Be a Part of it! Last Day!

It's the very last day of the Build it, Bike it. Be a Part of it. campaign to support the U.S. Bicycle Route System and we want to send a big thank you out to everyone who has donated so far! To date, we've raised nearly $24,000!

However, we still have a ways to go to meet our goal of raising $26,000 by midnight tonight! We're only $2,200 away from that goal! With your help, we can do it!

Please donate $10, $25, or $50, before midnight tonight and help us to build what could become the world's largest bicycle route network.

We had a great week last week with $4,257 in donations, thanks in part to a $1,000 challenge grant from Salsa Cycles. Woman Tours also hopped on board by pledging $1,000 toward the campaign. Thanks everyone!

$10 can shape the future of cycling in America. Please donate $10 or more today on Facebook's Causes or on our Change.org page (or send via the U.S. Postal Service, see below).

Graphic by Adventure Cycling Association

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BUILD IT. BIKE IT. BE A PART OF IT. is a month-long fundraising campaign to help build the U.S. Bicycle Route System. Donations will help sustain Adventure Cycling's ongoing organizing and mapping efforts for this project. Donate on Causes or Change.org. You can also mail donations to Adventure Cycling, 150 E. Pine Street, Missoula, MT, 59802. Please write the phrase “be a part of it” in the note.

Business supporters of the campaign include BikeFlights.com, BOB, Klean Kanteen, Red Arrow Group, Renaissance Bicycles, Salsa Cycles, Team Estrogen, and Woman Tours.

Media partners are helping to spread the word about the Build it. Bike it. Be a part of it. campaign; they include Bicycle Radio, Momentum, New Belgium Brewing, NewWest.net, Pedal Pushers, USA Cycling, and Wend.

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Posted by JULIE EMNETT, associate development director for Adventure Cycling Association.

Bear With Us: Great Footage of the Great Divide

As I reported in this blog on April 12, I had the pleasure of attending the world premiere of the documentary film Ride the Divide in Vail, Colorado, on April 2. I really enjoyed the flick, and was super-psyched to learn later that it had won the “Best Adventure Film” award at the Vail Film Festival.

In that blog I wrote: “The documentary, which runs about an hour and twenty minutes, focuses on the 2008 Tour Divide, an under-the radar race following Adventure Cycling’s Great Divide Mountain Bike Route from Banff, Alberta, to Antelope Wells, New Mexico. The cinematography is stunning — but so too is the terrain traversed by the Great Divide, so special effects were unwarranted and, for the most part, unused. The story homes in on the trials and tribulations of three racers: Mike Dion, the film’s executive producer; Mary Metcalf-Collier, who might have become the first woman to finish the race (I won’t give that away!); and Matthew Lee, the Tour Divide’s organizer, perennial participant, and (as of 2009) four-time winner.”

Now, having played to sold-out audiences in Denver and elsewhere, Ride the Divide is coming to Adventure Cycling’s home territory. Screenings are slated for towns roughly following the progress of this year’s Tour Divide, which fires up in Banff at 9 a.m. on June 11. The film plays in Banff on June 10; Whitefish, Montana, on June 13; Helena on June 14; and Missoula on June 15, where the movie will be presented by Adventure Cycling, and light up the inside of the historic Wilma Theatre. You can view a complete (and ever-growing) list of screenings at this link.

Forty-five racers have signed up for the 2010 Tour Divide, representing not only the U.S.A., but the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, and New Zealand. You can follow the action here, thanks to SPOT Personal Tracker GPS technology. Early in the race riders will tackle an exciting new, grizzly-bear-abundant route through the wild Flathead Valley of British Columbia. (There's also a great bear scene in Ride the Divide.)

Tap in, and I predict you, too, will quickly become a "red-dot junkie."


"Dumpster testing" photo at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center by Michael McCoy

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BIKING WITHOUT BORDERS is posted every Monday by Michael McCoy, Adventure Cycling’s field editor, and highlights a little bit of this or a little bit of that — just about anything, as long as it’s related to traveling by bicycle. Mac also compiles the organization's twice-monthly e-newsletter Bike Bits, which goes free-of-charge to 38,000 readers worldwide.

26" Wheels

Every so often, I get an email asking whether or not a person should move from a 700c road wheel to a 26" wheel for touring. My touring experience has predominantly been aboard 700c wheels, but there are some good reasons to give a 26" wheel some thought.

The first advantage that most people will point to with 26" wheels is that they are more durable with shorter spokes, and a wider rim. If your tour takes you on a variety of road conditions, this additional strength can come in handy for rough dirt and gravel, in addition to handling heavy loads.

With a smaller wheel diameter, the bike can become a little more responsive, and feel more stable, however, frame geometry will also play a big role here.

If you have a world tour in mind, the 26" wheel can be very attractive, as it's the most common wheel size world wide. For mechanical assistance overseas with tires, spokes, tubes, rims, etc, your chances of finding 26" equipment is pretty good.

While the majority of stock touring bikes are designed for 700c wheels, some touring bikes that currently come stock with a 26" wheel include the Co-Motion Pangea, Novara Safari, Bruce Gordon BLT-X, as well as the Surly Long Haul Trucker.

Keep in mind that these benefits by no means indicate that a 700c wheel is not a good option for touring. The majority of touring bikes out on the road have 700c road wheels, and perform very well. Moving to a 26" wheel often means a new bike frame, and I would not recommend overhauling your current setup to accommodate a different wheel size.

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TOURING GEAR AND TIPS is written by Joshua Tack of Adventure Cycling's member services department. It appears weekly, highlighting technical aspects of bicycle touring and advice to help better prepare you for the journey ahead.

Beers & Gears: Day 4 - BeerTown West Doesn’t Disappoint

When we woke up at 6 am this morning, it wasn't raining, even though the weather forecast called for it, so we made another game-day change of plans. We'd planned a leisurely morning in Hamilton, followed by a leisurely 19-mile flat ride to the Blacksmith Brewing in Stevensville, arriving when they opened the doors at 2 pm, but with the forecast looking so grim, we decided to head for Missoula and then add the Blacksmith to our driving tour, making four brewery stops instead of three. Tough duty, but we felt up for it.

Then, sure enough, about the time we start stretching the Lyria over our oversized cycling frames, it starts raining, pouring actually, so we waited and waited and waited. About 9:30 am, we decided to take off regardless, get wet, get cold, but about the time we got on our bikes, it stopped raining. Perfect timing, for once.

We took the East River Highway from Hamilton. I'd ridden this road before--better scenery, lighter traffic than U.S. 93. But not today. In this case, it was perfectly bad timing. Today, most locals who knew about the heavy construction on U.S. 93 between Hamilton to Stevensville diverted over to the East Side Highway, so we had fast-moving, bumper-to-bumper traffic all the way. If you take this route, though, you should have better luck. Normally, all that traffic would stay on U.S. 93.

We went through Stevensville about 11 am, too soon for the Blacksmith Brewery. You don't know how hard it was to ride by it and not stop. Worse than a pack of dogs not stopping at a fire hydrant.

The next leg of the day, from Stevensville to Lolo, was the other extreme. A new, smooth bikeway the entire way. Normally, I don't ride bikeways, at least urban bikeways, because they're just too dangerous, but this rural bikeway was safe and spectacular. They even put the stop signs on intersecting roads before the bikeway instead of after it so motorists are less likely to overdrive the bikeway before stopping.

The last eight miles from Lolo to Missoula was on U.S 93, albeit with a nice shoulder, had a lot of traffic. Not great, to say the least, but not bad either at the end of the day, which turned out to be amazingly good weather. I guess we're all used to the weather forecast being wrong, but today, it was at least wrong in the right way.

In a recent national competition by BeerCity USA, Missoula finished fifth, ahead of Denver, Boulder, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, Milwaukee and many more--and tops in the Rocky Mountain West by far. No surprise to us, as we followed a long day in the saddle and with visits to four breweries. We deserve some overtime pay for this, eh?

We went to the Blacksmith Brewery in Stevensville first and had a beer with brewmaster Mike Howard. Blacksmith is one of Montana's newest breweries, only two years old, and is up to about 700 barrels per year in production, almost all of it sold right there in their amazing taproom. My favorite was the new seasonal, Black Iron IPA.

Mike will be getting some competition soon, though, as a couple of miles away on U.S. 93 just north of Stevensville, the new Wildwood Brewery will be opening soon. More on that later--no time to stop on this trip.

Next stop, Montana's largest brewery, Big Sky Brewing. An amazing place, to say the least. Be sure to ask for a tour when you go there. And you definitely should go there. It will knock your socks off.

Chris Nabozney gave us our tour and showed us Big Sky's new canning operation, one of only two like it in the western United States, the other at New Belgium Brewing in Fort Collins, Colorado. Big Sky is up to an amazing 44,000 barrels per year production, probably more than all the other Montana breweries combined.

You can't buy a glass of beer at Big Sky's taproom. They have to give it to you free, which is nice for us, but terrible for them. Big Sky is a victim of its own success. For some reason, probably not a good one, the Montana Legislature banned any brewery producing more than 10,000 barrels per year from selling pints in their taproom, so Big Sky Brewing can't take advantage of these high-margin sales just because they're too successful at growing a small Montana business into a large one, now employing 40 people. This is something the legislature needs to change, soon. If not, breweries will simply move out of state to allow their businesses to grow.

And Big Sky is not alone. At least four other Montana breweries--Bayern, Great Northern, Madison River, Kettle House and Harvest Moon--can see that 10,000-barrel limit on the horizon. Does that mean we have to ship those jobs out of state?

I'm thinking a good lobbying strategy might be to take a tip from Wall Drug in South Dakota. You've all send the signs, right? That business earned its bones by putting up billboards advertising "Free Ice Water." Big Sky should do the same, saying "Free Beer." That would create so much traffic congestion around the Airport Blvd. Exit in Missoula, that the legislature would simply have to step up to the bar and do the right thing.

After Big Sky, we went over to Bayern's fairly new taproom and had a Dragon's Breath. Bayern might be a little hard to find, but it's worth the effort.

We finished up at the Kettle House northside (No, we didn't have enough time and thirst to get to the Myrtle Street taproom, too), but at the new, fancy--and packed on a Thursday night--northside location, we had a Brick and Mortar Porter and a Double Haul IPA before calling it a night and heading over to my favorite Irish pub, Sean Kelly's, for a some Bangers and Mash for dinner.

That's a lot of hard work for one night. I admit it. But we had a plan and had to stick to it. Next time, I might spend two days in Missoula to take better advantage of the outstanding beer resources on tap there.

Tomorrow, off to Polson, to visit Glacier Brewing.

Photo captions: Blacksmith brewmaster Mike Howard (left) talks brewing with Will and Bill. Chris Mabozney from Big Sky Brewing; no folks, this is not a microbrewery. And here we are finishing up a good time at Bayern Brewing; and finally, at the end of a long night, the new and crowded taproom at Kettle House Northside. Photos by Bill Schneider and Gene Colling.


Photos by Bill Schnieder

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By BILL SCHNEIDER, Travel and Outdoor Editor for New West -- please follow Bill's adventure on the Great Divide Brewery Trail June 4, right here in the late afternoon.

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For more ways to explore Montana by bicycle, check out Adventure Cycling's routes and maps and this year's guided Cycle Montana tour (June 19 - June 26) .

Wheat Walker

The road ended. Well, it wasn't much of a road. Wagon tracks worn into the hard earth by settlers seeking a shortcut to California.

The route we were following in Idaho by compass was the Hudspeth cutoff. This route was supposed to save over a hundred miles over the California trail. But that was in 1849!

My buddy Dave and I had patched together a ten day bike trip in and around the Sawtooth National Forest.

Our forward progress had suddenly stopped. We looked at our map. No other roads around. We'd have to cross this wheat field to continue.

We left our bikes and hiked up to the farm house. The land owner was more than happy to give us permission to walk our bikes through his land.

We returned to our bikes and searched out a path that would cause the least amount of crop damage. I looked up at one point and Dave was swallowed up in wheat.

The warm sun kissed our shoulders. Life was good.

It usually is on a bike trip--whether you're coasting, climbing, or walking your bike through a field of wheat.

photo (Wheat Walker, Idaho 2005) by Willie Weir


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SIGHTS AND SOUNDS appears on Friday afternoons. Willie Weir is a columnist for Adventure Cyclist magazine. His latest book Travels with Willie: Adventure Cyclist compiles his favorite writings over the last twelve years. He lives in Seattle with his wife Kat. You can read about their local adventures and life without a car at www.yellowtentadventures.com.

Beers & Gears: Day Three Could Hardly Be Better

No brewery in Wisdom, where we stayed last night, but there should be. Even the server at the Big Hole Crossing restaurant where we had a terrific breakfast this morning agreed and said she thought Big Hole Brewing should open a brewery there instead of having its beer produced by Madison River Brewing over in Belgrade. "But one problem," she said, "it get so cold here in the winter that all the beer might freeze."

And sure enough, it was a bit nippy this morning, 29 degrees F, but by the time we started out it was pushing 40 degrees and it turned into an ideal day for cycling.

Wisdom is almost exactly halfway between Butte and Hamilton, incidentally, a little fact some of the locals might not even know. Yesterday, it took us six hours riding time to do the 77 miles from Butte to Wisdom. Today, we did the 76 miles to Hamilton in five hours, helped by a strong east wind that helped push us up Chief Joseph Pass, second time over the Continental Divide on our Great Divide Brewery Trail trip. It also helped to have 50 miles of downhill riding from the pass to our destination, Bitter Root Brewing in Hamilton.

Chief Joseph Pass is a "big chain ring" hill except for the last 2-3 miles where it kicks up to about 6-8 percent grade. And gorgeous, too. It follows sparkling mountain streams while winding through a mostly-non-bug-killed forest sprinkled with open meadows. And as a bonus, not much traffic.



I'm sure glad the roads was in perfect shape going down the pass because it's an eight-mile steep descent, one of the steepest I've been on. Finally at the bottom of the hill, Will and I congratulated ourselves for taking the clockwise option on this loop route so we didn't have to climb that hill, which is at least twice as difficult from the Bitterroot side as it is on the Big Hole side.

