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Bike Bash Info • Transportation Info • Accommodations Info • Frequently Asked Questions
FRIDAY NIGHT
The key to making this a great weekend is to get started on the right foot Friday night. All you have to do is stop on your way up for a world famous Potato Burger at a little bar called the Railside Bar and Grill (formerly the Elmira Inn) in Elmira, Michigan (on C-32 between Gaylord and US-131). A truly delightful lady named Ma, who comes from a family of 23 kids, had run the place for over 25 years and sold it a few years ago. She specially designed the Potato Burger so it will give you lots of energy for Saturday's ride! Let's set the record again for the most Potato Burgers ever sold in a day. Stop in, order a burger and give Ma a hug (she promised to come out of retirement for the day), and don't forget to get your name on the Potato Burger record list.
For those of you who like to do things like normal, rational people, it is strongly recommend that you eat a good meal Friday night with lots of carbohydrates, and get a good night sleep. For the rest of you who will follow the lead of Zoo-de-Mack veterans Tim Peterson and R.F., get ready for an all out Zoo Bar summertime bash.We've rented out the Zoo Bar and hired an incredible band, to ensure an evening that will be reminiscent of those wild Saturday afternoons the Zoo Bar provides us with all ski season long.
Friday night, registration is open from 8:00pm to midnight and is located in the lobby below the Zoo Bar at Boyne Highlands. Registration is also open Saturday morning from 8:00am to 11:00am and will be located under the tent in the skier’s parking lot. We do not mail registration packets out. Friday and Saturday registration are the only opportunities you will have to pick up your registration packet that includes your wristband and our awesome Zoo-de-Mackinac t-shirts, zip-up hooded sweatshirts, and hats (if you ordered one).
If you don't have a ZOO-DE-MACKINAC wristband, you will not get into the Zoo Bar party Friday night... will not have lunch at the Legs Inn... will not get on the Arnold Ferry 10:00pm, 12:00am, 1:00am, or 2:00am boats back to Mackinaw City on Saturday night... or in the three best bars on Mackinac Island Saturday night…and will be subject to heaps of ridicule and abuse from other participants and staff all weekend long.
We have made special arrangements with Boyne Highlands to accommodate one night stays... (in the past years there have been two night minimums). Boyne Highlands is offering hotel rooms starting at $125 and will also offer condos at great rates. They are letting us take over the whole resort for the night!!! Call 1-800-GO-BOYNE to get the best selection of rooms.
For more accommodations in the Harbor Springs/Petoskey area CLICK HERE
SATURDAY
Boyne will offer an awesome pre-ride breakfast buffet in the main dining room...specially formulated so you can ride 100 miles...even though you'll only need enough energy for 51 miles!!! Saturday morning we will be meeting in the Boyne Highlands ski area parking lot. Registration will be open from 8:00 to 11:00am. YOU MUST PICK UP YOUR REGISTRATION PACKET BY 11:00am on SATURDAY!!! We will hand out detailed course maps with your registration packet.
This year, like the last few years, we are not going to have an organized group start. Instead you can start whenever you wish, which will spread everyone out over the course.If you've never ridden the course or are not in as good shape as you'd like to be, start early (8:00 - 9:30am). If you're in good shape or hung over, sleep in and start later (but no later than 11:00am). It takes the average rider about six to seven hours of riding time, not including stops.
If you would like us to take your luggage to Mackinaw City (included in your entry fee) please bring your small bag to the U-HAUL truck at the registration area on Saturday morning and we will drive it up. Bags will be at the Arnold South dock in Mackinaw City at approximately 3:30pm. You are responsible for picking up your bag at the Arnold Ferry dock in Mackinaw City. We are not responsible for any lost, stolen or damaged luggage. Unclaimed luggage will be held by the Arnold Ferry Company.
Any cars following along will be required to take a different route for the first half of the ride to ease congestion and increase safety. The automobile route will be outlined on the course map given out Saturday morning. The police will be enforcing this for the safety of the riders!!!
views of Lake Michigan are truly spectacular. The terrain is rolling with some good challenging hills, and only one real big killer hill. Anyone in semi-decent shape shouldn't have any problems going the distance. There is a restaurant in Cross Village called the Legs Inn where we will stop for lunch. George and Kathy Smolak will serve us a hearty lunch between 10:30am and 2:00pm (lunch is included in your entry fee). For those of you who aren't up to riding 51 miles this would be a good starting point. It is a 25-mile trip from Legs Inn to Mackinaw City. After leaving Cross Village, the terrain flattens out, and there is a beautiful sandy beach at Sturgeon Bay 32 miles into the trip, where you can stop and cool off if it's hot. Then, it’s down the homestretch, with a magnificent view of the Mighty Mackinac Bridge to the Arnold Ferry Dock.
Shorter Option: Saturday May 17th do the "Zoo-De-Legs" 1/2 bike trip - 25 miles - for riders who wish to bike the beautiful "Tunnel of Trees" portion only due to time constraints, lack of physical conditioning, or for whatever reason, Big Bear Adventures can help. They will be offering a 2:30pm bus departure for riders and their bikes from Legs Inn in Cross Village back to Boyne Highlands. The cost will be $22 ($25 after May 3rd). The bus will leave from the gas station in Cross Village promptly at 2:30pm. There will be no refunds if you miss the bus, so plan accordingly. Space is limited so reserve your spot early by calling 231-238-8181 for reservations.
