Biking Across Kansas

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Biking Across Kansas June 7-14, 2025, https://bak.org

For those who missed it during BAK, watch this presentation and panel discussion that covered the origins of Biking Acro...
22/07/2024

For those who missed it during BAK, watch this presentation and panel discussion that covered the origins of Biking Across Kansas starting in 1975. The BAK history research was a collaboration of BAK riders Pete Simonson and Charles Walther. Video by David Mayes. June 9, 2024, Ness City, Kansas.

A presentation and panel discussion about the origins of Biking Across Kansas. Commemorating the 50th year of this annual tour. June 9, 2024, Ness City, Kansas.

BAK 2024: Article from the Scott County Record, June 13, 2024. Interesting recollections from Doug Christie, son of BAK ...
17/06/2024

BAK 2024: Article from the Scott County Record, June 13, 2024. Interesting recollections from Doug Christie, son of BAK founders, Larry and Norma Christie.

KSN report on BAK 2024.
12/06/2024

KSN report on BAK 2024.

Drivers in central and northern Kansas are seeing hundreds of bicyclists making their way across the state.

10/06/2024

Here is the full BAK history article written by Pete Simonson and Charles Walther

“Fifty Years of Biking Across Kansas”

Though we might think of BAK in terms of its ‘B’—the biking—it's actually an ensemble of many things, as it has been since it began in 1975. Biking Across Kansas is of course riders on their bikes, but it is also organizers, volunteers, small towns, back roads, families, old and new friends, food, stories, Kansas’s weather and landscapes, and a spirit of adventure and community shared among people from different backgrounds. Details have changed along the way, but all these things were part of BAK from the start.

Origins

Flash back to September, 1974. A small group of friends from Wichita are sitting around a campfire outside Winfield after riding a century. The conversation turns to what rides they’d like to do in the future. One of them, Larry Christie, suggests biking across the state, thinking it would just be six or so of them and a support vehicle. Over the next months, however, the idea grew, driven by Larry and his wife Norma.

The group by the fire were members of Wichita’s Oz Bicycle Club, which had formed the previous year. That club, whose leader was called the Wizard, set a tone for BAK that continues today. It included folks of all ages, of different political persuasions and stations in life, united by a love of cycling. There were middle-aged professionals, countercultural 20-somethings, and eager teenagers. Some preferred leisurely tours in the countryside, while others liked to ride fast. They socialized with each other, welcomed newcomers, put out a newsletter, and hosted regular meetings that included presentations on various aspects of cycling. Members worked on and sometimes built their own bikes, and they shared a collective do-it-yourself ethic.

The first BAK took shape against the backdrop of a larger bicycle boom. Beginning in the 1960s, bikes began to be more than childhood pastimes or transportation for those who couldn’t afford a car. They also became desirable objects for adults, especially those in the white middle and professional classes. Between 1965 and 1974, the number of bikes sold to adults in the U.S. increased twentyfold, with 1972-74 being the high-water mark. When a new shop opened in Hays in the summer of 1970, for instance, it sold 75 bikes on the first day. The American-made Schwinn Varsity was a popular entry-level 10 speed, but more serious cyclists who could afford them bought the company’s high-end Continental or European imports from companies like Raleigh, Motobecane, Peugeot, and Gitane.

One driver of sales was increasing public attention to physical fitness and health. President Dwight Eisenhower’s 1955 heart attack had initiated this trend, and his physician, Paul Dudley White, became a high-profile advocate for cycling as a means of cardiovascular health. Jogging as we know it began in Eugene, Oregon in 1963, and a book on the subject published in 1967 sold a million copies. Larry Christie bought a Schwinn Varsity in 1966 but didn’t begin riding regularly until 1972, when at 37 he felt the need to get into better shape. Others who purchased bikes were motivated more by the era’s new environmental awareness, which sometimes overlapped with a sense that fast-paced, technologically driven modern life damaged society and soul alike. From this perspective, the bike was a non-polluting mode of transport, a form of leisurely self-renewal, and an appealing countercultural symbol. The fitness and environmental sides of the bike boom were aided by new government support for bicycle infrastructure—dedicated bike paths, designated routes on shared streets, and rails-to-trails projects. This took place as advocates debated whether cyclists should have their own bikeways or insist on the same rights to the road as cars and trucks. As a cross-state tour on open highways, BAK also functioned as an argument, in Larry Christie’s words, for the right of bikes to “continue to be able to share the roads with other vehicles.”

