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Celebrate National Trails Day on June 2 The 15th annual National Trails Day, to be held June 2, will provide many opportunities to celebrate local trails. Events will include hiking, running and biking and working to improve and expand paths. On National Trails Day in 2006, there were 1,210 events registered with American Hiking Society, including trail dedications, guided hikes and trail work projects. NTD events in the upper Midwest events, some of which are listed here, are on June 2 unless otherwise indicated. For more details about these and other events, go to www.americanhiking.org. WISCONSIN Blue Mounds: REI/Blue Mound State Park trail building, maintenance Cable: Annual new backcountry trail patroller training (June 1-3) Cornell: Ice Age Trail hike Hartland: Hartland Marsh hike Iron River: Hike through Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest and Bayfield County Forest. La Grange: REI/Southern Kettle trail work Lodi: Ice Age Trail 5K run/walk Middleton: hike, fun run, bike ride Solon Springs: hike and picnic St. Croix Falls: 5K run, Gandy Dancer Trail bike ride, Ice Age Trail hikes Walworth/Jefferson Co.: Ice Age Trail hike Waukesha/Milwaukee: Ice Age Trail hike Whitewater: Ice Age Trail hike MINNESOTA Apple Valley: Trail building Blackduck: Webster Lake hike Bloomington: Nature center hike Cass Lake: Hike the Chippewa National Forest & Norway Beach Interpretive Trail, bike Migizi Bike Trail Eagan: Mountain bike trail maintenance Ely: Hike, canoe Kekekabic/Snowbank trails Mankato: Rasmussen Woods trail hike Paynesville: Nature park trail work Rochert: North Country Trail hike, picnic Zimmerman: Guided birding tour MICHIGAN Columbus: Trail hike, Leave No Trace activities, scavenger hunt Davisburg: Hike, trail clearing Holly: Camp and hike weekend Lake Orion: bike parade & ride, geocaching demo, rock-climbing tower Marquette Township: Park & trail work Northville: Mayberry State Park trail work Sands Township: Trail work Manistee: Hike & picnic Marquette: South Marquette trails open house & tree planting Petoskey: Bike ride & walk White Cloud: Trail dedication ILLINOIS Dairen: Waterfall Glen cleanup Equality: Eagle Mountain summit hike Farmington: Future walking trail presentation, health clinic, bike safety program Joliet, Pontiac, Normal, Springfield, Staunton and Edwardsville: Route 66 Trail bike ride Kampsville: trail hikes & cleanup, horseback ride, kids programs Lewistown: Downtown walk, country bike ride, bike safety check Olympia Fields: Irons Oaks hike Park Forest: Thorn Creek Nature Preserve Walk-a-thon (June 3) Sterling: B. Onken Memorial SMART 5K Sycamore: Trail hiking, biking, birding Toulon/Wyoming: Rock Island trail hike, bike-a-thon, antique bike display Willow Springs: bike trail ride, hike, picnic Wilmington: Trail sign installation IOWA Marion: Squaw Creek Park breakfast and hike Pleasant Valley: Island Nature Trail hike Story City: Heritage hike (June 3) Badger State Games online registration now open The Wisconsin Sports Development Corporation (WSDC) has opened online registration for the American Family Insurance Badger State Summer Games. The 23rd annual Badger State Summer Games will take place June 15-24 in Madison and surrounding communities. The games are the fourth-largest summer state games in the country with over 10,000 participants each year. The 2007 games will include competition in several silent sports: Cycling Sat., June 16: Road race and time trial in Marshall (the same-day format is new this year) Sun., June 24: Criterium around Madison's Capitol Square Triathlon Sun., June 17: 1/3 mile swim, 11 mile bike, 5K run at Fireman's Park, Verona Rowing Sat., June 23: 1,100 meter course on Lake Wingra at Vilas Park, Madison Track & Field (Youth) Sat., June 23: Mansfield Stadium, Madison Memorial High School, events will include 800, 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000 meter runs; 3,000 meter walk; 80, 100/110, 200, 400 meter hurdles; 100, 200 and 400 meter sprints; 4 x 100, 4 x 400 and 4 x 800 relays 5K/10K Sat., June 23: 700 Walnut St., Madison Inline skating Sun, June 24: Half marathon, marathon and kids' sprints, start/finish on County Trunk O west of Portage. Track & Field (Adult) Sun., June 24: Mansfield Stadium, Madison Memorial High School, events will include 800, 1,500, 3,000 and 5,000 meter runs; 3,000 and 5,000 meter race; 