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RESORTS HOST WINTER TRAILS DAY ON JAN. 6
FREE RENTALS OF CROSS-COUNTRY SKIS AND SNOWSHOES
Winter Trails Day, an annual international event that introduces newcomers to snow sports, will take place on Saturday, January 6, 2007, at more than 100 locations across the United States and Canada. Winter
Trails Day offers free snowshoeing and/or cross-country skiing for children and adults new to snow sports. Rental gear is free.
Last year, events took place in 25 states, four Canadian provinces and more than 12,000 children and adults participated.
Winter Trails Day is part of the Winter Feels Good (www.winterfeelsgood.com) grassroots public awareness campaign that promotes the health, fitness and social benefits of snow sports participation by
families, schools and individuals. The events are held at Nordic centers, U.S. Forest Service and park lands and at selected local ski resorts.
Many venues will offer educational programs, lessons, clinics and guided tours. In addition, participants can develop lifelong skills and points toward a President's Challenge Award from the President's Council on
Physical Fitness and Sports.
Winter Trails Day is organized by SnowSports Industries America, Amer-ican Hiking Society and the Cross-Country Ski Areas Association.
What follows are the upper Midwest venues taking part in Winter Trails Day. Some hosts require reservations, so call ahead. For complete listings of locations and times, visit www.wintertrails.org.
MINNESOTA
Boundary Country Trekking, Grand Marais; www.boundarycountry.com; 800/322-8327; bct@boundarycountry.com
Cascade Lodge, Lutsen
www.cascadelodgemn.com; 800/322-9543; cascade@cascadelodgemn.com
Elm Creek Winter Rec Area, Maple Grove; www.threeriversparkdistrcit.org; 763/694-7894; elmcreekinfo@three riversparkdistrict.org
Grand View Lodge, Nisswa
www.grandviewlodge.com; 218/963-8789; paulr@grandviewlodge.com
Giants Ridge Ski & Golf Resort; Biwabik; www.giantsridge.com; 800/688-7669; john.filander @giantsridge.com
Gunflint Lodge, Grand Marais
www.gunflint.com; 800/328-3325; gunflint@gunflint.com; Maplelag Resort, Callaway; www.maplelag.com; 800/654-7711; jrichard@avig.net
MICHIGAN
Cross-Country Ski Headquarters, Roscommon; www.crosscountryski.com; 800/832-2663; skibones@aol.com
Ishpeming Al Quaal Recreation Area, Ishpeming; www.exploringthenorth.com; 906/485-1091; jkorhonen@chartermi.net
Michigan Tech Outdoor Rec Area, Houghton; www.aux.mtu.edu/rec/ccski; 906/487-2578; mdabbott@mtu.edu
ILLINOIS
Camp Sagawau, Lemont
630/257-2045; mkon6780@aol.com
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SKI TRAIL WORK COMPLETED AT WIRTH PARK IN MINNEAPOLIS
More than 100 people volunteered their time at the City of Lakes Nordic Ski Foundation's fourth annual Trails Day on October 31, and much was accomplished at Theodore Wirth Park in Minneapolis,
Minnesota. The site is all the more ready to host of the 2007 City of Lakes Loppet, February 3-4.
The finishing touches were placed on the new 2K ski loop to be covered with man-made snow; a new
creek overlook trail in the golf course section was leveled and graded; and several difficult downhill sections were made easier through grading and banking to avoid off-camber turns and other problem areas.
"We had good leaders and great volunteer crews, and we accomplished everything that we set out to accomplish from the start of the year," course leader Bill Dossett said. "With the icy conditions last
February, we were able to identify corners that gave skiers the most trouble. By focusing on the those corners, we made the trails safer and more fun for all skiers. I can't wait to ski the trails this winter."