The bike boom brought renewed interest to long-distance bicycle touring. American Youth Hostels (AYH) published an atlas of bike touring routes and accommodations. In 1972, two young couples with AYH connections set off on a ride from Alaska to the tip of South America which was publicized in a National Geographic article. Along the way, they hatched the idea of a coast-to-coast U.S. route to celebrate the nation’s 200th birthday, which they dubbed Bikecentennial. The Christies learned of it and offered their eight-day cross-state ride as a test-run for the Kansas portion of the route and possible overnight accommodations along the way. They were also aware of the first Great Bicycle Rides Across Iowa, in 1973 and ‘74 (now known as RAGBRAI), though they would say that it didn’t much influence their own plans. There was almost no precedent for what they were doing. In the words of Al Hicklin, who ran Newton’s Coventry Cycles and served as the mechanic on the first BAK, “BAK was a very, very big dream in 1975. Outside the box. On the edge.”

BAK in 1975 was an Oz event, but the Christies took the lead and did most of the work. They enlisted a public relations firm to help get the word out, submitted notices of the event to national cycling magazines, reached out to other Kansas bike clubs, and sent letters to mayors in the overnight towns along the route. Mailed notes of interest poured into the Christies’ house, many from out of state. There was no advanced registration—people were just to show up in Tribune for the Saturday morning start. There were also no fees. The club would raise funds from selling three-dollar T-shirts that members silk-screened in the Christie basement. Along the way, they also took up donations to help pay for accommodations in the school gymnasiums, 4-H buildings, and, in St. Paul, a former monastery, where they stayed the nights. Local hosts may have been unsure of what to expect from the group, but they were typically very accommodating within the bounds of local mores. The Superintendent of the Ransom schools, Carl Thieszen, who would later ride BAK himself, was happy to offer the gym in his new high school but requested that there be “no smoking in the building and no beer or strong drink taken on the school grounds.”

To the Christies’ delight, 76 cyclists showed up in Tribune, aged 13 to 70. Most were from Kansas, with the bike clubs of Wichita, Topeka, and Lawrence highly represented. About 10 came from out of state, including three men from Columbus, Georgia, two women from El Paso, and a 62-year-old dairy farmer from Wisconsin. The editor of the Hutchinson News sent two reporters, Mary Jane Dunlap and Randy Attwood, who cycled and phoned in their stories daily. Everyone had to arrange for someone to haul their gear, which sometimes meant taking turns driving the VW bus a group drove out in. The group launched on Saturday morning, with Cy Higgins, a wheat farmer and head of the Greeley County Historical Society, cutting the ribbon for the mass start—a BAK ritual that continued until 2005.

The riders ate in cafes and steakhouses along the way, some of which, despite Norma Christie’s best efforts, were totally unprepared for the crowd of famished riders. Other times, civic groups prepared meals as fundraisers. There was a contingent of young racers and fast riders who were often last to stir in the morning and first to arrive in the afternoon, eager to grab a gym mat for the wood floor. Others meandered, taking in the wildflowers and historic sites in a way unavailable to motorists who sped past them. Young men with beards and women in cutoff shorts mingled with clean-cut fitness enthusiasts in their sixties. They often took cold showers in schools that had turned off their boilers for the summer. Newton’s Coventry Cycles provided roving mechanical assistance. The group was small enough that those who were interested could talk with all the other riders. There was a great sense of shared adventure and community. People in the local communities were curious and generally quite welcoming to this unusual group, though there were two reports of local teenagers mooning cyclists. It turned out to be the first instance of what a later rider would call the “cultural exchanges” that occur on BAK between small towns and the passing ensemble. To keep the community and vibe going, the Christies organized a second, south-to-north ride that September.

