Bikes arriving this weekend
Published 10:22 am Friday, June 20, 2008
By By JOHN EBY / Dowagiac Daily News
More than 700 bicyclists will pedal through Dowagiac on their 300-mile trek across Michigan on this year's June 21-27 Pedal Across Lower Michigan (PALM) bicycle tour.
They camp overnight at Union High School on Sunday, June 22.
The six-day tour is now in its 27th year traveling scenic, paved back roads 35 to 60 miles a day.
Sunday morning cyclists embark on their first day's ride to Dowagiac.
This is a 51-mile day.
Monday they ride on to Sturgis in Cass County's neighboring St. Joseph County (51 miles), followed by Coldwater in Branch County on Tuesday (41 miles), Hudson on Wednesday (48 miles), Tecumseh on Thursday (38 miles) and Sterling State Park in Monroe on Friday, June 27 (38 miles), to complete an approximately 300-mile journey across the mitten.
This year the largest age group is 10- to 19-year-olds, followed by 50- to 59-year-olds.
One third of riders are new to PALM every year, but another third has ridden PALM five to 20 times.
They are working and retired people from Michigan who share a passion for bicycling and a passion for one of the most popular bicycle trips in our state.