Bike Rides Across America

If a bicycle vacation sounds appealing, but you don’t make the RAGBRAI lottery, do not despair.

This is a banner year for bicycle tours, with dozens of multi-day rides in more than half the states of the nation.

What follows is a list of rides, in a variety of locations. There’s something for almost every ability level, ranging from the relaxed 30 to 40 miles a day of PALM (Pedal Across Lower Michigan), to mountainous challenges in such states as Arizona and Washington. There is also a wide range of group sizes, with some tours open to thousands of participants, and others limited to less than 100.

Of these tours, all but the Seattle-to-Portland tour offer basic amenities: baggage transport, some form of accommodations (generally camping) and sag wagons (used in the event that either the rider or the bicycle can’t complete the day).

Most tours also provide water stops, occasional snacks, maps, first aid and T-shirts or other souvenirs.

In addition to the basics, some tours also provide bus service (which can be important on point-to-point routes), meals and evening entertainment.

Sometimes such features are included in the basic fee; sometimes they are separately-priced options.

Many rides are popular and fill quickly. The Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska and Colorado’s Ride the Rockies, for example, already are full for 1990, and are included on the list only for people planning for 1991.

When contacting one of the listed rides, send a business-size, self-addressed, stamped envelope.

If you are looking for tours that don’t appear on this list, try contacting bike clubs or bike shops in the part of the country you are interested in visiting. They often are very helpful.

Bike America (previously known as AFFBRAAM). June 3-Aug. 24; 5,050-mile transcontinental tour, Anacortes, Wash., to Belfast, Me. Consists of 12 connected cross-state rides. Limit: 300 riders per segment. Fee: $120 per segment, if postmarked before May 1; discount for multiple segments. Contact: Box 29, Northfield, Minn. 55057, (507) 663-1268. Individual segments are: 1) Washington, June 3-8, Anacortes to Newport, 472 miles; 2) Rocky Mountain, June 10-17, Newport to Columbia Falls, Mont., 490 miles; 3) Park to Park, June 17-23, Glacier National Park to Yellowstone National Park, 462 miles; 4) Montana, June 24-29, West Yellowstone to Beach, N.D., 502 miles; 5) North Dakota, July 1-5, Beach to Fargo, 363 miles; 6) Minnesota, July 7-13, Fargo to Lake City, 510 miles; 7) Wisconsin, July 15-20, Lake City to Kewaunee, (continues to Michigan with a ferry ride across Lake Michigan), 402 miles; 8) Michigan, July 22-27, Ludington to Morenci, 373 miles; 9) Ohio, July 29-Aug. 3, Morenci to Bessemer, Pa., 435 miles; 10) Pennsylvania, Aug. 5-10, Bessemer to Bath, N.Y., 389 miles; 11) New York, Aug. 12-17, Bath to Clintonville, 352 miles, and 12) New England, Aug. 19-24, Clintonville to Belfast, Me., 370 miles.

Oklahoma Freewheel. June 9-16; 468 miles, Marietta, Okla., to Noel, Mo. Ride is in its 12th year. No limit (3500 expected). Fee: $2 (to cover postage costs), includes usual services; no meals. Contact: Tulsa World, P.O. Box 1770, Tulsa, Okla. 74102, Attention: Freewheel; (918) 581-8385.

Biking Across Kansas. June 9-16; west-to-east tour by three routes converging in Pittsburg, Kan.; all routes are approximately 500 miles. Limit: 300 riders per route. Tour is extremely popular and fills by mid-February. Fee: $75; includes indoor lodging, some meals. Bus from Kansas City or Wichita, probably $50-$60 round trip. Contact: Norma Christie, 809 N. Parkwood, Wichita, Kan. 67208, (316) 682-4086.

BRAN (Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska). June 10-16; Sidney to Omaha, 445 miles. Route varies each year, always crosses state from west to east, ending near Omaha. Limit: 500. This year’s ride already is full. To apply for 1991, send SASE during December, 1990, and send back registration form by return mail. Ride fills within one week of time applications are mailed out in January. Fee: $50 this year. Bus available. Contact: Northwest Rotary, 10730 Pacific St., Suite 218, Omaha, Neb. 68114.