After the long ride, we had our reward, immediately. Even before taking off our smelly cycling duds, we had to have a cold pint at the Bitter Root, and it was soooo good. Then, after a little clean up and clean clothes, we went back and had a couple more and a nice dinner.

The brewery let Chuck park the Winnebago right behind the beer garden, so we had about 20 feet to walk to the taproom. How's that for service?

Bitter Root Brewing is Montana's equivalent of a brewpub -- a great brewery with a kitchen that turns out some excellent pub fare. If you're planning a trip to Hamilton, put it on your must-do list.

Tomorrow is our big day--only 47 miles in the saddle, but four breweries at the ride.

Stay tuned.

Captions: Bill and Will on Chief Joesph Pass, and yes, that's snow. One of hundreds of scenic views of the Bitterroot River on the way to Hamilton. Will riding along the East Fork of the Bitterroot, and of course, the usual suspects having a good time at Bitter Root Brewing after the riding is finished.

Photos by Bill Schnieder

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By BILL SCHNEIDER, Travel and Outdoor Editor for New West -- please follow Bill's adventure on the Great Divide Brewery Trail June 4, right here in the late afternoon.

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For more ways to explore Montana by bicycle, check out Adventure Cycling's routes and maps and this year's guided Cycle Montana tour (June 19 - June 26) .

Improving the Great Divide Canada Route

Continuing the theme of improving the Adventure Cycling Route Network, today's post is about the route changes made to the latest edition of the Great Divide Canada route map.

The spirit of the milestone Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) has always been to bring the enjoyment of bicycle travel to remote and challenging terrains. This change perfectly encompasses that spirit. It increases the map length by 39 miles and brings the route through an area known as the “Serengeti of North America” by biologists for its unrivaled wildlife populations. It begins in Sparwood and heads southeast through the Canadian Rocky Mountains into the Upper Flathead River Valley, then loops its way northwest to the Wigwam River and back south and west toward the U.S. border. The original routing south of Sparwood to the border has been retained as an alternate.

Adventure Cycling had always hoped to direct riders through the scenic Flathead River valley drainage but it appeared impossible. Since the initial research was conducted, an outfitter's trail was discovered by Matthew Lee that connected the Wigwam River drainage and Galton Pass road which made the route viable. Coincidentally, as the updates were being made in February, 2010 the British Columbia Premier banned all mining and energy extraction in the valley which is a major development for such a beautiful and important area.

Mac McCoy, the creator of the GDMBR gives this route change an enthusiastic thumbs up, "It's terrific to see this route improvement taking place in Canada. From the very beginning, rather than thinking of the Great Divide Route as static and set in stone, we regarded it as more of a dynamic framework that we hoped would be altered and improved upon as time progressed and riders discovered new route possibilities. That is precisely what has happened here in British Columbia's Flathead Valley, and what happened a few years ago in the El Malpais National Monument area of New Mexico."

If you are familiar with the GDMBR, the name Matthew Lee should ring some bells. He is intimately familiar with every mile on the main route of the GDMBR since he has raced self-supported on it since 2004 and placed in one of the top four spots each time. The Great Divide Race (GDR) and Tour Divide (TD) are both self-supported races conducted on the GDMBR. GDR is border to border while TD also includes the Great Divide Canada portion. He is the record holder of the two fastest finish times of the TD. This year's Tour Divide commences on June 11th and the the Great Divide Race on June 18th.

With the publication of this edition of the Great Divide Canada map, the map design improvements begun in the summer of 2009 on the U.S. portion of the GDMBR are now complete.

in top photo: riding along the upper Flathead River on the new Great Divide Canada route.
in bottom photo: Butts Patrol Station cabin, the only "service" on the new routing between Sparwood and the U.S. border.
top photo by Aaron Teasdale
bottom photo courtesy of Matthew Lee

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GEOPOINTS BULLETIN is written by Jennifer 'Jenn' Milyko, an Adventure Cycling cartographer, and appears weekly, highlighting curious facts, figures and persons from Adventure Cycling's Route Network with tips and hints for personal route creation thrown in for good measure. She also wants to remind you that map corrections and comments are always welcome via the online Map Correction Form.

Beers & Gears: Day Two on to Plan B

Viola! It's Tuesday, May 25, and it's not raining!

But we had so much rain and snow yesterday, that we abandoned our planned route by Georgetown Lake and over Skalkaho Pass, an unpaved road, to Hamilton. We figured Skalkaho would be a muddy mess at best, and we'll spend most of the day pushing our bikes. So, off to Plan B, down through the beautiful Big Hole Valley past Divide, Dewey, and Wise River to spend the night in Wisdom. Please, no comments about us hopefully getting a little smarter by riding through Wise River and Wisdom.

Flashback to the Quarry Brewery. Something I forgot to put in yesterday's post.

We started talking with Chuck Schnabel about the Quarry Brewery's Mug Club, which he calls "a reflection of the community," as he gestures to the wall of 157 numbered mugs. Two of them, numbers 24 and 29, were hung high out of reach because they were 'retired" for outstanding service. One was for a Montana Tech student who came in every day, never failing, for six months straight and had three pints, so when he graduated, Chuck and Lyza retired his number. The other one was a Mug Club member went to Iraq. We can't remember the details, so ask Chuck about it when you get there. And you should get there!

Incidentally, Lyza checks the police blotter every day in the paper and if any Mug Clubber gets a DUI, he or she is out of the club, which has 200 people on the waiting list.

Ever heard of "beer tokens"? The Quarry has them. If one Mug Clubber wants to buy a beer for a fellow member, he or she can buy a beer token and Chuck puts it in that members mug for a free beer next time. I’ve been in a lot of taprooms, but never seen beer tokens before.

Today's Plan B route involved a few miles of freeway riding, but it wasn't bad, except the first few miles from Butte to Rocker, which were awful--lots of traffic and on/off ramps and no-shoulder bridges that make life stressful for cyclists. Once we turned south at Rocker, no problem.

We took the Freely exit, the first one after crossing the Continental Divide, something we'll do twice on the Great Divide Brewery Trail. From here, we took the frontage road with hardly any traffic down to Divide.

 We turned onto State Highway 43 at Divide and rode west for 51 miles to Wisdom where we spend the night, in the Winnebago, and had a fantastic meal at the local restaurant, the Big Hole Crossing. Be sure to stop there if you're ever in Wisdom.

The ride from Divide to Wisdom is one of the most scenic, most pleasant bicycle routes in Montana. It closely follows the free-flowing Big Hole River the entire way, with the Pintlers (to the north) and the Pioneers (on the south) providing spectacular backdrops. It doesn't get much better than this for cyclists.

Lot of interesting people and buildings, too, like the guy with a long row of wheelbarrows filled with rocks, or the ranchers with their beaver slides, or the guy with an old wagon filled with beer barrels and kegs (I had to stop for a closer look at that one!) Anyway, you don't see that type of scenery very often.

So, if you've never experienced the Big Hole Valley, get down there. It's best on a bicycle, but not bad in any vehicle.

Even though we had a great dinner and a few Headstrong Pale Ales (produced by Madison River Brewing in Belgrade for Big Hole Brewing) at the Big Hole Crossing, it was a no-brewery night. We'll make up for that tomorrow when we head for Hamilton and a visit to Bitter Root Brewing.

