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Superintendent Dusty Shultz welcomes Ryan Locke to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore as a Transportation Interpreter, a position sponsored by the National Park Foundation (NPF). Locke, from Spring Lake, Michigan, will spend the summer creating and offering bicycle tours to the public and promoting the use of alternative transportation in the National Lakeshore.

Locke is one of 10 students working in nine national parks across the country providing visitors with invaluable information about the many alternative modes of transportation available to them. “While we will still be offering daily ranger-led walks, historical demonstrations, and evening campground programs, thanks to the National Park Foundation, park visitors and locals may choose another way to see and learn about the National Lakeshore with a knowledgeable bike guide,” said Superintendent Shultz. “Ryan worked with us as an intern last summer pioneering this program, so he is quite familiar with the park and is very excited about continuing these bike programs.” Locke will pedal on four different routes, Tuesdays through Fridays, beginning on June 23. The easy to moderate rides will cover between three and ten miles, lasting approximately two hours. Topics are:

• Discovering Cultural Landscapes: North of Glen Arbor, through the Port Oneida Rural Historic District. Wednesdays at 5:00 p.m., Fridays at 11:00 a.m.
• Backroads, Farms, and Forests: South of Empire, through an agricultural landscape, ghost town, and former logging area. Thursdays at 11:00 a.m., Fridays at 5:00 p.m.
• Recreation and Tourism: Past, Present, and Future! North of Empire, on paved roads near the Dune Climb, along Glen Lake, and visiting Glen Haven. Wednesdays at 11:00 a.m., Thursdays at 5:00 p.m.
• Bicycle Safety and Beach Ride at Platte River Campground: Starting in the campground and riding down Peterson Road to the beach and back, all ages welcome. Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m.

No reservations are needed, and participants need only purchase the park entrance pass to join in the fun ($10.00/vehicle valid for seven days or $20.00/vehicle for an entire year). When planning to attend a program, be prepared for all kinds of weather, dress appropriately and wear a bike helmet. It is recommended that participants be 10 years of age or older.

Click Here to download more information about tour schedule and meeting locations. For additional information, please call the Visitor Center at 231-326-5134, ext. 328.

Photo: Courtesy of the National Park Service

The 1st Annual M-22 Challenge was a success, according to event coordinator, Matt Myers. One-hundred twenty-two athletes participated in the challenge, which included a 17 mile bike ride around Big and Little Glen Lake, a 2 mile run including dune climb, and 1 mile out and back paddle in Little Glen Lake. With a time of 1:09:37, Jonathan Kuck, from Champaign, IL, was the overall men's winner.  Mark Durno, of Fairview Park, OH and Stephen John Andriese, of Traverse City, followed closely behind respective times of 1:10:06 and 1:11:09.   Keri Pawielski, of St Joesph, MI, was the top woman, with 1:15:48 time. Stephanie Frye, of Traverse City, was the 2nd best woman with a 1:26:42:58 tim.  Leland's own, Sue Burns, took 3rd overall in the woman's division. with a time of 1:28:25.  Full results available on the M-22 Challenge website.

The M-22 Challenge is a multi-discipline event based in beautiful Leelanau County in Northern Michigan designed to challenge athletes against the natural terrain and environmental elements of the area. The event organizers were thrilled with the number of participants, spectators, and volunteers. Next year, they are hoping that next year the event will draw 500 participants.

The above photo is by Jason Hamelin.  More photos of the M-22 Challenge are availble on his website  www.hamelinphoto.com or via the M-22 Challenge site.

To those unfamiliar with Leelanau County, M-22 is just a road on a map. To Keegan and Matt Meyers, two kite-boarding brothers from Old Mission, this majestic highway is the call sign of their hearts. Attuned to the frequency of summer, the lakeshore along M-22 beckons the brothers back from far off adventures. Again and again they return to their home and heart, along the dune sloped shores of Lake Michigan, meeting the waves and wind with incomparable appreciation. This mutual reverence motivates them to share their love of the region by offering the M-22 Challenge - a three sport, action adventure event focusing on the splendor of the area.

