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DNR seeks comment on Amery-Dresser trail enviro study by March 24
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently released a draft environmental
assessment (EA) study for the planned 13-mile rail-trail between Amery and Dresser in northwestern Wisconsin. The DNR will take public comment on the environmental assessment until March 24. A public
hearing will be held at Unity High School in Balsam Lake on March 9.
The EA was done after the Friends of the Lincoln-Osceola-Garfield Greenway (LOG) sued the DNR for
not exploring the consequences of allowing all-terrian vehicles and other motorized use of the trail also intended for bicycling, hiking and cross-country skiing. LOG also sought a balanced assessment of the
environmental, social, and economic issues related to developing the Amery-Dresser corridor into a recreational trail.
The DNR is seeking comments focused on the EA, not complaints about the appropriateness of ATV and snowmobile traffic on the trail.
LOG suggests that enthusiasts of non-motorized recreation address the lack of law enforcement on the trail and other relevant issues.
For an electronic copy of the EA and the perspective of LOG, email LOG president Brook Waalen at brookwaalen@lakeland.ws or write to Friends of LOG Greenway, P.O. Box 203, Amery, WI 54001.
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Snow cams trained on northwoods ski trails
Winter sports enthusiasts and potential travelers can use online "snow cams" to check on Wisconsin's recreational trails.
"We've got excellent snow conditions for snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. However, potential travelers don't know that because they're looking at bare lawns in the southern two-thirds of the state,"
Wisconsin Tourism Secretary Jim Holperin said in mid-February. "Northwoods communities are doing their best to get the word out, but folks have a hard time imagining how much snow there is in Cable, Hurley and
Minocqua when all they see is brown grass and open water at home."
That's where snow cams come in. Snow cams at downhill ski and snowboard areas are common. But now
locations that host a large number of snowmobile and cross-country ski trails see the advantage of posting up-to-the-minute images of snow conditions online.
The communities of Rice Lake, Manitowish Waters, Presque Isle, Hayward, Hurley, Eagle River and Cable all offer snow cams that have been posted near trails or at local businesses such as resorts and restaurants
that cater to winter sports enthusiasts. About seven downhill ski areas in Wisconsin use web cams.
"Winter sports recreation such as snowmobiling and cross-country skiing is critical to northern Wisconsin's
travel and hospitality industry," Holperin said. "In 2004, travelers spent $244 million during winter in a 20-county area that makes up the northwoods."
For statewide snow conditions, visit the Wisconsin Department of Tourism's website www.travelwisconsin.com or call 800/432-TRIP (8747). Travelers can also obtain snow reports and
travel information at Wisconsin Welcome Centers located in select state-border cities.
Wisconsin snow cams:
Lakewoods Resort, Cable
www.lakewoodsresort.com/webcam.html
Iron Nugget Restaurant, Hurley
www.ironnuggetrestaurant.com/Webcam/web cam.html
Rice Lake Tourism
www.ricelaketourism.com/winter2005/web cam.asp
Manitowish Sports and Rentals/ Around the Corner Pub, Manitowish Waters
www.manitowishsports.com/Webcam%20Page.htm
Timberline Inn, Manitowish Waters
www.timberlineinn.com/Webcam32.htm
Skyview Lodge, Presque Isle
www.skyviewlodge.com/webcam.html
Moose Lake, Hayward
www.upnorth.info/webcams/hayward.htm
Namakagon Chief, Cable
www.airstreamcomm.net/~namchief/JScam.html
Eagle River
www.snowconditions.com
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Visiting Norwegian enjoys Sugarbush ski trails
Arne Roheim from Hamar, Norway, recently spent two days skiing the 65K Sugarbush trail system near Tofte, Minnesota. Arne is an accomplished cross-country skier, certified as a coach by the Norwegian Ski
Federation and a competitive classic-style ski racer who trains 12 hours per week while skiing 120K a week.
Roheim is employed by the Norwegian government as an accountant and is currently on a two-month
sabbatical. During his absence from work, Arne is coaching cross-country skiers in Duluth and will participate in numerous ski races in Minnesota and Wisconsin. He recently completed the 24 Hours of
Telemark race in Cable, Wisconsin, and the Pepsi Challenge in Biwabik, Minnesota.
"The Sugarbush trails are the nicest trails that I've skied on while in Minnesota and Wisconsin," Roheim said.