Stay tuned.

Top photo: The beautiful Big Hole River followed us all day. 
Second photo: Bill on the Continental Divide
Third photo: Will riding along the river and by a historic beaverslide
Photos by Bill Schneider and Will Selser



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By BILL SCHNEIDER, Travel and Outdoor Editor for New West -- please follow Bill's adventure on the Great Divide Brewery Trail June 4, right here in the late afternoon.

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For more ways to explore Montana by bicycle, check out Adventure Cycling's routes and maps and this year's guided Cycle Montana tour (June 19 - June 26) .

Meet Richard Moeur, Chair of the AASHTO Task Force for U.S. Bicycle Routes

Meet Richard Moeur, PE, Traffic Design Manager for the Northern Region of the Arizona Department of Transportation. Richard is an avid bike commuter in his hometown of Phoenix, commuting about 26 miles each day and is an active member of his local cycling club, participating in weekend rides whenever the weather and family/work life permit. Richard is also the chair of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials' (AASHTO) Task Force on U.S. Bicycle Routes and deserves much of the credit for helping usher the national corridor plan (pdf) through the AASHTO approval process.

I asked Richard to tell us a bit of the U.S. Bicycle Route System background and his vision for the future of the network. I think you're going to like what he has to say!

1) How did you come to learn about the U.S. Bicycle Route System? I've been working on route numbering issues for Arizona DOT since the early 1990s, and I've been involved with the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices since 1997. I was aware that the idea of designated multi-state bicycle routes had been around since the 1970s, but didn't have a lot of information until I became involved.

2) What made you want to get involved? In 2003, Adventure Cycling contacted Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) about seeing if the Adventure Cycling Route Network could get some sort of Federal recognition & support. I was aware of AASHTO's role as the administrator of U.S. & Interstate routes, and remembered that AASHTO had started to create a national bike route system in 1978-1982. I also had some experience with the AASHTO route numbering process through my work on highway projects with Arizona DOT. I attended meetings in Washington DC with Adventure Cycling, FHWA, and AASHTO staff, and agreed to help organize a task force that would reinvigorate AASHTO's long-dormant U.S. Bicycle Route System.

3) How are you involved? Tell us about your service to AASHTO, your role as the Task Force chair, how you came up with the vision and plan of action, etc. I've been employed by an AASHTO member agency (Arizona DOT) for almost 25 years, and I'm a member of AASHTO's Subcommittee on Traffic Engineering. I've chaired the Task Force on U.S. Bicycle Routes since its inception, and have been very pleased with the accomplishments so far.

The plan of action evolved within the Task Force as the representatives from state DOTs and bicycle route organizations communicated and shared their experiences and their goals for this program. AASHTO's Standing Committee on Highways -- made up of the chief engineers of all state DOTs -- supported the idea of national bike routes, but didn't want to move forward until a comprehensive national plan and designation system could be developed. Such a plan would minimize misunderstandings & conflicts between states & regions during implementation, and would clearly define a scope and concept for a truly national route system. The Task Force then broke down this ambitious task into manageable steps, which led to the adoption of the Corridor & Designation Plans by AASHTO in 2008.


4) Are you a cyclist? What’s your association with Adventure Cycling? I've been riding bicycles since I was a kid, and have been riding "seriously" for about 30 years now. I've been a life member of Adventure Cycling since the mid-1990s.

5) What is your long-term hope for this national system? I see a system that serves the citizens of this nation in facilitating long-distance travel using a healthy, low-impact mode. I see a system that serves major metropolitan areas, small towns, scenic parks and destinations, and other places all across the U.S. I see a system that awakens people to the potential of long-distance bicycle travel, much as AASHTO's U.S. Highway System did in the 1920s (in fact, you could literally consider the U.S. Highway System to be the "grandparent" to the U.S. Bicycle Route System). I see a system that empowers people to explore our nation on two wheels, and encourages them to go beyond the usual commute route or training ride. I want people to see a U.S. Bicycle Route sign, and say to themselves & their loved ones: "If we follow these signs on our two wheels, just how far can we go...?"

Photos courtesy of Richard Moeur

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BUILDING THE U.S. BICYCLE ROUTE SYSTEM (USBRS) is posted by Ginny Sullivan, USBRS coordinator at Adventure Cycling, and features news and updates related to the emerging U.S. Bicycle Route System. The USBRS project is a collaborative effort, spearheaded by a task force under the auspices of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Members of the task force include officials and staff from state DOTs, the Federal Highway Administration, and nonprofits like the East Coast Greenway Alliance, and Mississippi River Trail, Inc.

Beers & Gears: Day One, a Frigid Bust

It has to get better from here.

We woke up this morning hoping the weather forecaster had it wrong again, but no, just our luck, the forecast was spot on. Freezing rain and snow all day!

This might support the older-and-wiser theory. After much discussion down at the coffee shop early this morning, we decided the weather was beyond uncomfortable and clearly hypothermic, so we made the tough choice to skip the first day and start from Butte tomorrow morning.

Wiser or wimpy? You decide. Instead of a wet, frigid ride to Butte, we drove down in comfort in Chuck’s Winnebago. Both Will and I have both had plenty of hypothermic rides and know that even if you have the best cycling garb, which we do, you still get cold and wet, and at the least, it’s difficult to consider it a good time.

So, no cycling news today, but we can still come through on half of our assignment, the brewery news. Here we are, at Quarry Brewing, one of Montana’s newest, checking out the new beers brewed up by owners Lyza and Chuck Schnabel.

Brewmaster Chuck was there behind the bar, as he always is, with a big smile, as always. I could hardly recognize the place without The Green Door (You have to be at least 50 to get that), but Chuck assured me it was still there, “just rolled up.” Since my last visit, he has put in another door, outside The Green Door, with windows. He still puts down The Green Door and the massive quilt made out of his old brewery t-shirts and jeans.

Unlike a lot of businesses, Quarry had a great year in 2009, now up to about 400 barrels per year production. In September, Chuck and Lyza will be celebrating Quarry’s third birthday, which makes it one of the newest breweries in Montana. Only Blacksmith in Stevensville is newer.

Chuck was pleasantly stressed about the upcoming National Folk Festival, July 9-10-11 in Butte. About a fifth of his annual capacity, 125 kegs, has been pre-order by the organizers, all to be sold on-site in his taproom or in four beer trailers located around Butte. He expects 200,000 people to show up, and undoubtedly, many of then will be looking for the best local brew.

Sounds like a great time. Don’t miss it.

Ditto for every Saturday night at the Quarry. That’s Open Mike Night,” when anything goes.

Also, Lyza Schnabel, Chuck’s spouse and co-owner, has also started a “Ladies Night,” with no men allowed in the taproom. The first one is June 2.

While we were at the Quarry enjoying some great beer, guess what, it FINALLY stopped raining and snowing, so maybe tomorrow, we can actually get on our bicycles and do what we’re supposed to be doing — earning our cold beer at night.

Stay tuned…

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By BILL SCHNEIDER, Travel and Outdoor Editor for New West -- please follow Bill's adventure on the Great Divide Brewery Trail June 4, right here in the late afternoon.

