Adventure Cycling Association is a nonprofit member organization focused on travel by bicycle (bicycle touring). Headquartered in

Missoula Missoula ( ; fla, label=Salish language, Séliš, Nłʔay, lit=Place of the Small Bull Trout, script=Latn; kut, Tuhuⱡnana, script=Latn) is a city in the U.S. state of Montana; it is the county seat of Missoula County, Montana, Missoula Cou ...

, Montana, Adventure Cycling develops cycling routes, publishes maps, provides guided trips, and advocates for better and safer

cycling Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from t ...

in the U.S. The organization grew from a mass cross-country bicycle ride in 1976 to celebrate the

U.S. Bicentennial The United States Bicentennial was a series of celebrations and observances during the mid-1970s that paid tribute to historical events leading up to the creation of the United States of America as an independent republic. It was a central event ...

. Adventure Cycling also publishes a magazine, '' Adventure Cyclist''. Adventure Cycling celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2016 by hosting the Montana Bicycle Celebration in Missoula, promoting events like Bike Your Park Day and Bike Travel Weekend, and publishing its first-ever coffee table book, ''America's Bicycle Route: The Story of the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail''.

Origins

Adventure Cycling Association was founded in 1973 as

Bikecentennial Bikecentennial '76 was an event consisting of a series of bicycle tours on the TransAmerica Bicycle Trail across the United States in the summer of 1976 in commemoration of the bicentennial of America's Declaration of Independence. The route cr ...

by Dan and Lys Burden and Greg and June Siple during the couples' Hemistour bicycle ride from Anchorage, Alaska, to Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. They planned Bikecentennial as a cross-country bicycle ride to celebrate the bicentennial of the United States. More than 4,100 cyclists took part in the event, riding all or part of the coast-to-coast,

TransAmerica Bicycle Trail The TransAmerica Bicycle Trail was the first bicycle touring route to cross the U.S. It was developed and mapped by Adventure Cycling Association, and travels between Astoria, Oregon, and Yorktown, Virginia, along mostly rural, two-lane highways. ...

during the summer of 1976. Once the event was completed, Bikecentennial lived on as a

501(c)(3) A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 50 ...

nonprofit member organization to serve the needs of traveling cyclists, developing more bicycle routes and publishing maps. In 1974, Bikecentennial began publishing ''Bike Report'' magazine, which later became ''Adventure Cyclist'' when the organization changed its name to Adventure Cycling Association in 1993.

Overview

Adventure Cycling's mission is "to inspire, empower, and connect people to travel by bicycle." Its membership has grown to over 50,000 members, and its route network is one of the largest in the world, encompassing over . Adventure Cycling is also leading the development of the U.S. Bicycle Route System, which when complete will offer more than of routes for cyclists. Adventure Cycling's headquarters are located in Missoula, Montana, in the northern Rocky Mountains. Many traveling cyclists make a point of riding through Missoula, where they stop at Adventure Cycling to enjoy free ice cream, catch up on email, ask advice, and get a tour of the building. Many cyclists also have their photos taken, and some end up in Adventure Cycling's National Bicycle Touring Portrait Collection.

Membership

Adventure Cycling is the largest nonprofit membership bicycling organization in North America with over 50,000 members. Individuals or families can join, as well as bike clubs and bike shops. There is also an option to join as a lifetime member.

''Adventure Cyclist'' magazine

'' Adventure Cyclist'' is published nine times per year for members of Adventure Cycling Association. It covers stories of bicycle travel in the U.S. and around the world, reviews bicycles and gear, and publishes essays and photos.

Route network

The

Adventure Cycling Route Network The Adventure Cycling Route Network, developed by Adventure Cycling Association since 1974, comprises over 50,000 miles of routes for bicycle touring in the U.S. and Canada and is the largest such network in North America. Overview The Adventure ...

comprises more than of routes for bicycle touring and is the largest such network in North America.

Tours

Adventure Cycling organizes bicycle tours all over the U.S., including

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. Tours range in duration from a few days to a few months and in difficulty from family-friendly rides to expert-level tours through the high mountains. Adventure Cycling tours are self-contained, van-supported, fully supported, or inn-to-inn. Cyclists can also take education courses through Adventure Cycling, such as their leadership training courses, which are mandatory for cyclists interested in leading Adventure Cycling tours. For young people interested in leading tours or building their outdoor leadership skills, Adventure Cycling offers a two-track Young Adult Bike Travel scholarship program.

Bicycle tourism

Adventure Cycling promotes bicycle tourism, in which cyclists ride from town to town and stay in campgrounds or motels, eat in restaurants, buy from grocery stores, and otherwise contribute to the economy of small towns.

Bicycle Travel Awards

Adventure Cycling Association presents four awards every year to individuals or groups who have made a positive impact in the world of bicycle travel.

References

External links

Adventure Cycling AssociationAdventure Cyclist magazine
{{Authority control Cycling organizations in the United States Non-profit organizations based in Montana Sports organizations established in 1973 1973 establishments in Montana Cycling in Montana Organizations based in Missoula, Montana Bicycle touring