The end of August brings along with it a harsh reality. WHERE DID THE FREAKIN’ SUMMER GO?!? Plus, the sun sets way too early. It also brings the peak of the summer’s harvest. Backyard gardens and farmer’s markets are overflowing with the bounty of West Michigan.
In honor of this, PedalGR will visit the largest community garden in West Michigan. With over 100 spots, and 50 people on the waiting list, the Hillcrest Community Garden is in high demand. We’ll go for a walk through the garden to check out the beauty and the bounty, and maybe run into a few of the gardeners.
We’ll also see if anything’s hopping up the fish ladder, roll through the West Grand neighborhood, and ride across the newest pedestrian bridge over the Grand River on the Oxford Street Trail.
This is a no-drop ride. We will do our very best to keep the group together and make sure no-one gets separated or left behind.
Ride is about 13 miles and will take about 2 hours (PedalGR is not a race).
HELMETS ARE REQUIRED on Rapid Wheelmen Club rides. (The insurance company’s lawyers insist) Please email or comment if you need to borrow one and we will try to accommodate you.
Save The Date:
September 8 - PedalGR End of Year Party/Ride: Details are still in the works, watch for more soon.
September 10-12 - Midwest Mtn Bike Summit @ GR Bike Park: Last year, over 200 participants descended upon Grand Rapids for a weekend of workshops, trailbuilding demos, races, and a Saturday bicycle “midway” at the Cannonsburg Ski Hill for the 2009 MMBS. This year’s followup promises to be even better! With more workshops on Friday, bicycle competitions and music on Saturday, and our local KissCross Cyclocross races on Saturday and Sunday, there’s plenty here to entertain the mtn bike junkie and the casual spectator. GRBMX will also be hosting a regional race on Saturday and Sunday on their portion of the site.
The Western Chapter of the Michigan Mtn Bike Association has been hard at work turning a neglected little league field and creek corridor into an awesome urban mtn biking oasis. About 2.5 miles of new trail will be officially debuted at the summit, including a family-friendly beginner loop.
September 25 - Tour de Donut @ Klackle’s Orchard: Last year I finished 2nd in the debut of the Tour de Donut, consuming 10 donuts and finishing 15 minutes behind the leader. I wasn’t even that serious about it, and was riding a slow bike, taking my time. This year, IT’S ON! I’m going for doughy victory. You can join me at Klackle’s for the race.
September 25 - GO GREEN! GO DUTCH! GO BIKE! @ Calvin College w/ride to downtown: Gather with other cyclists at 9am at VanNoord Arena to celebrate the bicycle and the role it plays in Dutch culture. Cool orange and green T-shirts will be for sale benefiting The Motion Initiative. There will be a few brief presentations followed by a group ride @9:30am to Rosa Parks Circle for a short rally. The group will return to Calvin by noon. Everyone is invited to come and show your support for bicycling in Grand Rapids on a casual ride among fellow cyclists.
Become a fan of PedalGR on Facebook to get updates about upcoming rides!
It’s HOT! Ice cream is COLD! This week we’ll be riding to ice cream, then to beer. My dream ride, really. The Rapid Wheelmen Bicycle Club is generously purchasing the first $2 of your cold, delicious treat from Too Talls on Coit Ave. If you think you might want something that costs more than $2, be sure to bring extra.
We’ll also explore a hidden trail and bridge on the NE side, and hit up a “ghost” development, where the streets were put in, but the houses never built (yet). It’s a very efficient use of tax dollars.
It’s going to be warm, so don’t forget to bring plenty of water! I repeat, bring lots of water!
This is a no-drop ride. We will do our very best to keep the group together and make sure no-one gets separated or left behind.
WATER! WATER! WATER! WATER! WATER!
Ride is about 16 miles and will take about 2-2 1/2 hours (PedalGR is not a race).
HELMETS ARE REQUIRED on Rapid Wheelmen Club rides. (The insurance company’s lawyers insist) Please email or comment if you need to borrow one and we will try to accommodate you.
