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 to Thompsonville, Michigan on August 21, 2021. Don't miss this beautiful event!
Pick your distance
Cycling
Tour de Pie 45-Mile Road Tour
The 45-mile road tour begins with the same scenic and easy rolling hills going south and east from Crystal Mountain to Kaleva as the 30-mile route. The route takes riders past farm lands, forests, lakes and rivers. At the 19-mile point, riders enter the quaint village of Kaleva, where their first rest stop awaits at the Bethany Lutheran Church. Heading out of Kaleva the route will take you west and north to the pretty shores of Bear Lake and the Saddle Up Gas & Grocery, where your second rest stop awaits at the 31-mile marker. 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. The course will be marked at critical turns; however, three GPS apps are available for download on the website, 1) Ride with GPS (recommended), 2) Strava, and 3) Map My Ride.
Tour de Pie 62-Mile Road Tour
The 62-mile road tour features some of the area's best cycling 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. The first rest stop awaits at the 26-mile mark of Bellows Park. Your ride continues around the west shore of the lake with a journey through a portion of the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore. A turn onto Platte Lake Rd will bring you to Warren Road and the hill between Platte Lake and Crystal Lake, a challenging climb. Continue your cruise along Crystal Lake and into the Village of Beulah, where at the 43-mile mark the Five Shores Brewing Company is the site of the second rest stop. The final third of the tour is a pleasant ride of quieter backroads on the return to Crystal Mountain. The roads on this tour are paved and favored by local cyclists. The elevation climb is approximately 3000 feet. A challenging yet satisfying bike tour with beautiful vistas along the way. The course will be marked at critical turns; however, three GPS apps are available for download on the website, 1) Ride with GPS (recommended), 2) Strava, and 3) Map My Ride.
Tour de Pie 30-Mile Road Tour
The 30-mile road tour offers scenic rolling hills going south and east from Crystal Mountain taking a circular route to the quaint village of Kaleva. Your rest stop awaits you at the Bethany Lutheran Church, across the street from the historic Kaleva Bottle House & Museum. Once back on your bike, you’ll cycle past Kaleva's outdoor Sculpture Park. The return back to Crystal Mountain is a mostly flat route that takes you over Big Bear Creek and the second crossing of the beautiful Betsie River. The course will be marked at critical turns; however, three GPS apps are available for download on the website, 1) Ride with GPS (recommended), 2) Strava, and 3) Map My Ride.
45-Mile Team Time Trial
The 45-mile team time trial takes cyclists through the countryside of Manistee County through the villages of Kaleva and Bear Lake. The course is mostly flat and fast, traveling past farm lands, forests, lakes and rivers. At the 19-mile point riders enter the quaint town of Kaleva. The race continues on to Bear Lake and the Saddle Up Gas & Grocery, where a rest stop awaits at the 31-mile marker. The race will be marked at critical turns; however, three GPS apps are availavble for download on the website: 10Ride with GPS (recommended), Strava and 3) Map My Ride. Rules? No aero bars and no disc wheels. Medals will be awarded to winners of the Team Time Trial Race.
Gravel biking
Gonzo Gravel 36-Mile Gravel Race
The 20- and 36-mile Up North Gonzo Gravel courses offer a rolling hill experience over gravel, sand, and packed stone through the state forest surrounding Crystal Mountain Resort. With this premier resort as a starting point, the race offers a unique experience. Bring your mountain/gravel bike with your best riding skills on August 21 and have fun on our forest backroads. These courses are a local favorite of cyclists with some gentle but challenging climbs as well as sandy two-tracks. The Up North Gonzo Gravel adventure starts at Crystal Mountain Resort. The race course will be marked at critical turns; however, three GPS apps are available for download on the website, 1) Ride with GPS (recommended), 2) Strava, and 3) Map My Ride. We STRONGLY encourage the use of GPS for the back roads. Arrows can be moved or destroyed; GPS is finite. The 20- and 36-mile courses are identical for 10.8 miles. After the first two miles of pavement from the resort, the fun begins with Joyfield Road, a sandy two-track, which then opens onto the scenic gravel of Longstreet, Dair Mill, and Pine Roads. Half-way down the super-fast gravel of the Betsie Valley Trail, the 36-mile course breaks off to the east and north on dirt roads. Eventually cyclists will ride through Thompsonville and back to Crystal Mountain. At the 10.8-mile mark, the 20-mile course continues straight 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. Medals for the overall 1st, 2nd, and 3rd men and women winners for each distance race. Age categories and place recognitions.* Men: Women: 15-29 (1st, 2nd) 15-29 (1st, 2nd) 30-39 (1st, 2nd) 30-44 (1st) 40-49 (1st) 45+ (1st) 50-59 (1st) 60+ (1st) *subject to change based on registrations.
Gonzo Gravel 20-Mile Gravel Race
The 20- and 36-mile Up North Gonzo Gravel courses offer a rolling hill experience over gravel, sand, and packed stone through the state forest surrounding Crystal Mountain Resort. With this premier resort as a starting point, the race offers a unique experience. Bring your mountain/gravel bike with your best riding skills on August 21 and have fun on our forest backroads. These courses are a local favorite of cyclists with some gentle but challenging climbs as well as sandy two-tracks. The Up North Gonzo Gravel adventure starts at Crystal Mountain Resort. The race course will be marked at critical turns; however, three GPS apps are available for download on the website, 1) Ride with GPS (recommended), 2) Strava, and 3) Map My Ride. We STRONGLY encourage the use of GPS for the back roads. Arrows can be moved or destroyed; GPS is finite. The 20- and 36-mile courses are identical for 10.8 miles. After the first two miles of pavement from the resort, the fun begins with Joyfield Road, a sandy two-track, which then opens onto the scenic gravel of Longstreet, Dair Mill, and Pine Roads. Half-way down the super-fast gravel of the Betsie Valley Trail, the 36-mile course breaks off to the east and north on dirt roads. Eventually cyclists will ride through Thompsonville and back to Crystal Mountain. At the 10.8-mile mark, the 20-mile course continues straight 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. Medals for the overall 1st, 2nd, and 3rd men and women winners for each distance race. Age categories and place recognitions.* Men: Women: 15-29 (1st, 2nd) 15-29 (1st, 2nd) 30-39 (1st, 2nd) 30-44 (1st) 40-49 (1st) 45+ (1st) 50-59 (1st) 60+ (1st) *subject to change based on registrations.
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.
