Bicycle Friendly
The League of American Bicyclists and Bicycling
Magazine have awarded various communities throughout
theU.S. the title “Bicycle Friendly
Community”. Portage, MI recently won an honorable mention in this
category. Brian and I have found that the Michigan State Parks should also
earn praise for being bicycle
friendly.
The route that we chose to ride was selected partially to take advantage of the string of Michigan State Parks that hang around shoreline of theLower Peninsula like a necklace. The timing of our tour also took us into the heart of the tourist season, the Fourth of July weekend.
We camped at Lakeport, Tawas Point,Traverse City, Leelanau, Algonac, Holland, and Yankee Springs State Parks. What happened at Tawas Point and Leelanau is the story here. You see, when we arrived at the camp office we were greeted by a sign that said, “Sorry, Camp Full”.
We walked into the Ranger’s office and without hesitation, the Ranger said that since we arrived by bike to camp, they would put us on the “auxiliary site”. At Tawas Point, this was a very nice patch of grass between two mini-cabins. At Leelanau it was the vacant host camper site. At both parks our tents were pitched within 30 minutes of arriving.
We have been told that the State Parks has a policy of accommodating cyclists and hikers who arrive at full campgrounds. That such a policy exists and is so well known by the staff is outstanding.
I wish I could say nice things about the Feds. Our experience at the Platt River Campground in the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore was just the opposite. We arrived on a hot afternoon and were told sorry, no space. We brought up the State policy and received a shoulder shrug in response. Another Ranger suggested to the Ranger talking to us that maybe if she called so and so, something could be done. This suggestion generated no action. When Brian asked if she was going to make the call, she said no. We were handed a list of campgrounds in the vicinity.
We contacted a private camp who would accommodate us and we were back on the road. Fifteen more frustrating miles.
Fortunately for all touring cyclists, there are a lot more State Parks in Michigan than Federal parks. I am proud of my state for this policy.
Wes
The route that we chose to ride was selected partially to take advantage of the string of Michigan State Parks that hang around shoreline of theLower Peninsula like a necklace. The timing of our tour also took us into the heart of the tourist season, the Fourth of July weekend.
We camped at Lakeport, Tawas Point,Traverse City, Leelanau, Algonac, Holland, and Yankee Springs State Parks. What happened at Tawas Point and Leelanau is the story here. You see, when we arrived at the camp office we were greeted by a sign that said, “Sorry, Camp Full”.
We walked into the Ranger’s office and without hesitation, the Ranger said that since we arrived by bike to camp, they would put us on the “auxiliary site”. At Tawas Point, this was a very nice patch of grass between two mini-cabins. At Leelanau it was the vacant host camper site. At both parks our tents were pitched within 30 minutes of arriving.
We have been told that the State Parks has a policy of accommodating cyclists and hikers who arrive at full campgrounds. That such a policy exists and is so well known by the staff is outstanding.
I wish I could say nice things about the Feds. Our experience at the Platt River Campground in the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore was just the opposite. We arrived on a hot afternoon and were told sorry, no space. We brought up the State policy and received a shoulder shrug in response. Another Ranger suggested to the Ranger talking to us that maybe if she called so and so, something could be done. This suggestion generated no action. When Brian asked if she was going to make the call, she said no. We were handed a list of campgrounds in the vicinity.
We contacted a private camp who would accommodate us and we were back on the road. Fifteen more frustrating miles.
Fortunately for all touring cyclists, there are a lot more State Parks in Michigan than Federal parks. I am proud of my state for this policy.
Wes
Posted: Sat - July 22, 2006 at 08:30 PM
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Published On: Jul 22, 2006 09:45 PM
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Published On: Jul 22, 2006 09:45 PM