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For more ways to explore Montana by bicycle, check out Adventure Cycling's routes and maps and this year's guided Cycle Montana tour (June 19 - June 26) .

Welcome to Beers & Gears

I'm writing on Sunday, May 23, the day before the start of the first-ever attempt to ride the Great Divide Brewery Trail, which is part of the brand new Montana Brewery Trail website hosted by Travel Montana. It’s one of nine routes around and through Montana with strategic stops at the state’s craft breweries, plus detailed information on each brewery and nearby eateries and lodging. Check it out.

These routes were designed for motorists, not cyclists, but no matter. To me, they look like scenic and historic bikeways between Montana’s craft breweries, ideal for microbrew-loving roadies like me — and my partner on this trip, Will Selser. Our good friend and fellow cyclist, Chuck Micklewright, will be following along in his mobile home.

Thirteen days, twelve breweries, and 740 miles through scenic Montana, on a bicycle. How could that not be fun?

(Let’s hope I don’t have to answer that question.)

So, tomorrow morning, weather permitting, Will and I leave Helena for Butte on the first leg of our little adventure, our “first ascent,” which we’re affectionately calling Beers & Gears. You can read daily entries here, covering both what happened along the way and what’s going on in the taprooms, Montana’s new cultural centers. Hope you enjoy it remotely as much as we do.

Top photo: Bill Schneider and Will Selser, ready to roll
Bottom photo: Chuck Micklewright reports for SAG duty
Photos courtesy of Bill Schneider

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By BILL SCHNEIDER, Travel and Outdoor Editor for New West -- please follow Bill's adventure over the next week and a half right here in the late afternoon.

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For more ways to explore Montana by bicycle, check out Adventure Cycling's routes and maps and this year's guided Cycle Montana tour (June 19 - June 26) .

The Rodney Dangerfield of Adventure Cycling Routes

Now, I’m not trying to steal the thunder from my friend and colleague Jenn Milyko, who one of these days might want to write about the Utah Cliffs Loop in her “milestone routes” series. Among other nice things she does, Jenn occasionally supplies me with packages containing two of my food groups — Twizzlers and CornNuts — so I definitely don’t want to make her mad.

I won’t even tell you here why Utah Cliffs is a milestone route (but it is). I’ll just offer up a few thoughts on the loop, since I’m the one who laid it out about a decade ago.

First off, the four-wheel-drive Chevy Blazer I rented to do the research with was the only rental car I’ve ever gotten that was brand-new. If I remember correctly, the odometer had 14 miles on it when I drove the SUV off the lot. Suffice it to say that if Avis had known where I’d be going on that trip, they probably would have supplied me with a rig that was a little more “seasoned.”

I call this the Rodney Dangerfield of routes because I don’t think it gets anywhere near the respect it deserves. Director of sales and marketing Teri Maloughney tells me that just 70 copies of the route's map sold in 2009 (that compares, for example, to the 175 maps for the Allegheny Mountains Loop in Virginia that sold during the same time period). Yet this is one incredible piece of bicycling territory, simply spectacular. And, with its combination of dirt, gravel, and paved surfaces, it just might be the ultimate “Any Bike, Anywhere,” Rough Riders route.

At 287 miles in length, the Utah Cliffs Loop is a study in contrasts. Its biggest problem, if you want to call it that, is its extreme elevation differences, ranging from 2,500 feet above sea level at the starting/ending point of St. George, to roughly 10,000 feet above sea level in the mountains high above Cedar City. This means there’s a very short window of opportunity to ride it when it’s not too hot in the desert and not to snowy or muddy at the loftiest elevations. Probably mid-September to mid-October would be an ideal time to hit the trail.

Highlights along the way include Snow Canyon State Park, Navajo Lake, and Zion National Park. The quick zip from Navajo Lake to Zion, down the North Fork of the Virgin River, in my opinion is one of the great dirt-road descents of the West.

I could tell you more, but you really should go experience it for yourself.

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BIKING WITHOUT BORDERS is posted every Monday by Michael McCoy, Adventure Cycling’s field editor, and highlights a little bit of this or a little bit of that — just about anything, as long as it’s related to traveling by bicycle. Mac also compiles the organization's twice-monthly e-newsletter Bike Bits, which goes free-of-charge to 38,000 readers worldwide.

Pump-Hub

One of the first things I do before setting out on my bike, whether it's for a day ride or a full blown tour, I always check my tire pressure. Over time, your tubes naturally leak air, so it's always a good idea to have them topped off to help prevent pinch flats, and improve the tire's rolling efficiency. One piece of equipment that can take that process out of your routine is the Pump-Hub.

The Pump-Hub is a unique hub that will pump air into your tire as you ride. Using two simple switches, a pressure adjustment screw, and a hose line running from the hub to the tube valve, the hub will use the force of the spinning wheel to pump air into the tire until it is full. Once the tire is full, the pump automatically shuts off, and you're topped off.

Installation of the Pump-Hub is pretty simple. The hub comes pre-built on either a Velocity Aerohead rim, or a Salsa Delgado rim. Once you have your tire and tube on the rim, you will need to connect the hose line to the presta valve. The model I demoed required the hose to be cut to a precise length, however, newer models will have a telescoping fitting at the end, which provides plenty of room for error, and the ability to run different valve stem lengths without re-cutting the hose.

Once the hose is connected to the valve stem, simply put the wheels onto your bike. There is a tab on the non-driveside axle, which needs to be lined up into the dropout. This feature allows axle torque against the wheel rotation, which assists the pump. When you have your wheels in place, you will notice two levers on the non-driveside of the hub. The longer lever activates the pump, while the shorter lever turns the pump off. Turn the pump on by pulling the longer lever towards you (away from the bike), and start spinning the wheel. You will hear a loud clicking noise, almost as though you have baseball cards stuck in your spokes. Air will begin to pump from the hub to the tube. Once you get enough pressure in the tire to start riding, you can hop on the bike, and ride until the clicking noise stops. You will hear the smaller lever on the hub pop into place and turn the pump off. For a 700x32 touring tire I was able to go from 40psi to 90psi in just under a mile.

The hub will arrive to you at a preset pressure. If at any point you would like to change the pressure, there is a small flat head screw on the non-driveside faceplate of the hub which adjusts the pressure. Turning the screw clockwise will increase the pressure, and turning it counter-clockwise will decrease the pressure setting. The pressure will rise or drop 15psi for a quarter turn.

The quality of the hub is right up there with most standard hubs, and rolls smoothly with cartridge sealed bearings. The hose is also very durable (which you will notice when cutting it to length), and stands up very well against abrasions. When attached snugly, it will be right in line with your spokes, and won't rub on the frame. When the pump is active, you will notice a slight amount of resistance, but as soon as it turns off, the resistance goes away.

Built with Velocity Aerohead rims, a front and rear wheel will run $499, which is very competitive with new wheelsets, especially considering the innovation. The product is still in its early stages, but is very well built. These aren't being stocked in shops around the country quite yet. They are being produced in Oakland, California, and residents in that area can give them a look at Hayward Bicycles.

These hubs are a great way to keep your pressure up over a long period of time, will ensure full pressure is achieved, and could also be a great tool for ultra-light tourists.

