Have you ever been on a historical bike ride? There's nothing like learning a little something while also enjoying a good ride and some company. There are tons of opportunities for a themed ride focusing on local, national, or even international history topics! If you have children, it could even be an opportunity for education over their summer break.One of the most memorable historical bike rides I've been on was Portland's Dead Freeways Ride, led by my friend Shawn, who recently visited the ACA office on the cross-continent adventure he's currently undertaking with his girlfriend April.
Here at Adventure Cycling, we've got some exciting historic routes for tourists to choose from, with even more in development:
? The Lewis and Clark Bicycle Trail traces the intrepid explorers from where the Corps of Discovery prepared for their journey in Hartford, Illinois; to the famous turnaround in Seaside, Oregon. Many of us know the basics of the expedition, but by biking this route you can relive the drama of their travels at a slow pace. The most thorough history buffs may want to read the Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition online as they travel, while kids may prefer the alternative perspective offered by Seaman's Journal.
? Follow the drinking gourd to journey north along the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route. Highlights include a former slave market in Mobile, Alabama; the Harriet Beecher Stowe House; Quaker safe houses; and Civil War battlefields. In August, Routes and Mapping will be releasing a Detroit spur, reflecting the decentralized nature of the Underground Railroad, and adding options for interested bike travelers. If I were going on a long bike tour, this is totally the one I would choose.
? Soon, you'll be able to make that California trip along the Route 66 Bicycle Route, currently under development. Route 66, aka the "Mother Road," began as one of the nation's first highways for cars, and was integral in westward migration during the Great Depression. The new route will use sections of the actual highway when possible, and provide many opportunities for touring cyclists to get familiar with the many small communities along the way. Watch the blog for Route 66 updates as a release date nears!
Another possibility: consider crafting your own alternate off of an existing Adventure Cycling route. Perhaps you could chart an Elvis-themed alternate to the Great Rivers Bicycle Route, detouring to Nashville and Memphis for some sightseeing, then rejoining the main route in Elvis' birthplace of Tupelo, Mississippi? Have you considered leading a truth-seeking jaunt to Roswell off the Southern Tier? How about organizing a Laura Ingalls Wilder ride off the Northern Tier or TransAm?
Have you done any of these tours, or created one of your own? Tell us about it!
Photo: Michigan Street Baptist Church, a well known safe house on the Underground Railroad in Buffalo, NY.
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BACKSTORIES is written by Heather Andrews, publications intern. By sifting through the Adventure Cycling archives, in this series Heather presents interesting and unusual documents that illuminate the organization's history.
BACKSTORIES is written by Heather Andrews, publications intern. By sifting through the Adventure Cycling archives, in this series Heather presents interesting and unusual documents that illuminate the organization's history.
Source: http://blog.adventurecycling.org/2011/07/historical-bike-routes-possibilities.html
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