PedalGR, meeting at 6:15pm (<—-PLEASE NOTE THE SPECIAL TIME) on Wednesday, 9/16/2009 at Founder’s Brewing Company, 235 Grandville Ave SW.
The PedalGR Summer’s End Party/Ride is coming! Prizes! Cake! Root Beer! Art! Rooftop Deck! Calder Plaza!
Come and see summer off. It can be a bitter goodbye, but fall is already teasing us with its fantastic leaf show and soon we’ll be drinking fresh cider and donuts (hmm…now there’s an idea for a ride! 
)
This final ride of the summer will include a group photo at Calder Plaza, a preview of several ArtPrize installations, and a trip to the Hillmount Condos rooftop deck (see above). Once at Hillmount we will enjoy a mini-keg of Root Beer from Martha’s Vineyard and raffle off some great prizes! Then we will return to Founders for beer specials, a large cake decorated with bicycles, and more great prizes!
Help me spread the word and we’ll fill the streets of Grand Rapids with bicyclists for this season ending event!
I would not be nearly as excited about this ride without the support of our 16 AWESOME local businesses (plus the Rapid Wheelmen Bicycle Club) who have donated to this ride. Please visit these places, buy their goods and eat their food, and enjoy the fact that we have so many great small business owners in GR.
Here’s the list (in no particular order):
- Martha’s Vineyard
- Green Life Market
- Rowster Coffee
- MadCap Coffee
- Winchester on Wealthy
- Douglas J
- Vertigo Records
- Art of the Table
- Brick Road Pizza
- The Sparrows
- Commute Bicycle Shop
- Global Infusion
- The Meanwhile Bar
- Founders Brewing Company
- Marie Catrib’s
- Green Well/Bistro Bella Vita
- Rapid Wheelmen Bicycle Club
The Route:
Coming Soon: My research on which ArtPrize sites to visit is still ongoing.
Need to Know:
- This is a no-drop ride. Nobody in the group will be left behind.
- The final ride will be <10 miles and will take about 2 hours (More Party/Less Ride this week).
- Please bring WATER!
- 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.
A few highlights include:
- Calder Plaza takeover!
- Tons of ArtPrize installations!
- Edgar the Dragon
- Rooftop deck at Hillmount Condos w/root beer and prize raffle (big thanks to Shawn Crowley for arranging this!)
- Beer discount at Founders with PedalGR wristband
- Cake! Full sheet cake from Arnie’s decorated with bicycles!
- More Prizes!!!
Upcoming Events:
September 11-12 – KISSCROSS cyclocross series season opener doubleheader!
Come out to Cannonsburg Ski Area on Friday night at 7pm or on Saturday at 11am to experience the excitement and fun of West Michigan’s premiere cyclocross racing series!!! With a spectator friendly, laid back atmosphere this is fun for the whole family. Admission is free for all spectators and you can gather wherever the action is on the course. Of course, on Saturday there will be the AWESOME creek crossing option (see right). Be a part of the rowdy crowd urging the racers to make a big splash!
Or if you are a noobie and want to give racing a try, only $20 will get you into the C Race. Any bicycle with knobby tires will work Be sure to show up early to allow plenty of time to register. There’s sure to be a big crowd.
More info: http://www.kisscross.com/races/
September 12 – MapleLeaf Bicycle Tour
This unique ride offers three “mix and match” loops. You decide how many miles you want to ride. This allows more “social time” between riders of different paces as all the routes loop back to Long Lake Park where our Cool Cooks with Hot Coals will be cooking up steaks, dogs, and veggie burgers!
More info: http://www.rapidwheelmen.com/MapleLeaf/
Also, become a fan of PedalGR on Facebook to get updates about upcoming rides!
September 19 – Sunset AlleyCat 2
Meet at Commute Bicycle shops parking lot (same place as the Wed. Evening Rides) at
6! Race Starts at 6:45 Sharp!!
Tons of Prizes including
Velocity Rims
Shirts
Music
A warm feeling inside when you finish the race with all your friends
Points based so you DO NOT have to be the fastest just the smartest and get all the hidden cool points!
Sept 19, Saturday! be there!!!
5 dollars to race!
More info: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=119540907154
October 10 – Colorburst Bicycle Tour
This charity tour honors two local cyclists who were killed by drunk drivers. Now in it’s 27th year, we have raised over $100,000 for the MADD of Kent County and other local charities. Join us for pancakes before the ride and a soup bar afterwards while it lasts. This ride over rolling terrain offers 4 different road routes to suit all riders. NEW this year 30 & 62 mile DIRT ROAD routes! Longsleeve t-shirts with the 2009 Colorburst logo on the front are available for $17.
More info: http://www.rapidwheelmen.com/colorburst
Ride Safe and see you Wednesday AT 6:15pm!!!! (<——NOTE SPECIAL TIME CHANGE)
PS: Photos from the 9/2/09 ride are here.
