The LBJ Ranch and other key sites in the Texas Hill Country associated with President Lyndon B. Johnson are now part of Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. An event on March 27 will offer the chance to explore the area by bicycle on four separate tour routes, including a special historical tour narrated by Luci Baines Johnson, the former president's youngest daughter.

The 3rd annual LBJ 100 Bicycle Tour, “A Ride to Preserve History,” begins on the historic LBJ Ranch airstrip near Stonewall, Texas, at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 27, 2010. The tour offers four separate routes of 10, 30, 44 and 65 miles throughout the scenic Texas Hill Country plus one special historical tour narrated by Luci Baines Johnson beginning at approximately 2 p.m.

Luci Baines Johnson’s “Historical Tour of the Ranch” is 10 miles in length and will feature her reminiscences and stories about her parents and life on the ranch in the 1960s. It includes several stops at various historic locations. This event is one that supports Ms. Johnson’s desire “to get the owners of the park to use it.”

That's a great attitude about the park by a member of the Johnson family, who donated their former home and the famous ranch that includes the Texas White House to the American public. This event is also a fund raiser for a good cause.

All net proceeds will support the educational programs and historic preservation of Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park. Previous LBJ 100 Bicycle Tour proceeds have been used to prepare and open four rooms of the Johnsons’ home, the famed “Texas White House,” to the public.

The LBJ 100 Bicycle Tour is sponsored by the Friends of Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park, the Hill Country Bicycle Touring Club, the National Park Service, and Western National Parks and Monuments Association.

This year's event will also include new rest stops at four historic Gillespie County rural schools.

This exciting opportunity recognizes Lyndon Johnson’s role as “The Education President,” and is attribute to the many progressive education bills and “Great Society” legislation that was crafted during work sessions on the LBJ Ranch.

Registration is available in advance or on the day of the event. Pre-registration is $35.00 until March 6, when the fee increases to $40.00. On-site registration the day of the event, beginning at 7 a.m., is also available for $40.00. The fee includes maps, rest stops, and SAG support. If registered by March 6, the rider will also receive a T-shirt as part of the registration fee. A post-ride meal will be included in the registration fee for any of the routes, and non-riders can also purchase the post-ride meal.

If you're a non-cyclist and wondering about the term "SAG," this event has no connection with the Screen Actors Guild. In this case, it refers to support vehicles that assist or pick up riders who aren't able to complete the event due to fatigue, injury, or mechanical problems with their bike. SAG is said to be an acronym for "Support And Gear," while other cyclists suggest it stems from the verb "sag." Here at the Traveler, we're always on the lookout for ways to expand your knowledge!

You can register on-line or in Houston (March 22), San Antonio (March 24), Austin (March 25), and Fredericksburg (March 26). The event website includes details on registration locations, a downloadable entry form and maps, previews of the routes and downloadable GPS data, and directions to the starting point for the rides on March 27.

Spring can be a fine season to visit the Texas Hill Country. A bike tour with a former First Daughter would be a nice bonus.