When you have finished the ride and are ready to head over to Mackinac Island, you will take the Arnold Ferry. The round trip ticket (included in your entry fee) includes transportation and parking all weekend if you need it. When you get to Mackinaw City, you can take any of the regularly scheduled Arnold ferries (Click HERE to see the Arnold Ferry Schedule). If you don't want to take your bike over to the Island, Arnold Ferry has offered us the use of a convenient warehouse, where you can lock your bike up inside, and leave it overnight. Arnold Ferry personnel in Mackinaw City will direct you to the warehouse. Arnold Ferry will charge a special $4.00 round trip rate for participants who want to take their bike to the island, which you can pay for at the dock.
At this point of the day you are ready to grab a delicious and well deserved Bloody Mary from the Pink Pony and pamper yourself with a muscle-reviving massage from The Lilac Tree Spa. Located at The Lilac Tree Hotel on Mackinac Island, the Spa has a number of relaxing treatments to get your aching body back to it's pre-ride form. Check out their services and prices online at http://www.lilactree.com/Spa-Services-24/ or call 906.847.6576 to book your appointment now!
The hardest part about this trip is not the biking, but trying to find a room on Mackinac Island. To get the following rates at these hotels, you must mention that you are a Zoo-De-Mackinac participant when you call them and you must be wearing your Zoo-de-Mackinac wristband when you check into the hotel. Otherwise, you will be charged their regular rates!
THE GRAND HOTEL is offering 100 of their 385 incredible rooms to our participants for the rate of $200 per room!!! Up to four individuals can stay in a guest room for this rate, which also includes breakfast in the Grand Hotel's main dining room. After 6:00 p.m.; Grand Hotel Requires gentlemen to be attired in a Coat, Tie and Dress Pants. Ladies are required to be attired in Dresses, Pant Suits or Very Nice Pant Outfits. If you've ever dreamed of staying at the Grand Hotel you'll never ever find rates this low! Call 800-33-GRAND now!!!
MISSION POINT RESORT is offering 100 of their spectacular rooms to our participants at a special Zoo-De-Mackinac rate. Call 1-800-833-7711 to reserve yours!
THE LAKEVIEW is offering their rooms at $190 for up to four people per room and includes a continential breakfast in their dining room. The Lakeview is an awesome location right on Main Street and has an indoor pool and hot tub! Call 1-800-207-7075 to take advantage of this great deal!
THE CHIPPEWA HOTEL also has great rates and is probably the best location in town! Call 1-800-241-3341 to get your room!
For more Mackinac Island accomodations visit Mackinac Island online!
If you can't find a room on the Island you have another option. You can get a room in Mackinaw City, ride the Arnold Ferry over to the Island, have dinner and enjoy the post ride festivities at The Gatehouse, Horns, or The Pink Pony and still catch the special 10:00pm, midnight and 1:00am or 2:00am ferry departures from Mackinac Island to Mackinaw City. YOU WILL NOT GET ON THESE BOATS WITHOUT A SPECIAL ZOO-DE-MACK TICKET AND WRISTBAND, as we have specially chartered them. This option will save you money in lodging costs, and you won't miss much of the fun. For Mackinaw City and Mackinaw area accommodations CLICK HERE
The best bars on the Island are The Gatehouse, Horns, and The Pink Pony... These are the places to be on Saturday night. It took a lot of negotiating, but the managers of these various bars were able to cut a deal with some awesome bands to play for the night. If you thought last year was fun, wait until you see what they have in store for us this year. This is the biggest night of the year for island nightlife (Bigger than the boat races!!)
REMEMBER, YOU WILL NOT GET IN THE BARS WITHOUT A ZOO-DE-MACK WRISTBAND, WHICH WILL BE STRICTLY ENFORCED THIS YEAR!!!
In the past, Sunday has found most of us lounging around the Chippewa Hotel deck, wishing we didn't have to go to work on Monday. There is a great 8 mile bike ride, roller blade, or run around the island (if you're up for it) as well as great mountain biking trails to take advantage of. If the weather is good, it will be tough to leave, with most people staying around until early evening.
Since 1992, Big Bear Adventures, Inc. has been the official Zoo-De-Mack provider of transportation shuttles with buses and trolleys for you and your luggage, and trailers for your bikes. There are a number of transportation options to get you and your bike to your car including a Friday night shuttle, two Saturday shuttles and a Sunday shuttle. CLICK HERE for shuttle details, pricing, and schedule. For questions, please call them at 231-238-8181 or e-mail questions to bigbear@racc2000.com.
Other possible solutions to get back to Boyne Highlands on Sunday are to have a group with two cars, leave a car in Mackinaw City Friday night and drive back down to Harbor Springs in the other car, or bring a friend who doesn't ride and have them drive up to the Island. If you really want to ride, you'll find a way to do it. For other miscellaneous transportation needs, call Big Bear Adventures at 231-238-8181... they can accommodate any needs.
ZOO-DE-MACK RIDE
SAFETY INFORMATION
Many years ago we had a meeting with a group of people to discuss safety issues and community concern regarding this event. Many of us are not avid bicyclists and do not know the laws pertaining to bicycles. As this may be one of the few times we ride all year, we thought it would be appropriate to share some of the following thoughts:
- Ride on the right hand side of the road so that cars can pass; ride no more than two abreast near the shoulder, to let cars pass. Please be courteous!!!
- At rest areas, keep the road clear, let cars pass through, and don't litter.
- We strongly suggest that helmets be worn by all riders.
A SMALL REQUEST FROM THE
ZOO-DE-MACKINAC EVENT ORGANIZERS
Please don't wait until the last minute to send in your entry forms. This thing is a pain in the a** to organize. The sooner we know how many people are going, the easier it is for us to make adjustments to ensure the ZOO-DE-MACKINAC runs smoothly. Your consideration will be greatly appreciated.
Select a link below for additional information on:
Bike Bash Info • Transportation Info • Accommodations Info • Frequently Asked Questions
