A three-city, two-wheeled celebration is in the works Saturday to mark the unveiling of a new bike route through southeast Kansas.
Cyclists will gather at Iola and Pittsburg Saturday morning for ribbon cuttings at each before they follow the new Prairie Pathways Bike Route to meet in Fort Scott for an afternoon filled with fun and music.
The Iola ribbon-cutting is set for 8 a.m. in front of the Thrive Allen County office, 9 S. Jefferson Ave.
Then, the cyclists will travel along primarily what is Old 54, otherwise known as Nebraska Road in Allen County and then Maple Road in Bourbon County to Fort Scott.
Signs marking the bike route have been posted along the way.
“This has been in the works for a long time,” notes Kate Schroeder, Thrive’s communications director. “We’re really excited about connecting our region and building up the bicycle infrastructure.”
The Prairie Pathways route utilizes low-traffic, rural roads — primarily asphalt — geared to get bicyclists to visit smaller communities as they travel through the area.
“Southeast Kansas has had a reputation for being a little isolationist in how we build up things,” Schroeder said. “We want to work with partners across the region and build on each other, so we can end up with something that strengthens all of our communities more than any of us can do on our own.”
“When you have a bunch of hungry, thirsty cyclists, people tend to roll out the red carpet because they’re willing to spend some money,” added John Leahy, trails coordinator at Thrive.
He notes the new route takes cyclists through or near often overlooked communities like Moran, LaHarpe, Gas, Bronson, Uniontown, Hepler and Arcadia.
The advantage is two-fold, Schroeder added.
“It’s a great way to improve the health and physical wellness of a community,” she said. “It encourages physical activity and getting people outside. It’s also an important economic driver across the country. Bike touring has become more popular and continues to grow.”
Schroeder and Leahy pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic, which prompted a surge in bicycle sales, as “a boom that has not slowed,” Schroeder added.
THE Iola-to-Fort Scott route covers 43 miles, with a stretch of gravel between LaHarpe and Moran.
The rest is all asphalt as cyclists enjoy the scenic countryside offered along the hilly, curvy terrain, particularly once the route reaches eastern Bourbon County.
Much the same is offered along the 39-mile stretch from Pittsburg to Fort Scott, which follows paved, rural roads east of U.S. 69, going through Arcadia and Mulberry in Crawford County.
A 73-mile-stretch also connects Iola and Pittsburg by diverting south at Uniontown in Bourbon County.
“Uniontown is the hub,” Leahy explained. “Hopefully, this is the tip of the iceberg for greater inter-connectivity between communities. It’s one of those things where there are so many great resources these communities have to share with other people who may not know they’re there.
“There’s a lot more work to be done, for sure,” he continued. “It’s a matter of doing what makes the most sense.”
It’s also important to note that the entire Prairie Pathways route follows roads and not trails, Schroeder added.
That is, cyclists must prepare for motor traffic.
“That’s the most common question we’ve been getting from people,” she said. “Yes, this is a bike route. No, it’s not a bike trail. It’s an important distinction when you’re talking about road safety, what to bring, etc., and knowing what to expect. You should expect some traffic, so stick to the right side of the road and make yourself highly visible.”
THE PLAN is for the caravans to depart from Iola and Pittsburg after their respective ribbon cutting ceremonies and arriving at Fort Scott at around noon.
The fun hits high gear with live music from Bourbon County Revival, refreshments from area restaurants “and lots of good vibes,” Schroeder said.
Elizabeth Burger, senior program officer with Sunflower Foundation, and Jody Hoener, president of the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, will speak. The Sunflower Foundation was a leading funder of the Prairie Pathways planning, working in league with the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, Thrive Allen County and Live Well Crawford County.
The Fort Scott celebration will be near the BCAT offices at the intersection of National and Ninth streets.
Those feeling extra adventurous also can head out to Fort Scott’s Gunn Park, site of the 2022 Manhattan Massacre Mountain Bike races, which run all day Saturday and Sunday.
IDEALLY, the Prairie Pathways effort will lead to other opportunities for cyclists, Leahy said, such as additional trail opportunities.
“Missouri has some really well-established trails,” Leahy said. “It would be nice to connect with them someday. If people are interested, we’d love to talk with communities about it.”
Advertisement
Advertisement
