Jubilee in the Desert – Pedaling Forward Since 1976
By Roger Crandall — Now that our Nation has reached 250 years, we as cyclists might reflect back a bit to just 50 years ago, when modern popular cycling took off in the 1970’s. What cycling was done in America of the 1800’s and at the turn of the century had very little bearing on us today. When I went to college ’68-72, even when a car was not allowed, I never rode a bike, that was for kids. Two years later, that would all change. As for myself, I remember when I sat down in a dentist office and picked up the National Geographic Magazine of May 1976, and at that moment my world would be forever changed 180 degrees. Since that moment, my cycling experience has been a factor in all the major decisions of my life to today.
Reading about my heroes and inspiration, Dan and Lys Burden, Greg and June Siple cycling from Anchorage, Alaska to Missoula, Montana thrilled me to the bone. My wife and I saw ourselves through them, and we became them! Their goal to ride to South America, became our goal! They accomplished their goal and probably thought that most people wouldn’t follow them on that kind of crazy trip, so they invented the Bikecentennial to inspire other young Americans to take up cycle touring. Little did they know then that the spark they lit fired us up to buy two of those “new-fangled 10 speed bikes” and begin our journey from Chicago to Mexico, Central America, and around South America for 2 ½ years. Now we all can pedal forward from 1976 and celebrate another 50 years of cycling.
If you are not familiar with Adventure Cycling Association, it was founded in 1976 when a group of 4,000 riders embarked on a cross country Bikecentennial journey to celebrate America’s 200th birthday. That original Trans American trail became the backbone of what is now 57,298-mile ACA network spanning the country with signage, maps, both published and digital.
It was an absolute “must do” to be there for the Adventure Cycling Association’s Jubilee, January 9-12 at Catalina State Park, just north of Tucson, Arizona where around 400 cycle enthusiasts were celebrating their life changing ride across America in 1976. I have never encountered so many people that I have had so much in common with; neither high school reunions nor other bicycle rides. It was scary to see yourself coming and going! The weekend was filled with group rides, hikes, speakers, slide shows of the ’76 ride, music, dinners together, a real blast, back to the past!
A true highlight for me was to meet our guest speaker, the world’s most famous woman cyclist, star of countless videos, holder of the around the world Fastest Know Time (FKT) for women, and my personal hero, Lael Wilcox; and did she have a lot to inspire us with. She is going after the Men’s Around the World Record this year! Her warmup rides will include “drop-in rides”, that we can do with her, like the Southern Tier, 3,074 mi, route from San Diego to St. Agustine, FL. We asked how we, (those in our 60’s and 70’s) could keep up? She said on whatever bike we want including E-bikes. She will just be doing her 230 to 240 miles a day average pace! You should have heard the laughs. I shouted, “Yea, I can do that! In my dreams!” Maybe I can hang with her for a mile or so with my E-bike on Turbo mode? Let’s, see???
This year in 2026, Adventure Cycling Association is launching the Golden Gravel Trail, a transformative 3,804 mile mixed-surface route that represents the future of long-distance bikepacking in the USA. The G.G.T. traverses eight states: Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, UTAH, Wyoming, Idaho, and Oregon. Seventy percent of the route is on unpaved surfaces, and it will offer an unparalleled journey from the Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. This year the Golden Gravel Trail will be completely free to ride as a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the ACA. The digital route, including detailed route lines, service info, riding and weather conditions, and up-to-date details cyclists expect from the ACA will be available at no cost. In September 2026, ultra-endurance racer Lael Wilcox, one of ACA’s board members, will attempt to set the first Fastest Known Times, on the new route. Drop-in rides with other famous riders like Ryan Van Duzer on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route, will be going on all year with sign-ups starting on March 10th.
Though you may think our Country after 250 years is not getting any wiser, and mistakes are being made every day. At least we are moving upwards and onwards for cycling with a growing cross-country Great American Rail Trail and new routes that even pass close to home for us in Utah. Thank goodness we have something to celebrate; and it is for us, in the cycling community, to guide the new generations back into the fold of bicycle touring. Let’s get onboard for MABTA, no, not NAFTA… Make America Bike Tour Again!
