KULIFE
Wednesday, August 18, 1993
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
5C
Mountain bikers take to area trails
Doug Hesse / KANSAN
Riders should be prepared for all terrain conditions
David Burgett, Lawrence senior, takes a break from bike riding. The Lawrence area offers two bike trails that are open to the public.
By Robert R. O'Blennis Special to the Kansan
Riding a bike along a trail may seem a relaxing way to spend an afternoon, but for some it's not just recreation. it's an adventure.
"It's because it's easy to get to, and it's the easier of the trails." he said.
Private trails offer another opportunity to ride, but are harder to find and usually require the owner's permission.
Greg travis, Lawrence junior, and a sales representative at Sunflower, 804 Massachusetts St., said the levee trails are a little more popular.
Riding in Lawrence is not limited to just these two trails. Other riding opportunities include gravel roads and private trails — not to mention cruising around town.
"I feel like one of those speeder bikes from 'Return of the Jedi,'" said Clayton Hess, Lawrence university. "You're on the edge, and you could hit a tree or fall off your bike at any time."
Hess is just one of many KU students who find Lawrence a great area to ride mountain bikes.
Davis helps take care of a private trail called Hastie Hill. He said the owners of the land like the idea of people riding on their land, but require permission before any riding is done.
Glen Roussel, a bike mechanic at Rick's Bike Shop, 916 Massachusetts St., said Lawrence had two main trails.
"There are ticks and poison ivy in the summer, so I try to stay away." Roussel said.
Experts, like Roussel and Davis, agree that any trail riding should be done in a responsible manner. With the increasing popularity of riding in Lawrence, they want to make sure trails receive proper treatment.
Gravel roads are especially popular in the summer and when the regular trails are too wet.
"The two formal trails in town are the levee and Clinton State Park." he said.
Roussel said that the levee trail, located on the north side of the Kansas River, was the easier and shorter of the two, and that the Clinton trail had more rocks, was more technically advanced and was about 15 miles long.
Maps to Clinton trails can be found at local bike shops and at Clinton State Park.
"There were more students than I've ever seen in the spring." Davis said. "I think it's great, but we want to make sure people are aware."
Roussel said an important guideline was to avoid wet trails.
"Riding on a wet trail will cause erosion and degrade your bike," he said.
Carl Ringler, coordinator for the Kansas Trail Commission for the Clinton Lake trails, agreed.
I recommend, number one, stay off wet trails.
Ringer said, "Be self-sufficient with a patch kit, pump,
water bottles and a helmet. A helmet is very important.
Be cautious to other trail users and be careful around
blind corners."
The bike shops where Davis and Roussel work also help to make trail riding safe in Lawrence. Rick's offers occasional nighttime rides and Sunflower has a
trail report which lists the conditions on local trails. But the support doesn't there.
Both shods also trv to cultivate an open atmosphere so that customers are not afraid to ask questions.
Davis recommends following the rules established by the International Mountain Biking Association. Rules are available at local bike shops and at the trailhead at Clinton
"We feel that cyclists are a big family, and we want to help them out," Roussel said.
Popularity of country dancing growing
Country bars offer dancing lessons
By Christy Shirk
It's 8:30 on a Thursday night. Tami McGeeney is dressed in white boot-cut jeans that tightly hug every curve in her lower body. She has on her black cowboy boots, which perfectly match her black cowboy hat, and every eye in the Cadillac Ranch is following her.
"OK y'all' Step-ball-change, step-ball-challenge, turn!" she yells to the almost 40 people who have come to learn one of the many line dances, the tush-push.
But line dances are not the only lessons on the agenda. Tonight the group will learn to two-step, three step, 10-step and swing dance.
Special to the Kansar
ing music in the new 'young country', " said Lawrence senior Patrick Himmelburg, a bartender at the Ranch.
Young country music includes such performers as Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Wynonna Judd and Clint Black. Their music is often played on FM radio stations such as 104.3
"She'll teach you anything you want to learn," said Jon Davis, the Ranch owner. "And she walks through it step-by-step. It's pretty easy."
The disc jockey has just put on Toby Keith's "1 Should Have Been a Cowboy," and the fast twangy beat has got everyone tapping their toes.
Eric Hess, Leawood senior, said he never liked country music until he began frequenting the Cadillac Ranch.
"The crowd ranges from college greeks, to blue-collar folks, to white-collar yuppies, and, of course, to true-blooded cowboys," said bartender Trina Santos, Wichita senior.
The Cadillac Ranch is just one of the thousands of country-western bars that have opened across the country.
As on every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 8:30 p.m., the Cadillac Ranch is giving free dance lessons to anyone 21-years-old or older.
The lights are dim, the music is loud and those who aren't on the dance floor are gathered around one of the two bars to watch.
Ine lack of quality in recent Top 40 music has swayed both radio stations and music listeners to the pop-sound.
"I started hanging out there because all of my friends were going and the music really grew on me," Hess said.
Davis estimates that 30 percent of his clientele at the Cadillac Ranch are KU students.
Hess also said that country dancing is a great way to meet people.
It's become the most popular place in town."
"the dancing gives you a way to break the ice with a girl." Hess said.
Sarah Frazier, Starley senior, said that country dancing was a great thing to do on a date because the steps were easy and fun to learn.
"When you're out on a date, country dancing is perfect because you have a partner and any one can do it." Frazier said.
Sidewinder's Bar is Lawrence's newest country-western addition.
Like the Cadillac Ranch, Sidewinder's plays young country and gives free dance lessons, said Phil Hergules, manager of Sidewinder's.
"The DJ will play mostly young country music with an occasional rock song." Hercules said.
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