CANDISC riders continue journey through Hazen
By Daniel Arens
Scenic drives can be fun, but why not find ways to be out in those scenic locations you are traveling through?
This is one of many ideas driving CANDISC, a group of 227 bicyclists who are traveling throughout western North Dakota. Over the course of this week, these cyclists will travel to and from Garrison while biking across the area south of Lake Sakakawea. Their first stop was Hazen.
“Hazen’s always been one of the top stops,” cyclist Rex Weltikol, Sawyer, said.
CANDISC, which stands for “Cycling Around North Dakota In Sakakawea Country,” is an annual event held the first full week in August. That means the trip is actually running this week, because July 31 fell on Sunday the week before.
After gathering in Garrison Aug. 6, cyclists left early in the morning the next day, traveling more than 50 miles down U.S. Hwy. 83, then down Hwy. 200 through Pick City, west along Hwy. 1806, and south on County Road 27 into Hazen.
“I’ve been through Hazen about five times,” Darren Kabanuk, Burlington, said. He has been on 19 CANDISC trips so far.
He noted that the exact towns visited changes throughout the years, although often the cyclists will return to a town while revisiting certain routes.
“We used to do [routes] around the northern side of the lake, but because of the work at the oil fields, they stopped,” Kabanuk explained.
Joel Harnes was the oldest cyclist in the group, which ranged from seven years old to 81 years old. Harnes has been cycling since the 1960s, and this is the 10th year in succession he has attended CANDISC.
This is the 24th year CANDISC has been held.
