As the countdown continues to the Aug. 10-11 Chicago Sun-TimesGrand Prix and U.S. Pro Criterium Championship, another cycling eventmerits attention this weekend.
The Chicago Lung Association's BAMMI ride starts its 10thanniversary celebration Sunday.
BAMMI stands for Bicycle Across the Magnificent Miles ofIllinois, and that's what about 350 cyclists are going to do nextweek.
The ride, patterned after one in Iowa, has taken cyclists morethan 5,000 miles - touring Illinois from end to end - and has raisedmore than $700,000 over the years.
This year's milestone ride will start at a new location,Logan's Monument (Michigan and Balbo), because Buckingham Fountainwill be busy as the site of the Shoot-The-Bull 3-On-3 RoundballClassic.
The ride again will cover about 500 miles before concluding inMetropolis on Aug. 11 - the day the Sun-Times Grand Prix and U.S. ProCriterium climax in Downers Grove.
BAMMI participants will travel 71 miles, to Kankakee, onSunday. Other overnight stops are at Rantoul, Mattoon, Effingham,Mt. Vernon and Carbondale. Along the route are the Shawnee NationalForest and Massac State Park.
Ride chairman Ed Curran of WGN Radio completed the trek inBAMMI's first year but can only ride three days this year.
"It was a wonderful experience that transformed me," Curransaid. "I came back so cooled out. It's more than the distance andthe scenery. It sucks every drop of stress out of your body. It's agreat personal and social adventure."
Two riders - Ralph Bechtold of Orland Park and Steve Baker ofUrbana - have done all of the previous BAMMIs. Bechtold and his wifeSara will ride a tandem bicycle next week.
"I see bicycle touring as an opportunity to get a close-up ofthe land and the people," Bechtold said. "Physically, it's a goodfeeling . . . but I really enjoy meeting different people. You canexperience the success of living."
"I'm not really an avid cyclist," said Baker, 46. "But thesupport system is really great and if I ever doubted my ability tocomplete the ride, they convinced me that I could."
This year's ride has some other notables. Tom Dickey, ofCarbondale, is 81 and blind. But Lung Association officials have nodoubt he will make it to Metropolis.
John Stafford of St. Charles raised more than $7,000 in pledgesthe last few years and is expected to do the same this year. He isthe leading fund-raiser in the history of the event.
Mike Bechtel of Wheeling has set a goal of raising $10,000 thisyear, which would be a one-year record. Last year he raised morethan $6,000 in his first BAMMI.
Al Chapman made his first BAMMI at 68 and will ride again. Joeand Kathy Starzynski of Woodstock will ride with their son Sam, 5, onanother tandem. Gary Glowacz and his son Kevin also will ridetandem, as well as provide bicycle support for the other riders.They are connected with The Bike Rack of St. Charles.
Virgil Kemp will do double duty, too, working as a BAMMIvolunteer and riding two days as part of his training for the Aug. 25Sun-Times Triathlon.
Others include Prat Morvan, an exchange student from France whocan speak only limited English, and a Crystal Lake Cub Scout troopconsisting of four boys and several troop leaders.
While entering the full week's ride would require some lastminute hustling (entrants must pay a $200 registration fee and get atleast $100 in pledges), cyclists can easily get the flavor of BAMMIon Sunday. The Lung Association will register riders for just theleg to Kankakee through tomorrow. Registration is $15, plus $10 inpre-paid pledges. Call (312) 243-2000.
The Lung Association also will stage The Great Ride on Sept.14-15. It starts after a breakfast at Bikes Plus in ArlingtonHeights and includes a visit to Great America before the ride back.Fee is $50, plus a minimum pledge of $200, for adults. Registrationis $40 for children under 12, with a minimum pledge of $50.
QUESTION: Where are the best places to ride, away from thebustle of the city and suburbs?
ANSWER: The rails-to-trails movement - a drive to convertabandoned railway corridors to recreational paths - has more thandoubled its mileage in the past four years. There are now 292 suchtrails, covering about 3,300 miles.
One of the best trails in the U.S. is the 45-mile IllinoisPrairie Path, which has a crushed limestone surface suitable for anybike. It recently was named one of the 10 best trails in the U.S. byBicycling Magazine.
Wisconsin has two good rails-to-trails facilities. The ElroySparta State Park Trail is a 32-miler near LaCrosse and the GlacialDrumlin State Park Trail is a 47.2-mile route from Madison towardMilwaukee. Both have crushed limestone surfaces.
Send questions to Sports Adviser, Sun-Times Sports, 401 N.Wabash, Chicago, Ill. 60611.
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