Dear Adventure Cyclist : After two years of planning, route research, and map-making, Adventure Cycling is proud to announce the completion of maps for the southern section of its newest and most unique creation — the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route. And we want our members to be the first to experience this incredibly scenic historic route. Starting in Mobile, Alabama, the southern section of the UGRR traverses the Deep South on picturesque back roads, traveling 867.5 miles to Owensboro, Kentucky, on the Ohio River. A heritage route in the spirit of the Lewis & Clark Bicycle Trail, the UGRR follows one of the many historic paths of the Underground Railroad, the most fabled trek to freedom in American history. Adventure Cycling relied on the knowledge and efforts of our members as well as outside experts, such as historians and preservationists, to steer the route to rich historic destinations while maintaining Adventure Cycling’s standards of great cycling roads and paths. Besides the lush green scenery and the many small towns the route passes through, a host of museums, historic parks, and visitor centers bring the history of this remarkable period alive. A few of the historic highlights of the route are the National African-American Archives and Museum; the Civil War Interpretive Center; Fort Donelson National Battlefield, which borders the Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area; and Blakeley State Park, site of the last battle of the Civil War. To develop and promote the Underground Railroad Route, Adventure Cycling formed a unique partnership with the Center for Minority Health, a trailblazing organization based at the University of Pittsburgh that works to improve the health of minorities in America. They share Adventure Cycling's vision of promoting lifelong health through bicycling, a form of physical activity available to people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds. To learn more about the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route, visit http://www.adventurecycling.org/ugrr/index.cfm. The maps, which feature historical sites as well as field notes on points of interest, can be viewed at http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/undergroundrailroad.cfm and purchased in Adventure Cycling’s online store at http://www.adventurecycling.org/store/category.cfm?Category=98. Maps for the northern section of the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route, which will extend to Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada, will be available in the winter of 2006-7. For more information on the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route, contact Ginny Sullivan at gsullivan@adventurecycling.org or (800) 755-2453, ext. 229. Enjoy this historic ride and I’ll see you on the road.
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© Copyright 1997-2006 Adventure Cycling Association. Photo by Julie Oliver/Ottawa Citizen.