For you rider planning some north to south or south to north trips,
click on the links in the message below for routes from Adventure Cycling.

Carl
Edina Bike
www.edinabike.com
25,000 items, killer deals

Greetings,
Adventure Cycling releases maps for three new Underground Railroad day
trip bicycle routes in the Ripley, Ohio area. These routes will appeal
to cycling newcomers as well as seasoned cyclists, featuring a short
loop for beginners and longer loops for intermediate and advanced riders.

Download
<http://www.adventurecycling.org/downloads/20080109ACA_RipleyDaytrips.pdf>
in PDF format.


For Immediate Release
January 9, 2008
Contact: Ginny Sullivan
800-755-2453 x229
gsullivan@... <mailto:gsullivan@...>

Sonja Cropper
Brown County Economic Development
513-304-1523
browncountytourism@...
<mailto:browncountytourism@...>

A Taste of Freedom: Adventure Cycling releases first-ever day trip maps

New bicycle routes guide day-trippers — from beginners to experienced
riders — through landmarks of Underground Railroad

Missoula, Mont. —Adventure Cycling today announced three new Underground
Railroad day trip bicycle routes in the Ripley, Ohio area. As its first
foray into creating maps for the day-tripper, Adventure Cycling predicts
these routes will appeal to cycling newcomers as well as seasoned
cyclists, featuring a short loop for beginners and longer loops for
intermediate and advanced riders. Created by a partnership between Brown
County Tourism and Adventure Cycling, the three loop routes start and
end in downtown Ripley and take in a rich variety of Underground
Railroad historic sites along the way.

"We're pleased to help bring these fantastic new bicycle routes to
people looking for a healthy outdoor activity that explores the rich
heritage of this important and beautiful area," says Jim Sayer,
Executive Director of Adventure Cycling.

All three rides emanate from Adventure Cycling's new and acclaimed
Underground Railroad Bicycle Route, hugging the Ohio River briefly on
their way out of Ripley, then, like the history they represent, branch
out into three distinct routes. While the 2,028 mile Underground
Railroad route originates far to the south in Mobile, AL and continues
north to Owen Sound, Ontario, the new loops offer more bite-sized rides
as they amble through the picturesque village of Ripley and the Ohio
countryside while taking in the Rankin House, the Parker House, and
other historic sites. The beginner Ripley Loop, which is perfect for
riding with older children, covers an easy 8.9 miles, while the advanced
Georgetown Loop stretches 26.5 miles on its way to the village of
Georgetown.

Besides further enriching the Underground Railroad Route and creating a
new attraction for the region, the routes break new ground for Adventure
Cycling by serving as their first-ever routes designed specifically for
shorter day trips. Typically, Adventure Cycling's routes and maps cover
hundreds or even thousands of miles.

"We will continue to develop longer distance routes," says Sayer, "but
we thought it was time to make it easier for beginners and other
cyclists to get introduced to our routes." Sayer also noted: "It's
really no different from river rafting. Most people get their first
taste of floating on the river during a day trip, not by rafting the
whole river."

One important objective of the Underground Railroad route project is to
reach out to beginning cyclists and people who haven't considered
bicycle travel. These new day trip routes will enable riders at all
experience levels to do just that.

The maps for routes — which feature color-coded directions, historical
information, and tips for dining and lodging — are free and can be found
at participating bike shops and tourism bureaus in the southern Ohio and
northeastern Kentucky region. They can also be downloaded from Adventure
Cycling's website at www.adventurecycling.org/ugrr/ugrrdaytrips.cfm
<http://www.adventurecycling.org/ugrr/ugrrdaytrips.cfm>.

Funding for the maps was provided by Governors Office of Appalachia
through the Appalachian Ohio Underground Railroad mini-grant program and
Brown County Tourism (www.browncountytourism.com
<http://www.browncountytourism.com/>). Michael Hart of Mycle's Cycles in
Georgetown, Ohio conducted the route research.

Adventure Cycling Association is the premier bicycle travel organization
in North America with more than 42,000 members. A nonprofit
organization, our mission is to inspire people of all ages to travel by
bicycle. We produce routes and maps for cycling in North America,
organize more than 40 tours annually, and publish the best bicycle
travel information anywhere, including Adventure Cyclist magazine and
The Cyclists' Yellow Pages. With 37,210 meticulously mapped miles in our
route network, Adventure Cycling gives cyclists the tools and confidence
to create their own bike travel adventures. Contact us at (800) 755-BIKE
(2453), info@... <mailto:info@...>, or
visit www.adventurecycling.org <http://www.adventurecycling.org/>.

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