Cyclists pedal across the prairie during last year's Bike Across Kansas (BAK) tour. The last leg of the tour this year will roll through Pleasanton on Saturday, June 17. (Screen capture/BAK Facebook page)
PLEASANTON – For a second time in June, the city of Pleasanton is expected to host hundreds of bikers this Saturday, June 17. This time, however, the bikes will mostly be pedal-powered as the 49th year of the Bike Across Kansas (BAK) will end its west to east journey on the Missouri state line east of Pleasanton.
More than 600 cyclists are expected to cruise through Pleasanton as early as 10 a.m. on the final leg of the nearly 540 mile trek. That journey began Friday afternoon, June 9, with a short 17 mile ride from the Colorado border to Elkhart, Kan.
The final 44-mile leg of the journey runs from Garnett, which is the last overnight stop, to the state border east of Pleasanton. Once they reach the border, most of the riders are expected to pedal back to Pleasanton, where they will eat lunch and have a post-ride ceremony at Pleasanton High School.
Mathew Young, president of the Pleasanton Area Chamber of Commerce, said that his organization has scheduled a welcoming group, which will welcome the riders in and offer water bottles that contain some information and coupons from several businesses in town. The chamber also will hold drawings for prizes and giveaways that have been donated by several Pleasanton businesses.
"People can best express the joy and spirit of Pleasanton by being out and about on Saturday morning, giving the riders a warm and hospitable welcome into our wonderful city," he said.
Following the lunch at the school, some cyclists will then load their bikes onto trucks and themselves onto buses. Others will load into private vehicles to begin their return home. And some will likely pack it in at the border and head home from there.
Because of the rising popularity of electric bicycles, the BAK organizers have begun allowing them on the tour, which is great for those who want to enjoy the ride but can't pedal the full distance. However, organizers warn that some bikes may not be able to stay charged for a full day's ride and that places to charge batteries overnight may not be available.
The trip, which also has overnight stops at Satanta, Spearville, Stafford, Newton, Eureka and Chanute, has daily rides ranging from 55 miles to nearly 80 miles during the week, with an optional 100-mile leg on Tuesday. At 44 miles, the ride to Pleasanton is the shortest, and most cyclists are expected to complete the trip to the border by noon.
The route through Linn County will largely avoid heavily traveled roads except a stretch down Kansas Highway 7. (BAK website)
Cyclists are expected to leave Garnett on Fourth Avenue and travel east to Goodrich before heading south on County Highway 1077, before turning east again on 1700 Road. From there cyclists will ride to Kansas Highway 7 and travel south to County Highway 548 or 1150 Road, which they will follow into Pleasanton city limits.
They will ride down Main Street in Pleasanton before turning left on 10th Street and right on Holly Street then taking 1000 Road east to the state line. (See the map for the Linn County leg below.)
The group ride is expected to create delays for motorists Saturday morning, so consider avoiding that route or allow plenty of time to reach your destination.