BAK by the Decades

After 1975, BAK became an annual event and fixture of the Kansas cycling community. In 1976, it gained recognition from the state’s Bicentennial commission, with one requirement being that history be emphasized. Larry Christie, who worked as a graphic designer in the aviation industry, incorporated historical background information on his meticulously drawn route maps, which continues to this day. Evening meetings were the main mode of communication during the week, and they blended information, entertainment, prizes, and brief talks about local history and geology by Oz’s Bill Easton. Organizers used walkie-talkies to talk with each other along the route, a practice that continued until cell phones became common in the 2000s. Meanwhile, if riders wanted to talk with their loved ones back home, they needed to wait in line for pay telephones in the overnight towns. Safety was a major focus, and at a time when most riders wore cycling caps, the Christies arranged to sell Bell helmets as part of the registration process. In 1977, they established BAK as its own entity, but they would continue to draw heavily on a volunteer committee largely made up of Oz club members. That year, instead of a cross-state ride, there was a weekend rally in Abilene, complete with rides and educational seminars. The community and family-oriented spirit of the first ride was solidified further by mailing out a list of names and addresses of all the riders to facilitate connecting with others. This was deepened through BAK reunions that took place—through Labor Day gatherings and then on the weekend of Octoginta, the annual 80-mile ride in Lawrence, where the Christies put on elaborate multi-projector slide shows and dropped teasers about the next year’s ride. Friendships solidified among the riders and volunteers, many of which remain to this day.

The 1980s brought different kinds of growth to BAK. As the fitness boom expanded, ridership did too. While the 1970s BAK’s were heavily populated by serious cyclists who logged thousands of miles annually, the event went more mainstream in the 1980s. Relatively casual riders signed up for the experience, many of whom reported that they cycled fewer than 500 miles a year, or less than the total they would do in the 8-day BAK. Ridership reached 200 in 1981, which prompted the Christies to expand BAK to two routes in 1982 to maintain the intimacy of the earlier rides. It doubled to 470 riders in 1985 and continued to grow, raising safety concerns for the organizers, who added a third route in 1989. The logistics became more complex, and the Christies recruited BAK committee member Sherry McKee from Salina as a third director to assist them during the event. She continued in this role until their retirement in 2001. With ridership cresting 1,000, BAK took over the Christies’ modest house. The phone rang constantly, and the post office stopped delivering mail because the volume had gotten so high. Much of the organizational and planning work was tripled, but the event continued with volunteer labor from the BAK committee, and the Christies never took a salary. The SAG volunteers, who often took a week’s vacation to be part of the experience, began to develop their own culture and lasting friendships, and by the ‘90s a group of self-identified “SAG Hags” were dressing in costumes and having a complementary sort of great fun. 1984 saw the introduction of the Macintosh personal computer, which the Christies soon adopted to draw route guides, maintain entrant databases, and put out a regular BAK newsletter. Committee member Dave Rohr, a young graphic designer who would later become Chair of the BAK Advisory Board, helped Larry Christie create the first digital route guide in 1985, and they are the only two people to have drawn route maps over BAK’s history. The 1980s also saw increasing competition from other cross-state tours, which by 1987 numbered 44.

The 1990s brought technological and other innovations as upwards of 1,200 riders spread across BAK’s three routes each year. The routes, which were given clever ‘B-A-K' names (e.g., Bumpy, Awesome, Kinky), ran roughly parallel while coming together in the last town of the week for a grand celebration. In 1991 (the same year Fort Hays State offered a one-credit course for students riding BAK), the Christies partnered with Wichita’s Bill Sheldon to organize a south-to-north Mountain Biking Across Kansas in October, beyond the regular June ride. That one-time event reflected the growing popularity of mountain bikes, mass produced since the early 1980s, while anticipating the gravel biking boom of the 2000s. In 1994, the Christies received the Governor’s Tourism Award in recognition of two decades of work helping thousands of people experience the beauty and small towns of Kansas at bike speed. In one estimate, an overnight stop of 400 cyclists created some $10,000 of new business into a town. The 1990s saw riders on recumbent bikes, carbon-fiber bikes, and specially designed bikes for people with disabilities. The decade also brought the rise of the Internet and e-mail. An AOL electronic bulletin board, BikeNet, launched in 1993, and Rohr developed a website for BAK two years later. It included information on the ride, an entry form, an e-mail link, and, during BAK week, live daily updates available to interested parties scattered across the new, virtual world.