Save The Date:
EDIT: The first version of this entry had a Teamwork Bags event. Oops, turns out they don’t update their blog very often and the Sunday Prime was last year. Maybe someday PedalGR will have a competent copy editor to review the posts BEFORE I screw them up. Until then, my apologies.
2009 Tour de Gaslight
Sunday, August 22nd - Michigan State Criterium Championship at the Tour de Gaslight: East Grand Rapids again plays host to this fantastic race through Gaslight Village. With many laps around a short course, criterium races are among the most spectator friendly. $5500 in prizes will be on the line, along with bragging rights for the state champion. Races start at 8:50am with the Jr Boys/Girls. Women’s Cat 1/2/3 starts at 10am and the Men’s Pro/1/2 race starts at 3:10pm. Don’t miss a chance to see some of the fastest bicyclists in the state of Michigan!
Millennium Park. A beautiful orchard. A deep dark tunnel. ‘Nuff said. I’ll let the photos do the talking.
In disappointing news due to the frost over Mother’s Day weekend, we will probably not have fruit to sample at the Versluis Orchard. Hopefully next year!
This is a no-drop ride. We will do our very best to keep the group together and make sure no-one gets separated or left behind.
Ride is about 15 miles and will take about 2-2 1/2 hours (PedalGR is not a race).
There are a couple of sections in the orchard that have a little gravel. They are generally passable, but require caution on skinny tire bikes.
HELMETS ARE REQUIRED on Rapid Wheelmen Club rides. (The insurance company’s lawyers insist) Please email or comment if you need to borrow one and we will try to accommodate you.
Become a fan of PedalGR on Facebook to get updates about upcoming rides!
I was going to start by posting about Mayor Heartwell’s proclamation today in support of Complete Streets in Grand Rapids, and the ribbon cutting that celebrates GR’s first “Complete Street”, accessible to all road users, including bicyclists, pedestrians, transit riders, motorists, and people with physical impairments.
However, I know all you people care about is the TACOS! So, we got TACOs for you! This week’s ride is going to be AWESOME!!!! In honor of Cyclo-cross season (you want to click that link) starting in only 2 months, I’ve thrown in a few barriers and fun things for you all, just to keep things lively.
We’ll start with a little trip to the Black Hills. Perched above Godfrey’s old manufacturing district, this isolated little neighborhood will soon be connected to the WestSide and Kent Trails via the nearly complete Oxford St Trail and bridge.
Wyoming's best kept secret
Next we’ll head on over to Wyoming’s own mini-velodrome. Located in Marquette Park, last year there was a shark-spotting at this very site. You can take a few laps on the banked curves of this abandoned radio-control car racetrack, and imagine how cool it would be if GR had a real velodrome. It’s really quite fun. Fixed-gear bikes not required.
We’ll hit up some of Wyoming’s other parks and a hidden pedestrian trail before heading back towards South Division via a fun RR track crossing near the Kent County Incineration Facility and a trip under US-131. After you’ve worked up an appetite and are feeling good and ornery, we’ll finally reach our reward. Pikosito’s is a new Mexican restaurant in Avenue of the Arts that just opened in June. Amy and I checked it out on Monday and it is fantastic!! You’ll be able to choose from 6 different meats on your taco and 7 different salsas at their salsa bar!! They also have veggie options, if that is your thing.
Once our bellies are full it’s a short trip back to Founder’s for a delicious beer. I hope the Secret Agent IPA is still on tap, because it was delicious!
This is a no-drop ride. We will do our very best to keep the group together and make sure no-one gets separated or left behind.
Ride is about 14 miles and will take about 2-2 1/2 hours (PedalGR is not a race).
If you want a taco you MUST BRING $2 to purchase it. Tacos are not provided by PedalGR.
There are a couple of sections where you may have to walk or carry your bike. If you can’t do that, don’t worry, we’ll help you. We’re a friendly bunch.
HELMETS ARE REQUIRED on Rapid Wheelmen Club rides. (The insurance company’s lawyers insist) Please email or comment if you need to borrow one and we will try to accommodate you.
