The 37th edition of the Bike Ride Across Nebraska will include two area communities on its route next summer.
Wayne and Wakefield will be among the cities that are part of the “Five Nations, Five States” theme for the 2017 edition of the BRAN ride, which will start in Falls City and end in Tekamah. The south-to-north route is a break from the ride’s usual west-to-east journey.’
Riders will come from North Bend and arrive in Wayne on Wednesday, June 7. Wayne will be the starting point to the second part of the tour, which is being split into a three-day and four-day journey for the first time.
The first part of the route will go from Falls City, through Auburn and Weeping Water to North Bend before ending in Wayne. From here, riders will have several options, including a 12-mile route to Wakefield, along with 90-mile and 106-mile journeys that will touch parts of South Dakota and Iowa before returning to Wakefield on Thursday, June 8. From there, bikers will travel to Winnebago and end the tour in Tekamah on Saturday, June 10.
The tour’s theme “Five Nations, Five States” pays homage to the Native American tribes that make up the area, including the Fox, Sac, Iowa, Winnebago and Omaha tribes. Riders will have a number of route options to choose from, and can participate in a three-day tour, a four-day tour or the full seven-day route.
About 1,000 people are expected to come into Wayne when the riders roll into town, and a committee of about 20 local members are making plans to accommodate the expected 600 riders and their families when they come to town. Plans are to utilize the Wayne County Fairgrounds as a camping site, and a variety of entertainment options are being discussed by the committee.
Local residents interested in helping out with the BRAN committee are encouraged to contact Irene Fletcher at the Wayne Area Chamber at 402-375-2240.
