2013

July 26, 27 & 28

3 Days of Bicycling-Grand Rapids, MN

About a 3-1/2 to 4 hour drive from the Twin Cities

All Rides “A/B” Level – “B” Riders are most welcome!!

Join your biking buddies on the Iron Range for some great bicycling adventures in the Grand Rapids area for 3 days of cycling on the beautiful Mesabi Trail. We will ride two different segments of the trail on Saturday and Sunday. Friday afternoon will be riding the surrounding areas of Grand Rapids including Lake Pokegama.

Mesabi Trail Wheel Pass Required (2-3 day Wheel Pass $5.00) can obtain at trail heads or local merchants.  Season Pass is $15 and it helps support trail maintenance.  You can purchase on line as well via the link below.

Mesabi Trail Information: http://www.mesabitrail.com/pass

There is plenty of lodging in town and there is some room available for camping at the cabin on a first come first serve basis. Lodging Info: http://www.grandmn.com/lodging/index.html

Rides on Friday and Sunday will depart from:
Ogle’s Supermarket
503 NW 4th Street (aka Hwy 2)
Grand Rapids, MN 55744 (Overflow Parking Lot north of the supermarket across 5th Street)

Ride on Saturday will depart from Hibbing – Greyhound Bus Museum

Route Info
Day 1 Friday July 26 – Depart at 1:00 PM from Ogle’s Supermarket Overflow Lot - We will venture out onto some beautiful back roads taking us out of Grand Rapids into Cohasset. We will ride around Lake Pokegama and back into Grand Rapids via the scenic “River Road”. (46- 56 Miles)
Day 2 Saturday July 27 – Depart 9:30 AM from Hibbing Greyhound Bus Museum (63 Miles) It will be about a 40 minute drive from Grand Rapids to Hibbing.  Trail Pass Required. We will ride from Hibbing to Eveleth on the scenic Mesabi Trail and take beautiful scenic country roads back to Hibbing.
Day 3 Sunday July 28 – Depart 9:30 AM from Ogle’s Supermarket Overflow Lot - We will head east on the Mesabi Trail from the Itasca County Fairgrounds out to Hill Annex Mine State Park and on to Nashwauk. From Nashwauk we will take some rural country roads through Balsam, Lawrence, Wabana, and Deer River Townships through the Chippewa National Forest on our way back to Grand Rapids. We will travel on the Edge of the Wilderness Scenic Byway for a few miles. (Lunch will be at DJ’s Balsam Inn or Convenient Store across the Street) (65 miles or 50 mile option to ride the trail both ways to Nashwauk back to Grand Rapids).

Routes are subject to change depending on Road and Trail Construction.

Friday night 6:30 PM Dinner in Grand Rapids – Forest Lake Restaurant (will need RSVP for dinner to make reservations).

Saturday night 6:00 PM BBQ and Pot Luck at the Cabin – Bring something to grill and a dish to share. Don’t forget your lawn chairs. For more information and directions to the cabin, contact Diane Ziemer at 612-247-4835 or via email at Diane.Ziemer@Comcast.net

August 23-25

Grand Marais Pedalin' - Aug 23-25, 2013

Friday, August 23: Gooseberry Falls Area

• Lodging in Grand Marais area that evening.
• All Riders Meet at Gooseberry Falls Visitor Center parking lot at 10:30.
• A/B Route: Gooseberry - Beaver Bay - Silver Bay (via Lax Lake) - Beaver Bay - Gooseberry, 55 miles [http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2403829].
• B Route: Gooseberry - Beaver Bay - Gooseberry, 27 miles [http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2403834].
• After ride, all continue driving to Grand Marais (70 miles) for lodging.

Saturday, August 24: North of Grand Marais on Highway 61

• Lodging in Grand Marais area that evening.
• A/B Riders: Meet at 9:00 in the parking lot on Broadway Avenue just south a few blocks from Wisconsin Street. Please ride to the ride start if at all possible. We will ride to the Canadian Border and back on Highway 61. Lunch somewhere along the way. 84 miles [http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2471701].
• B Riders: Pick your distance.
• First group departs at 9:30 from Kadunce River State Wayside (9.5 miles north of Grand Marais) for round trip of 67 miles [http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2471625].
• Second group departs at approximately 10:30 (waiting for first group before departing) from Horseshoe Bay Rd (20.5 miles north of Grand Marais and 2.0 miles north of Hovland) for  round trip of 45 miles [http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2471652].
• All 3 groups - Lunch in Grand Portage at about 11:45 at Grand Portage Gas Station (restaurant inside).
• Third group departs with other two groups after lunch at approximately 12:45p from Grand Portage (30.5 miles north of Grand Marais) for
• 17 miles [http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2471563] or
• 37 miles [http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2471686].

