photo by: Contributed

Riders in rural northeast Kansas racing during a previous Octoginta — a long-running annual biking road race held by the Lawrence Bicycle Club. This year, the club is hosting two of its races during one weekend for October Cyclefest, which will run from Oct. 11 to 12.

The Lawrence Bicycle Club has hosted three annual long bike rides on the paths of rural northeast Kansas, including the Octoginta that dates back nearly 60 years.

While that road race will be held Sunday, Marty Dubois, a board member for LBC and event organizer, said that this year the club is doing something different.

“We wanted to make a weekend out of it,” Dubois said.

So for the first time ever, the LBC is combining two of its rides into one jam-packed biking weekend for its “October Cyclefest,” which will attract hundreds of riders from across the region and beyond. Along with the Octoginta — a 80-mile road race that weaves through the rolling hills of rural Douglas and Franklin counties — the LBC is hosting its Tour de Chicken Creek Gravel Ride on Saturday. That race will start its path from Lone Star Lake and carve along mostly gravel paths.

Dubois hopes combining the two great annual events can bring even more bike enthusiasts out to the events held by the LBC. He said that 50 people already signed up to participate in both rides, including seven or eight riders from Chicago.

Dubois estimated that about 70% of the bikers who will complete the races over the weekend are from outside of Lawrence, with many coming from Kansas City or Topeka for the event. Dubois thinks the enthusiasm and support from the biking community, including the 60 volunteers and five co-directors who help ensure the races can be run, highlights how this area can be a true cycling destination.

“Lawence is such a cycling town,” Dubois said.

Along with the races, the LBC will host a Swap Meet on Saturday, which will be hosted at the Union Pacific Depot, 402 N. Second St. Dubois said there will be around 20 vendors who have everything cycling-related, so it can be a chance for people to find bargains and “rub elbows” with community organizations that support biking.

Those organizations include what Dubois called the town’s “three great bike shops” — Sunflower Outdoor and Bike Shop, Cycle Works and Trek Bikes. Those shops also help support the races and are giving coupons to the riders of the weekend’s two races. Along with those vendors, local groups like the Lawrence-Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Organization, which helps implement the Lawrence Bike Plan, and Friends of Lawrence Area Trails will be at the event to connect with people.

The Swap Meet will also be a chance to help give back to the community. Dubois said the Lawrence Bike Club will have a “huge amount” of gear, including 10 bikes, for anyone attending the event. All of those proceeds from the sales will go to the club’s “Buy a Kid a Bike Fund,” which, in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club, has helped buy 51 bikes for kids in need in the past two years, according to Dubois.

“That’s what we’re all about,” Dubois said. “Being able to support the community.”

Cyclists interested in riding in either of the two races had to register, but the Swap Meet is open to anyone. The Chicken Creek ride will go from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 11, and will start at the Lone Star Lake Community Building, 665 East 665 Road. The Octoginta will go from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12 and meets at Broken Arrow Park, 2800 Louisiana St. The Swap Meet will take place at the Union Pacific Depot on Saturday from 1 to 5 p.m.

For more information, you can go to the Lawrence Bike Club’s October Cyclefest page on its website.

photo by: Contributed

Riders in rural northeast Kansas racing during a previous Octoginta — a long-running annual biking road race held by the Lawrence Bicycle Club. This year, the club is hosting two of its races during one weekend for October Cyclefest, which will run from Oct. 11 to 12.