FREEDOM’S LANDING

A portion of these mapped loops are part of a much larger route which was created in 2007 by Adventure Cycling Association. Running from Mobile, Alabama, to Owen Sound, Ontario, Adventure Cycling’s 2,028 mile route passes points of interest and historic sites while providing turn-by-turn instructions; illustrated map panels; cycling, elevation, and weather conditions; as well as important service information. Historic details and stories, also featured on the maps, help bring the route to life. Broken down into five map sections of approximately 400 miles each, cyclists can choose to travel this route in a variety of ways. Some “load” their bikes with tents, sleeping bags, and cooking gear and ride self-contained on all or portions of the route. Others employ family or friends to SAG (support and gear) their gear in vehicles, while others choose not to camp but stay instead in hotels.

The guiding principal for mapping this long distance route was more symbolic than geographical. That’s because enslaved blacks striving to reach freedom in the North followed scores of different corridors, providing a countless number of routing options. The slave spiritual “Follow the Drinking Gourd” guided our route north along the rivers and byways to the confluence of the Tennessee and Ohio rivers. From there, we let the history carry the route all the way to Canada, incorporating as many sites and communities as feasible for bicycle travelers.

Adventure Cycling Association partnered with the Center for Minority Health (CMH) at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania (www.cmh.pitt.edu) to create the route. CMH advocates for innovative ways to encourage people to live healthy lifestyles. Both organizations share a twofold goal in creating the route. First, we want to provide twenty-first century Americans with an opportunity to learn more about one of the most challenging culturalstruggles in our nation’s history. And second, we wish to promote the joys and health benefits of traveling by bicycle. By its very nature, bicycle touring is an activity that can be enjoyed by individuals of all ages, walks of life, and cultural backgrounds. We believe this new heritage route — whether enjoyed for a day trip, a week’s adventure, or an even longer ride — will provide the spark to introduce ever more people to this wonderful mode of travel.

Additional partners in developing and promoting this heritage route included Seattle-based Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) and Bikes Belong, the national coalition of bicycle suppliers and retailers working together to put more people on bicycles more often. Both of these organizations contributed major financial support for the project.

Please enjoy your adventure on the Underground Railroad Bicycle Route. We encourage you to say hello to any bike travelers you might encounter — they’ll be sure to have stories to tell! To learn more about this route and all its attributes, visit www.adventurecycling.org/ugrr.