Bike Benzie Tour sponsored by Benzie Sunrise Rotary
About this race
A Ride with a Cause
Benzie Sunrise Rotary’s 17th annual Bike Event is now the Bike Benzie Tour. We are excited to be partnering with Crystal Mountain again to provide an exciting family event...with the same great food and after-party!
This in-person event is scheduled for Saturday, May 30 at Crystal Mountain in Thompsonville, Michigan*.
This year we are offering three cycling events for your Up North adventure. For those who like to explore the highways and byways of Benzie County we are offering 62-, 40- and 30-mile routes. All are scenic and safe cycling routes with rest stops, course safety monitors and excellent SAG support. Check out the routes on this site and choose the right distance and elevations for you. This is not a race, so no pelotons.
Special registration discounts available for families of 3 or more registering together and for riders younger than 18. Great family fun!
Registration fee includes box lunch. Additional lunch is only needed for non-registrants/
Please Note: Parts of several routes are on the Betsie Valley Trail. Class 1 and Class 2 E-bikes are permitted on all routes. Also, 3-1/2 miles of the Betsie Valley Trail are crushed limestone.
The Bike Benzie Tour sponsored by Benzie Sunrise Rotary brings an exciting Ultra, 48.3K, 32.2K, 24.1K to Thompsonville, Michigan on June 6, 2020. Don't miss this beautiful event!
Pick your distance
Cycling
62-Mile Road Tour
The enhanced Metric Century features some of the area's best biking roads and views. The route heads west and north from Crystal Mountain on rolling hills and through orchards. A ride along the south shore of Crystal Lake will provide you with panoramic views of this pristine body of water. You will also enjoy a view from the north shore of Crystal Lake after a tough climb up the Warren Road hill between Platte Lake and Crystal Lake. Enjoy the cruise through downtown Beulah followed by a pleasant ride on quieter back roads on the return to Crystal. And did we mention – there are a few good climbs during this ride that won’t disappoint!
45-Mile Road Tour
The 45-mile route begins with the same scenic and easy rolling hills going south and east from Crystal Mountain to Kaleva as the 30 mile route. Heading out of Kaleva the route will take you west and north to the pretty shores of Bear Lake. The final stretch returning to Crystal Mountain will be a mostly flat route that takes you over the second crossing of the vibrant Betsie River.
36-Mile Gravel Race
The 36-mile gravel route starts at Crystal Mountain and the course is identical to the 20 mile course at first. Half way down the fast gravel of the Betsie Valley Trail the 36-mile course diverts to dirt, weaving and rolling through miles of state forest where trees seem to flash by. Eventually cyclists will ride through Thompsonville and back to Crystal Mountain. These course are favorites of local cyclists with some gentle but challenging climbs as well as sandy two-tracks.
30-Mile Road Tour
The 30-mile route offers scenic rolling hills going south and east from Crystal Mountain taking a circular route to the village of Kaleva and past the historic Kaleva Bottle House & Museum and Kaleva's outdoor Sculpture Park. Then return back to Crystal Mountain on a mostly flat route that takes you over Big Bear Creek and the second crossing of the beautiful Betsie River.
20-Mile Gravel Race
The 20 mile course starts at Crystal Mountain Resort, and both the 20 and 36 mile courses are identical at first. After the first two miles of pavement the fun begins with the sandy two-track Joyfield Road, which then opens up onto the scenic gravel of Longstreet, Dair Mill and Pine Roads. At the 10.8 mile mark the 20-mile course continues down the hard-packed and fast Betsie Valley Trail all the way to Thompsonville. It returns to Crystal Mountain with gravel and a little bit of pavement.
15-Mile Road Tour
The new 15-mile route offers a shorter version of the scenic 30-mile route. This route travels over rolling hills going south and west from Crystal Mountain. Along the way you will cross over the beautiful Betsie River before returning home. We added this shorter route in case you haven’t been able to get out much on your bike, but you will want to support this great cause and enjoy the day with friends and family members!
About Thompsonville
Bike Benzie Tour sponsored by Benzie Sunrise Rotary takes place in Thompsonville, Michigan, United States. The local timezone is America/New_York.
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Race information has been sourced from the event's official website and other publicly available resources. For the most up-to-date details, please refer to the official website directly. If you notice any incorrect or missing information, don't hesitate to reach out to us by email.