Save The Date:
Saturday, July 17 – BikeStock returns! – Bands, Beers, and Bikes will all come together on this Saturday at Rosa Parks Circle! The 2009 BikeStock at Ah-Nab-Awen park was a big success, but this event is coming back bigger and better for this year. Mark your calendar!
Requisite Advocacy Stuff
Finally, here’s a video I shot of today’s Mayoral proclamation and ribbon cutting. It’s kind of slow moving, as proclamations tend to be, but if you think about how George K. Heartwell’s middle name just MUST be “Kermit,” it makes it a little more bearable.
Also, become a fan of PedalGR on Facebook to get updates about upcoming rides!
Positive things are afoot for bicycling in Grand Rapids. The past couple weeks have seen our first “official” bicycle lane going in on Lake Dr. and sharrows being marked on the road through Eastown and on Cherry St in East Hills. Be sure and come out to BikeStock on July 17th to show your support for continued expansion of bicycle facilities in GR that will make the city a better place to live and work and promote good health AND economic development. *steps off the soapbox*
This ride summary marks my 100th post on PedalGR. I hope you all keep reading and I will keep posting and riding. This week’s route will feature a guided tour of my favorite cemetery in GR, Oakhill. Established October 25th 1859, this 67-acre monument to history features some of the most elaborate private mausoleums in the city and LOT of grandiose family burial markers. Tom Bulten, director of nearby Oakdale Neighbors and the driving force behind the nearby Boston Square Community Bike Shop (BSCBS) will guide us to some of the highlights and give a little history of those living in the cemetery. BSCBS is a great program associated with The Motion Initiative that offers neighborhood residents access to a bike workshop where they can learn bike repair, purchase parts, and even buy an affordable refurbished bicycle. It also offers part-time employment opportunities in a neighborhood that needs more jobs.
We’ll visit plenty of other cool sites on our way to and from the cemetery tour, including the new Lake Dr. bike lane, Aquinas College, Reed’s Lake (with a short stint on the gravel road south of the lake), Meyer May House, and a couple of my favorite streets on the south side of Heritage Hill.
This is a no-drop ride. We will do our very best to keep the group together and make sure no-one gets separated or left behind.
Ride is about 15 miles and will take about 2-2 1/2 hours (PedalGR is not a race).
There is a short gravel road section near Reed’s Lake. It’s navigable on skinny tires, but requires extra caution.
HELMETS ARE REQUIRED on Rapid Wheelmen Club rides. (The insurance company’s lawyers insist) Please email or comment if you need to borrow one and we will try to accommodate you.
Save The Date:
Monday, July 5th - Mr. B’s Joybox Express - This unique musician will bring his “joybox” powered blues and boogie woogie act to Grand Rapids on a bicycle for a show at the new GR Bike Park from 2-4pm. That’s right, Mr. B and his band travel on bicycles carrying all of their instruments, including a piano and an upright bass. The free show is being put on by Musical Arts for Justice in the Community (MAJIC), and any donations collected will go to support their future concerts. PedalGR is working to help organize a pre or post-concert mass ride. Watch for more details soon, but you’ll want to come out to see an amazing bike and a great show as the band rides from Saugatuck to Detroit performing all along the way. For more info check out: http://mrbsjoyboxexpress.com/
Saturday, July 10 – 2010 Meijer Grand Cycling Classic – This fantastic criterium race returns to the brick streets of downtown Grand Rapids for its fourth year. The date was moved to July so it could be included on the National Road Calendar. The NRC is the premier points challenge for US pro-cycling teams and means this race will draw great riders from all over the country and the world. Come down and support the local Bissell Pro Cycling Team.
Saturday, July 17 – BikeStock returns! – Bands, Beers, and Bikes will all come together on this Saturday at Rosa Parks Circle! The 2009 BikeStock at Ah-Nab-Awen park was a big success, but this event is coming back bigger and better for this year. Mark your calendar!
Also, become a fan of PedalGR on Facebook to get updates about upcoming rides!