80, 100/110, 200, 400 meter hurdles; 100, 200 and 400 meter sprints; 4 x 100, 4 x 400 and 4 x 800 relays For scheduling information and to register for the 2007 Badger State Summer Games, go to www.badgerstategames.org or call 608/226-4780. "We've implemented a brand new online registration system that will dramatically improve the registration experience for all of our participants," Tim Allen, marketing and public relations director for WSDC, said. WSDC is a nonprofit sports management organization that owns the American Family Insurance Badger State Games, the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame, Paddle & Portage, Shape Up Wisconsin Kids, Lighten Up Wisconsin and the Fit Kids Challenge. WSDC is also the local host of the Ford Ironman Wisconsin Triathlon. The Minnesota Mile returns to Duluth; now in St. Paul Grandma's Marathon is moving to St. Paul – at least for one day. The Grandma's Marathon organiztion will host one-mile races this summer at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Grandma's Minnesota Mile St. Paul, scheduled for Wednesday, July 11, is the first of two races comprising the newly-created Grandma's Minnesota Mile Series. "Many of our participants travel from the Twin Cities area to attend Grandma's Marathon weekend, so this time we decided to bring a race to them," said Scott Keenan, executive director of Grandma's Marathon. "This opportunity to resurrect the Minnesota Mile is exciting, and we're thrilled to create two races which include all skill levels." In the early 1980s, Keenan founded the Minnesota Mile in Duluth. At the time, it was the second one-mile road race in the country behind the Fifth Avenue Mile organized by legendary race director Fred Lebow. After a seven year run, the Minnesota Mile was discontinued. Registration is now officially open for the St. Paul edition of the Grandma's Minnesota Mile series. Entry forms may be downloaded at www.grandmas marathon.com. The entry fee is $15 prior to July 10 and $20 on race day. The second event in the series, Grandma's Minnesota Mile Duluth, will be run in downtown Duluth on Sunday, September 9. Registration begins in mid July. The Grandma's Minnesota Mile events consist of four divisions with separate men's and women's races within each division. The elite division features a $5,700 prize purse at both the St. Paul and Duluth events. In addition, the first 250 people to register for Grandma's Minnesota Mile St. Paul will receive a guaranteed entry into the 2008 Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon in Duluth. The same opportunity will be offered when the Grandma's Minnesota Mile Duluth registration opens in July. "We had to turn away thousand of applicants who didn't get selected through this year's lottery process, so this is a great chance for runners looking to secure a place in the 2008 half-marathon field," Keenan said. For more information, visit www.grandmasmarathon.com or call (218) 727-0947. New women's outdoor adventure co. based in Twin Cities Thrive Outdoors provides women of the Twin Cities, Minnesota, area opportunities to explore the outdoors and meet other women with similar interests. The new organization offers weeknight hikes, local day trips, monthly overnight trips and other skill development opportunities. Activities include hiking, biking, kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, camping, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. No previous experience is required unless noted. The purpose is to have fun in a supportive outdoor environment. Thrive Outdoors is owned and operated by Amber Laska, who became a certified backcountry guide while living in Ely, Minnesota. Laska developed instructional and leadership skills while working at Wintermoon Summersun Adventures, a women's kayaking and dog sledding retreat in northeastern Minnesota. Besides experience, Laska has a passion to connect women with the natural world. Thrive Outdoors adventures begin this month. For more information and to view the complete calendar of events, visit www.ThriveOutdoorsTC.com or call 763/498-1278. Wilderness Inquiry offers Boundary Waters canoe trips The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) is not only beautiful and unique, it is also accessible to people of all abilities because visitors can carry their equipment in canoes rather than on their backs. Wilderness Inquiry, an outfitter