The Redbud Ride

Redbuds will be blooming soon!

My favorite time of the year for riding is when redbud trees are blooming. The folks in London, Kentucky must feel the same way, because they have an annual bike ride called the Redbud Ride. London is a town of about 8,000 people, about an hour south of Lexington. It's about a four hour drive to get there from Indianapolis. The Redbud Ride is held on Saturday, April 25. There is another ride on Friday in nearby Barbourville, Kentucky called the Redbud Warm-up. It coincides with the Redbud Festival of Appalachian Culture at Union College (These folks really like their redbuds). On Sunday there is a lightly supported ride called the Redbud Recovery.

The cost for the Redbud Ride on Saturday is $35. It has four route options:

• 23 miles
• 38 miles
• 70 miles
• 102 miles

There are sag stops approximately every 20 miles. With your registration you get a T-shirt, pancake breakfast from the London Rotary Club, plus a post-event meal and music. The Redbud Warm-up has two ride options and a couple of sag stops. It costs $25 and you get another T-shirt. Sunday's Redbud Recovery is free. It is hosted by a local shop in London called Mike's Hike and Bike.

For information on how to get there and local hotels, visit the Redbud Ride's Travel & Hotel Info page. If you prefer to camp, the Levi Jackson Wilderness Road State Park is not far away.