Event Info

Tour de TART - August 8, 2008

REGISTRATION and CHECK-IN:
Pre-registration is encouraged. The ride includes food stops, dinner, entertainment and a bus ride back to Traverse City. We are planning on capping the event at 500 participants this year, so sign up early!

All riders must check-in between 4:00 p.m.-6:30 p.m. Check-in will be located under the awning at Station Espresso located at 8^th Street/Woodmere Ave. Helmets are required. Families with young children are encouraged to check-in and begin the ride no later than 5:00 p.m.

COURSE and EVENT INFO:

LENGTH: 19 miles one way, including 12 miles of paved trail and 7 miles of hard-packed two-track. The course is paved for 10 miles up to Lakeview Road, then 7 miles of two-track, and ends with 2 ½ miles of pavement that takes you to the Village of Suttons Bay. At the end of the trail in Suttons Bay, follow the signs to get to the marina.

TIME: An average time to complete the trip is between 2 and 2 ½ hours. It could take families with young children longer, depending on how many breaks are taken.

WATER, FOOD and RESTROOM STOPS: Water and food are provided at two locations along the trail. Fouch Road is 7 miles from the start, and the Bingham Road stop is 11 miles. A portable toilet will be provided at each stop, along with snacks and water. Carrying a water bottle is suggested. Dinner will be held from 6:00 p.m.-9:45 p.m.

TRANSPORTATION for BIKES: Bikes will be loaded on trucks for the return trip to Traverse City. (If you plan on riding back to Traverse City, be sure to put your bike in the appropriately marked area, so it is not loaded.)

TRANSPORTATION for RIDERS: Riders will be transported by school bus. Buses leave when full, with the first bus leaving at 7:30 p.m. Shops and restaurants are open in Suttons Bay and you are welcome to leave the marina area. The last bus to Traverse City will leave at 10:00 p.m. Please be ready to board the bus no later than 9:50 p.m. Bikes will have been unloaded and held in a secure area at the bike shops in Traverse City. You will need your wrist band, which matches the band on your bike, in order to reclaim your bicycle.

T-SHIRTS: New this year, Tour de TART event t-shirts will be available at check-in for $15. Limited sizes and quantities.

ROAD RIDE OPTION:
A road ride option is available for riders who prefer pavement. The route follows Lakeview Road to County Road 641 to Bingham Road to Center Highway (County Road 633) to Revold Road and back to the Leelanau Trail. Only one food stop (Fouch Road) is offered with the road ride option, but road riders are welcome to visit the Bingham Road food stop which is just a short detour from the designated road route.

PRE-EVENT SHUTTLE BUS OPTION:
We will again offer special transportation for Suttons Bay area participants. A bus (and truck for bikes) will leave Suttons Bay Marina promptly at 4:00 p.m. and drop you off at event check-in in Traverse City. Ride the event and return to your car at the Suttons Bay marina. How do I sign up for this feature? Check the "I am taking the Suttons Bay shuttle" box. This option is only offered to pre-registered participants.

RIDE HIGHLIGHTS:

GRAND TRAVERSE BAY: The TART Trail takes riders along the water and the ride ends at the Suttons Bay marina. Bring your swimsuit!

SCULPTURE: A life-size bronze sculpture is located along the TART trail in Clinch Park. The sculpture was commissioned by TART and depicts a parent teaching a child how to ride a bike.

DeYOUNG FARM: The Leelanau Conservancy property located along the trail. Learn more.

FOOD STOPS and DINNER: Yummy!

TART TRAILS UPDATE: Learn more about TART!

ENTERTAINMENT IN SUTTONS BAY: Enjoy dinner on the bay with musical talents provided by "Dawn Patrol."

ABOUT TART:

TART Trails, Inc. is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization formed in 1998 and located in Traverse City, Michigan. TART works to enrich the Traverse area by providing an interconnected network of trails, bikeways and pedestrian ways; and encouraging their use.

TART Trails are a network of trail systems in Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties: including the Boardman Lake Trail, Leelanau Trail, TART Trail, Three Mile Trail and Vasa Pathway. These trails combine to form over 50 miles of recreation and transportation pathways spanning from Suttons Bay to Acme Township. It is estimated that the trails serve over 200,000 users annually while preserving valuable community greenspace.

TART is working to integrate these trails into the community by advocating for interconnected bike lanes, bike routes and sidewalks, and is also working to extend these trails to connect with a developing regional trails system.

LEELANAU TRAIL PAVING FUND:
We are working to complete the last 7 miles of paving on the Leelanau Trail, along with adding restrooms and drinking fountains. Please consider an extra donation towards our restricted Leelanau Trail Paving Fund. Each $100 donation will pave 5 feet of trail.

WHO IS THE BENEFICIARY OF THIS EVENT?
100% of the event proceeds benefit TART Trails, Inc., a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) organization. We plan to use funds raised from Tour de TART to go toward our Leelanau Trail Paving Fund.

IS MY REGISTRATION TAX-DEDUCTIBLE?
Yes. To calculate how much you can deduct from your registration, please open this tour-de-tart-tax-deduct-worksheet (PDF).

[08/17/2008] Tour de TART a Big Success!
[07/31/2008] Tour de TART is right around the corner!
[07/23/2008] Volunteers needed to hang posters for Tour de TART

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