A lovely overnight at Hitchcock Nature Center! We’ll leave from the shop around 2pm on Saturday the 1st, and take a meandering and somewhat challenging 35 mile/2k climbing route (difficulty 7 out of 10, 60% gravel, ride with gps here)—we’ll stop in Honey Creek at the Aeroplane Inn (bar food and beverages), ~mile 30 along the route.

Minimum 35mm tire width/volume required due to the gravel roads along the route. This is not a supported ride and is at your own risk, you are responsible for yourself.

Please RSVP below so so we can plan accordingly with the campsite. There is a waiver below, please read, and by clicking “submit”, you agree to and acknowledge the terms.

Please venmo $15 to @Vince-Asta or cash day of for campsite fee and firewood. Water and latrine at the campsite, bring your own food for dinner saturday night and breakfast sunday morning, also bring food for during the ride.

Ride home Sunday morning will be a shortened version, ~20 miles. Route here.

Swift Campout weekend! It’ll be a fairly standard (lovely!) overnight at Hitchcock Nature Center. We’ll leave from the shop around 2pm on Saturday the 24th, and take a meandering and somewhat challenging 35 mile/2k climbing route (difficulty 7 out of 10, 60% gravel, ride with gps here)—we’ll stop in Honey Creek at the Aeroplane Inn (bar food and beverages), ~mile 30 along the route. Minimum 35mm tire width/volume required due to the gravel roads along the route. This is not a supported ride and is at your own risk, you are responsible for yourself. Please RSVP below so so we can plan accordingly with the campsite. There is a waiver below, please read, and by clicking “submit”, you agree to and acknowledge the terms. A recommended $10 cash donation day off for campsite fee and firewood. Water and latrine at the campsite, bring your own food for dinner saturday night and breakfast sunday morning, also bring food for during the ride. Ride home Sunday morning will be a shortened version, ~25 miles. Will post that soon.

GROUP RIDE/EVENT WAIVER AND RELEASE AGREEMENT

THIS IS A RELEASE OF LIABILITY - PLEASE READY CAREFULLY BEFORE SUBMITTING

I, (either for myself and/or my minor child), desiring to ride (the "Activity") with Nebraska Territory, LLC/DBA Ponderosa Cyclery (the "Company"), acknowledge that I am voluntarily participating in the Activity entirely at my own risk being aware that this activity may include, but not be limited to the risk of falling; collision with other bicycles, motor vehicles, or stationary objects; and variable conditions of trails, roads, or pavement. I acknowledge that cycling is a hazardous activity involving inherent and other risks of personal injury or even death. I voluntarily and knowingly accept and assume liability for these risks. Company has provided understandable and satisfactory answers to all my questions regarding the ride/event. I understand the proper operational use of a bicycle and agree to wear a bicycle helmet at all times while riding the bicycle. I am responsible for the care and proper use of my bicycle. I am fully aware that these risks associated with the Activity may result in physical or psychological injury, pain, suffering, illness, disfigurement, temporary or permanent disability, economic or emotional loss, and death caused either by my own or others' negligence or the conditions where the activity is performed. Being fully aware of these risks, I assume all responsibility for my participation in this Activity and, for myself, my heirs, executors, administrators, assigns, and personal representatives, knowingly and voluntarily enter into this waiver and release of liability of Company. This waiver and release includes all rights, claims, or causes of action of any kind whatsoever arising out of my participation in the Activity, and I hereby release and discharge Company, its employees, managers, members, agents, volunteers, representatives, successors, and assigns for any injuries I may suffer as a direct result of my participation in the Activity. 

I assume full responsibility for all risk or bodily injury, death, or property damage while participating in the Activity due to the inherent risks associated with it or due to the ordinary negligence of Company in any way relating to the selection, maintenance, adjustment, design, manufacture, and/or use of the bicycle and the Activity or resulting from other causes. I agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless from and against any and all liability, damage, loss, claims, suits, or causes of action whatsoever, including by not limited to attorney's fees and related expenses arising out of litigation, should litigation be commenced by me or anyone else on my behalf.  

