Successful bike tour brings big tourism boost to Rogers City area

by Amanda Polaski– Staff Writer

What do you get when you have dedicated volunteers, nearly 180 bicyclists, beautiful weather, and miles of Presque Isle County roads? An overwhelmingly successful first-ever Sunrise Adventure Bike Tour, hosted by the League of Michigan Bicyclists (LMB), and spearheaded by local cycling enthusiast Anne Belanger. This past weekend, Rogers City and its surrounding community welcomed touring bicyclists, bringing in much-needed tourism dollars into the area.

?AS EARLY as Thursday, we had cyclists arrive in Rogers City from all over the country ? from Providence, Rhode Island, to St. Louis, Missouri, to Arizona and Florida,? said Belanger. ?Of course we also had many cyclists from all around the northern Michigan region and downstate. In all, we had 179 cyclists with a median age of 54. I told them?they were in for an experience that would never be duplicated.? LMB executive director Rich Moeller said the bike tour not only brought tourism dollars, it also introduced Rogers City to many new visitors. ?The economic impact in four days with 200 or more people exceeds $120,000,? said Moeller. ?It also increased the awareness of what Rogers City has to offer for tourism. The tour was fantastic, (with) great weather and great routes, (and) the people were great!?

Moeller said the bike tour would not have been possible without the many dedicated volunteers, the steering committee, and especially local organizer Anne Belanger. ?Anne made the event go,? said Moeller. ?It would not have happened without her passion and attention to every detail.? Belanger said the Rogers City bike tour was so successful that it is being used in the future as a benchmark for other shoreline tours sponsored by LMB.

?FROM DAY one to day four, all of the feedback was positive,? said Belanger. ?Two cyclists who ride quite extensively on the west side of the state said they thought our roads were by far the best they have ever been on ? smooth as ice! Cyclists also commented on how pristine our community is, especially noting the immaculately kept houses, yards, and gardens. One biker wanted to know how all the lawns in Rogers City had grass at exactly the same height.? Belanger said area businesses went above and beyond the call of duty to make accommodations for visitors throughout the weekend ? from motels, to restaurants, to Hoeft State Park. Visitors also enjoyed some sounds from the Summer Music Series at Lakeside Park on Friday, as well as receptions held at Tour America Bike Shop and Domaci Gallery.

Mo

eller said The Painted Lady also helped with providing refreshments, as did the Ladies Aid of St. Michael?s Church. He thanked Mayor Beach Hall, all city officials, and the DPW for all of the assistance provided throughout the weekend. Moeller said the volunteers who helped make the bike tour a success were also very appreciated. ?Cyclists who tour extensively throughout the year state that by far, this was the best experience they have had,? said Belanger. ?The steering committee will meet sometime this week to already begin planning for next year, as well as evaluate this year, and consider some additional routes.?

BELANGER SAID having the bike tour coincide with other big events in the area, such as Relay For Life and the Presque Isle Wooden Boat Show, was an even bigger boost to its success. ?I think committing to this weekend in June is a good plan,? said Belanger. ?Having all the other events going on made the experience even better, and added to the excitement. They created opportunities for visiting cyclists to partake in. We anticipate this to be a premiere event for our community, and it will grow every year. We encourage all of our local residents to participate in the tour, as well as join us in cycling around the area. It?s a great way to travel our roadways, and see the beauty that surrounds us.?

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