"I love the long uphills and rolling terrain where I can kick and glide instead of using the herringbone. The grooming was excellent and the trails were firm for solid pole plants."
Roheim mentioned that the Sugarbush trails remind him of the trails back home in Hamar, just south of Lillehammer, site of the 1994 Winter Olympics.
The Sugarbush trail system can be accessed from three trailheads. Moosefence on the Sawbill Trail, six miles north of State Highway 61; Britton Peak, two miles north of State 61 on the Sawbill Trail; and the
Oberg Trailhead on FR336 (Onion River Road), about four miles east of Tofte.
More information on the trails is available at www.sugarbushtrail.org.
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Alp Bl'Huez debuts May 27 as new WISport race
The Tour de France has long featured the fearsome mountain stage of Alpe d'Huez. Now WISport has Alp Bl'Huez, an intimidating ascent in its own right making a debut in the Wisconsin road cycling series schedule.
The inaugural 20K Alp Bl'Huez Blue Mounds Time Trial will take place at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 27. The course starts in the town of Blue Mounds, 18 miles west of Madison along U.S. Highways 18/151, and
ends with the steep 900-foot climb to the top of Blue Mound State Park. A 14-mile warm-up to the start of the Alp Bl'Huez will be marked.
While the final hill demands respect, riders will appreciate that little more than the name "Alp Bl'Huez"
resembles Alpe d'Huez in the Swiss Alps. While the Blue Mounds race will be longer at 20K, the 13K Alpe d'Huez has 21 hairpin turns and 1,860 meters (6,102 feet) of climbing.
For that much time standing on your pedals (and then some), you'll need to attempt the Horribly Hilly Hundreds. The 100K route includes 6,000 feet of hills and the 200K course takes riders more than 10,500
feet up. In fact, the ascent to the peak of Blue Mounds State Park is how both HHH courses end. Alp Bl'Huez may serve as a training ride for many who attempt the fourth annual HHH, set to take place June 17.
Results will be tallied in accordance with WISport categories. Awards will go to the overall top 10 male and female finishers. Registration is $18 before May 20 and $25 thereafter. Day-of-registration and check-in
will be 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Registration fees will go to Headrush Inc. which will transfer all proceeds to brain tumor research and education at the University of Wisconsin Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Additional details and maps can be found at http://bmtt.dyndns.org. The entire WISport schedule can be found at www.wisport.org. All HHH info can be had at www.horriblyhilly.com.
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Spirit of Racine Triathlon adds sprint distance race
In late July, Racine, Wisconsin, hosts the Spirit of Racine Triathlon, a half-iron distance triathlon. Now a
sprint distance triathlon is being added to the race weekend. The new event will be held Saturday, July 22, at North Beach Park, the same location of the half-iron distance race held on July 23.
The half-iron distance triathlon that offers participants the chance to cover 1.2 miles of swimming, 56 miles
of bicycling and 13.1 miles of running. The event consistently sells out months prior to the start of the race.
The sprint distance triathlon will include 0.46 miles of swimming, 12.4 miles of bicycling and 3.1 miles of
running. This is an opportunity for new triathletes or folks who are just tri-curious to try out a multisport event.
"A lot of the feedback we received from athletes said their significant others desperately wanted to participate in the weekend, but weren't ready to compete in the long-distance event," said Dave Blank,
director of the Racine County Convention and Visitor's Bureau. "The sprint distance race addresses this request."
The Spirit of Racine Triathlon brings 1,500 triathletes and 4,000 of their closest supporters to this small community on Lake Michigan just across the Illinois border. Competitors are said to receive the royal
treatment from their hosts.
"In the 19 years that I've been producing triathlon events, I have never experienced such tremendous
community support as in Racine," said race director Shannon Kurek of HFP Racing, the professional event management company that works side-by-side with the Racine community. "It's such an ideal place for a
triathlon."
Event details can be found at www.SpiritofRacineTri.com.
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25th running of the Ice Age 50 set for May 13
Join the Badgerland Striders in La Grange, Wisconsin, for the 25th running of the Ice Age Trail 50 on
Saturday, May 13. Run 50 miles or 50 kilometers on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail in southeastern Wisconsin.
Runners will enjoy a pre-race dinner at Old World Wisconsin and a barbecue at the finish line to
commemorate their achievement and to unwind with friends and a Wisconsin brew.
