Touring - Touring companions in Michigan

I'm looking for training and loaded touring companions in and around the Detroit, Michigan area. I live in Southfield, Michigan

Dearborn here, my wife and I do the 6 day Michigander each year.
Supported tour. Next year we plan on a few unsupported tours and possible a trip from Mi to Boston Ma.

Hey there Bykemaster, I thought I might post a reply since you're really close to me if you live in southfield, in fact as I'm typing here I'm wondering if you've already ridden with me or some of the groups I go with..I don't know your name, but I'm Benjamin and I'm over in Beverly hills..I do rides from bevery school and birmingham as well as tours around the state and out of state....Now I don't do loaded touring but I do enjoy 1 and 2 day supported tours that I do with the club I belong to, as well as just getting out and training by myself....I won't probaly get outside on the bike till it gets warmer (above 40 or so) so that normally means march or so, but I do start my indoor training in feburary..

Maybe that'll help,

you can e-mail me at
bplohrengel@aaamichigan.com

if you like to talk or talk about getting together..

Benjamin Lohrengel

I used to be a Michiganian.. Biking Michigan appeals to me. So many beutiful places. Never rode there yet... Cyclists I have ridden with say roads/traffic is not ideal? Any truth to that.?
If I choose to bike tour in Michigan, I am sure the area about Traverse City/ Leelanau or Keeweenaw County would be first on my list? Are there many organized tour groups that riders can hook up with?
I have seen some nice looking bike trails about Holland/Grand Haven.. My impression the state highway department places a low priority on putting in margins for cyclists on the major roads.?

I live in Auburn Hills, just around the corner from you. I don't normally tour, however, my goal is to do the MS150 this year. It would be nice to find some people to do that tour with.

I'm pretty slow, only average about 13mph. Hopefully this spring I'll be able to crank that up some.

Hey there Gun-n-gal, I was wondering which ms150 you were planning on doing, and when is it...I think there are 2 of them, but I don't know the dates of either one.

Thanks for the info,

Benjamin

Caadman, I don't think the 2003 information is out yet. I will probably do the one that starts in Davisburg, last year it was in July. There's also another one that is in Grand Rapids.

I should be able to be ready by July, although I sure hope it's not super hot out then.

Davisburg, hmm that's near flint I think...That might be something Gun-n-gal, that maybe I should consider doing, although you probably have to fund raise for it right??....You know you might want to post that ride here, I think this forum has a place in it for posting rides and trying to see if you can get a group of bike forums.net people to come along...When you get the info, that'd be nice..

Thanks
Benjamin

It looks like a few of you are in my area, maybe we can get together and take a couple of Spring training rides, maybe ride to, and meet at metro-beach, or a ride to Ann Arbor and back, both are nice distances, like 70-80 mile round-trip from Southfield. Any other suggestions? Hines Dr. is nice.

Hey there bykemaster, yeah that sounds good..I don't know how to get from southfield to ann arbor, or which metro park you are talking about, but I'd certianly be up for it...Let me know, you can either post it here, or feel free to e-mail me..

Thanks,

Benjamin

I live in Novi and currently ride Hines Park 3-4 times a week. The Ann Arbor Bicycle Club has a Far East Fringe group that departs from Plymouth Library at 10:00 on Saturday and Sunday and from Newburgh Pointe in Hines Park at 10:00 on Friday Morning. The winter pace is usually 14-17mph as most are using their heavy junk bikes. It is an older crowd with 50/50 split between male and female. You are welcome to join us. I also ride 30 miles on Hines on either Mon or Tues with some club members but it is not a club ride.

Hey there Outashape, thanks for the post here, I was wondering where the plymouth library is??..I've done rides with my home club from the park that is in downtown plymouth, so I know how to get there, but I'm not sure where the library is??

Thanks for any info,

Benjamin

Caadman
I don't know the street name the Library is on, but the parking lot is shared with the Penn Theatre. The main entrance is not facing the street, but you can stand on the steps and see the Penn Theatre and the Plymouth Police Department is right next door. The Penn is across from the park where they have the annual ice sculpture show in January. What club do you ride with?

Hey thanks Outashape, that describes it for me perfectly..I know where the park that they have the ice scluptures at, is so I think if memory serves me right, the Penn is very near there, and thus the library is close also..

Plz Plz don't make any good or bad assumptions on what I'm going to tell you, cause I certianly have run into people who do that, when I tell them what club I ride with...I'm a member of the Wolverines..But I don't exclusivly ride with them..There is another group out of birmingham that I go with, and I've been with the ann arbor club on rides also...I pretty much ride with whoever wants to ride, if it works out..


Benjamin

Two years ago when I started riding, I went to a Wolverine ride and asked what their pace was. I knew I couldn't keep up, especially since I was riding a hybrid. Don't they have an annual polar ride on Jan 1. I think some of our club members are planning to ride with them. Next time you join a AA bike club ride ask around and see if Debbie is riding and introduce yourself. I work midnights so I ride frequently but rarely at the same time, it depends on when I sleep. Hope to see you around. I've met other BF members on RAGBRAI and on Cycle North Carolina. Happy holidays!