Photos by Josh Tack

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TOURING GEAR AND TIPS is written by Joshua Tack of Adventure Cycling's member services department. It appears weekly, highlighting technical aspects of bicycle touring and advice to help better prepare you for the journey ahead.

What a Week! We've Hit $20,000! What's Next?

A very big, warm thank you to everyone who has contributed to help build the U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS) -- you are supporting an emerging cycling route network that could become the largest in the world!

What a week! In 3 days, we met BOB's matching challenge grant of $1,000, then yesterday, Woman Tours came on as a business supporter and made a contribution of $1,000!

Plus, earlier this week, USA Cycling joined the campaign as a media partner to help spread the word. We also published profiles of two of our other wonderful media partners: the voice of the Northern Rockies, New West, and Wend magazine, a great publication dedicated to stories about travel, adventure, the environment, and sustainability.

Julie Emnett, our associate development director, published inspiring profiles of two of our core supporters for the campaign:  Thomas Nelson (a 5-year Adventure Cycling member dedicated to raising $500 for the USBRS) and Ray Hanson (life member of Adventure Cycling, long time donor, and tour leader committed to raising $250 for the USBRS).


Since launching the Build it. Bike it. Be a part of it. campaign on May 3rd, cyclists and other supporters have donated over $8,800 through Causes on Facebook and through the campaign's Change.org page. Counting these donations together with business donations and paper check contributions, as of yesterday afternoon we've flown past our initial goal of raising $20,000!!!

 Having met our initial goal in the 3rd week of the campaign, we're hoping that next week (the final week of our campaign -- which ends on Monday, May 31st) we can raise another $6,200 from cyclists and other supporters. We would then reach a total of $15,000 raised through Causes on Facebook and our Change.org page! With more than 11,000 supporters on the USBRS Facebook page, this should be a piece of cake!

Please consider a donation of as little as $10 today, donate today on Causes or through Change.org (or, see below for USPS option).

Thanks again so much for your support!

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BUILD IT. BIKE IT. BE A PART OF IT. is a month-long fundraising campaign to help build the U.S. Bicycle Route System. Donations will help sustain Adventure Cycling's ongoing organizing and mapping efforts for this project. Donate on Causes or Change.org. You can also mail donations to Adventure Cycling, 150 E. Pine Street, Missoula, MT, 59802. Please write the phrase “be a part of it” in the note.

Business supporters of the campaign include BikeFlights.com, BOB, Klean Kanteen, Red Arrow Group, Renaissance Bicycles, Salsa Cycles, Team Estrogen, and Woman Tours.

Media partners are helping to spread the word about the Build it. Bike it. Be a part of it. campaign; they include Bicycle Radio, Momentum, New Belgium Brewing, NewWest.net, Pedal Pushers, USA Cycling, and Wend.

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Posted by WINONA BATEMAN, media director for Adventure Cycling Association.

Inspiring the Next Generation of Adventure Cyclists

That's me. On my bike. On Earth.

The artist is Zak and he attends a primary school in Washington state where I presented an assembly entitled "The World's Greatest SUV". It introduces kids to the magic and wonders of bicycle travel.

If you haven't ever talked to young students about your bicycle travels ... you should.

You may think your trip across your state or across America pales in comparison to the hundreds of blogs and posts of epic world travelers. But to the students you take the time to visit ... you'll be Columbus, Magellan, Neil Armstrong, and Amelia Earhart all wrapped into one. You'll rock their world.

The following is an excerpt from a column I wrote for Adventure Cyclist magazine in 2000 (pdf):

The question remains, how do today’s students get introduced to the bicycle as a vehicle of travel and discovery? Most are driven to school in SUVs until they reach the age where they can buy their own car. The media is saturated with advertisements about adventure, nearly all of which are connected to sales of automobiles, jet skis, and snowmobiles.

For the generation growing up today, the bicycle is something you put on top of your Ford Explorer until you reach a recreational trail. It is a toy, not a viable means of transportation. Just this past year I revisited my primary school while classes were in session. I walked onto the very same courtyard once saturated with bikes. It contained one lonely bike rack occupied by a total of three bikes.

But kids and students can only get excited about what they’ve been exposed to. One of the most rewarding experiences of my life came, not on a mountain pass in a far away country, but with my relationship with a third grade class in San Francisco.

Before I left for India, I promised Jennifer, a teacher friend of mine, I’d visit her school. I have to admit I wasn’t too excited about the experience. I figured that compared to video games, Power Rangers, and extreme sports, a guy on a bicycle was going to go over about as well as cold oatmeal.

I rode into her classroom with my bicycle fully loaded. To my surprise her students were totally enthralled with my bike, the same type of vehicle most of them already owned. After I talked about my planned journey, dozens of hands shot up when I asked if they had any questions.

Throughout my five-month journey I sent letters to the students. When they received them, they had to locate from where they’d been sent on a giant map of India in their classroom captioned, “Where’s Willie?”

Three months into my journey, I pulled into the city of Indore in central southern India. I had arranged to have mail sent there. There were a couple of letters from family and friends, and one large packet. Enclosed was a bundle of letters … every kid in Jennifer’s class had written to me.

Upon my return to the States I visited Jennifer’s class again. I had to break through a large “Welcome Back” banner held across the doorway. I spent the day with thirty future travelers, answering questions about tigers, mountain passes, and strange foods.

Then it was their turn. They all stood up and sang a song they had written for me and presented me with a gift, a hand-painted t-shirt of a bicycle wheel with the caption “The World for Willie.” The back of the shirt was filled with the pastel colored signatures of the kids. I stood in that classroom, tears rolling down my face, relishing in what has become one of my dearest travel memories.

I hope one day to open up my mailbox and pull out a postcard from a foreign land. I won’t recognize the name, but I’ll smile and laugh and cry. It will begin something like …

“Dear Willie,

Do you remember talking to my class several years ago?”

Will there be a next generation of adventure cyclists? There won’t be, unless those of us with a passion for bicycle travel find ways to share our passion with others.

Your passion ... pass it on.

illustration (Willie on Earth) by Zak


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SIGHTS AND SOUNDS appears on Friday afternoons. Willie Weir is a columnist for Adventure Cyclist magazine. His latest book Travels with Willie: Adventure Cyclist compiles his favorite writings over the last twelve years. He lives in Seattle with his wife Kat. You can read about their local adventures and life without a car at www.yellowtentadventures.com.

A Man, a Route, and a Dream Come True

Last month, while traveling around the U.S., we held a couple of gatherings in California to celebrate the release of Adventure Cycling's new Sierra Cascades Bicycle Route. While it was great to focus on the route, the best part for me was honoring the author of the route, Bil Paul, who drove long distances to attend both events.

Bil is too even-keeled to say this route is an obsession for him -- but it has been a major focus of his life. Many decades ago, he came up with the idea of charting a route along the Pacific Crest from the California-Oregon border to Lake Isabella, California. Ultimately, he created a little cut-and-paste booklet that, to his surprise, sold like crazy. It inspired him to develop a full book for a Pacific Crest Bicycle Route, from border to border. He spent a decade riding and researching this spectacular region. Nearly as arduous was finding a publisher. Bil finally found a small outfit in Livermore, California, named Bittersweet Publishing that was willing to take the plunge, printing 5,000 copies of the Pacific Crest Bicycle Trail.

