Musical bike ride this weekend
Staff writer
A cycling event blending music, conservation, and rural scenery will return Saturday.
Flint Hills Counterpoint’s Musical Bike Adventure will start at the group’s home base near Peabody.
Riders can choose between 15- and 30-mile routes across gravel, dirt, and paved roads, with live music featured at stops along the way.
The event stands out by weaving performances into the ride itself, with musicians stationed at rest stops and at the finish, organizer Susan Mayo said.
“You get music at every single stop,” Mayo said.
Local performers will include Peabody-area singer Aaron Waddell and freshman fiddler Caleb Klingenberg, who will play alongside his father, Brett. The finish line will feature String Daze, a group supported through a Kansas Arts Commission touring roster grant.
Participants will be able to tour Flint Hills Counterpoint’s 14-acre property, where conservation work and land restoration projects are underway.
The event is designed to connect people with both the landscape and the arts, Mayo said.
“We always try to couple something that has to do with the environment with the arts,” she said.
She hopes participants leave with a greater appreciation for Marion County and the importance of land stewardship.
Registration begins at 9 a.m., with the ride starting at 10 a.m. The cost is $40 and includes lunch and support along the route. Non-riders are welcome to stop and listen to music at no charge.