I'v ridden in the Wolverine 200 about 16 times since 1981, and have been in that Plymouth area when headed to or from Ann Arbor by bike. There was a ride i did 3 Xs called ODRAM One Day Ride Across Michigan, That was a nice ride from Muskegon to Bay City, I saw many clubs at these rides, but i don't ride with a clulb. Do any of you do loaded touring?

Bykemaster, I have not done any loaded touring, but that is my goal. You can buy maps from lmb.org for 7 day tours around Michigan for $12 each and stay in State Parks. I have only worked up to supported weekly tours. One thing I noticed on the tours, there were always several people who cycled with all their gear on a supported tour. That way, if they had a problem, sag support was available. It might be a good idea for your first trip.

Actually outashape, the wolverine's don't have an annuel polar ride on the first of the year, but there is one down in dearborn, along with the polar rhino ride out in clarkston that the flying rhinos' do...I do know that our east side group is doing one this year, from the cadieux cafe over in grosse point, if it's warm enough I'll probably do that..

Hey bykemaster, if you've done the wolverine 200 befor, you might be interested in doing a ride that a friend of mine's and I along with whoever wants to join us, we ride to the wolverine 200 from beverly, near my house, we ride down there, do a few laps and then have breakfast and come back depending on where you drop off at and how many laps you do on the island, you can get 100 miles in that day, if you don't want to only ride on the island...In 2003 the 200 is on the weekend of May 16-18, so we'll be doing our ride on the 17th of May, you may want to keep in touch with me, if you'd like to join us..

Benjamin

Hey Outashape, :cool: I started loaded touring about 5 years ago, taking my first trip to Pinckney Recreation Area with two friends, camping overnight. That next summer I took a 4 day solo trip down the coast of Lake Michigan, starting in Mackinaw City. Next summer a buddy and I toured Upper Michigan from St. Ignace to Escanaba and back, mostly camping in state parks or recreation areas. In 2001 I toured the Outer Banks of N. Carolina for 5-6 days, then last year I did a solo tour from San Francisco to Fallon, NV. Maybe I could be of some help as you gear up for loaded touring. I learned a lot from Adventure Cycling.

Hey Caadman that sounds like a good training ride to me, i will be in touch as we get closer to that date.

Yeah Bykemaster, it is good training, it used to be just about 3 or 4 of us did that ride, but now it's starting to grow so it's getting pretty fun...The weekend befor both of us are down in Ohio doing TOSROV, that's another good tour you might be interested in, 100 miles per day 2 days, pretty flat for the most part...But keep in touch as spring comes along and I'll be out riding once the temp goes above 40 or so..


Benjamin

Bykemaster, you are in great cycling territory. I used to ride with the Cycling Saddlemen in Dearborn, and was thrilled with their members. I also attempted to ride with the Wolverines out of Royal Oak , but was too slow.

In addition to the Saddlemen, I did a lot of American Youth Hostel rides.

The best part is I met my husband at a brunch ride that started behind Smiths Bicycle Shop on 12 mile and Greenfield in Berkley. We met on June 30, 1974 and married on April 30,1975. Unfortunately we moved to Chicago, Il in January of 1976 and haven't ridden in the area since.

We are planning on riding PALM in 2004. Can anyone tell me more about the Michigander ride?

Diane

How many Michiganians do the annual ride across the state from,is it Muskegon to Bay City. Think this occurs about Labor Day. One day ride? ANyone completed this ride? Is it a race? Would like to know more about this event.
Heah, Michiganians' calling themselves Michigander's.. I thought the term Michigander was outlawed.

Cyclezealot, Information about ODRAM (One day Ride Across Michigan) can be found at lmb.org. The michigander ride is a Rails-to-Trails annual family ride.

After doing 113 across mountainous terrain, out here in the west; beat, (what 175 miles,?) across Michigan would be a cake walk..

Hey Cyclezealot i did ODRAM 3 years in a row, my best time was under 10 hrs. for the 160 miles. This was about 10 years ago, haven't done it recently. At that time you had to arrange your own sag. rolling hills with one semi-long climb. Last spring i did the Seirra Nevada mountians while riding from San Fransico to Fallon, Nevada, that was a heck of a ride, it took almost four days to get through the mountains on a loaded bike. email me if you have any questions. This summer i am going to try Windsor to Niagara Falls, along the north shore of lake erie.

Hey Fleetwood---Is this ur name b/c ur a Fleetwood Mac Fan??? --- I'm actually going to see them on Jun 20 in Orange County, Ca. But first--I'll be out there in Clarkston MI to see the Styx concert on Mon. Jun 12(working at UMG so I get hooked up with some concerts)--If ur near Clarkston you should check out the Styx concert--they're promoting their new Anthology 2 cd set that was released about a month ago...their best compilation yet...let me know if you're interested...Do you know of any good trails around Clarkston?? I'm bringing my bike on the road trip but I don't know the area at all...

Hey Michigan bicyclist anyone interested in a late summer/early fall bicycle rally at one to the State Parks within a 60-mile radius of Detroit. We could plan to ride to one of the state parks, have a picnic, camp over night, and ride back in the morning. Or you could have someone meet u there and drive u back home. Maybe W.J. Hayes State Park in Onsted MI, or Bald Mountain Recreation Area in Lake Orion MI. Any other
suggestions?

I am about 3.5 hours from u in toronto, ontario, but am always looking for touring partners...

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