BRAN keeps bicyclists on the move

From hills wooded with Ponderosa pine to rippling waters in the “lazy river town” of Ashland, participants on this year's Bicycle Ride Across Nebraska will see some of the prettiest parts of the state.

Rotarian Jerry Baird started BRAN in 1980 as a community service project to raise money for charity. He got the idea after one of his employees rode a bike across Iowa.

Since then, BRAN has become a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships to Nebraska high school graduates. BRAN's goal is to offer a scholarship at every Nebraska college and university.

This year's trip will go from Harrison, in the northwest corner of the state, to Ashland in the east.

It will be the fourth ride across the state for Dwight Livingston, North Platte deputy police chief. He will be biking with son-in-law Matt Jorgensen.

“He's younger than me, and he's hard to keep up with, so it's good exercise,” Livingston said.

Livingston's wife, Rhonda, will drive, carrying all their supplies and laying out everything the men might need at each rest area and overnight stop.

“God bless her — she's the worker bee of the group,” said Livingston. “She's the reason Matt and I can go out and have fun and not have to worry about packing anything up, or organizing anything.”

An entourage of medical staff and BRAN volunteers will also travel with the riders.

Workers will be stationed every 10 to 15 miles with water, crackers, bananas and other snacks for the riders. With temperatures often soaring into the 90s, it's easy to get dehydrated.

It can also be cold. Livingston found himself sitting under a bridge in shorts and a short-sleeved jersey waiting out a rainstorm on his first BRAN trip. After that experience, he's learned to pack a raincoat.

“It's Nebraska, so you never really know what the weather's going to do,” he said. “But the wind is pretty much a given.”

On his bike, Livingston carries a pack that contains a sports drink, cell phone, extra tire tube and tools for changing a tire. He also carries heart rate and cadence monitors and a global positioning system.

Livingston and Jorgensen typically average 18 miles per hour and cover 60 to 85 miles each day. Churches and organizations in towns along the route provide the riders with meals and tours of their communities. Swimming, museum visits and golf are some of the activities at each stop.

BRAN begins Sunday and continues through June 12. For more information go to http://bran-inc.org/wp/.

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