Pedaling the Whooper Highway Stopover

Crane Trust is pleased to partner with Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary and Platte Basin Timelapse for a Central Nebraska Stopover – tentatively scheduled for Friday, June 5th. We would be pleased to see you for a BBQ with Mike and Andy at our Nature & Visitor Center. Complete details below: 

• 10 a.m. – Q&A and Bike Ride: Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary (44450 Elm Island Rd, Gibbon, NE 68840)
• 6 p.m. Barbecue: Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center (9325 S Alda Road, Wood River, NE, 68883) 

Just like the Whooping Cranes do each spring, Michael Forsberg and Andy Caven are “staging” in the Central Platte River Valley during their “Pedaling the Whooper Highway” project. Date subject to change depending on Mike and Andy’s travels to Nebraska–just like the Whooping Cranes, the exact date is more of a guess.   

Beginning at 10 AM, Mike and Andy will be at the Rowe Sanctuary visitor center to answer questions and share stories about the first half of the trip. Following the Q&A, we invite you to join them for a 20-mile gravel bike ride to the Crane Trust. Transportation back to Rowe after the ride will not be provided. 

At 6 PM, join them for a BBQ at the Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center. Attendance for the evening BBQ and programming is $10 per person. While Whooping Cranes eat a variety of invertebrates, waste grain, and tubers, we are pleased to provide BBQ sandwiches, sides, and dessert. Beverages also available from First Street Brewing Company. Please RSVP so that we have an estimated count for food. 

This will be a great opportunity to hear directly from Mike and Andy about what they’ve learned thus far about the Whooper Highway. 

Mike and Andy are in the midst of biking through the Great Plains–pedaling 2,500 miles from May 11 through the end of June to raise awareness for whooping cranes and the habitats they rely on. The goal of this trip is to uplift the stories, communities, habitats, and wildlife that define this narrow yet critical corridor so that whooping cranes and other species can endure for generations to come.

Learn more about the Pedaling the Whooper Highway project and see their progress at https://whoopingcranechronicles.com/bike/.  

Due to weather, the bikers’ health and safety, and other limiting factors, the exact event date will be finalized a few days prior. Please keep an eye on the Crane Trust, Rowe Sanctuary, or Platte Basin Timelapse websites in case the dates change. Please contact Grace Carey (gcarey2@unl.edu) and Mariah Lundgren (mlundgren4@unl.edu) with questions and for more information. 

Interested in cycling further with them?

Saturday, June 6, join them at 8 AM as they continue north for as long as you want. Start off at Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center. Time subject to change depending on the weather forecast.   

Biking with Mike and Andy Details:

While we are inviting anyone and everyone to bike with Mike and Andy on parts of their journey, there is some information to be aware of before you sign up.

Mike and Andy will be very mission-focused while biking, so they won’t be able to stop or wait on folks. Also, anyone who wants to join them will be on their own for support. They will be pedaling about 8-20 miles per hour on gravel or paved roads and biking anywhere between 30 and 70 miles per day. Please contact Mariah Lundgren (mlundgren4@unl.edu) with questions or inquiries.