Sierra to the Sea. June 16-23; Columbia State Park, Calif., to San Francisco, 400 miles. Limit: 96. Fee: $250, includes bus to and from San Jose and seven meals. Contact: John Halverson, 1125 Shenandoah Drive, San Jose, Calif. 95125.

Ride the Rockies. June 17-22; Craig, Colo., to Boulder, Colo., 391 miles. Limit: 2,000, filled by lottery on March 2. Fee: $110, bus available. Contact: The Denver Post, 1560 Broadway, Denver, Colo. 80202, (303) 820-1338.

BRAG (Bicycle Ride Across Georgia). June 17-23; begins on north side of Atlanta, ends in Albany, approximately 350 miles. No limit (2,000 attended last year). Fee: $35 last year. Contact: P.O. Box 14531, Savannah, Ga. 31416, (912) 439-9203.

GOBA (The Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure). June 17-23; 350-mile loop in north-central Ohio. No limit (2500 expected). Fee: $50, discount for families. Entertainment planned in each overnight stop. Contact: P.O. Box 14384, Columbus, Ohio 43214, (614) 447-1006.

CAMP (Cycle Across Missouri Parks). June 17-23; St. Charles to Weston, about 400 miles. All nights in state parks or at historic sites. Limit: 300 (didn’t fill last year). Fee: $120, shuttle $25 extra, includes most meals. Contact: 7187 Manchester Road, St. Louis, Mo. 63143, (314) 644-4660 (days).

TOBRAW (The Other Bicycle Ride Around Wisconsin). Consists of four tours run separately on different dates: 1) M & M Tour, June 23-29, Fountain City to Milwaukee (“M & M” stands for “Mississippi to Lake Michigan”), 365 miles; 2) Dorms of the Hidden Valley, July 9-14, 385-mile loop through the hill country of southwestern Wisconsin; 3) Door County and Washington Island, July 23-28; from the extreme tip of Door County to Milwaukee, 325 miles, and 4) North Woods Country, Aug. 5-11; Wausau to Milwaukee, Wis., 315 miles. Limit: 125 per tour (300 for Dorms of the Hidden Valley), but may be expanded depending on number of registrations. Fee: $160 per tour for early registration, includes most meals and shuttle bus. Contact: Mel Welch, 3632 W. Maple St., Milwaukee, Wis. 53215, (414) 383-5563.

PALM (Pedal Across Lower Michigan). June 23-29; west-to-east across Michigan by two routes: Montague-Port Huron, and St. Joseph-Monroe, about 250 miles each. Because of its relatively short distance, this ride caters to beginners and families. Limit: 500 per tour (fills in mid-February). Fee: $60 (meals cost an additional $51, bus available). Contact: P.O. Box 7161, Ann Arbor, Mich. 48107, (313) 665-6327.

TRIRI (The Ride in Rural Indiana). June 24-30; 450-mile loop through southeastern Indiana. Spends each night in a state park.

Limit: 500. Fee: $60. Contact: Bloomington Bicycle Club, P.O. Box 463, Bloomington, Ind. 47402, (812) 332-6028.

STP (Seattle to Portland). June 30-July 1; two-day, 190-mile ride with one-day option. This is the big event for the Pacific Northwest.

Limit: 8,000 (reduced from 10,000 last year). Fee: $40, bus available. No sag service so be prepared to care for yourself. Contact: P.O. Box 31299, Seattle, Wash. 98103.

GRABAAWR (Great Annual Bicycle Adventure Along the Wisconsin River. June 30-July 7; Land O’Lakes to Prairie du Chien, Wis., 500 miles. Limit: undecided, 400 riders last year; may fill early this year due to cancellation of SAAGBRAW. Fee: $115, including bus ($85 without bus), or $15 per daily segment. Most nights offer indoor option in gymnasiums. Contact: Common Cause, 16 N. Carroll St., Suite 310, Madison, Wis. 53703, (608) 256-2686.

Washington State Sampler. June 30-July 8, 614-mile loop beginning and ending at SEA-TAC Airport, with two crossings of the Cascade Mountains. Limit: 100. Fee: $200. Includes 10 meals. Contact: CBTS, 1402-73rd, Everett, Wash. 98203, (206) 353-4548.

NYRATS (New York Ride Across the State). July 28-Aug. 5; Buffalo to New York City, 650 miles. Limit: 75 (fills in late June).

