By Al Zehnder, CEO of Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth
While I generally find excuses for most types of exercise my wife and I both reconnected with the enjoyment of cycling. We are fortunate to have many great converted rail trails in our area and fortunate that Michigan is a leader in “rail to trail” conversions. According to RailstoTrails.org, Michigan ranks first in the nation with over 2,300 miles of trail conversions.
The longest is the State Line Trail that stretches over 100 miles across the Upper Peninsula. The Iron Belle trail, currently under planning, will ultimately stretch nearly 800 miles from Belle Isle in the Detroit River to Ironwood in the UP.
While we prefer rail trails because motorized traffic is not allowed, many roadways are designated bike routes. One, US Bicycle Route 20, passes right through the heart of Frankenmuth. This scenic route begins in Marine City and traverses over 300 miles across Michigan to Ludington ultimately ending on the Oregon coast.
Frankenmuth is a great cycling community. Some streets have designated bike lanes and a beautiful countryside add up to a great family activity; particularly now with all the beautiful fall colors. And for the more competitive cyclist the Tour de Frankenmuth begins right in front of Zehnder’s the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend.
Before your next trip to Frankenmuth, visit one of the great websites that detail trails in our area. There are many good websites – we happen to use www.traillink.com.
Whether you drive or pedal here, hope to have you back soon. Bring your bikes!
Hospitably Yours,
Al Zehnder, CEO of Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth
