Unbound Gravel is officially here, and the event schedule is packed this week leading up to the launch of the XL 350 on Friday and the start of all other race lengths early Saturday:
*Tuesday features the premiere of the moving “Breaking Away” from 7-9 pm at the Emporia Granada Theatre
*Wednesday has the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame activities, including a group ride at 11 am, social hour at 5 and banquet at 6 pm, both at the Granada, and after-party at Merchant Cycles at 8 pm
*Thursday and Friday are for the All Things Gravel Expo involving parts of Commercial, Mechanic, 6th and 8th
*Thursday also features the Family Zone at 18 East 6th, as well as the Fleetwood Mac cover band The Seven Wonders at the Granada Theatre at 7 pm
*Thursday has packet pickup opportunities, although the main check-in time is Friday at the Lyon County History Center — where KVOE will be for an expanded Talk of Emporia starting at 10:06 am
*The annual Unbound gravel Finish Fest block party goes from 11 am to midnight Saturday
With over 5,000 riders expected for the actual races and hundreds already here, the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office has listed a series of safety tips for both cyclists and motorists for the next week:
For cyclists:
• Wear high-visibility gear and use lights, especially during dawn and dusk.
• Ride predictably, and always signal your turns.
• Stick to the right, but take the lane when necessary for safety.
• Always wear a helmet.
• Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast, except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.
For motorists:
• Give cyclists at least 3 feet of space when passing, as required by Kansas law.
• Be patient and avoid honking as it might startle cyclists.
• Check your mirrors and blind spots, especially at intersections.
• Be mindful around designated race zones and parking areas.
The Sheriff’s Office has also listed several road closures in effect from 4 am Saturday to 4 am Sunday:
*Road 140 east of Road C
*Road 150 west of Highway 99, w est of Road K
*Road 155 west of Highway 99
*Road D north of Road 120
*Road F north of Road 140, s outh of Road 150
*Road H north of Road 140
*Road J north of Road 140
*Americus: Locust Street from Road F to 5th St.
Meanwhile, the Emporia Police Department begins placing traffic control devices in downtown Emporia on Tuesday and has several traffic impacts ahead this week:
*Wednesday through Friday:
*4 am: Expo street closures begin. C ommercial Street (6th Ave to 12th Ave) is closed to through traffic. Other closures involve Mechanic from 6th to 7th, 7th from Mechanic to Merchant and 8th from Mechanic to Merchant
Friday:
*3 pm: XL race begins. Riders will travel along Commercial Street to 12th Ave to Merchant Street to Road 187
Saturday:
*5:50-10 am: Riders depart. Riders will travel along Commercial Street to 12th Ave to Constitution to 6th Ave to Prairie Street to Road 160
KVOE, KVOE.com and KVOE social media will have extensive coverage of Unbound Gravel all week. More information about Unbound Gravel is available here.
