Today, August 11, marks the seventh and final day of CANDISC or Cycle Around North Dakota In Sakakawea Country. CANDISC began in 1993 as an inspiration of Fort Stevenson State Park manager Dick Messerly and the Garrison Chamber of Commerce who were searching for a way to showcase North Dakota.

The seven-day loop cycling tour begins each year in Fort Stevenson, but the approximately 400-mile route varies each year. In 1993, participants circled Lake Sakakawea. This year cyclists traveled northeast from Fort Stevenson, through the plains and the Turtle Mountains.

Daily mileage for the cyclists range from 44 to 76 miles, yet organizers emphasize that the tour is not a race. Riders have the opportunity to visit a variety of historical, agricultural or natural sites along the route. Sites this year included ND’s Mystical Horizons, the International Peace Gardens and the Geographical Center of North America.

Written by Christina Sunwall

Sources:
Stockdill, Patricia. “CANDISC.” AAA Living North Dakota July/August 2007:16-19
ND Parks and Recreation Department <http://www.ndparks.com/Acrobat/CANDISC2007.pdf>

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