The said "Broneah Brothers" conceptualized the M-22 Challenge, hoping to translate their passion for the area into an event that could be shared with others. Assembling an all-star cast of coordinators, including their father Matt Meyers, local athletes and promoters, plus the support of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, this event has the makings of a long-standing ritual for both locals and visitors. Participation in this event entitles contestants to an intimate view of the Park and the surrounding lakes. There is no way to possibly be more up close and personal with Northern Michigan than to take on this challenge.

The M-22 Challenge is scheduled for June 20th. The event begins with a two mile run, starting with a 100 yard climb up the steep sand dunes, within the boundaries of the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore. For the second leg,  contestants will transition to their cycles, taking a 17 mile spin around the Glen Lakes before hitting the water for an exciting finale - a one mile kayaking circuit. The "Challenge" is open to all levels, but the top athletes are expected to complete the course in about two hours.

Participation will be capped around 200 contestants, but there are still spaces available and time to join in the fun. Check out the M-22 Challenge website for complete access to details of the race, including maps depicting the exact run, bike, and kayak courses. Additionally, volunteer opportunities abound. The next volunteer meeting is scheduled for May 26th. If you are curious and want to be involved, but prefer not to race, don't be shy! Inquire about volunteering. Either way, be sure to be involved in this event.

Photo: Glen Arbor Men by Andy McFarlane

Cycling magazine Velo News reports:

"Current economic realities" have caused Michigan-based health insurance company Priority Health to pull its sponsorship of three major midwestern races, and at least one of the events has canceled its 2009 edition.

Tour de Leelanau race director Steven Brown informed the Union Cyclist Internationale (UCI) on Friday that it was canceling the UCI category 1.2 event, which had been scheduled for May 24.

They quote USA Cycling's local administrator for Michigan, Joe Lekovish, as saying that while the pro circuit seems to be suffering in Michigan, the state's amateur road racing calendar is shaping up to be the best in 20 years.

Whatever the statewide calendar looks like, I for one am sad to see the Tour de Leelanau go. Hopefully it can return in future years!

Tour de Leelanau photo by John Clement Howe

The article Changes coming to Sleeping Bear? in the Record-Eagle looks at some proposed plans for the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore when the Sleeping Bear Dunes General Management Plan is adopted.

Federal officials want to add some trails and campgrounds to the park to improve recreational opportunities, as well as set aside 45 percent of the lakeshore as wilderness zones where no county roads exist. The new management plan is expected to be adopted by year's end.

One planned trail is called the Bay-to-Bay Trail and would stretch along 35 miles of shoreline from Platte Bay to Good Harbor Bay, although no specific path is yet determined. It would include a simple hiking path with intermittent campgrounds so hikers could complete multi-day trips, said Tom Ulrich, deputy park superintendent.

The article also touches on a possible non-motorized bike trail would run parallel to M-22 and M-109 through the length of the lakeshore, near the highways but not along the shoulder. The trail would be made of crushed limestone and likely would be built in phases. Most of the concerns they quote in the article have to to with rights of existng property owners - I'm curious as to what your concerns and hopes are.

The photo is .follow your heart wherever it leads... by *ojoyous1*

The Cherry Capital Cycling Club and Hagerty Cycling Team host the inaugural Cherry-Roubaix Old Town Criterium this Saturday (Sep 20). The Cherry-Roubaix pays homage to the Paris-Roubaix, one of the oldest cycling races in the world. It will feature professional riders going really fast through the streets of Traverse City and should be a great time!

The event kicks off with free races for kids at 3:30 with competition beginning at 4 PM. The start and finish will be in front of the Firefly Lounge on Cass St in Traverse City.

Looks like it will be great fun and you can get all the info right here and in this article in the Record-Eagle.

On Sunday, September 21 the The Cherry Capital Cycling Club will host the annual Leelanau Harvest Tour. It's an annual bicycle road ride that drew 1,000 riders last year and is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. To honor this milestone, a bluegrass band will perform at the end of the ride and special surprises along the routes are also planned.