and guide service, makes trips to the Boundary Waters even easier and more enjoyable. Wilderness Inquiry provides 17-foot lightweight Wenonah canoes, comfortable sleeping pads and other modern camping equipment. Two professional staff members accompany each group of seven participants. (Due to a legally mandated group size restriction of nine people per trip, Wilderness Inquiry is one of the only Boundary Waters outfitters that still provide two staff members per trip.) America's only lakeland wilderness, the Boundary Waters in northern Minnesota has over 2,000 interconnected lakes and countless rivers and streams. You can marvel at moose, soar with bald eagles and echo the laughter of loons around a lakeside campfire. Wilderness Inquiry specializes in serving people of all ability levels, including people with disabilities alongside people who do not have disabilities. The group's unofficial motto is "anyone, anywhere, anytime." The $595 fee for multiday trips includes the two staff members, all food, camping gear and other equipment. Transportation to and from Minneapolis is available for an additional $60. Several five-day guided trips are available in June through September this year. Founded in 1978, Wilderness Inquiry is a nonprofit organization that provides adventure travel for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. For more information, go to www.wildernessinquiry.org or call 612/676-9400 or 800/728-0719. Tandem riders to rally in Appleton, Wis., Labor Day weekend An estimated 500 tandem bicycle teams from across the Midwest will meet in Appleton, Wisconsin, over Labor Day weekend, September 1-3, for the annual Midwest Tandem Rally (MTR). The Couples on Wheels (COWS) Tandem Club of Wisconsin will host this year's rally. Ride highlights will include a Friday night ice-cream ride, a Saturday outing to the Special Memories Zoo, as well as longer routes in the scenic countryside of the Fox Cities. All Saturday riders will enjoy riding the Trestle Trail Bridge, a 1,600-foot-long bridge spanning Little Lake Butte des Morts. Sunday's ride will take the tandem riders to High Cliff State Park, bordering Lake Winnebago and part of the Niagara Escarpment. Riders can park their bikes there, have lunch and hike to the top of the 40-foot observation tower. On Monday, a 25-mile breakfast ride will offer several restaurant choices. The rally attracts more than 400 tandem teams every year. Participants vary in ages from small children to couples in their 70s and 80s. The bikes also vary from traditional two-seated tandems to quints and quads, which seat entire families. Newcomers will see couples wearing T-shirts and jerseys bearing different animal names. Each state's tandem club has selected an animal mascot derived from an acronym affiliated with the state. In addition to the COWS, participant teams will likely include the MUTS (Michigan United Tandem Society), CATS (Chicago Area Tandem Society), PIGS (Paired Iowans Going Somewhere), HOOTS (Hoosiers Out On Tandems), GOATS (Greater Ohio Area Tandem Society) and MULES (Missouri Union of Longbike Enthusiasts), among others. The host hotel for MTR 2007 is the Radisson Paper Valley Hotel in Appleton. A family banquet will be held at the hotel Sunday evening. There is camping nearby as well as additional overflow hotels. For more information, visit www.couplesonwheels.com or call COWS co-presidents Mike and Diane Meuret at 715/845-5730. Now available: Updated booklet on paddling the Flambeau River For the past three years, the Paddle the Flambeau River Guide has served as a wonderful guide to the winding Flambeau River in Wisconsin's northwest Price, Sawyer and Rusk counties. The third edition of the guide is now available free upon request at www.paddleflambeau .com. The 23-page river guide breaks the Flambeau River into 13 different sections. Each section of the river, from the South Fork to the North Fork, is described in detail, so paddlers know how long they will be on the water and what to expect. Detailed maps for each section give rapids ratings and show areas to put in, take out and camp. In addition, descriptive accounts of what a paddler will experience as well as testimonials are provided for each section of the river. To further assist in planning a Flambeau River getaway, the guide booklet directs visitors to lodging in Phillips, Park Falls, Winter and Ladysmith as well as campsites along the river. Also provided are directions to the Wisconsin Concrete Park, Timm's Hill and the Rusk County Visitor Center and Railroad Display. For travelers coming to Price, Sawyer and Rusk Counties without a canoe or kayak, there are numerous rentals, guides, shuttle services and instructional opportunities in the area. There's so much wildlife to see while gliding along the Flambeau, the booklet devotes space to ruffed grouse, timber wolf, muskellunge, bald eagles, white-tailed deer and much more. To order a free copy of the booklet or learn more about visiting the area, go to www.paddleflambeau.com or call 800 /269-4505. Reasons to spend the summer in Vilas County If you haven't visited Vilas County in northeastern Wisconsin in the summer, here's some of what you have been missing: Paddling & fishing With more than 1,300 lakes and 73 rivers and streams, that favorite water getaway is always close by in Vilas County. In fact, a third of the total area of Vilas County is lakes, rivers or streams. Hiking & biking Hop on one of the many paved biking trails or scenic hiking trails for a visual trip through Vilas County. One of the best trails is the 23-mile paved bike trail that links St. Germain, Plum Lake and Boulder Junction. This trail winds through acres of public forests, picnic areas, scenic openings and past ice-cream shops and sandy beaches. Bird watching Many species of birds call Vilas County home, such as ospreys, golden-winged warblers and dark-eyed juncos, just to name a few. Besides nesting in the national, state and county forests throughout Vilas County, information about the area's birds can be found at the North Lakeland Discovery Center. Classic Vilas events Events and activities abound all summer long in Vilas County, from craft and art festivals to unique gatherings like the Taste of Manitowish Waters (July 21). For more information about Vilas County, go to www.vilas.org. Superior Bike Fest: now the fun is sanctioned Cycling in Michigan's Upper Peninsula has been gaining attention nationwide, but now the biggest weekend of racing just got better. The three-day Superior Bike Fest in Marquette, June 22-24, has become a sanctioned USA Cycling event. "This means road riders can compete in the criterium on Friday night, the 55- or 100-mile road races on Saturday, and the added circuit racing at K.I. Sawyer on Sunday," explained Superior Bike Fest co-director Donn Wolf. Typically, Wolf said, "A USAC event is only one day long, but weUre offering a whole weekend of competition. Riders get a huge bang for their buck." When it comes to prize money, USAC competitors will also be taking home bigger checks. Overall winners, determined by the Omnium Points format, can earn as much as $935. "With Naterra Land and our new sponsor, Frei Chevrolet, we're able to more than double our purse in one year from $2,900 to $8,000," Wolf added. Frei Chevrolet's owner, Jim Grundstrom, who also serves with Wolf as co-director, has been involved with the Superior Bike Fest since the beginning. Grundstrom said an increased purse will attract more riders. The Superior Bike Fest has always given kids opportunities to race (those under 12 without training wheels race the criterium for free) as well as adult citizen-class cyclists. For recreational riders who aren't aiming for prize money or medals, there will be an additional event on Saturday. "Those who want to ride in the 35-mile touring class will have the advantage of police support and intersection control," Wolf said. "It's ideal for first-timers." Saturday will also include a downhill event at Marquette Mountain Ski Area. "Mike Brunette, our course designer, is adding some sections to make the trail more user-friendly and less intimidating to the novice riders," Grundstrom said. "But you can still count on the climbs out of the Carp River. We don't want to take away the challenge." The Superior Bike Fest began with the Mountain Chase around Marquette Mountain Ski area in 1995 as a fund-raiser for the local ski patrol. Then in 2003, after mountain bike entries hit an all-time low, road racing was added to the weekend. By 2004, the road events expanded to include the Friday night criterium and Superior Bike Fest became a three-day event. For more Superior Bike Fest information, go to www.superiorbikefest.com, e-mail superiorbikefest@chartermi.net or call 888/578-6489.
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