This year's work did not include the construction of as many new trail segments as in years past. Nevertheless, the trail system has changed dramatically. In 2003, the Wirth trails consisted of only about
10K of scattered and inconsistent segments. Now the trail system includes over 25K of interconnected trails. Nearby is an additional 6K of trails on the Chain of Lakes and 1.4K in Cedar Lake Park.
The City of Lakes Nordic Ski Foun-dation is proud to have helped establish trail connections between north and south Minneapolis. Only in Minneapolis can people ski from their doors onto a wooded trail
network with views of a major downtown area.
For more information or to volunteer or register for the City of Lakes Loppet, go to www.cityoflakesloppet.com or call the Nordic Ski Foundation at 612/604-5330.
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REI AWARDS $20,000 GRANT TO MICHIGAN MOUNTAIN BIKING ASSOCIATION
Michigan Mountain Biking Associ-ation (MMBA) member Dan Harrison of Troy is one of eight 2006 Stewards of the Environment selected by the outdoor gear retail chain Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI).
The recognition came with a $20,000 grant for MMBA.
Over the past 30 years, Harrison has logged thousands of hours throughout Michigan as a cycling
spokesperson, trail designer and builder, trainer and lobbyist. He founded a trail building school, which has trained more than 100 volunteers in advanced trail design and construction. Harrison's work also includes
donating salvaged bikes to inner-city youths and restoring natural habitat in Michigan's lakes.
REI was set to present the check to MMBA on Harrison's behalf at Maybury State Park near Northville in
lower Michigan on Saturday, November 11 (after this issue went to press). After the check presentation, MMBA volunteers were expected to work on the mountain bike trails in the park.
The grant will go to MMBA which may use it to establish an endowment to serve as an ongoing MMBA funding source.
REI retail store employees across the country nominated local nonprofit organizations for their exceptional work in the area of environmental stewardship and promoting outdoor recreation. The organizations in turn
were each asked to nominate one volunteer. Nominees were evaluated on the overall impact of their efforts, personal time investment, creative approach and success in engaging others in the cause.
REI, a nation-wide member co-op erative of outdoor retail stores, selected the eight stewardship award recipients. In addition to donating $160,000 in project grants, REI said it would give each winner a $500
REI gift card.
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SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL AWARD NAMED AFTER MINNESOTA CONGRESSMAN
The National Center for Safe Routes to School announced in late October it will establish an annual award in the name of Minnesota Congress-man James L. Oberstar to honor his dedication to America's
schoolchildren. The James L. Oberstar Safe Routes to School Award will be presented each year to an outstanding Safe Routes to School program.
Safe Routes to School is a national grass-roots initiative to encourage children to walk or bike to school
instead of traveling by motor vehicle. The program includes developing "walking school buses," expanding
sidewalks and bike paths, calming traffic patterns near schools and teaching children the importance of pedestrian and bike safety.
The initiative offers several benefits, including providing children with fresh air and exercise to improve their health, while reducing traffic, fuel consumption and air pollution.
An avid bicyclist, Oberstar is recognized as the leading bike advocate in Congress. As the senior Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Oberstar has led the way in promoting
legislation that is bicycle friendly.
During his 32 years in Congress, he has shaped the nation's surface transportation policies to encourage
bicycling as an important alternative to travel by car or other motorized conveyance. He championed the Safe Routes to School program and built bipartisan support to secure its inclusion in the final version of a
massive highway and transit bill last year. SAFETEA-LU, which was signed into law in 2005, included $612 million for grants over five years for communities in all 50 states to build bike lanes, sidewalks and
trails that will make it safer and easier for children to bike and walk to school.
Lauren Marchetti, director of the National Center for Safe Routes to School, said, "We are pleased that the
Safe Routes to School Award will bear the name of Congress-man James L. Oberstar. His passion and vision have been the driving force behind this important transportation legislation that strives to reconnect
children with their neighborhoods through safe walking and biking to school."
"I am so honored that the national center has recognized my efforts to enhance children's health through the
benefits of increased exercise. If this award calls more attention to positive ways to reduce childhood obesity and promote a healthier lifestyle, that is the greatest gift of all," Oberstar said.