In 2001, after 25 years, the Christies retired as directors. According to their son, Doug (who had ridden the first BAK at 13), they did the hard work for so many years because “they just enjoyed getting all these people into cycling, and when it got to be an annual deal, all these friendships were made.” The Christies sold BAK to longtime rider and volunteer Charlie Summers, who ran it with Denise Duerksen’s assistance for a decade. In 2004, BAK returned to a single route, which has continued since. In 2006, that route saw an outbreak of norovirus, a highly infectious disease that causes vomiting and diarrhea. A quarter of the riders became ill, some were hospitalized, and the state health department launched an epidemiological investigation. Organizers learned a lesson that prompted the SAG-stop handwashing vigilance we see today. A less localized virus took center stage in 2020-21, when organizers canceled the regular event because of COVID 19—though some people rode their own, individual BAK distances as an alternative. After the long hiatus, the BAK community came together again for a weekend rally in Great Bend over Labor Day in 2021. On the technology front, cell phones began to proliferate among riders in the 2000s, which eventually ended the longstanding ritual of standing in line at pay phones and afforded the possibility of today’s text-based messaging between organizers and riders. Social media also came on the scene in the first decade of the century. BAK launched its page in 2009, Twitter and Instagram in 2013, all of which facilitated their own kinds of virtual community. Meanwhile, GPS devices have allowed cyclists to download the route onto a head unit or phone, but the tradition of meticulous route guides with historical commentary continues.

In 2012, Summers sold BAK to a newly formed non-profit, Biking Across Kansas, Inc., comprised of several long-serving BAK volunteers. The board of directors was headed by Rohr, a former Oz club member whose relationship with BAK dates to the 1970s. Many others who serve as volunteers or BAK riders also have decades-long participation in the event, carrying forward the ethos of the early years. In 2012, the board hired Stefanie Weaver to serve as BAK’s executive director. She brought a background in business and event planning and helped further professionalize an organization that had been built on grassroots, do-it-yourself communal effort. Weaver retired from the position in 2023, and the board appointed Bryan Toben the following year.

Longtime riders who participated in the first BAK’s widely comment on the fact that, though the event has grown, it maintains much of its traditional feel. Over five decades, those riders have seen changes that include population decline in western Kansas, the growth of regional population centers, improvement in the quality of roads, and the building of new schools with modern facilities and reliably hot showers. At the same time, most riders stay in gymnasiums or camp outside schools, just as they did in 1975. And as has long been the case, each year friendships are made and renewed as people turn away from the stresses of everyday life, experience the beauty of landscapes that change slowly from west to east, battle the winds and weather, relish food made by local volunteers, push themselves to accomplish something hard, and take part in small-scale cultural exchanges with different kinds of people along the way.

Pete Simonson ([email protected]) is a retired professor at the University of Colorado Boulder who specializes in the history of communication. Charles Walther ([email protected]) is a teacher of social studies and Kansas history at Shawnee Heights Middle School in Topeka. They are both Kansas natives who met and became friends on BAK. This short history is based on oral history interviews, research in the BAK archives at the Kansas Historical Society (KHS) in Topeka. and supporting literature on bicycle history. They would like to thank those they interviewed for sharing their memories, the KHS archivists for research assistance, Alec Murphy for collating data on riders, and Dave Rohr for offering orientation and essential support at every step of the way.

Lots of food options in Tribune.
06/06/2024

Lots of food options in Tribune.