As Bil told the gatherings in Santa Cruz and San Francisco, the book also sold "like hotcakes." The downside was that, while the book was selling, Bittersweet was suspending operations -- so only 5,000 copies were printed. (You can still find used copies -- the last time I looked at Amazon.com, four were available starting at $30.)

The upside is that the book came to my attention not long after becoming executive director at Adventure Cycling five years ago. (The title definitely hooked me -- I am an ardent Sierra-phile, having cycled, backpacked, and courted my wife throughout this incredible region.) Bil likes to tell the story of getting a call out of the blue -- from me -- asking if he'd be interested in having his route turned into an Adventure Cycling route and map set. I think he waited a nanosecond to answer.

Long story short, we hired Bil to do the updated research on the route, used that data to create the first Adventure Cycling route entirely using Geographic Information System (GIS) software, and published the map to major acclaim three weeks ago. Bil's route has opened new vistas to the traveling cyclist -- and will live on forever as part of the Adventure Cycling Route Network, now more than 40,000 miles.

As we wrapped up the Santa Cruz event, and I said farewell to Bil, he briefly had a faraway look in his eye. I didn't ask him what he was thinking, but I am guessing it was this: it was the look of a person who has devoted a large part of his life to an ambitious dream and sharing that dream with thousands of others. It may have dawned on him at that moment that he had truly succeeded and that, thanks to his commitment, people from around the world are going to experience the glories of the Pacific Crest under their own power, on a bicycle. How many other people can say they had a dream like that - and live to see it fulfilled?

Congratulations to Bil and the Adventure Cycling Routes & Mapping staff who brought the Sierra Cascades Bicycle Route to life -- and to all the riders who are going to tackle the Pacific Crest by bike, this summer and beyond.







Caption: Bil Paul (left) and Jim Sayer, executive director of Adventure Cycling Association. 
Photo courtesy of Bil Paul. Sierra Cascades graphic by Ed Jenne/Adventure Cycling Association


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JIM SAYER is the executive director of Adventure Cycling Association.

Updating the Atlantic Coast Bicycle Route, part 1

Though we like to offer new routes on a regular basis -- including loops and connectors like the upcoming Underground Railroad Alternate every couple of years, and long distance routes like Sierra Cascades Bicycle Route every four or five years -- it is also important to us to keep our existing route network in ship-shape. We compile all the feedback we receive about each of our routes to help us pinpoint which area needs our attention most.

Recently we were able to send a researcher out on the northern half of our Atlantic Coast Route. We had been collecting suggestions for a while and it was apparent that the steady growth in the Northeast was causing cyclists some problems along our routing.

So, we have made some significant changes to the route from Pleasant Valley, Connecticut, to Highland, New York. We have incorporated the newly opened Walkway Over The Hudson pedestrian bridge and we have shifted the route off of some U.S. and state highways onto more rural roads and the Harlem Valley Rail Trail, with only a few short stretches remaining on highways.

The other significant change we've made is our approach to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the Schuylkill Trail. The route now leads cyclists closer to the city and moves the endpoints between sections 2 and 3 to Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. This routing was suggested by a local cyclist and while it has more turns, it should be more pleasant to ride.

One important component of our maps is to offer cyclists entry to urban areas when possible. We had heard in the past that our route to Penn Station in New York City was less than enjoyable in places. While we didn't want to eliminate this option to get to the city, it is a great place to be a tourist after all, we were concerned about it. A solution was proposed to use the excellent train facilities available in the area. We settled on the train depot in Summit, New Jersey, as our destination for the New York City Spur. From there you can ride a train in comfort to Penn Station and explore to your heart's content.

Coming up later this summer, research will commence on the southern half of the Atlantic Coast Route. If you have suggestions, get them in soon! Leave a comment below or send us an email to routes-mapsATadventurecyclingDOTorg.

depicted in these photos: The left side is the Mid-Husdon Bridge where the Atlantic Coast Route used to cross the Hudson River between Poughkeepsie and Highland. The right side is the crossing that we use now, the Walkway Over the Hudson pedestrian bridge.

photo on left

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mooseblend/ / CC BY 2.0

photo on right used with permission from Kevin Newman


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GEOPOINTS BULLETIN is written by Jennifer 'Jenn' Milyko, an Adventure Cycling cartographer, and appears weekly, highlighting curious facts, figures and persons from Adventure Cycling's Route Network with tips and hints for personal route creation thrown in for good measure. She also wants to remind you that map corrections and comments are always welcome via the online Map Correction Form.

Meet Josh DeBruyn, Michigan's Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator

Meet Josh DeBruyn, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator for the Michigan State Department of Transportation. I had the opportunity to meet Josh face-to-face last fall at the Mid-America Trails and Greenways Conference held in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Josh, I learned, loves to travel by bicycle -- which really helps him in his job. Case in point, when I mentioned the fact that Adventure Cycling maps provide library locations along our routes -- it clicked! He instantly understood that libraries offer an important resource for traveling cyclists (shelter, computers/internet, & community information). Later, after the conference, Josh wrote to tell me that Michigan would be adding libraries as a feature to their regional bike maps.

Here's your chance to get to know a little bit more about Josh and the role he is playing in developing U.S. Bicycle Routes in the state of Michigan.

1) How did you first hear about the U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS)? I became aware of the USBRS when I became the bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for the Michigan Department of Transportation in 2006. Adventure Cycling and AASHTO had already developed the Corridor Plan with input from the former Michigan coordinator. After nearly a year without a coordinator, I was asked to review the corridor plan and become familiar with the project.

2) What inspired you to get involved? Michigan has a lot to offer bicyclist and I saw the USBRS as an excellent way to connect scenic vistas of the Great Lakes, open farmland, and peaceful woodlands, with friendly quaint communities and urban centers. While Michigan has an excellent road network, I understood that bicyclist would benefit from a predetermined network of facilities appropriate for cycling. Further, transportation and tourism benefits from such a network can have on positive benefit to Michigan and as such I felt the project was a worthwhile endeavor to become involved with.

3) What corridors is Michigan working on? Where do they go? Michigan is unique in that geographically it is difficult to get to due to the Great Lakes. Despite this challenge, Michigan has 6 corridors, second only to California and Illinois. Presently we are working on Route 35, along the eastern shores of Lake Michigan from the Indiana state line north to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan (and Canada) via the 5 mile long Mackinaw Bridge. Route 35 will offer the stunning vistas of Lake Michigan and plenty of ice cream in quaint, lakefront towns. We are also working on Routes 20 an east/west route connecting Michigan with Wisconsin and Canada via ferry. Route 20 travels through farmland and numerous small farming communities.

4) How are you supporting this work? Working in my role as bicycle and pedestrian coordinator with the Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT), I am supporting the USBRS as a liaison between local road agencies, individuals working on the ground to identify different routes, and ultimately with AASHTO to submit an application for designation when we get to that point. I travel the state extensively both for work and on personal trips so I am familiar with many of the routes being proposed. This personal knowledge has helped me offer suggestions to proposed routes that will help the routes be more direct and suitable for bicyclists not familiar with Michigan.

