Nation’s 250th birthday relay to pass through county
Staff writer
A coast-to-coast relay celebrating America’s 250th anniversary is expected to roll through Marion County this fall. Riders will follow rural roads through Ramona, Durham, and Tampa.
The America 250 Relay, organized by American Discovery Trail Society, will follow America’s only coast-to-coast recreational trail from California to Delaware.
The relay will begin July 4 in San Francisco and end on Thanksgiving Day in Delaware, executive director Eric Howard said. The Kansas portion, including Marion County, is expected to occur in late September or early October. Final dates still are being set.
The trail was established in the early and mid-1990s, with minor adjustments over the past three decades. In Kansas, it weaves along back country roads and rural corridors, sometimes shifting onto rail-trails in other states or mountain hiking paths in places like Colorado and West Virginia.
Communities along the route have been contacting organizers about staging events ranging from brief welcome stops to longer programs at schools or community centers.
Riders may be in some towns for only a few minutes as cyclists pass through. Other towns could arrange more formal gatherings.
Much of the Midwest schedule remains flexible. A more precise timetable is expected in the coming weeks, Howard said.
Bicycles will be the primary mode of travel across much of the Midwest, with some participants riding extended stretches, potentially up to 250 miles a day.
Beyond the relay, the trail itself is a year-round resource for residents, Howard said.
“People get involved in the trail simply by using it,” he said.
Activities include walking, cycling, and volunteer maintenance. In rural areas where the trail follows roads, volunteers sometimes help with litter or signage.