By MIKE COURSON
Great Bend Post
The 50th Biking Across Kansas (BAK) event does not begin until June but May is National Bike Month. Tuesday morning, the Barton County Commission approved a proclamation to recognize the month locally. Dale Hogg, who is gearing up for his sixth BAK next month, said National Bike Month is a useful tool to bring awareness to the benefits and dangers of cycling.
"Citizens are urged to be mindful of bicyclists in an effort to reduce collisions, injuries, and fatalities and improve the health and safety of everyone on the roads," Hogg said. "And further, citizens are reminded that biking is a low-impact form of exercise and can help protect citizens from serious diseases such as stroke, heart attack, some cancers, depression, diabetes, obesity, and arthritis."
BAK begins on Friday, June 7 with a short 16-mile ride from the Colorado border to Tribune. Hoisington is scheduled for an overnight stop on Monday, June 10.
"If you want to come over and see what it looks like for a storm of locusts to hit a town and eat every piece of pie and drink every ounce of beer, that's the time to go see it," Hogg said. "It's unbelievable what 700 riders will do to a community."
BAK wraps up in Atchison on June 15, 505 miles from the original starting point. The event is typically capped at approximately 700 riders, but with support personnel, the caravan can easily grow to more than 1,000 people moving through Kansas communities.