I acknowledge that I have carefully read this Group Ride/Event Waiver and Release Agreement and that I fully understand that it is a release of liability of Company, which makes no warranties, expressed or implied, with regard to the Activity. I understand and agree that the provisions of this Agreement are intended to be as broad and inclusive as is permitted by the laws of Nebraska and Iowa, and that if any provision or portion thereof is held invalid, the balance of this Agreement shall continue in full force and effect. 

Folks, this is the Nebraska edition of Swift.Industries' annual summer solstice get-out-n-ride-n-camp initiative--and we're planning a doozy! We're collaborating with Little Mountain Farm again (located in Ponca Hills, now!), and this time the folks at Culprit Cafe and Bakery are gonna be in on the dinner scheme. It will be a delicious [TBA] with the fruits of Ali and Scott's labor. 

The route (linked below) will be a moderate level of difficulty. A fair amount of bike path along the river front, but we'll switch it up halfway there and take some gravel North of Neale Woods. Some steep-ish grades, but nothing too crazy. Once in the valley north of there, we'll take P51 and meander up to Ft. Atkinson for a quick stop. Re-up on snacks/water at the gas station in Ft. Calhoun, then head back into Ponca Hills. Maybe a stop at the Alpine Inn, as it's not far from the farm. 25-30ish miles total for the route on Saturday. Come Sunday, you can opt to pickup the riverfront trail not too far down the road from the farm for a quick 11-12 mile trip back to the city. Saturday info can be found here (https://ridewithgps.com/routes/21628739). Sunday, you'll just take Ponca rd east to the riverfront trail.

We're gonna cap attendance at 25 for this one (food, space, etc), and ask for $16 per person (seems reasonable given dinner is included, and normal campsites are in the $10 range), which we'll pass along to the Culprit and Little Mountain folks. The attendance cap is because Ali and Scott are nice enough to let us use their land and eat their produce, and we'll need a headcount for dinner! (If you want to come and are worried about special dietary restrictions, please email us.) That being said, registration is ~*required*~. To register, please email stuff@ponderosacyclery.com and we'll get you an invoice that you can pay online. Registration will be only partially refunded if we are rained out, to cover food prep costs for our collaborators--and in that case, we can have a food and beverage party here at the shop! First 15 folks to register get an official "Swift Campout" patch. You can browse other campout goodies here (https://builtbyswift.com/product-category/collections/campout-2017/). We have a fair amount of that stuff in the shop; patches, booklets, luggage, etc. We can order stuff for you, too! Just holler at us!

Phew! So many words! Sorry about that. It's gonna be fun, that's the main take-away.

We're planning an overnighter down to Indian Cave State Park via the Steamboat Trace. We'll meet at the trailhead in Peru, about an hour's drive from Omaha or Lincoln. (NOT the northern most trailhead next to the power plant.) Meet there at 11am Sunday Morning. How you get there is up to you. Drive to, ride to, carpool, etc. We will leave by 12p via the Steamboat and head to Brownville for lunch and such. Probably kick around a bit, because it's a neat little town. After that, head on to Indian Cave via country roads. Gravel and mmrs, which means dirt, so a 35mm(ish) or greater is recommended. Rollers and tough climbs, too. All in all, the route should be about 30 meandering miles (60 round trip). Still working on campsite details, but we hope to get one or two of the adirondack shelters located on the bluffs overlooking the river, those are first come/first served, though. We'll pitch tents/hammocks near the shelters. These are backcountry/hike-in, so it will require some tough hike-a-bike sections, fyi. 1/2 a mile or so. Fallback is the group campsite in Hackberry Hollow. This is a self-supported ride, so you are responsible for food, water, transportation, etc. That doesn't mean there won't be food and beverages shared (potluck style), but just be prepared. We'll have a fire pit to grill. Camp Sunday night, nature hike down to the Cave Monday AM for those interested, the get on the road to meander back to Peru for a late afternoon arrival, so folks can get back home sometime in the evening. Bring enough cash for campsite fee and the establishments in Brownville/Nemaha as they're likely cash only. The Nemaha grocery store for sure is cash only. I'll post more details as they're figured out, and feel free to post up for carpool and caravanning. If y'all have ANY questions regarding gear, routes, sandwich making, etc, feel free to stop in, call (the duck phone, 402.614.1392), or email me, stuff@ponderosacyclery.com. Hope to see ya out there!