We're excited to announce a special BAK event for Sunday evening, June 9,  in Ness City. "The Origins of Biking Across K...
01/06/2024

We're excited to announce a special BAK event for Sunday evening, June 9, in Ness City. "The Origins of Biking Across Kansas" is a slideshow presentation by Pete Simonson and Charles Walther, educators and BAK cyclists. Over the past few months, this duo has been conducting interviews and researching to better understand how and why BAK came to be. They have uncovered some interesting stories of the early beginnings of BAK and the 1970s cycling scene. In addition to their presentation, they will be moderating a conversation with cyclists who participated on BAK in the 1970s, some who rode on the very first year in 1975.

This FREE presentation is part of our 50th year celebration and is open to BAK 2024 participants, past participants, or anyone who has an interest in learning more about how BAK got its start. It will take place in Ness City on Sunday, June 9, 8 pm, in the High School Auditorium, 414 E. Chestnut Street.

01/06/2024
BAK Spokesmen:Calling all those who enjoy singing to join us while on BAK. We gather daily to sing some Barbershop songs...
26/05/2024

BAK Spokesmen:
Calling all those who enjoy singing to join us while on BAK. We gather daily to sing some Barbershop songs at 6:30 pm at the Media board in the lobby of the school of our daily visit. We will have the opportunity to sing at a Nursing home along the way as well as the final night celebration. Come join the fun.
Contact: Thomas Annis (cell) 785-672-2655 or email: [email protected]

The final pre-tour Q&A session is planned for tonight, May 25th at 7:00. For an invitation to the virtual meeting, pleas...
25/05/2024

The final pre-tour Q&A session is planned for tonight, May 25th at 7:00. For an invitation to the virtual meeting, please email Q&A to [email protected]

Looking for transportation to Tribune on June 7th? The BAK bus partner out of Wichita has some seats remaining. Informat...
23/05/2024

Looking for transportation to Tribune on June 7th? The BAK bus partner out of Wichita has some seats remaining. Information can be found on the BAK website or through the contact information below.

FEES: $160 Wichita to Tribune
Contact: Zach and Phet Brewer
email: [email protected]

A quick reminder that our travels across the state will see numerous fundraisers run by communities, museums, churches, ...
21/05/2024

A quick reminder that our travels across the state will see numerous fundraisers run by communities, museums, churches, schools, student-led organizations, and more! These groups have all volunteered their time to put together meals, snacks, and events for our benefit with the hope of raising money.

The list of fundraising events includes new uniforms, a church roof, a fire station, books, maintenance, and much much more. When you visit these fundraisers, please be kind, thankful, and generous if possible.

Also, please remember that cash is going to be the primary means of payment, so bring enough with you to get through the week and bring smaller bills so that these groups can properly provide you with change.

Thank you in advance for being the amazing BAK family these communities all know and love.

For the safety of everyone involved in Biking Across Kansas, we ask that non-riding support vehicles stay off of the mai...
19/05/2024

For the safety of everyone involved in Biking Across Kansas, we ask that non-riding support vehicles stay off of the main route. The additional traffic, paired with drivers trying to see or talk to their friends and loved ones creates situations that put everyone at risk.

When you check in for BAK please ask about the alternate route we have already mapped. You may also develop a route that lets you meet your rider in your designated spots but keeps the extra traffic off the primary roads.

Please help us keep everyone safe.

Thank you

The final pre-tour Q&A session is planned for May 25th at 7:00. For an invitation to the virtual meeting, please email Q...
12/05/2024

The final pre-tour Q&A session is planned for May 25th at 7:00. For an invitation to the virtual meeting, please email Q&A to [email protected]

Wishing you and yours a Happy Mother's Day from the entire BAK family. Have a great day, stay safe, and we will see you ...
12/05/2024

Wishing you and yours a Happy Mother's Day from the entire BAK family. Have a great day, stay safe, and we will see you in a few weeks!

BAK Spokesmen:Calling all those who enjoy singing to join us while on BAK. We gather daily to sing some Barbershop songs...
10/05/2024

BAK Spokesmen:
Calling all those who enjoy singing to join us while on BAK. We gather daily to sing some Barbershop songs at 6:30 pm at the Media board in the lobby of the school of our daily visit. We will have the opportunity to sing at a Nursing home along the way as well as the final night celebration.

