Hundreds of bicycle riders rolled into Salina on Tuesday.

The bicyclists, riding in the Biking Across Kansas tour, began the day in Ellinwood. After a 72 mile ride they stopped in Salina to refresh, and spend the night.

The official tour stop was located at Salina Central High School. Hundreds of tents sprang up, and riders made use of the facilities at the school including the locker room showers. After they got cleaned up, busses were available to drop them off at locations around town so they could experience some of what Salina has to offer.

Among the riders was 71-year-old Bonita Olivia from the Rooks County Community of Woodston. She was all smiles as she talked with KSAL News.

Olivia said that she has ridden her bike across Kansas nine times. Along the way she has seen a lot of interesting things.

Olivia says that she has enjoyed the wildlife most of all. She has seen all of the animals you would typically see in Kansas. But she has also seen things like beavers and armadillos. On the ride to Salina Tuesday many of the riders stopped to take photos of flock of wild turkeys that were along the route.

Olivia said she ventured out of the sunflower state for a ride last year that had always been on her “bucket list”. She rode her bike over the Andes mountains in South America.

After spending the night in Salina, the tour Wednesday is headed 88 miles to Wamego.

Biking Across Kansas began on June 6th in Elkhart and ends June 14th in Highland.