SummerTour 2024 was better than all expectations
First, the weather – every day was in the upper 70s with just enough breeze to keep the air fresh.
Next, the roads – Fogg Lake Rd., the second turn after leaving White River RV Park and Campground was newly paved the day before SummerTour started. Overall, the roads weren’t as good as that, but still pretty good.
As always, the food – Golden Crown Catering was the star of the tour. Loads of entrees, sides and desserts. Prime rib on Saturday was terrific.
Children’s Activities – Chatting with the campground owners, Dave and Jill, they were pleased to see children having fun without electronic devices.
- Bike rides up and down the Hart-Montague rail trail. The longer-distance riders hit 120 miles.
- Rafting on White River
- Lake Michigan beach time
- Trips to Country Dairy.
- Badminton, water balloon and squirt gun battles
- Campfires with s’mores and popcorn.
- Ride the John Deere tractor train around the campground.
- The “Tin Man” in Hart.
SAG support went well. The SAGs were just a phone call away from every rider. The drivers took more children to drive-and-ride trailheads than retrieving breakdowns to camp. “Mad Props” from the Youth Activities Committee to the SAG team.
Bike Repairs – Mike Egan from “Share-A-Bike” provided in-camp fixes. SummerTour kept him busy. He had some outside help from Central Cycles, locally known as the “Amish bike shop”.
What do you like about SummerTour?
- The location was great!
- Ginger is an awesome director.
- Excellent meal service
- Staying in one location.
- Close to the paved Hart Montague Trail.
- White River RV Park and Campground was excellent.
- Well-organized and affordable.
- Routes were well-planned out.
- Our campsite was great!
- The biking.
- Great job with the kids!
- Swimming pool
- Kids of all ages – you could see the joy, comradery and pride in their faces when their activities were discussed.
- A lot of different possible routes.
- Lots to do besides cycling.
- Our first SummerTour and we felt welcomed and included in all the fun.
- Loved the growing children’s programs/presentations/ride awards.
- Nice to see kids on bikes who make eye contact and speak.
- Thank you to the SAG service
They liked it!
We’ll do it all again in Marion in 2025.
For more information or questions email SummerTour@biketcba.org.
More information will come in the fall for SummerTour 2025!