The tour starts and ends at Glen Lake School, and route options cover 15, 25, 45, 67 and 100 miles through the hilly countryside. In an effort to encourage families and less inexperienced riders, the 15-mile route was added this year. The rides feature unique food stops every 20 to 30 miles at lakefront parks with a menu that includes specialties from area merchants and restaurants. Pre-registered riders will also enjoy a pasta and salad meal after the ride, which is included in the registration fee.

Proceeds from the tour benefit the Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation (TART) Trails and cyclists may register and get more details at leelanauharvesttour.org or by calling 941-4300.

From the current edition of the Glen Arbor Sun:

In early June, the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (the local branch of the National Park Service) will hold three identical public meetings on consecutive days to present four action alternatives, including the Park's "preferred alternative," for a new General Management Plan (GMP), and solicit public comments in the process. The Park will hold meetings on June 3 at Platte River Elementary School in Honor; June 4 at the Hagerty Center in Traverse City; and June 5 at the Glen Arbor Township Hall — all from 5:30-8:30 p.m. The public can also comment on the alternatives at the Park's website until June 13.

Read the rest in Park unveils revamped General Management Plan to public from the Sun.

View the alternatives, make your comments and get all the details on the GMP from the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The proposed plans include options such as a bike path, a 30 mile bay-to-bay hiking path stretching from Platte Bay to Good Harbor Bay and some changes to recreational use (though not nearly as extreme as the last round).

Photo credit: Sleeping Bear Dunes - photo by Don Miller/Glen Arbor Sun

The 2008 Tour de Leelanau bike race took place on Sunday. BMC's Taylor Tolleson took first place in the very close men's race (followed by Bissell riders Ben Jacques-Maynes and Teddy King) while the women's race was blown wide open by Anne Samplonius of Cheerwine, who finished over 2 minutes ahead of teammate Leigh Hobson and Joanne Kiesanowski (Tibco).

Tolleson and Samplonius win at Tour de Leelanau from the cycling blog podium in sight has a great recap of the race and links to other reports including the one from Cycling News (with photo gallery).

You can also read a story on the race in the Traverse City Record-Eagle, check out some great photos by Gary Howe and see a video of the racers heading toward Inspiration Point.

Photo: Women on Tower Hill I by Andy McFarlane (slideshow)

The 2008 Priority Health Tour de Leelanau bicycle race will be held next Sunday (May 25). This race is sanctioned by the International Cycling Union, UCI, and USA Cycling and is a heck of a lot of fun! It had been held in September but is moving to Memorial Day Weekend this year. Race director Steve Brown explains "We have moved the event forward on the racing calendar in order to capitalize on the teams' enthusiasm for racing in early summer compared to the end of the season." While they are hoping to draw more racers and crowds this year:

One key element of the 2008 Priority Health Tour de Leelanau that has not been tweaked is the course. Leelanau's reputation as a "hardman's race" continues to grow throughout the US. Tower Rd is still located at mile 60 (97 kilometers) and promises to whip up a frenzied crowd cheering on racers from every team as they hammer their way up the steep (21% gradient) climb.

The race features $20,000 in prize money and all kinds of climbs & sprints set against the beautiful Leelanau landscape. You can get all the details and maps for the men's race (11 AM start in Leland, 109.5 miles, 3:30 PM finish at Peshawbestown) and women's race (approximate 12:40 PM start in Glen Arbor, 69.5 miles, 3:30 PM finish at Peshawbestown), course tour & maps, the race expo and all the rest of the events surrounding the race at the Tour de Leelanau web site

Here's our report on the 2007 Tour de Leelanau. You can also check out the tour de leelanau tag on Flickr (slideshow) and more photos in the Tour de Leelanau group on Flickr.

Photo credit: Tour de Lelanau. Men's sprint line in Glen Arbor, Michigan by cyoas55

Speaking of photos:

Priority Health is sponsoring a Tour de Leelanau photo contest where you could get your photo on the cover of next year's Tour Trumpet & receive a check for $500. To enter:

1. Take a picture at this year's event.
2. Upload it to the Priority Health Cycling Flickr pool at: http://www.flickr.com/groups/phcycling/
   Note: You will need a Flickr/Yahoo account - signing up for one is FREE.
3. Add the tag to your image: "Tour de Leelanau"