As of October 1, 48 states and the District of Columbia have established state-level Safe Routes to School programs.
"Childhood obesity rates are rising rapidly, while physical education classes are being cut out due to budget
constraints. We must find a way to help promote healthy living habits at an early age, and this program has
the potential to reverse the sedentary lifestyle that is all too common today," Oberstar said. "Small changes
like adult supervision at intersections, better training of school patrollers and improved sidewalks or bike
paths are enough to encourage parents to let their kids walk or bike to school, instead of sitting on a bus or
riding in a car. This program has the potential to improve the health and well-being of an entire generation of schoolchildren."
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BIKEFED OF WISCONSIN AWARDS 2006 ALLIES
At an October 20 fundraiser, the Bicycling Federation of Wisconsin (BFW) recognized several individuals and organizations for their advocacy of bicycling in 2006. The winners are as follows:
Supervolunteer of the Year
BFW staff nominated Colleen Hayes for her volunteering "at every opportunity" and for helping BFW start a
bike mechanic program started at Sherman Middle School in Madison." This award is given each year to one or more BikeFed volunteers.
Oustanding Local Advocate/Educator
Larry Frostman and Jim Traenkenschuh of Stevens Point, Wisconsin. "Larry Frostman and Jim Traekenschuh, the heart and soul behind the Stanley Project, are committed to getting people to ride bikes.
They have given away nearly 600 recycled bikes in less than two years," wrote Amy Heart, a fellow resident of Stevens Point and a BFW Board member, in her nomination of the duo. (For more info, see
Mark Parman's column "The Stanley Project" in the October issue.)
Oustanding Elected Official
City of Menasha Mayor Joe Laux was the elected official determined to have most distinguished himself in
service to cycling. Laux was instrumental in the conversion of the Little Lake Butte des Morts railroad trestle
into a bicycle and pedestrian bridge now on the state Friendship Trail. He solicitated donations from the business community to build a lift bridge over the Menasha Lock in the Fox River. Laux, an avid bicyclist,
also insisted that sidewalks be built along State Highway 47 for bicycle and pedestrian safety.
Outstanding Business
BFW staff nominated Planet Bike "for donating over $100,000 to advocacy nationwide this year and long-standing support of the bicycle federation."
Outstanding Ally
This award is given annually to someone outside of the traditional bicycle community who made an outstanding contribution to bicycling. The 2006 Outstanding Ally award went to Joe Horvath, a physical
education teacher in the Omro School District for 20 years. Horvath has taken 8th grade boys on an overnite bike tour, implemented an eighth-grade bike safety program, written grants and developed a
bicycle repair shop, taught bicycle maintenance and repair to students, promoted a two-night, school-wide outdoor adventure program that included a bicycling component for sixth-graders, as well as organized 10
adult non-bikers to take a four-day self-contained bike tour.
BFW is a statewide, nonprofit, bicycle advocacy organization with more than 2,500 members.
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RHINELANDER-BOULDER JUNCTION AREA 'CACHES' ON TO NEW TRAVEL TREND
Rhinelander, St. Germain and Boulder Junction, Wisconsin, hope to attract geocachers to the area through a
"Great Northwoods Treasure Hunt" this spring.
The idea is to promote the northern Wisconsin area as a destination for those who enjoy geocaching or
"treasure hunting" by using GPS receivers. Participants use navigational techniques to hide and seek geocaches, which are typically small, waterproof containers containing a logbook and toys or trinkets.
Geocaching is an increasingly popular recreational activity among travelers of all ages.
Rhinelander Chamber of Commerce members will organize geocaching events, cache placement and trinket collection.
"The Great Northwoods Treasure Hunt" will be funded by a $14,700 Joint Effort Marketing (JEM) Grant received by the three communities' chambers of commerce.
For more information, contact the Rhinelander chamber at 715/365-7468.
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