Michigan Trails & Greenways Alliance

This is a very special Biking event. The Ambassador Bridge, spanning from Detroit to Windsor, pauses traffic to allow bikes to cross.  Canadian riders will ride to the US, across the bridge, and meet up with the Americans.  Then both the Canadians and Americans will ride back across the bridge.  A delicious Breakfast will be provided after the bridge ride, at Canada’s beautiful Mic Mac Park.  more . . .

Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance is pleased to join with the League of Michigan Bicyclists,  the Michigan Mountain Biking Association and MSU Bikes in sponsoring the Lucinda Means Bicycle Advocacy on Wednesday, May 23rd at the State Capitol.

The event, which starts with a bike rally from Michigan State University down Michigan Avenue to the State Capitol, followed by visits with your state legislators, and ending with lunch on the Capitol lawn offers great camaraderie for bicyclists and enlightenment on the issues which affect Michigan’s status as a bicycle-friendly state.  This year we will be focusing on:

• Protecting Vulnerable Roadway Users – Enhanced penalties for injuring cyclists
• Revising the Bicyclist Right Turn Signal – Make extended right arm legal in Michigan
• Supporting Bikes on Trains – Roll on bike service for Michigan trains
• Supporting a Michigan trails and greenways license plate
• Opposing efforts to eliminate the Michigan Complete Streets Advisory Council
• Opposing efforts to eliminate dedicated nonmotorized funding
• Opposing “Right to Ride” legislation, elevating equestrian trail users above all other user groups on trails

Registration for Advocacy Day is $10 and includes lunch.  Please register as soon as possible on the League of Michigan Bicyclists‘ website, www.lmb.org so that prearranged meetings with both your State Representative and Senator can be set up.

Save the Date of June 23, 2012

We are in the planning phase of a GRAND, grand opening of the North Eastern State Trail (NEST). Save the Date of June 23, 2012 so you can take part in this historic event.

Along with the Top of Michigan Trails Council, local officials, businesses and chambers of commerce along the 71 mile trail will be putting on the celebration. The plans for now include simultaneous ribbon cutting events at 8:30 a.m. in Alpena, Posen, Hawks, Millersburg, Aloha and Cheboygan where local officials can celebrate the trail in their community. The Ribbon Cuttings will be the start point for different length bike rides which will take you to Onaway.

From 12:00 to 2:00 in Onaway there will be the celebration lunch and trail dedication. There are plans for live entertainment, vendor booths and prizes.  Those registered for the ride will receive a  grand opening t-shirt, entry into the drawing, transportation to your car and a great lunch hosted by our partners. You can also just register for lunch. Registration Form. . .

JACKSON, MI — The Jackson Inter City Trail will be repaved after the Jackson City Council reversed course and overturned its earlier decision. Jackson City Council members voted 4-2 Tuesday to approve a $90,911 bid for repaving part of the trail. The project had been in jeopardy after the City Council deadlocked 3-3 on the contract earlier this month.   more . . . .

By Bob Wheaton, jwheaton [at] mlive [dot] com

Have you bought your special Detroit Tiger’s ticket to Sunday’s game? If not, you only have until midnight tonight.

This is the first official Ride your bike to the ballpark day with secure valet parking included with this special ticket.

And there are three group rides planned as well.

• American Cycle and Fitness will lead a ride promptly starting at 11am from their Royal Oak store at 29428 Woodward Avenue, just north of 12 Mile.
• The Downtown Ferndale Bike Shop will be leaving the shop at 11:30am. Their located at 163 W. Nine Mile, just west of Woodward.
• And a group is starting at 11am with a breakfast at Louie’s Deli at Mack and Riopelle near Eastern Market. After eating, they’ll take a leisurely ride to the ballpark.

Changing Gears had this nice article on the event as well as the Detroit cycling scene.

“Detroit has a very cool, strong cyclist culture,” says Eli Bayless, the Tigers’ director of promotions and in-game operations.

The idea of a Detroit ride drew enthusiastic support from within the Tigers’ organization, which has a number of cyclists who ride to work.

Mike Smith, the team’s director of baseball operations, cycles over every day from his apartment on Detroit’s riverfront, stashing his bike in his office.

On non-game days, he can be found zipping his way over to Belle Isle park for soccer games, and riding on the city’s bike paths and in the greenway.

So go biking and go Tigers!