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Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) Adjunct Government Instructor Martin Lively has embarked on a solo 2,500-mile bike trip during the summer break. Lively designed the course after completing the 500-mile Biking Across Kansas (BAK) ride in 2015 and plans to ride from Miami to Seattle, Washington. “I’ve always loved solitary places,” said Lively when discussing his reasoning for undertaking this trip. “Cycling is fast enough to cover long distances, but slow enough to take in the smaller details of the landscapes that people often miss. It’s really the Goldilocks way to do a road trip.” Following a brief delay due to severe weather and flooding in the Miami area, Lively embarked on the approximately 60 day trip on June 1, and plans to use the relatively flat first half as training for the hilly climbs in Montana.
As part of his training regimen over the past several months, he has been loading his 1985 Raleigh Portage touring bike with equipment to simulate the ride. “I packed with the goal of meeting three needs,” said Lively. “First, I need to be able to carry several days of food and water in remote areas; second, I need to remain safe and protected from the elements; and third, I wanted to have a few creature comforts for when I’m physically or emotionally worn down.” One of the main aspects of the trip is Lively’s use of rail trails, or former rails lines that have been converted into trail ways.
While the destination of the trip is Seattle, Washington, Lively says he’s not focused destination. “If I get 2,000 miles into the trip and I feel like I’ve completed that goal, I’ll come home. My goal is to lose myself in the landscapes and experience the truth that we are small people and that our planet is not here to serve us, despite our accomplishments.” Lively will be documenting his journey on Instagram at @curious.about.bison and a link to his trail map can be found at https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29031036?privacy_code=jqv73BkzjqVfPtuv. He attributes his journey to the Miami Cyclo-Paths and encourages community members to find their local cycling group and meet new riders. Interested parties can contact Cyclo-Paths at miamicyclopaths@yahoo.com.
