Cruise the Blues

The Premier Bike Race & Festival
of North Central Kansas
Welcome to the 19th annual Cruise the Blues Bike Race and Festival! Whether you’re a returning rider or new to CTB, the 2022 event promises to have something to make you smile. We are eager to share details about this year’s historic event -- We’ll be celebrating the unique 100 year bicycle history of Palen Family Farms!
Cruise the Blues 2022 is a weekend festival featuring mountain bike & gravel racing, a super mile mountain bike time trial, and a kids' race. The event will challenge the best riders with dynamic and active racing, inspire new riders to check out the trails and test their skills, and encourage families and friends to celebrate fun on bikes no matter their age, skill, or ability. Ride for MTB JOY or MTB GLORY on either a four-mile or nine-mile course, individually or with a teammate. This year we are excited to also offer a 26-mile GRAVEL route! We encourage folks to spend the weekend taking advantage of our free camping and amenities (parking, showers, bathroom facilities, etc). New this year - Big T’s Diner and Catering will be onsite with a food truck! The public is invited to enjoy Saturday afternoon's free festival celebrating the bicycle history of the farm and the region. Stay for evening awards and live music by the Amarugia Ridge Runners. Whether you're a seasoned rider or new to biking, there's a place for you at Cruise the Blues!
For more information about this year's three-hour marathon race structure and race categories, please visit our Registration page.
Learn more about our kids' race on the Cruiz'n Kids Race page.
Celebrating100 Years of Bikes on Palen Family Farms
The discovery that inspired this year's event is way too cool not to celebrate!
In addition to racing, this year we are celebrating 100 years of fat tires on the farm with a free public festival featuring vintage bikes, historic photos, marketing posters, and stories highlighting the rich bicycle history of the region and the state of Kansas. The Wheelman will be riding historic bikes in period clothing and answering questions about the history and legacy of the bike. Other afternoon activities include fun races, live music, and a old-timey selfie station perfect for that Throwback Thursday photo for the Gram. Check out the full weekend Schedule here.
Download this poster to share!
View the Action!
Footage of a portion of the CTB course from the Kansas NICA race held on the farm in 2021.
All proceeds from Cruise the Blues support NCK Outdoors and Tipton Schools. NCK Outdoors is dedicated to supporting great bike trails, programs, and events in North Central Kansas. Check out our Facebook page and Instagram page to see the exciting things that have been happening on the farm with kids, bikes, and trail development.
Our Sponsors
Join us this year!Registration & Merchandise
Location
1031 180 Rd,Glen Elder, KS 67446
Printable directions from surrounding towns can be found here.