Ride across Nebraska in June

The Bicycle Ride across Nebraska (BRAN) will begin on June 2 and finish on June 8.

The ride starts in Kimball and will end at the Strategic Air and Space Museum near Ashland, Nebraska for a total of 467 miles plus 15.

Overnight stops will be made in Chappell, Paxton, Gothenburg, Kearney, Aurora and Brainard.

According to Vickie Backman, one of the organizers of the event, the roadways are not closed during the ride. She added that the organization usually requests assistance from local authorities; they notify the people who handle the roads and safety in each county that the cyclists will be riding through.

Backman added that everyone rides in pack but it is not a race and not just a large group, cyclists are staggered so that they don’t take over the entire road while they are riding. They each ride at their own pace.

Since there will be no road closures, Backman says that safety is their main concern. The BRAN staff places signs along the roadways where the cyclists will be riding. Backman couldn’t stress enough that safety is the main concern always. She added that the more people who are aware that cyclists will be on the roads in their town and when, that maybe the drivers can be more cautious and watch out for the cyclists. Backman said that the more people who know they are out there the safer and that the cyclists know that they must share the road and they must also follow all of the rules of the road.

The cyclists will be travelling through Sidney via Highway 30. Sidney is not an overnight stop.

Backman added that in the towns along the route that are not host towns, some community members sometimes set up stands to provide riders with needed items or might offer items to sell.

Ramona Joyce of the Cheyenne County Visitor’s Center says she will check into a few things to see if any local businesses and the Chamber of Commerce want to do anything for the cyclists as they pass through Sidney. This might include providing water or snacks, or just have people standing along the route cheering the cyclists on or holding signs.

Sherriff John Jensen says that they “Try to be onsite if there are available personnel. We usually have some escort vehicles and support the riders however we can to keep riders safe. Drivers need to pay extra attention and use caution. There is a better chance for injuries in town because there are more distractions.”

In conclusion, Jensen added, “Drivers pay attention.” He went on to say that this time of year, school is out, there is more farm equipment on roadways; it adds to the danger. The more distractions in town cause bigger concern.

As of now, no one from BRAN has contacted Sidney Police Department about the trip through the town. Chief Joseph Aikens says, “If they contact us, we will help. When they let us know the route, we will assist in some way and we will provide traffic control through the community.”