Come join the fun.
Contact: Thomas Annis email: [email protected]

The time has come to name our amazing BAK merchandise store! Voting starts now and ends Tuesday night at 10:00 pm CST. P...
05/05/2024

The time has come to name our amazing BAK merchandise store! Voting starts now and ends Tuesday night at 10:00 pm CST.

Please add a comment with the number of the name you like.
You may only vote once.

Thank you to those who submitted suggestions!

1. THE BAK RACK
2. THE SWAG STOP
3. THE KICK STAND
4. THE BIKE RACK

NEW for 2024!! Check out the new Passport and Activities that will be in your 2024 route guide! A huge thank you to Jenn...
04/05/2024

NEW for 2024!! Check out the new Passport and Activities that will be in your 2024 route guide! A huge thank you to Jenniffer and Lydia for all their work on this project. These pages are filled with brain teasers, games, activities, challenges, and opportunities for participants to be nominated for awards.

Awards include the return of the Kansas Spirit Award for those having an incredibly positive attitude and being an amazing BAK ambassador. The Training Wheels Award is for those who goofed, but are laughing about it, and the MacGyver Award is for those who have innovative solutions and accessories to solve daily challenges.

There is now a Spirit Day for each day of the tour, please join us in showing your amazing love for Kansas and BAK on these fun-filled days.

We look forward to experiencing this and more with you in just over four weeks!

BAK will host a virtual Question & Answer session tonight at 7:00 pm CST. If you are interested in learning more or have...
27/04/2024

BAK will host a virtual Question & Answer session tonight at 7:00 pm CST. If you are interested in learning more or have questions about the tour please email [email protected] and we will send you an invitation.

We are saddened to report the passing of our friend, Charlie Summers, 77, a long-time resident of Newton, Kansas and for...
11/04/2024

We are saddened to report the passing of our friend, Charlie Summers, 77, a long-time resident of Newton, Kansas and former Executive Director of Biking Across Kansas. (April 10, 2024)

Charlie's first BAK was in 1978 and he joined the volunteer committee in 1981. He later served as a BAK Route Leader for several years. In 2002, Charlie came forward to lead Biking Across Kansas after the retirement of Larry and Norma Christie. He served as BAK Director until 2011, stepping away due to health issues.

Charlie was a particularly strong cyclist, riding thousands of miles each year in Kansas and in several other states. He was a fun-loving person--Charlie's many friends appreciated his unique sense of humor. He was a passionate supporter of Biking Across Kansas and always worked to make sure that it would continue for years to come. In 1987, the Iola newspaper asked Charlie Summers why he enjoyed BAK so much. His reply: “the only responsibility you have is to get on your bike, point it in the right direction and go. You get to act like a kid again.”

Services will be held on April 19, 2 pm, Petersen Funeral Home, Newton, Kansas. https://www.petersenfamilyfuneralhome.com/obituaries/charles-summers

EXTENDED through APRIL 10! The pre-order deadline for the Women's FloraVelo Raceback and V-Neck with Sleeves jerseys has...
04/04/2024

EXTENDED through APRIL 10! The pre-order deadline for the Women's FloraVelo Raceback and V-Neck with Sleeves jerseys has been extended through April 10. Order today at https://bak.org/store/index.php

TWO DAYS LEFT TO PRE-ORDER! There are just two days left to pre-order a Biking Across Kansas 50th Year jersey for pickup...
28/03/2024

TWO DAYS LEFT TO PRE-ORDER! There are just two days left to pre-order a Biking Across Kansas 50th Year jersey for pickup or delivery. Styles available include Men's and Women's Peak 1 club cut with sleeves, Women's Floravelo Racerback, and Floravelo with sleeves. Pre-order before 11:59 PM, March 29 at: https://bak.org/store/index.php