Sunday, August 25: Gunflint Trail

• Drive home after ride or spend the night in Grand Marais.
• A/B Riders: Meet at 9:00 in the parking lot on Broadway Avenue just south a few blocks from Wisconsin Street. Please ride to the ride start if at all possible. We will ride the Gunflint Trail to Poplar Lake and return via Devil Track Lake.
• 68 miles [http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2472235] or
• 37 miles [http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2472753].
• B Riders: Meet at 9:30 in the parking lot at Pincushion Mountain. Please carpool to the ride if at all possible as parking is very limited. We will ride the Gunflint Trail to Poplar Lake and return via Devil Track Lake.
• 60 miles [http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2472319] or
• 29 miles [http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2012140].

See http://gmpedalin.blogspot.com/ for more info, including a non-club paddling option.

Bob Floyd
rmfloyd@gmail.com

Sep 6-8

Door County Pedalin' - September 6-7-8, 2013

Join us for three days of cycling in Door County along the shores of Green Bay and Lake Michigan. There will be TCBC rides on Friday and Saturday, plus an outreach ride Sunday for the Door County Century ride (http://www.doorcountycentury.com). It's a great time of the year for cycling as summer is over and the fall color season has not yet begun. Suggested lodging is the Lull-Abi Inn in Egg Harbor (866-251-0749,  http://www.lullabi-inn.com/), though there are many choices.

Friday, September 6
Bike rides departs from Lull-Abi Inn in Egg Harbor, 2:00 pm.
A/B Route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2482484, 46 miles.
B Route: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2482426, 33 miles
We will ride south from the Lull-Abi Inn through Egg Harbor shorelines before turning north along the shore of Green Bay and into Peninsula State Park. The B group will head south from there and return to Egg Harbor. The A/B group will make a rest stop in Ephraim before heading east to the Lake Michigan side of the peninsula along North Bay, Moonlight Bay and Baileys Harbor. Then it's back west for a return to Egg Harbor. For the most part, the routes cover areas many not included in the Door County Century.
Optional Dinner in Egg Harbor: Shipwrecked Brew Pub - http://www.shipwreckedmicrobrew.com/, or Hof Restaurant - http://alpineresort.com/restaurant/index.html
Fun Place to Visit: Woods Orchard in Egg Harbor - It's apple season and this is a great orchard. Plus, plenty of cherry treats, too - http://www.woodorchard.com/

Saturday, September 7
Option 1: Depart from Pirate's Cove Mini-Golf (http://www.piratescove.net/sister-bay) in Sister Bay, 9:30 pm, 53.1 miles to overall - 13.6 miles to Northport, 23.3 miles around Washington Island and then 16.2 miles back to Sister Bay. This is like a "ride to the ride" and will join up with the "Option 2" folks at Northport. For the most part, the route covers areas not included in the Door County Century.
Option 1 Route Map: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2482568
Option 2: Depart ferry boat at Northport for Washington Island, 23.3 miles of riding on Washington Island. Scenic areas include Washington Harbor (Schoolhouse Beach Park), Jackson Harbor Dunes Park (possibly some food here), Eastside County Park and Detroit Harbor.
Option 2 Route Map: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2482546
Lunch: There are 4 restaurants of various sorts on Main Rd / Cty Rd W at mile 19.5 of the Washington Island route. The route covers areas not included in the Door County Century. Pick a fast place as time is limited.
Optional Dinner: Fish boil at Pelletier's Restaurant in Fish Creek

Sunday, September 8
Door County Century Ride, 28, 50, 70 and 100 miles http://www.doorcountycentury.com/. Info from their web site: "All routes start and end at Door County Fairgrounds on the north side of Sturgeon Bay.  The finish line celebration includes a free meal, Fat Tire beer, music and NFL games on giant projection screens.  Experience the scenic beauty of Door County from the unfettered vantage point of a bicycle." You must register and pay a fee to ride in this event.
Lunch / Rest Stops: See this map for a great listing of routes and food at the rest stops. This is really the best I've seen for food at an event - mostly good, healthy stuff and not much of the pretend healthy stuff or junk
All routes map: http://www.doorcountycentury.com/UserFiles/2012%20DCC%20-%20Small%20Res%20Map.pdf
100 mile map (my version for gps users): http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2482706
Dinner: Be sure to get the free meal at the conclusion of the ride. It was very good last time I was there and included cherry pie!

See http://dcpedalin.blogspot.com/ for more info pre and post trip events.

Bob Floyd
rmfloyd@gmail.com

Sep 16-20

Black Hills Bicycle Rally

The Black Hills Rally will be on again this year at the same locations as last year. Fun rides with challenging hills, great scenery, great weather (I hope) and camp group camaraderie.  Join us for a wonderful time in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota.
It is recommended that reservations be made at the J-Bar Rafter Ranch (http://www.rafterj.com/)
As the most convenient location for rides and camaraderie of riders.  However, there are numerous locations in the Hill City, SD area for lodging.
There will be 5 rides this year (I'm not doing Badlands this year), starting Sept. 16.

I'm asking a $20/person fee for ride responsibility, checking routes, providing 1 night musical entertainment, maps, etc.

Send Checks to:

Jack Uttermark
5271 East St.
WBL, MN 55110

The J-Bar Ranch is located near Hill City, SD, approx.  600 miles from the Twin Cities.
For latest news see blog:  http://jack-blackhillsrally.blogspot.com

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