By ELLINOR COUCHMAN
Tiger Media Network
Life is busy at Fort Hays State University. Midterms are fast approaching, and more than 60 events are scheduled for the next two weeks. However, a newly established event has challenged students to enjoy the leisure of biking.
On September 28, Graduate Assistant Counselor Nathan Purdue launched Your Brain on Bikes – a weekly biking endeavor near the Memorial Union Breezeway. Purdue hopes to emphasize the reported mental and physical health benefits of biking, as well as fostering a community around the hobby.
“Cycling is an expression of joy for me,” he said. “It’s something that I feel like I’m fairly accomplished at, but I want to invite other people into that same joy.”
There’s just one problem. As of yet, nobody has accepted his invitation. The first week fizzled out; the second week was cut short by mechanical issues; and the third week fell victim to scheduling conflicts. Sustained engagement remains a priority for established events, but for Purdue, the foremost concern is finding traction in the first place.
“I’ve been a little discouraged about the lack of receptiveness. I wonder if it’s just the fact that people haven’t heard about it, if I haven’t advertised in the proper way – which advertising is certainly not my forte – but I definitely want to get people involved.,” he said.
According to Gender-Sexuality Alliance Vice President Kiernan McCarty, it’s a familiar sentiment for first-time event organizers.
“That was definitely a big fear of mine at the very beginning,” he said. “I did everything in my power to make sure that, no matter what, we had people to show up, and that was my biggest priority, but I think I’ve realized that, honestly, if you put more effort into the event itself and what things are offered at the event, that’s what’s going to bring people there.”
McCarty says he was hoisted into a leadership position in 2021. Since then, he’s served numerous officer roles and helped organize nearly a dozen events for the GSA – a feat he attributes to the mentoring he’s received along the way.
“Danzel Major, who is closer to graduating than I am, helped me really understand my own position as a leader by telling me ‘Your job, as a leader, is to delegate – not do all the work,’ and that’s probably the best advice I’ve ever been given,” he said.
Although Jacob Newcomer created promotional art, Purdue is doing most of the legwork. In organizing the event, he aims for a straightforward activity that is as accessible as a physically demanding activity can get.
“I wanted everything to be what is considered in the biking community as ‘Party pace’, which is just slow enough for everyone to feel as if they’re included,” he said. “This was far less about a rigorous workout for me than it was for just fostering community around bicycling.”
Purdue remains optimistic about the future of ‘Your Brain on Bikes.’ Despite the slow start, cycling is something he believes Hays is uniquely positioned to enjoy in its size and atmosphere, and he fully intends to showcase it every Thursday at 5:00 p.m. going forward.
“It’s fun to just see the beauty of what’s around you, even when you’re in the middle of a city,” he said. “I know that that directly correlates to a more positive view of the world for me, and I wouldn’t be looking for that if I was driving.”