5) What is your association with Adventure Cycling Association? My association with Adventure Cycling is primarily as an advocate for improved bicycling conditions and policies in Michigan that support both recreational and utilitarian cycling throughout Michigan. I also serve as a liaison between Adventure Cycling and the Michigan DOT to promote and develop the USBRS.

6) What is your long-term hope for this national system? My long term hopes and vision of the USBRS is that it not only becomes a reality quickly, but that it heightens local and national awareness that bicycling is a safe, viable, and healthy form of regional and cross country transportation.

Photo courtesy of Josh DeBruyn

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BUILDING THE U.S. BICYCLE ROUTE SYSTEM (USBRS) is posted by Ginny Sullivan, USBRS coordinator at Adventure Cycling, and features news and updates related to the emerging U.S. Bicycle Route System. The USBRS project is a collaborative effort, spearheaded by a task force under the auspices of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). Members of the task force include officials and staff from state DOTs, the Federal Highway Administration, and nonprofits like the East Coast Greenway Alliance, and Mississippi River Trail, Inc.

National Bicycle Touring Portrait Collection

If you've visited us in Missoula, you may have encountered the silent and inquisitive, Greg Siple. One of Adventure Cycling's founders (and our art director), Greg sometimes appears with camera in hand and invites cyclists to pose for portraits and share a bit about their journeys and adventures. Some of these images hang in our office, some travel (as the "Bicycle Eclectic" show) to places like Ellensburg, Washington, where they are currently on display through June 19 at Central Washington University's Museum of Culture & Environment. Some live in our online gallery, take a quick tour.

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NEWS, NETWORKING, AND NEW MEDIA is written by Winona Bateman, Adventure Cycling's media director, and highlights cool media (articles, videos, photos, etc.) and meet-ups related to Adventure Cycling and bicycle travel. Writing a story about bicycle travel or Adventure Cycling Association? You can contact Winona via pressATadventurecyclingDOTorg. Visit our media room, view our news releases, or follow us on Twitter.

Big Week for the USBRS: Matching Challenge, Shipping Discount, and More!

Since launching the Build it. Bike it. Be a part of it. campaign on May 3rd, cyclists and other supporters have donated over $7,500 through Causes on Facebook and through the campaign's Change.org page. Counting these donations together with business donations and paper check contributions, we've raised just over $19,500 in the first two weeks of the campaign! A very big thanks to everyone who has contributed to help build the U.S. Bicycle Route System (USBRS)!

With the success of these first two weeks, we're hoping we can reach our goal of $20,000 in the next day or so and go on to raise even more support during next week -- the final week of our campaign.

To help us do just that, BOB has generously offered to match the first $1,000 in donations this week! So you can contribute $10 or more right now and instantly double your gift. Donate on Facebook's Causes or donate through Change.org (see below for USPS option).

Plus, our second business supporter for this week, BikeFlights, is offering a $10 discount to all donors to the campaign. So, after you have made your donation (on Causes or on Change.org), head on over to BikeFlights.com and make your shipping arrangements; enter “IGAVE10TOUSBRS” in the coupon code field. Save your $10 and head off on your next cycling adventure! BikeFlights was founded by cyclists, for cyclists to make traveling with your bike more convenient, affordable, and safer.

Many cyclists have donated in memory of or in honor of a loved one or fellow cyclist. Many have donated out of conviction that the USBRS will greatly improve cycling in America, or to honor their own passion for bicycle travel. Here's what a few of our donors have said about their contributions:

In celebration of our 25th anniversary of a bike ride across the country with my good buds: Russ, Dave, and Brad -- Thomas

This is a much-needed benefit for the cycling community and for the country at large. Glad to help in a small way. -- Kathleen


In the first two weeks of this campaign, we've also had a lot of recognition from cycling, and other, media outlets. Special thanks to Wend magazine for spreading the word about last week's matching challenge grant from TeamEstrogen.com (we met the challenge in 2 days!).

Plus, USA Cycling -- the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including road, track, mountain bike, BMX and cyclo-cross -- has just come on board as a media partner for the remainder of the campaign!

Thanks to all who have donated so far, and if you haven't, consider a $10 donation -- it will make a big difference, and remember, this week BOB will match it! Give $10 and the U.S. Bicycle Route System gets $20.

Donate today on Causes or through Change.org (or, see below for USPS option).

Thanks again so much for your support!

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BUILD IT. BIKE IT. BE A PART OF IT. is a month-long fundraising campaign to help build the U.S. Bicycle Route System. Donations will help sustain Adventure Cycling's ongoing organizing and mapping efforts for this project. Donate on Causes or Change.org. You can also mail donations to Adventure Cycling, 150 E. Pine Street, Missoula, MT, 59802. Please write the phrase “be a part of it” in the note.

Business supporters of the campaign include BikeFlights.com, BOB, Klean Kanteen, Red Arrow Group, Renaissance Bicycles, Salsa Cycles, and Team Estrogen.

Media partners are helping to spread the word about the Build it. Bike it. Be a part of it. campaign; they include Bicycle Radio, Momentum, New Belgium Brewing, NewWest.net, Pedal Pushers, USA Cycling, and Wend.

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Posted by WINONA BATEMAN, media director for Adventure Cycling Association.

Bridging the Great Divide

If you’d like some fun and heartfelt reading, tap into the Letters of Intent from those who have committed to entering this year’s Tour Divide race along the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route. (Maybe they should be committed, but that’s another story.)

Consider this one, for instance, from Forest Baker of Sunnyvale, California:
Hello, This is indeed my “letter of intent,” but I would prefer to elevate my commitment and, instead, call this my “letter of DO.” I’ve given my “intent” to my wife, employer, family, and friends, so now it’s time to pony up and turn this into some “DO.”
I DO have a leave of absence from my company.
I DO have huge credit card bills mounting up from buying loads of gear for this odyssey.
I DO have love handles and pasty white skin whose days are numbered.
I DO look forward to lining up next to other like-minded souls in Banff.
May we all make good on our intentions.

And this one from Suzanne Marcoe of Portland, Oregon:
This summer I plan on becoming unemployed and catching up on all the mountain biking that I have been missing out on in recent years. I think 2,745 miles should probably cover it, so I will be lining up under Mt. Rundle on June 11th. It’s time to leave behind the mind- (and soul-) numbing boredom of the nine to five. See you in Banff.

Finally, this one from Dave Blumenthal of Monpelier, Vermont:
I'll be there for TD '10, it's just my kind of fun. With all my heart I'm looking forward to the liberty of a simple goal, chasing peace under a crisp dawn, developing a fine patina of scuz, and rediscovering the merits of the Little Debbie. When you're sorting out who's who in Banff, I'm the 6'-7" bearded guy on a really big Niner.

There’s a lot more where those came from. So far, 45 crazies — but definitely not lazies — have signed up for the unsupported, 2,745-mile Tour Divide. The starting gun sounds at 9 a.m. on June 11 in Banff, Alberta.

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BIKING WITHOUT BORDERS is posted every Monday by Michael McCoy, Adventure Cycling’s field editor, and highlights a little bit of this or a little bit of that — just about anything, as long as it’s related to traveling by bicycle. Mac also compiles the organization's twice-monthly e-newsletter Bike Bits, which goes free-of-charge to 38,000 readers worldwide.