Analytical Road Warriors

2015-10-28

Writer(s): Steve Scherer

This is the third year that Professor Garth Simpson and a group of graduate students have cycled down to the Turkey Run Analytical Chemistry Conference. It takes an entire day to navigate the 60 miles of backroads from Tippecanoe to Parke County.

“Every year we always seem to encounter a dirt road and get lost once, but so far we’ve never experienced any equipment issues,” says Simpson, an avid cyclist who traveled this year’s route using a thirty-year-old bike he has owned since high school.

The group only bikes one-way to the conference and takes a van back to campus for the return trip.

Simpson says that any analytical chemists with an interest in biking are invited to join them next year.

“It’s more than a workout. It’s more about having a lot of fun getting there and a great sense of accomplishment once we arrive,” he added.

Justin Newman, Zane Baird, Mike Wleklinski, Alan Jarmusch, Chris Pulliam, Azhad Chowdhury, Garth Simpson.

Photo courtesy: Paul Wenthold