Sports/Adventure

Moroccan cycles solo through Northern Michigan, finds kindness along the way

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At the end of July, a 24-year-old woman solo bike packed from Mackinaw City to Grand Rapids, tracing the Lake Michigan shoreline in what she remembers as “an amazing 11 days.” Not only was it Yasmina Ahlmaris’s first time outside her home country of Morocco, it was also her first time camping. “My last name means people from Mars,” she laughed. “That’s probably why I’m so crazy.” On her journey, Ahlmaris pedaled through Petoskey, Traverse City, the Sleeping Bear Dunes, Manistee and other towns, developing the itinerary with a little help from her friends.

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Experience Sleeping Bear Dunes at 16th annual Port Oneida Run

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Lace up your running shoes for one of Michigan’s most scenic race courses. The 16th Annual Port Oneida Run will take place on Saturday, August 1, a fundraising event hosted by the nonprofit park partner Sleeping Bear Forever (formerly Preserve Historic Sleeping Bear). Click here to register.

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Sleeping Bear Equestrian Club: no horse required

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A horse is a horse, of course, of course but what image does “equestrian club member” conjure up? Affluence, designer gear and prestige speak to the stereotype that one local club is turning on its head. Founded just over a year and a half ago, the Sleeping Bear Equestrian Club achieves a unique goal for Northern Michigan: creating one organization where every kind of horse enthusiast—regardless of discipline, experience level or even horse ownership—is welcome. The club serves the regions of Leelanau, Benzie, Antrim and Grand Traverse. Debunking the myth that equestrians require deep pockets, its membership rates start at $10.

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Leelanau County boasts fine, fun golf

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Avid golfers are in luck when it comes to Leelanau County. With five courses to choose from, offering a variety of scenery and different degrees of difficulty, there is no lack of doglegs, water hazards and treacherous greens to deal with. If that makes it sound challenging, well, welcome to golf. It is at once the most exasperating and the most addictive sport. Any round will typically include a shot that makes you cringe. Maybe it’s that putt that fell off at the last minute, or that drive that somehow hooked to the left even though you thought you hit it perfectly. On the other hand, there was that chip shot that backed up perfectly, leaving a gimme for a birdie. Or that long putt that snaked around the cup before dropping in. And you find yourself hooked once again. So read on for brief descriptions of Leelanau’s links. Then get out there and have some fun.

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World Cup fever grips Leelanau; global soccer offers antidote to imperialism

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Mike Sheldon, owner of River Club Glen Arbor, flew to Los Angeles to watch the U.S. national team play Turkey on June 25. Gary Jonas, co-owner of Farm Club and The Little Fleet in Traverse City, hit Dallas together with his father and his son on June 27 to witness Argentina’s date with Jordan. Greg Graetz and his son scored tickets to a friendly match between the United States and Germany at Chicago’s Soldier Field, just prior to this summer’s World Cup. Venues including The Little Fleet and River Club are packed with enthusiastic crowds gathered to watch the world’s greatest sporting event, co-hosted this summer by the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Crowds hush and gaze at the television as footballers send creative passes and move in unison up the field. Hundreds of voices crescendo into a roar as the ball cannons toward the goal.

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A North Manitou Memoir: Women, Magic, and Place

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“When an opportunity arose to create my ideal North Manitou Island backpacking excursion seven years ago, I reached out to some female friends and acquaintances,” writes Abby Chatfield in this first installment reflecting on the Manitou Islands that are all but closed to visitors this year (unless you have a private boat)—as the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore rebuilds the docks. “Outdoor adventures with fellow women are some of the most rewarding experiences for me. There is no hierarchy or alpha in the group, but instead genuine camaraderie and a supportive dynamic that allows everyone to connect with and learn from their surroundings. Women work together, teach each other, and address challenges as a team in the outdoors.”

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“Angel bike” helps athlete finish M22 Challenge

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Ryan DeCook owns the M22 Challenge. The 45-year-old won the Leelanau County running, biking and paddling triathlon for the sixth time overall. But that wasn’t the headline of the 18th annual M22 Challenge. Races like this one are competitive, but they also inspire acts of kindness. Brook Tyrrell, a 26-year-old Traverse City resident, discovered her bike had a flat tire within the first mile. She pulled off M-109 and looked for help. “Hi, I have a flat. Do you have a pump?” she asked spectator, Katie Butera, who was standing next to her own bike. Thanks to Butera’s “angel bike,” Tyrrell placed third in her age group.

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Athletes take on M22 Challenge, June 13

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The 18th annual M22 Challenge, which takes place on Saturday morning, June 13, has been voted as one of the best endurance events in northern Michigan. The run, bike, paddle event takes place in the heart of the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, making for a beautiful backdrop while racing. The 900-participant race sold out long ago.

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Chasing Snow: Northern Michigan ski resorts adapt to a warmer world

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It’s been a soggy couple of years for skiers and snowboarders. So, what keeps us coming back? From crockpot warming stations to cutting-edge snow-making technology, Northern Michigan ski resorts pull out all the stops to keep winter lovers happy—and stay one step ahead of Mother Nature. Resorts need about 72 hours of temperatures that stay below 28 degrees to lay a base and open terrain for skiing. “The ski industry in Michigan happens because of snowmaking. There’s no other way to say it,” said Ben Doornbos, general manager at Nub’s Nob near Harbor Springs. “Our product is the snow.”

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Father-son baseball pilgrimage resumes as Tigers stalk October

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Some traditions and rituals return season after season, some wither away, and some are reborn after years of hibernation. Last month, Glen Arbor Sun editors Norm and Jacob Wheeler resumed their annual father-son baseball pilgrimage—this time to watch two games at Comerica Park in Detroit, where the Tigers were trying to stave off the rival Cleveland Guardians and gain a spot in the playoffs. Their roaring, red-hot start to the season had earned them the best record in baseball until July before they collapsed like a dozing cat and squandered a seemingly insurmountable 15.5-game lead over the team from Lake Erie. In this essay, Jacob reflects on their baseball trips and how America’s original national pastime has changed over the decades.

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