Embracing The Dirty Kanza 200 By Casey Woods
T
he sight of several hundred bikers simultaneously rolling through downtown Emporia at 6 a.m. on Saturday, June 2, can only be eclipsed by the excitement of hundreds (if not thousands this year) of fans clanging cow bells and cheering wildly. Exhausted riders dig deep for the energy to sprint the last four blocks down Commercial Street through the finish line. As friendly locals swarm and congratulate these athletes that have endured a super human test of will, everyone takes part in the pride of their personal accomplishment, and helps to make them feel like a champion whether they are the first or 91st rider across that line.
Unique local restaurants and “mom and pop” retailers ensure that visitors will discover something new on each block. Two Regents Institutions, a wonderfully restored historic theatre and a modern arts facility provide cultural amenities unusual for a community of our size. A myriad of parks, family-friendly events and a small town feel create an instant connection for visitors. Yes, Dirty Kanza 200 participants flood High Gear Cyclery with requests for the newest durable equipment, but they also patronize downtown gift shops, clothing stores and grocery outlets in between “picking” antiques and ogling over local artwork. They argue whether our barbeque or Mexican cuisine is better as others chime in “don’t forget the bakery” and “the Chinese is fantastic.” It re-energizes one’s soul to see our community through the eyes of those experiencing Emporia for the first time, and when we mention the insane amount of wonderful events riders “miss out on” by going home, (Live in the Lot, Brown Bag, The Symphony in the Flint Hills, Shrine Bowl, Great American Market, Back to School Activities, etc.) you hear people verbalize “I wish our community was like this…” A small group of volunteers work unbelievably hard to promote an event that many said would never work, should be confined to a parking lot, and would never draw anyone other than locals. Why do they do it? Why do they work with the Farmer’s Market for a pasta feed on Friday, June 1, when
“A small group of volunteers work unbelievably hard to promote an event that many said would never work...” Emporia is perfectly located near a natural wonder that remains an enigma for most of the world, the Flint Hills. The prairie provides a tourism paradox: too many people and too much development would devalue this uniquely beautiful area, while hording the splendor of this awe inspiring scenery would simply be selfish. While some of the most beautiful vistas of the Flint Hills have been affected by urban sprawl, the majority of the Flint Hills surrounding Emporia retains its beauty, due to the vigilance and foresight of local land owners. Through low impact forms of tourism (like the Dirty Kanza 200), we can expose the world to the Flint Hills without damaging them. While athletes visit the area for its raw, untamed remoteness, we expose them to a unique community setting full of amenities that cause riders to almost universally exclaim “I love it here.” They love the Flint Hills because they get to actually experience the Flint Hills, not some homogenized semblance of the great outdoors represented in a climate controlled atmosphere, the real thing.
“Velo News Magazine rated the Dirty Kanza 200 as one of the best 15 rides in the world” they could simply tell people “show up on Saturday morning?” Why do they have a start in the middle of the 800 Block of Commercial Street at 6 a.m. on Saturday morning when they
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