BAK 2024 JERSEY DEADLINE APPROACHING ON MARCH 29. We want to remind you that you only have a few more days to pre-order ...
25/03/2024

BAK 2024 JERSEY DEADLINE APPROACHING ON MARCH 29. We want to remind you that you only have a few more days to pre-order a BAK 50th Year jersey. Don't miss the chance to wear your custom jersey in the official BAK group photo at the end of the tour! We will accept jersey orders through Friday, March 29, 11:59 pm (CDT). Jerseys can be purchased either for pick-up on BAK 2024, or mailed to your address. Limited quantities and sizes will be available for sale during BAK 2024. Order now at: https://bak.org/store/index.php or with your BAK registration at: https://www.bikereg.com/biking-across-kansas

Good morning BAK! Our registration count is up to 673 and moving quickly towards our limit of 700. If you plan to join u...
24/03/2024

Good morning BAK! Our registration count is up to 673 and moving quickly towards our limit of 700. If you plan to join us for the 2024 tour and have not registered, please do not wait any longer.

Good morning BAK! A quick reminder that we are hosting a virtual Q&A session this evening at 7:00 pm CST. In addition to...
23/03/2024

Good morning BAK!

A quick reminder that we are hosting a virtual Q&A session this evening at 7:00 pm CST. In addition to being available to answer questions and give you some insight into the 2024 tour, we will be joined by Ottawa Bike & Trail and Alpaca Adventures. Together we will cover services that they bring to the tour to help us make it a success.

If you would like to join us please send an email to [email protected] with Q&A in the subject line and we will send you a link to the virtual meeting.

Good evening BAK and welcome to March 2024! In just over three months we will once again gather together to begin our an...
02/03/2024

Good evening BAK and welcome to March 2024! In just over three months we will once again gather together to begin our annual tour of the beautiful state of Kansas. In the four weeks since registration opened we have had 570 people sign up to join us this year, which is an incredibly quick number in such a short time period. Thank you for your continued support!

Putting BAK together takes an incredible number of volunteers throughout the year and even more during the tour to make everything happen. Without the amazing support of these individuals, BAK simply would not be the same, so thank you to all of our volunteers!

We are always looking for more SAG volunteers, so if you or someone you know is interested please reach out to us at [email protected]. This is a great family experience and excellent opportunity for high school students needing volunteer hours.

In addition to our volunteers, the tour relies on amazing partners like Amy and Phet, who operate the incredible bus services from Wichita and Kansas City area to get participants and their equipment to Tribune.

We also are extremely fortunate to have Steve and his team with Alpaca Adventures join us to provide an amazing camping in style experience, e-bike charging and more.

If you are interested in any of these partners services please check them out on our BAK.org home page or reach out to them for more information.

Good morning BAK! Registrations have surpassed 500 in less than three weeks so please make sure you register soon if you...
17/02/2024

Good morning BAK!

Registrations have surpassed 500 in less than three weeks so please make sure you register soon if you have not already done so.

BAK 2024 jerseys went on sale yesterday! Thanks to Dave Rohr for his work in designing this historic jersey!

A virtual Q&A meeting is being held tonight, 2.17.24 from 7:00 to 8:30. If you are new to BAK, a seasoned BAK participant or just interested in learning more, please feel free to join us. For an invitation please email [email protected].

We are always looking for smiling faces to volunteer for SAGs, so if you or someone you know might be interested please email us at [email protected] to learn more!

Biking Across Kansas 50th Year Commemorative Jerseys now available for pre-order! Celebrate the 50th year of BAK with a ...
16/02/2024

Biking Across Kansas 50th Year Commemorative Jerseys now available for pre-order! Celebrate the 50th year of BAK with a special edition jersey that honors a half-century of memorable bicycling adventures across the state of Kansas. This colorful jersey features the 50th year BAK logo along with photo illustrations of cyclists on the first tour in 1975. Available in four styles: Peak 1 Men's and Women's club cut with sleeves, FloraVelo Women's Racerback, and FloraVelo Women's with sleeves. Pre-order now through March 29, 2024 at https://bak.org/store/index.php

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