After weeks of construction, the White Pine Trailhead is finally complete!

The new addition is the fifth and final element to the Cadillac Commons, and will be one of the endpoints on the White Pine Trail. The trail runs from Cadillac all the way down to Grand Rapids.

The Rotary Club of Cadillac has been very involved, raising funds to bring this project to life! Located right behind After26 and Amvets Post 110, some of the new trailhead features are a clocktower, benches, bike pump, and trail maps.

In celebration of this new addition, there will be a ribbon cutting on Friday September 30th. The Rotary Club of Cadillac will also be sponsoring the 4th annual White Pine Ride happening Saturday October 1st. To register, scan the QR code HERE.

CADILLAC — It’s only fitting that the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the recently finished Trailhead at Cadillac Commons will be held the day before the White Pine Ride on Oct. 1.

Ride organizer Mark Lagerwey said the event is put on each year by the Rotary Club of Cadillac and raises money both for the club and the ongoing development of the White Pine Trail, which has its northern terminus in Cadillac at the trailhead.

“It’s a celebration of the marvelous recreational resource we have right here in Cadillac,” Lagerwey said of the 92-mile trail, which is expected to be fully paved this time next year.

This will be the fourth year of the ride, which in past years has generated enough money to fund the construction of a $20,000 picnic pavilion at the White Pine Trail staging area off 44 Road.

Lagerwey said ride participants can start basically anytime they want Saturday morning, so long as they make sure they’re back at the Market at Cadillac Commons between 1 and 3 p.m. for lunch — this year provided by Primos.

Participants can choose to go on one of three rides: a 12-mile round-trip ride to the area that used to be known as Hobart; a 24-mile ride to Tustin and back; a 58-mile ride to Reed City and back; or an 83-mile ride to Big Rapids and back.

The cost to enter the ride is $40 for individuals and $35 for those who register as part of a group. Participants will receive lunch, a T-shirt and other goodies.

To register in advance, go to whitepineride.com or sign up at the Market at Cadillac Commons from 7 to 9 p.m. the Friday before the event. Lagerwey said while online registration will end the night before the ride, people can still show up and register the day of the event.

The ribbon-cutting for the Trailhead at Cadillac Commons is slated to be held at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30. The trailhead is located at the corner of Lake and Chapin streets.

Last month, crews installed the clocktower entryway to the trailhead and in the last couple of weeks, have been adding various amenities to the site. Crews also applied green paint markings to the bike lane leading up to the trailhead. This paint is meant to bring attention to the bike lane, especially at street intersections where there is more of a risk of collisions between bicyclists and motor vehicles.

https://www.cadillacnews.com/news/trailhead-at-cadillac-commons-ribbon-cutting-to-be-held-friday-before-the-white-pine-ride/article_46cf8106-3abb-11ed-a960-1384fd39c0eb.html

CADILLAC — Rotary Club of Cadillac is planning the Second Annual White Pine Ride on Saturday, September 12, 2020. The ride attracted more than 100 riders in its inaugural year in 2019 and is expected to register even more riders this year. The ride will raise funds for a trail so recognized for its beauty that it was recently ranked among the top 100 Rails-to-Trails in the nation by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy.

“Many other riding events have been canceled this year due to Covid19, but this one will allow people to ride completely independently and safely while still enjoying this amazing resource right in our community,” said Rotarian Mark Lagerwey. “This is a ride, not a race. Start times are completely voluntary any time all morning on the ride day.”

Bikers of all ages and skill levels are invited to take part in a 12-, 24-, 58- or 83-mile roundtrip starting from the downtown Cadillac city parking lot located south of the Rotary Performing Arts pavilion. With the exception of a couple very short gravel sections, the trail is completely paved and well-maintained by the DNR and Friends of the White Pine Trail.

• Turtle Pond Family Cruise — 12-mile ride to 48 Road and back
• Tustin Pleasure Peddler – 24-mile ride to Tustin and back (One gravel culvert crossing)
• Reed City Ride – 58-mile ride to Reed City and back (one 200-yard gravel section)
• Tough Enough Tour – 83-mile ride to Big Rapids and back

Riders will be welcomed along the paved trail at rest stops in Hobart, Tustin, Reed City, and Big Rapids. As riders return to Cadillac, they will be served bagged lunches at the downtown market.

Proceeds from the ride will support continued White Pine Trail development and Rotary charities.

“Having the northern trailhead of this nationally ranked trail right in Cadillac has been a great benefit for people from all around Michigan, particularly during this time when people need a place to walk and ride safely outside,” Lagerwey said. “Our hope is to raise enough funds to build a picnic shelter at the E 44 Road trailhead location.”

Rider registrants will get a free t-shirt and lunch. Shirts and ride registration packets will be available for pickup at the downtown market Friday evening, September 11 from 7-9 p.m. or the day of the ride September 12 after 7 a.m. White Pine Ride hats will be available for purchase. Packets and shirts can also be mailed to people who wish to support the cause but prefer to ride independently at a different time or date.

Ride sponsors will have their logos placed on ride shirts and on the White Pine Ride Web site.

For more information and to register for the Rotary Club of Cadillac White Pine Ride, visit: https://whitepineride.com/.

To learn more about the White Pine Trail recognition by the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, visit their web site: https://www.traillink.com/top-trails/