Volunteers need today and this week by TART

Tue, Aug  5, 2008 - By Missy Luyk

A few announcements on this fine Monday morning…

1. Mulch the trail windbreak

Help needed to spruce up the trails for upcoming bike tour- We are hosting a trail work bee on the Leelanau Trail at Shady Lane Road on Tuesday August 5 from 4:00-7:00 p.m., to mulch some newly planted trees and shrubs.

Volunteers will be spreading woodchips to mulch around the 1000 seedlings that were planted along the Leelanau Trail in the spring at Shady Lane and Fort Road. Members of the Suttons Bay Boy Scout troop planted 4 rows of 1,000 trees and shrubs on the Leelanau Trail in 2 locations. The trees were planted to serve as a windbreak during the winter months to prevent snow drifts. The Leelanau Trail is groomed for cross-country skiing and usually deep drifts occur in these locations and cause the grooming equipment to get stuck. TART administrators worked with the US Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service on the project.

Volunteers are asked to bring your own tools (weed whips, wheel barrow, pitch forks, shovels). Work bee to take place rain or shine.

Directions to work bee- The Leelanau Trail runs parallel to M-22 and 633. Shady Lane is an east-west road that intersects M-22, the Leelanau Trail and 633. Please meet at the intersection of the Leelanau Trail and Shady Lane in Bingham Township. This workbee is prepping the trail for the annual Tour de TART bike tour scheduled for August 8.

2. Bike the Tour de TART !

Sign up for the family-friendly event, scheduled for Friday, August 8. Take the trail 19-miles up to Suttons Bay and enjoy dinner on the bay, a band and a bus ride back to Traverse City. If you start early, you might even get to Suttons Bay in time to enjoy the tail-end of the annual sidewalk sale! It’s only $25 for individuals and $5 for children. Sign up before tomorrow, when the price goes up to $35. For more information about the event, go to http://www.traversetrails.org/events/tourdetart/

3. Work the Tour de TART

We are also in need of volunteers to help us with our 2008 Tour de TART event. If you can’t ride the event, then consider volunteering! Please email me at [email protected] or call the office at 941-4300 if you are interested in volunteering for one of the opportunities below:

Registration in Traverse City:
Volunteers are needed to assist with event pre-registration and day-of registration
1 person needed from 3:30-5:30pm
2 people needed from 5:00-7:00pm

Traverse City intersections: Volunteers are needed to stand at the intersection and let riders know how to cross these busy intersections. Some riders may have questions on the route. Detailed instructions explaining the nuances of each crossing will be emailed to the volunteer.
2 people needed from 4:00-7:00pm- TART Trail/ Front Street crossing
2 people needed from 4:00-7:00pm- TART Trail/ Division crossing
2 people needed from 4:00-7:30pm- Leelanau Trail/Cherry Bend s-curve crossing
Caboose open house: Volunteers are needed to man the caboose
2 people needed from 4:00-7:30pm- Leelanau Trail Caboose/Carter Road

Set up in Suttons Bay:
Volunteers are needed to set up in Suttons Bay.
4 people needed from 4:00-6:00pm

Suttons Bay bike loading:
Volunteers are needed to intercept all riders when they dismount their bike. Bikes will be loaded onto a truck that will deliver the bikes back to the start in TC.
2 people needed from 6:00-9:30pm

Food in Suttons Bay:
Volunteers are needed to help with the dinner in Suttons Bay.
4 people needed from 5:30-9:30pm to assist with food service and make sure riders fill out event survey

Suttons Bay 4:00pm shuttle bus for Leelanau area residents:
Offered to pre-registered riders, a shuttle bus will leave SB at 4:00pm and drop riders off at event check-in. Riders can then ride the trail back to Suttons Bay. A volunteer is needed to check that all riders who signed up for the shuttle are on the bus and assist with loading bikes on the truck (that will follow the bus).
1 person needed from 3:30-4:00pm in Suttons Bay

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP WITH THIS GREAT EVENT! We truly appreciate it!

Sign up now and be part of all the fun!!
-Missy
Missy Luyk, Trail Program Specialist
TART Trails, Inc.
NEW OFFICE LOCATION EFFECTIVE 7/14/08
Office: 415 Union St (2nd Floor) in downtown Traverse City
Mail: PO Box 252, Traverse City, MI 49685
231.941.4300
traversetrails.org