For those who have not previously run in this event, the Ice Age Trail cuts through the Southern Unit of the
Kettle Moraine State Forest. There the last glacier created terrain that is constantly changing. A variety of ecosystems are interconnected to create a challenging and beautiful running experience. There are dry and
wet prairies, water table ponds and lakes, eskers and drumlins, deep forests and high ground with great overlooks.
So expect hills hundreds upon hundreds of them, taking runners up and down and around twists and turns of the trail. The trick is to find a pace that works with the terrain.
All participants in the Ice Age 50 Kilometer Solo Run are automatically entered in the Montrail Ultra Cup Series. In order to remain involved, you must register for the series at www.run.montrail.com.
Visit the race website at www.iceagetrail50.com for updated information and race registration forms as the 25th running of Ice Age takes shape.
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Canoe U offers paddling classes on Minnesota-Wisconsin border
Have you always wanted to try whitewater paddling in a safe and relaxed manner or fine-tune your flat
water canoeing skills? The opportunities to do both exist at the Rapids Riders' "Canoe U" this coming May and June.
Canoe U is an annual event put on the Rapids Riders contingent of the Minnesota Canoe Association. The classes help participants develop and improve their flat water and whitewater skills in both canoes and
kayaks. There are women-only classes as well as lessons for beginners and advanced paddlers.
The classes will take place at the St. Croix and Willow River state parks depending on the weekend.
Friends and family are welcome to come along and pitch a tent or share a cabin.
All Canoe U instructors are certified by the American Canoe Association to teach anywhere in the United
States. Some have been tutored by the Canadian freestyle team while others have attended seminars given by current world champions in the sport.
The "classrooms" will be the St. Croix, Kettle and St. Louis rivers. They provide a wealth of varied features wherein you can learn everything you want to know.
The classes offered by the Rapid Riders, an all-volunteer organization, are reasonably priced and all proceeds go to support the preservation of water resources in the upper Midwest.
For further details and enrollment information, visit www.rapidsriders.com and click on "Training."
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CXC Team to advance top cross-country skiers in central region
Central Cross-Country Skiing, with the support of the American Birkebeiner Ski Foundation, is pleased to
announce CXC Team, an Olympic Development Program starting April 1. CXC Team is intended to close the gap between junior and senior athletes by providing professional world-class training and coaching opportunities.
CXC Team will include up to 12 athletes, two coaches and a wax technician. CXC Team will have an equal number of male and female athletes. Athletes will be selected based primarily on the USSA national ranking
list among the applicants. Selected athletes will establish residence in the central region for their contract period. Coaches will be selected following an international search.
CXC Team athletes will be ambassadors of cross-country skiing and will be involved in their local ski communities by assisting at least once a week with the local junior and adult programs through spring,
summer and fall.
CXC Team will provide athletic and job career advancement. Athletes may be allowed to continue their professional career advancement while competing.
Central Cross-Country Skiing is the designated body for the development of cross-country skiers in the 10 state central region of the United States. CXC Skiing oversees youth programs, supports the Junior
Olympic Qualifying system, Central Collegiate Ski Association and senior/master skiing, provides education for athletes, coaches and officials, coordinates competitions and is the Midwest pipeline to the U.S. Ski
Team.
For more information, see www.cxcskiing.org.
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Chicagoland Bicycle Federation to tackle top 10 initiatives in 2006
For the past three years, the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation (CBF) has approached each new year with a
list of resolutions or Top 10 Initiatives. The Top 10 Initiatives for 2006 seek to support the regional demand
for bicycling accommodations while marketing bike transportation and active living to a wider public. Nearly half of the 2006 initiatives are new and anticipate a generational shift in attitudes toward bicycling
transportation and pedestrian access.
The Top 10 list also includes some unfinished business from 2005, such as reversing the 1998 Illinois
Supreme Court decision in Boub v. Wayne Township which stripped bicyclists of their rights on Illinois roads. One item you won't see this year is getting permanent bicycle access on Metra trains because the
Metra board approved this measure in October.
Top 10 Initiatives:
1) Establish Complete Streets as the standard for all transportation projects, planning and funding.
Complete Streets are safe and comfortable for all modes of travel, including walking, bicycling and public transit.*
There's a bill moving forward in the Illinois Legislature that would require the state to build multimodal accommodations into all projects. In Chicago, the city's Bike 2015 Plan calls for Complete Streets
implementation.
