Traverse Area Recreation and Transportation (TART) Trails is excited to host the annual Tour de TART bicycle ride on Friday, July 19 from 4-9 pm. More than 600 people of all ages will hit the TART and Leelanau Trails for an evening ride up to Suttons Bay, a bayside dinner and transportation back to Traverse City. Tour de TART is an eagerly anticipated summertime tradition, and registration is filling up fast. This is TART Trails’ feature fundraising event of the year. Participants can register online at https://traversetrails.org/event/tour-de-tart/. Register by Friday, July 5 for early bird pricing!
The rail trail is perfect for cyclists of all ages and abilities and especially families. The ride will begin at Darrow Park in Traverse City on Bay Street. Riders can start anytime between 4 pm and 6:30 pm. Average time to finish the ride portion is 2 hours. Participants enjoy two food and water stops along the 17-mile paved trail, including the famous luau party hosted by Brick Wheels.
The ride ends at North Park in Suttons Bay where participants enjoy a bayside meal catered by VI Grill and Fiddleheads. We’ll be serving root beer floats with Northwoods Soda and Milk & Honey ice cream (always a favorite) and Grand Traverse Pie Company pie. Local brews from North Peak and Jolly Pumpkin and wine from Shady Lane Cellars will also be available for purchase. There will be fun music and activities for the whole family. After dinner, participants enjoy a relaxing bus ride back to Traverse City while their bicycles return by truck.
This annual event is possible from the support of many community partners, sponsors, and volunteers. The 2024 Tour de TART is presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield and Blue Care Network of Michigan, with support from Hagerty, Atlas Wealth Management, Grand Traverse Pie Company, Insight Optometry, DTE Foundation, and David Clark and Phyllis Kirk. Special thanks to our friends at Northwoods Soda, North Peak Brewing Company, Milk & Honey, Shady Lane Cellars, Grand Traverse Pie Company, Wunsch Orchards, Brick Wheels, VI Grill, Fiddleheads and Great Lakes Potato Chips for donating food and beverages to the event!
Tour de TART occurs rain or shine. All proceeds benefit TART Trails. For more information please visit http://traversetrails.org/event/tour-de-tart/.