle tours. A how-to guide for adults, it is intended to help leaders execute youth cycling tour projects, whether weekend tours or summer-long cross-country adventures. With its emphasis on leisurely enjoyment rather than competition or required transportation, the Adventure Cycling Association has helped to bring back the joy of cycling.

The TransAmerica Trail itself includes numerous national landmarks, including Yellowstone National Park and Grand Teton National Park. Due to the influence of the Adventure Cycling Association, various cafes, restaurants and hotels include journals written by former riders that provide new riders with a history of the route.

The TransAmerica Trail takes about three months to complete, and can be ridden from May to September. The highest pass on the route is over 11,500 feet, and snow can occur at any time in the Rock Mountains. Pueblo, Colorado is the halfway point of the route and is the largest city until Carbondale, Illinois. While some stretches of terrain are relatively flat, a lot of heavy climbing can be expected at different points on the trail, especially in the Rocky Mountains, the Ozark Plateau and the Appalachian Mountains.