We’re one month into the 2014 edition of the National Bike Challenge, and here’s where Kansas stands so far:
For the month of May, Kansas ranked #10 in the nation, with 428 riders covering 78,674 miles.
The top individual male riders in the state were:
- Eric Nordgren, Topeka: 3,853 points
- Brian Carr, Topeka: 2,683 points
- Paul White, Hoyt: 2,625 points
The top individual female riders in the state were:
- Shelli Shipps, Topeka: 1,738 points
- Erin Chamberlain, Topeka: 1,556 points
- Karen Winterhalter, Lenexa: 1,470 points
The top communities in the state were:
- Dorrance: #9 in the nation, 4 riders (301 citizens), 408 miles, 6,138.43 points/1000 residents
- Claflin: #38 in the nation, 4 riders (1119 citizens), 940 miles, 1,709.24 points/1000 residents
- Hoyt: #57 in the nation, 1 rider (2063 citizens), 2093 miles, 1,272.47 points/1000 residents
- Holyrood: #69 in the nation, 5 riders (555 citizens), 89 miles, 1,165.12 points/1000 residents
- Iola: #91 in the nation, 33 riders (7974 citizens), 3703 miles, 912.96 points/1000 residents
The top local challenges in the state were:
- Thrive Allen County (Allen County): #5 in the nation, 39 riders (13,295 citizens), 4865.8 miles, 679.92 points/1000 residents
- Kaw Valley Bicycle Club (Shawnee County): #15 in the nation, 69 riders (191,842 citizens), 25,895 miles, 216.84 points/1000 residents
- Bike Walk Wichita (Sedgewick County): #25 in the nation, 145 riders (601,992 citizens), 23,261 miles, 79.18 points/1000 residents
(Some of the counties that should be strong, such as Johnson, Douglas, Leavenworth, and Riley, are not ranked, because no local organization is hosting a local challenge. If a county has a bike club or health organization or other nonprofit, it’s really easy to set up a local challenge. Click here to learn more, or contact me if you need help getting started.)
The top teams in the state were:
(There is a glitch in the NBC state team rankings, where national teams are listed in the state rankings, so I’ve listed only teams that are predominantly from Kansas.)
Here’s how our neighbors are doing so far:
- Arkansas: #23 in the nation
- Colorado: #6 in the nation
- Iowa: #5 in the nation
- Missouri: #46 in the nation
- Nebraska: #3 in the nation
- Oklahoma: #28 in the nation
As a region, we’re doing pretty well. Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado, and Kansas are all in the top 10. But Arkansas, Oklahoma, and (especially) Missouri are well off the pace.
So while Kansas may lag in the Bicycle Friendly State rankings, we’re strong where it counts — wheels on the roads.
Nationally, Kansas has 3 of the top ten riders in the entire USA: Eric Nordgren at #1, Brian Carr at #5, and Paul White at #7. The Kansas Krank Addicts were the #1 team in the nation (up to 10 riders). And Allen County is one of the top bicycling counties in the nation.
If you’ve not yet signed up for the National Bike Challenge, it’s not too late. The Challenge runs through the end of September, so there’s still plenty of time to participate. Just go to NationalBikeChallenge.org, create an account, and start logging your miles. Learn more here.
Post tags: National Bike Challenge
