Barrage of Bikers To Descend On Newaygo

Photo courtesy of Pedal Across Lowwr Michigan

“This will be my 30th year. I started riding with a couple of friends. When they stopped , I continued as I had made many friends over the years. I also met my partner. We have been together for almost 26 years. He and I are both on staff. I have made many friends on the ride and we have become lifelong friends, doing things together all year long”.- Tina Brander

If you are out and about this weekend and you see a few hundred bikers cruising down the road like a pedal driven parade you’ve just encountered the PALM Bike Tour.  This Sunday, June 23, the tour (approx 400 people) will pedal from Norton Shores to Newago schools and stay in tents for the night. Bicyclists of all ages and support staff will eat breakfast and supper at the school to support and benefit local groups.

Pedal Across Lower Michigan (PALM) has been putting on this celebration of cycling aimed at extolling the beauty of our state since 1982. That year the idea born by Thomas Pendelton, Peter Lagerway, and Sally Janacek became a reality as a dedicated group set out from Berrien Springs enroute to Detroit.

Since then PALM has continued their lake-to-lake trek, never traveling the same route twice. Some cities have been sites repeatedly but they are always on a different route.The routes are North of I-96 during even years and South of I-94 during odd years. The last time the group stayed in Newaygo was in 2003, though they have more recent stops in White Cloud, Fremont, Grant and Hesperia.

We posed a few questions to Robin DeNousse who had reached out to us about the event.

What’s a typical day for the riders?  
Get up around 6a to 7a, pack up tent, sleeping bag, and other bags and put them on the truck.  Eat breakfast. Fill water bottle, check tires, meet up with friends and family and start riding bike.  There are SAGS along the route that offer water, air pumps, and assistance every 5-10 miles.  Half way along the route is a stop with restrooms and all-you-can-eat-watermelon.  There are many farms, small towns, attractions, and shops along the way to stop, take pictures, and eat.  Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated in the heat.  The route is marked on the road and there is a map app to follow.  Sometimes there is a river or lake to stop and swim to cool off.  The trucks with all the gear will be at the next school site.  Find gear, set up tent, roll out sleeping bag.  Charge phone at the enormous, portable, PALM charging station. Shower and eat dinner at the school.  Possibly ride into town to walk, listen to music, have an ice cream.  Brush teeth in the school, play basketball or cards.  Back at the tent, go to sleep.  Wake up and repeat!

Are there programs or activities on your stopovers?  
Yes, a great children's program, basketball courts, tables for card games, sometimes the school has a pool!  Every night there is a bicycle education class given that covers safety, bike repair, and self-supporting cross-country biking.  In addition, PALM has a brief meeting to review these items for the next day = route (safety, attractions, possible lunch stops), food to be served at the next school site, and weather.

Have you participated?  
I think this will be my 16th year.  My Mom, Aunt, and several neighborhood couples that were friends rode PALM for years.  I finally joined them when my kids were 11 and 13.  They rode with me for several years and the year he graduated high school, my son rode his bike across the US on the TransAmerica Bike route with his cousin in 6 weeks.  I rode with a neighbor friend for about 10 years. I had a cousin join us with her family for a year.  Last year a couple high school classmates joined me.  They are both returning this year and my niece will also join us.  There are many groups of families and friends that return every year and use their PALM time to keep in touch.

What kind of bike do you ride? 
 I rode an old 1970's Schwinn Le Tour for 15 years.  It was heavy and had only 10 racing gears so this year I bought a used Specialized Roubaix.  The majority of bicycles are road bikes.  There are also tandems, recumbents, mountain bikes, hybrids, tagalongs, and E-bikes.

For more information on Palm visit their website at https://palmbiketour.org/

“I love that no one laughs at me for wearing regular shoes and t-shirts to ride in, or for taking 8-10 hours to ride 50 miles. I love seeing riders on a different ride and they recognize me from PALM. I love the lifetime friends I have now.”- PALM participant

This year's route

Photo courtesy of Pedal Across Lowwr Michigan