Fee: $300 before July 1, includes dormitory accommodations. Airport shuttle may be available at each end of tour. Contact: Mid-Hudson Bicycle Club, P.O. Box 1727, Poughkeepsie, N.Y. 12601; (914) 297-4246, (914) 297-2676 or (914) 473-7520.

Cycle Across Maryland. Aug. 5-11; Havre de Grace to St. Mary’s City, 350 miles. Limit: 1,500 (over 500 attended last year’s inaugural ride). Fee: $100 before May 15, includes nightly entertainment. Shuttle to and from Baltimore, $50 extra. Contact: P.O. Box 11299, Baltimore, Md. 21239, (800) 842-BANK.

BAMMI (Bicycle Across the Magnificent Miles of Illinois). Aug. 5-12; Chicago to Quincy, 500 miles. Limit: 500, fills by June. Fee: $160 plus $100 minimum pledge; includes meals. Bus back to Chicago available at extra fee ($18 last year). Contact: Chicago Lung Assn., 1440 W. Washington Blvd., Chicago, Ill. 60607, (312) 243-2000.

Oregon Bicycle Ride. Aug. 18-25; Joseph to Pacific City, 540 miles. Limit 250, starts taking applications in early March, and fills in 3-4 weeks. Fee: $225, includes most meals. Shuttle service extra ($60 last year). Contact: 1324 NW Vicksburg, Bend, Ore. 97701, (503) 382-0740.

DALMAC (Dick Allen Lansing to Mackinac tour). Aug. 29-Sept. 2. Four- or five-day event, featuring options to suit almost every level of ability. Offers several different routes, including a four-day, 400-mile version, which merge and separate in a complex dance that runs most of the length of Michigan, culminating in an en masse crossing of the Mackinac Bridge. Limit: 1,500 (fills by May 1). Fee: $69 for the four-day, $93 for the five-day, including most meals. Some options add to the basic fee. Bus back to Lansing available for $29. Contact: P.O. Box 17088, Lansing, Mich. 48901, (517) 332-5331.

Tour of Southern Utah’s National Parks. Sept. 9-15; 230-mile loop, with full days off in Zion and Bryce National Parks. Limit: 45. Fee: $75 last year. Contact: Carl Ehrman, 3247 Bon View Drive, Salt Lake City, Utah 84109, (801) 278-9386.

Cycle Oregon. Sept. 9-15; route to be announced, but will be approximately 500-miles east-to-west across the state. Limit: 2,000 (1,996 attended last year). Fee: to be determined ($95 last year, included some meals). Shuttle extra. Contact: 595 Cottage St., NE, Salem, Ore. 97310, (503) 373-1270.

BRAT (Bicycle Ride Across Tennessee). Sept. 23-29; 430 miles from Davy Crockett’s birthplace near the North Carolina border to the vicinity of Winchester. All nights but one are spent in state parks. Fee: $50, bus $30 extra, or try flying into Kingsport and out of Huntsville, Ala). Contact: Program Services, Tennessee State Parks, 701 Broadway, Nashville, Tenn. 37219-5237, (615) 742-6675.

Grand Canyon to Mexico Almost Across Arizona Bicycle Ride. Sept. 28-Oct. 7; South Rim, Grand Canyon, to Nogales, Ariz., 500 miles. Special celebrations planned for this year, the tour’s 10th anniversary. Riders will leave in three groups, departing Grand Canyon Sept. 28, 29 and 30. Mileage ranges from 500 to 560. All groups converge in southern Arizona for last portion of tour. Optional four-day, 270-mile ride (new for 1990) from Scottsdale to Grand Canyon, Sept. 24-27. Limited number of backpacking permits available for layover days in Grand Canyon. Limit: 150 per group on main portion of ride; 100 on ride from Scottsdale to the Canyon. Will probably fill in June. Fee: $250 for main ride, includes bus, nine meals; $125 for northbound option, includes four meals. Contact: P.O. Box 40814, Tucson, Ariz. 85733, (602) 325-8114 or (602) 298-5768.

Florida Bicycle Safari. Nov. 10-15; 420-mile loop in north-central Florida. No limit, 500 riders last year. Fee: $75 last year. Contact: 11510 E. Colonial Drive, Orlando, Fla. 32817, (407) 273-2300.