Adventure Cycling of Missoula Hits Milestone – 200,000th membership, Reports Strong Growth

Montana—Adventure Cycling Association http://www.adventurecycling.org , the nation’s premier bicycle touring organization, reports that on April 8 its data-entry staff processed the 200,000th membership received by the association in its 30-year history.

“Lucky member number Z-200,000 is Tom Nickell, of Cincinnati, Ohio,” said membership and development director Julie Huck. The staff is presenting Tom a number of gifts, including a free year of membership, an Adventure Cycling jersey, a pair of sunglasses, a $100 gift certificate for the Cyclosource catalog, and a DVD of the original Bikecentennial ’76 movie.”

Nickell, who currently enjoys short rides around Cincinnati, is keen on expanding his bicycling horizons and touring in Kentucky soon. He is an associate professor and research specialist at the University of Cincinnati’s Smell Lab—and no, we are not making this up.

“We study olfaction, the sense of smell,” Nickell said. “Our goal is to describe how an external chemical stimulus, an odorant, is transduced into the electrical signal that ultimately reaches the brain. Two projects are underway, both of which use electrophysiological methods. First, we study the mechanism of odorous transduction in a vertebrate, the northern grass frog. We are also studying olfactory transduction in an invertebrate, the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.”

“I can’t help but wonder if Tom didn’t sense this coming,” quipped Adventure Cyclist magazine editor Michael Deme, who says he has a nose for suspicious news. “It just smells fishy.”

“I think we should send him two-dozen jerseys,” added communications director Susan Waters. “The ones just back from a staff ride—then he’d have some serious smell to study.”

Stinky jokes aside, Huck reports that Adventure Cycling has enjoyed tremendous growth in recent years. “As recently as the year 2000 we had fewer than 33,000 members,” she said. “Today, we claim 42,000 members—an increase of more than 25 percent in just five years.

“Like in any group, our members come and go as their interests ebb and flow with the organization’s mission,” Huck explained. “Some members join for just a year or two while planning their ‘big trip,’ but many cyclists have made a lifetime commitment to Adventure Cycling. To date, we have 1,288 Life Members and over 2,000 members who have been with the organization for 20 years or more.

”We are very excited to welcome member number 200,000. It makes me feel good knowing we have helped so many cyclists over the last three decades. Adventure Cycling Association acts on the national level to provide information to cyclists, while our membership acts on the local level to inspire others to ride—and what a great combination that is.”

According to executive director Jim Sayer, Adventure Cycling’s rapid expansion reflects trends in the greater cycling industry. “The Outdoor Industry Association’s numbers show that bicycling—especially road riding—was the top form of outdoor recreation in America in 2003,” he said. “They found that nearly seventy-eight million Americans hit the road on a bike.”

“I think more people are looking for a way to get in shape and have fun at the same time,” added Huck, “and not simply exercise for the sake of losing weight or gaining fitness. Cycling can be a very social activity, and it’s easy on the knees, as well. It’s also a snap for adults to come back to, having learned the skill as kids.”

Adventure Cycling, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1973, is America’s largest recreational cycling association. Headquartered in Missoula, Montana, the association’s mission is to inspire people of all ages to travel by bicycle. Adventure Cycling’s services include bicycle-route development and mapping, periodical publishing (Adventure Cyclist magazine and The Cyclists’ Yellow Pages resource directory), and a guided bicycle-touring program. For more information about Adventure Cycling Association, call (406) 721-1776, toll-free (800) 755-2453, or visit http://www.adventurecycling.org.

FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Susan Waters, communications director, Adventure Cycling Association, 800-755-2453 ext. 219, [email protected]

Steve Snyders, Sublime Public Relations, 406-728-4180, [email protected]