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Annual Tour de TART Bikers Ride into Suttons Bay

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Bikers hit the trail on Friday for their annual Tour de TART.

The ride helps to raise money for the famous trails.

Organizers say they depend on this fundraiser to keep their operations going.

17 miles is the distance in trails from Traverse City to Suttons Bay, but those who do the Tour de TART every year say this ride for them is no longer a challenge.

“To get ready for a ride like this, you could do it in a month. Ride five miles a few days and six miles for a few day and pretty soon you’re up to 12 or 15 and you’re ready for 20,” says veteran biker, Al Bonney.

Biking became a way for him to stay healthy after having a knee replacement.

Now, he finds himself riding the TART Trails more than expected.

 “TART has made a whole batch of trails available all over the area that are just fun to go use so you don’t have to ride the same trails every single day. It’s a lot of great resources,” said Bonney. 

He’s participated in the ride for the last five years and says he only has one requirement.

“I’ll ride as long as the weathers nice,” says Bonney.

TART Trails event coordinator, Janna Goethel, says since COVID cancelled last year’s tour, they knew they had to fundraiser somehow this year.

“Tour de TART is our largest fundraiser and the funds that we raise here, they go to our general trail maintenance and trail building fund,” said Goethel. 

Riders started at Darrow Park in Traverse City, and ended up at a TART celebration in Suttons Bay.

“We’ve got riders of all ages and all abilities out on the trail today and that’s what we see year after year. It’s so fun,” says Goethel.

So bikers didn’t have to ride back to Traverse City, TART provided buses to give them a lift back.

TART plans to hold another trail fundraiser before the year is up.

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