2) Launch the "Drive with Care" campaign to rescue communities from reckless driving through a
regionwide initiative that promotes and coordinates education, design and enforcement solutions.*
To do this, CBF will work with Chicago to provide automated speed enforcement and installation of more
red light cameras. Recently, Cicero and Lansing applied for federal transportation enhancements funding to develop a campaign to reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities.
3) Grow bicycling advocacy's influence among local, state and national political leaders.
4) Promote bicycling and walking through "Go Healthy!," a project that offers physical activity prescriptions,
individualized information and incentives to people who want to drive less and travel in ways that improve health and well-being.*
5) Engage women and people of diverse ethnicities in bicycling.
6) Ensure that the new federal Safe Routes to School funding has the maximum impact in northeast Illinois in encouraging youth to safely walk and bike to school.
7) Stage Chicagoland's first Sunday Parkways, a new event that seeks to dramatically increase participants'
physical activity by closing arterial streets to motorized vehicles and opening them only to bicycling, walking, skating and nonmotorized travel.* Mayor Richard M. Daley directed the Department of Environment to
conduct a feasibility study for the event.
8) Reverse the 1998 Boub decision to encourage towns to add bike facilities and designate bike routes and
to restore liability protection for on-road bicyclists in Illinois.*
9) Advance Build and Ride and other programs that encourage underserved youth to be more physically
active and develop workplace skills through bicycle use and maintenance training.
10) Expand activities that elevate bicycling within our culture by tying bicycling to eating, shopping,
entertainment, work, recreation and daily life. To this end CBF organizes Veggie Bike and Dine, Musical Miles Ride to Ravinia, the Shop by Bike campaigns in Oak Park, Glen Ellyn and Forest Park. and the Bike
Culture Lecture Series at the Chicago Cultural Center.
CBF was founded in 1985 to improve the bicycling environment in the seven-county Chicago region. CBF
encourages bicycling as energy-efficient, economical and nonpolluting transportation and as a healthful and enjoyable form of recreation.
*Carried over from 2005.
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League of Michigan Bicyclists' 'Winter Caravan' comes to Traverse City
Rich Moeller, the new executive director of the League of Michigan Bicyclists, is hitting the road in March with LMB's first-ever Winter Caravan. Stops are scheduled for each of the organization's eight regions.
For Region 8, including the northern Lower Peninsula and all of the Upper Peninsula, the Cherry Capital Cycling Club is hosting a stop in Traverse City March 20.
Moeller came to LMB from a 36-year career as a YMCA administrator and as a tireless and effective promoter of bicycling. Over the past 27 years, he spearheaded the creation of dozens of bicycle
organizations, programs and events. His service as president of the Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, Cycling Club and vice chairman of the Minnesota State Bicycle Advisory Board are just two positions he's held.
About the Winter Caravan, Moeller says, "This will be an opportunity for bicyclists to get together and talk
bicycling." Moeller's talking points will include "making Michigan a bicycle friendly state" and the TART
Trails, a consolidation of four major trail organizations from Grand Traverse and Leelanau Counties.
A reception for the LMB entourage starts at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 20, in the Welcome Center of
the Health and Science Building at Northwestern Michigan College.
For more info, contact Carol Danly at cdanly@nmc.edu. For directions to the college, go to www.nmc.edu/info/maps.
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Meet Olympic skiers at Hall of Fame induction ceremony April 28
If you paid attention to the Winter Olympics last month, you probably heard how 21-year-old American Ted Ligety skied out of the shadow of disqualified teammate Bode Miller to win the gold medal in the alpine
combined.
And you probably marveled at the courage of Lindsay Kildow who skied into eighth place in the women's
downhill after she was hospitalized for injuries suffered in a spectacular fall during a training run the day before.
Well, would you like to meet Kildow? You may also have a chance to see fellow slalom skier Kristina Koznick of Eagan, Minnesota, who had to sit out the Winter Olympics because of a torn anterior cruciate
ligament suffered last week during a warmup run in Germany in early February.
Both skiers are invited to attend the April 28 U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame induction of their coach Erich
Sailer of Buck Hill (a ski hill south of Minneapolis) as well as Olympian Hilary Lindh, Aspen developer David Brown, and Jay Peak's Walter Foeger.
Tickets to the dinner banquet at the UpFront in Marquette, Michigan, are $45 each or a table for eight is $320. Space is limited so make resrvations ASAP by calling 906/485-6323. Make checks payable to the
U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame and send them to P.O. Box 191, Ishpeming, Michigan 49849.
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