Last night, we pre-registered about 20 early birds for the Tour…and then we rode! Heavy rain didn’t stop this crew!
Now you have your chance. Registration is up and running at http://tourdetroit.eventbrite.com/. Make sure to get in there before September 1 to get a tee-shirt!
On Wednesday, July 1, the 8th Annual Tour de Troit will kick-off pre-registration with onsite registration at the Model T Automotive Heritage Complex (T-Plex) followed by a free 10-mile bike ride that will take in notable cycling sites in Detroit and will end up at New Center’s Comerica CityFest.
The Tour de Troit, set for September 19, is a bike ride that explores some of the city’s historic areas, takes in many of its most breathtaking sights, and provides bicyclists a unique opportunity to legally “take over” the streets of Motown. Last year’s ride attracted over 1,000 riders; organizers are planning for 2,000 in 2009.
Registration Information: July 1 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at T-Plex, located at 461 Piquette. Volunteers will be on-hand to register cyclists at the 2008 price of $25. After July 1, registration will jump to $30. $5 of each onsite registration will be donated to T-Plex in support of its mission. Registrants will be able to tour the historic site, which currently includes an exhibit about how the bike industry in Detroit helped to shape its early automobile industry.
Ride Information: At 7:00 p.m., registrants are invited to take part in a free 10-mile bike ride that will take in Midtown, Eastern Market, the Dequindre Cut, the Detroit International RiverFront and Downtown — and will swing by the Tour de Troit’s sponsor bike shops, Wheelhouse Detroit and The Hub of Detroit. The ride will end up at New Center Council’s Comerica CityFest which, for the first time, is providing free onsite bike parking. Riders can park their bikes and explore the festival at their leisure and ride home from Comerica CityFest or return to their car at the T-Plex, just blocks away.
Hope you’ve marked your calendar for 2009: September 19! Some exciting changes are afoot for this one!
We’ll let you know when pre-registration begins.
Thanks to rider Mike Griffith, who just forwarded us a link to his Picasa pics page. Lots of good ones. Head here.
At UDM campus: 
Bead Museum on Grand River: 
Here’s a photoset snapped by one of our volunteers: yensky. Detroit Bike Blog has some nice ones here. And here are Jer’s.
Blog Roll:
m-bike
renniekin
Alex (Who did the Triple D - What a badazz!)
MarzulloHead (foldies represent)
Also, all the I’s are not dotted nor T’s crossed, but it is looking like we might have raised more like $12,000 for the Corktown-Mexicantown Greenlink. Very exciting news!
Lastly, we do have a limited number of tee-shirts available for $15 at Wheelhouse Detroit. Get ‘em while you can!
This year’s TdT is over, and it was a blast! We’ll post exact number of riders and funds raised later in the week, but early estimates put it at about 1,100 riders and $10,000 for the maintenance of the Corktown-Mexicantown Greenlink (which, by the way just got approved as part of the city’s non-motorized transportation plan!).
Here’s a link to a photoset: Sue’s Slideshow — more of those to come, too!
Online registration is now closed — if you need to register, please arrive at Roosevelt Park before 9am.
Thanks to all who registered! We’ll see you Saturday for a great ride!
That’s right, you have until 7 p.m. to pre-register at Active.com — after that, it’s the on-site in the morning for you! Anyone that needs to register on-site, we strongly suggest that you be there by 8:30 a.m. to ensure you get a spot. On-site registration is $35.
Anyone that is pre-registered but has been unable to pick up their packet, it would be best to arrive between 9 and 9:30 a.m.
We ride at 10 sharp! The weather is looking fantastic!
If you have pre-registered, you can pick up your registration materials ahead of time and not have to wait in line Saturday morning!
Packet pick-up will be available from 10 am to 8 pm Thursday and Friday at Wheelhouse Detroit, which is located at 1340 E. Atwater, three blocks east of the Renaissance Center at Rivard Plaza. There is free parking in an adjacent lot. Visit www.wheelhousedetroit.com for more information.
Please bring a print-out of your Active.com receipt email.
Saturday morning, please arrive at Roosevelt Park before 9:30 — the ride will leave promptly at 10am and we do leave together! Coffee and Carbs will be served on site.
Free on-street parking is available on 14th, 15th, 16th and W. Vernor – the streets surrounding the park. Please do not park on the grass of Roosevelt Park!
Our remaining ride T-Shirts will be available for purchase for $15 at the post-ride party - join us for great food, drink, music, and conversation!
A note to our student registrants: If you are over 18, you must provide a valid student ID to pick up your registration information. If you do not have a current student ID, you will need to provide the $10 difference between the student and adult registration fee.
TdT would like to thank our just-added morning sponsors: Urban Bean Co., Java Exchange and Avalon International Breads will be getting us carbed and caffeinated before the ride Saturday morning. Three more wonderful local businesses supporting cycling in Detroit — thanks!
