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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 28, 1991)
Country bike tour raises funds for charity By Carissa Moffat Staff Reporter Bicyclists, both experienced and novice, will beat a path down Highway 41 for the Nebraska Oaysseybike tour on June 1 and 2. Mary Dircks, the development assistant for the Midlands Chap ter of the National Multiple Scle rosis Society, said that unlike other biking events that take place in the summer, this event is not a race. "It is a bike tour. The riders are not competing against other cy clists," sne said. 'We encourage people to go at their own pace. Participants will ride 75 miles each day, Dircks said. On May 31, the riders will meet at the Papio Missouri River Natural Resources District in the Chaleo Hills area of Omaha. The riders and their bikes will then be transported to Crete, where they will stay at Doane College for the evening, she said. She said most of the riders will depart from Crete by 7:30 a.m. Saturday and everyone will travel together. Water stops are located every 10 to 12 miles along the tour to monitor the riders' well-being, she said. clists generally get pledges from family and triends, and some companies even offer matching funas for employees who partici pate in pledge events. Od • ys • sey \ad-e-se\ - a journey of discovery. 'The water stops are there to provide water and other bever ages, along with apples, oranges and bananas, to keep energy lev els up," Dircks said. She said ham radio operators will be traveling with the medical vehicles that follow the riders. "If someone needs assistance we can get it to them right away," Dircks said. Dircks, whoisalsothebike tour coordinator, said similar tours are run nationally. Last year, 92 of the multiple sclerosis chapters in the United States raised $21 million and had 75,(XX) cyclists participate, she said. Each rider must get pledges for $1 per mile. Dircks said tne cy Donated prizes will be awarded asincentives for raising more than the mini mum $150 per person, she said. "This is to encourage people to raise that much more," Dircks said. Another program promotion awards a six-month membership to Prairie Life Center, a multi-rec reational club, to the rider who recruits the most friends. Last year's event attracted 215 participants, and 400 riders are anticipated this year. "We've done a lot more adver tising this year," she said. Challenge teams were added to the tour this year along with hid den t rea su re n u n ts th roughou t the ride and the Amazing Discoveries Great Give A-Way drawing. Each challenge team must have a minimum of four members and pay a $15 registration fee in addi tion to the $150 per rider. Teams receive special prizes for the three largest teams and the teams with the most family members, the craziest name and the most team spirit. The treasure hunts will include clues at each water stop, Dircks said. Clues might be about some thing of a historical nature for the bikers to look for along the trail. The Amazing Discoveries Great Give A-Way will be held at the first overnight stop in Auburn. Several bike shops nave donated various types of bicycle equipment to be usea in this drawing, Dircks said. She stressed that people should train before going on tour, even though the event is not a race. "It you can ride 20 miles com fortably, then you should be OK," Dircks said. People ride on all kinds of bikes, she said, and it isn t necessary to have any special type of bike. "In fact, last year a man and his son rode on a tandem," she said. Bikes should be in good condi tion. Free safety checks will be given two to three weeks before tne race at bike shop locations in Grand Island, Lincoln and Omaha. Bill Loftis has participated in the Odyssey tour for the last six years. Loftis said he rides because "I like the people more than any thing else." "1 also believe in the particular cause," he said. "It's a great place to meet people," Lotus said "And a chal lenge to see if you can make it." Loftis said this training goes along with his training for the Lincoln Marathon in May but added that he considers himself a recreational rider. The only drawback to the tour is Nebraska weather, Loftis said. "No matter which way you're going, you're going into the wind," ne said. Now Open Top BMX Pro Shop Welcome BMX Racers to Lincoln We have everything you need. We Proudly Feature _ Hours: 400 South 9th Monday-Saturday 9-6 Lincoln, NE 68508 Sunday 1-5 474-6309 Earning money in a Harris study means going through a lot of channels. Big screen televisions, VCR's, video games, pool tables... we have all the comforts of home with only one difference- you can make $250 - $3000 partici pating in a Harris study! So, if you're 19 or older and you’d like to be turned on to some extra money, just pick up the phone and push the right buttons EM HARRIS ■ LABORATORIES, INC 474-0627 See study listing ad in the Sunday Journal-Star. Spring trips fit all budgets By Bryan Peterson Staff Reporter Outdoor Adventure student staff member Scot Davis has led more than 30 trips to places rang ing from Nebraska to the Grand Canyon to Mexico. He has taken students biking, canoeing, rock climbing and back packing and has seen everything from a case of amoebic dysentery to a Native American ritual dance. He has even been neck deep in the cold water of a Missouri cave. Davis, who worked for 2 1/2 years at Cycle Works, has led 10 cycling trips and one longer cy cling '^expedition" — a two-week trip down the coast of Oregon. This semester, Davis will be leading Outdoor Adventure bicy cling trips in Nebraska, one for a weekend and one for a day. Davis said cyclists may nde cither mountain or touring bikes, although mountain bikes might be preferred for the longer trip. The April 12-14 trip will take participants from Lincoln to Wilbur, on to York and then back to Lincoln. Camping gear will be provided by Outdoor Adventure and the cyclists will carry all supplies with tficm, including such items as the camp stove, Davis said. While each participant must provide his or ner own bicycle, paniers, or side bags that mount on racks, will be provided by Outdoor Adventure. Helmets, extra tubes and spokes, patch kits and pumps also snould do provided by each rider, although anyone lacking such supplies might be able to borrow them from staff members, Davis said. The trip is open to 15 students, which is higher than the usual 12 person limit on Outdoor Adven ture trips. Davis said this trip has a higher limit since it is self-contained and requires no van support. The seat ing capacity of the vans leased by Outdoor Adventure generally determines the number of partici pants for each trip. However, a limit still was placed on this trip to help maintain a ■■-■■■■■ ■■ ■— i ■■■ I sense of order and group cohe siveness, according to Davis. Since all Outdoor Adventure trips are sel f-supporting, the trip's $30 cost includes the price of meals, equipment, permits, insurance and logistical planning. The only portion of Outdoor Adventure trips not covered by the published price is that of the wages of staff members. That amount is covered by student fees through the Campus Recreation budget,of whichOutdoor Adven ture is a program. For those with less time or a smaller budget, Outdoor Adven ture is offering a day bicycling trip on Saturday, April 27, which also will be led oy Davis. Participants will cycle to Arbor Lodge in Nebraska City for the National Arbor Day Foundation Fair and Festival. The $12 cost includes the provision of a return trip by van and trailer. Last fall, Outdoor Adventure sponsored another day trip to the Arbor Lodge and a weekend "Apple Cider Tour" of apple or chard country in southern Ne braska and Iowa. This summer will see a bicycle tour in the western United States, although details will not be avail able until March 15, according to the Outdoor Adventure schedule. A self-contained trip through Colorado's San Juan Mountains, in which the riders and their bi cycles aredriven to a "put-in" site, is one possibility, Davis said. Davis said the program phi losophy of Outdoor Adventure includes "encouraging people to look at the environment and to become environmentally aware by practicing recycling and low-im pact camping." Other aspects of the philoso phy include traveling to remote locales and viewing each trip as an Please lock your bike! FI J January to UNL Police report that j| Tf S">ten,Zim “T*"* 47 bikes stolen on campus because ^ 15 bikes recovered their owners use > j improper locks, 2 donl lock th© bikes to 2 January to anything, or fail to lock I * September 1990 their bikes at all. % UNL Police suggest 3 15 bikes stolen using a U-bar lock, § 4 bikes recovered secured to a bike rack / as an excellent method. % ..I ■■■■■III. . ..II.Mil I ° Source: UNL Crime Prevention Office |