LMB Event
Michigander 2023
Sat. July 22 - 28, 2023
Camping Tour with Rail Trail / Mixed Surface Routes
Check out the Michigander 2023 Participant Guide. This guide will help ensure you have the best experience and can enjoy your trip with us to the fullest.
07/19/23 UPDATE: FINAL ROUTES HAVE BEEN POSTED SEE BELOW OR UTILIZE THE RIDERS GUIDE FOR RWGPS INSTRUCTIONS
06/22/23 UPDATE: ROUTES WILL BE GETTING SOME UPDATES, FINAL ROUTES ONE WEEK PRIOR TO EVENT.
ROUTES POSTED 06/02/2023! Check below in the daily itinerary section.
MEMBER PRICING EXPIRED ON 05/31/23
We are accepting volunteer applications. Visit our volunteer portal to learn more.
LMB has new policies and features for Michigander 2023:
LEARN ABOUT FUNDRAISING OPTIONS – NEW FOR 2023!
There is a 2 day option again for 2023! Start and end in Ann Arbor for a 2 day weekend adventure. Scroll down to see the days in the itinerary section.
We also have a new tent vendor: Knights Kingdom! Your tent rental, chair rental and towel service are now options in registration. If you have any particular questions about the tent service, please reach out to our vendor at [email protected]
TENT SERVICE HAS BEEN CANCELLED FOR 2023 per Event Director: Neal Glazebrook
Knight’s Kingdom
Towel Service $35 or $50 On-site
-Clean and fresh towel and washcloth each day.
-Preferred return after each use. (Who wants a wet (and stinky) towel in their stuff.
-You’ll find the towel service every day near the shower trucks (unless otherwise noted).
Chair Service $35 or $50 On-site while supplies last
-Lawn Chair to use in camp.
-Must be returned by 8 a.m. on departure days. (Co-Located with the Towel Service unless otherwise noted)
Camping Service $595 (Single-Occupancy), $795 (Double Occupancy) or
S/D+$50 On-site while supplies last
-A Knight’s Kingdom tent with set-up/tear-down in the Knight’s Kingdom preferred camping area.
Let Knight’s Kingdom do the work for you!
– Twin Air mattress (2 for double occupancy
– Lawn Chair(s) to use in camp
– Personalized luggage service
– Snacks and drinks
– Towels and washcloths
– Use of the exclusive Knight’s Kingdom Community Area/Tent
2023 Michigander Jersey Designed By: Brian Lee Fritz
Artist’s Statement:
The Michigander art is for everyone because the Michigander is a tour for everyone! It’s floral without being feminine, it’s bold without being brash. With shapes inspired by the work of Henri Matisse, the color palette mimics the light and shadow you’ll find on the tree-covered rail trails as you sail by the local flora and fauna. This tour hits parts of the Mike Levine Lakeland trail that I ride all the time, so I tried to capture a contrast between the familiar and the adventure that lies just outside your door. I hope that you find all these wonderful balances and contrasts on the adventure you’ll have on this ride.
2023 Michigander Event Scope
Michigander will take us along the eastern section of the Great Lake-Lake Trails Route #1. We are working the plan to have a few campsite moves instead of moving daily. We heard your comments from 2022, and we’re working to make the 2023 Michigander even more unique and memorable!
We will start out in Ann Arbor, MI and make our way up, via rail trails and roads, to the GLTL Route #1. From there, we will head out to explore some of the great tributaries and connectors of the trail system in South East Michigan. Staying in parks and sports facilities along the way gives us the opportunity to have a little fun in camp in the evenings. We also did away with the point-to-point and have made this a loop starting in Ann Arbor and ending in Ann Arbor. More details to come!
Bikes with less than 38c tires should be advised the terrain may not be road bike friendly at all times.
Michigander ITINERARY
PLEASE NOTE: FINAL ROUTES, LOCATIONS AND TIMES OF SERVICE MAY CHANGE. FINAL ROUTES WILL BE SENT TO RIDERS 30 DAYS PRIOR TO THE EVENT.
Planning is underway and we will post up information as it is available. Check back to this page for any updates. Once available you can click each day below to expand the section and see details. Use the Michigander Itinerary as a source for maps, guides to local attractions and an easy way to develop your sightseeing plans. Please note, routes and itineraries may change without notice due to road closures, construction or inclement weather. Side trips and events will be posted as they develop.
Friday – Registration and Rider Orientation in Ann Arbor, MI. Full Tour and 2 Day Riders
No Route for Registration Day
Saturday – University of Michigan Dorms Ann Arbor — Out and back
Short Route- Ypsilanti Depot Town Loop
Sunday – Ann Arbor to Pinckney —END OF 2 DAY ANN ARBOR OPTION LOOPS BACK TO ANN ARBOR
Monday – Pinckney to Proud Lake Recreation Area
Tue – Proud Lake to Stoney Creek Metro Park
Wed – Layover Stoney Creek
No Route for Layover
Thur – Stoney Creek Metro Park to Lower Huron Metro Park
Friday – Lower Huron Metro Park to University of Michigan Dorms.
Please note, registered participants will receive detailed itineraries as the event date grows closer.
Did you know that our bike tours are for everyone? Yes, everyone! Touring bikes, Road Bikes,Tricycles, E-Bikes, Handcycles, Recumbents, Gravel Bikes, and Mountain Bikes, bring them all! We didn’t list what you want to ride? Let us know and we will see what we can do to make it happen. Please note that some sections of the Michigander route may not be comfortable for road bikes. If you are facing a disability or have a unique challenge in participating in one of our tours please reach out to [email protected] and we will contact you directly to discuss the needs and accommodations.
Bicycles on Michigander
You can ride any human-powered cycle in good mechanical condition on Michigander. This includes trikes, recumbents, tandems, unicycles, and of course e-bikes. The standard route is designed to accommodate gravel or wide tire road bikes. Mountain, hybrid, cyclocross, and gravel bikes will have a blast on both the standard route and the optional gravel sections. LMB provides a professional mechanic for the entire tour. Minor adjustments are free. Any repairs, parts, assembly, disassembly, and shipping will incur a fee. Each SAG Stop and SAG wagon carry basic tools and a floor pump. They also carry spare tubes for sale. Our daily Super SAG Stop will have a generator available to provide charging for E-bikes. Our SAG service is designed to transport all the above-named cycles! To create a safe and scenic tour, Michigander will at times travel along crushed limestone trails and unpaved country roads. To best traverse the standard route on a road bike or touring bike, consider fitting the widest possible tires. Any optional routes or loops labeled “Gravel” can have long sandy sections and are best attempted with a 37c or wider tire that has a tread or knobby surface. Bike transport is included as part of your charter bus transportation. Click here for details on how to prepare your bike for truck transport. We try to be as careful as possible, but we are not responsible for damage during transport by our trucks or SAG. Click here for details on shipping your bike to and from the tour. LMB thinks of SAG as the “Support Assistance Group.” SAG service includes mobile SAG wagons, stationary SAG stops, SAG shuttles, and Sweep. SAG vehicles are marked with LMB flags and magnetic LMB signs SAG stops are stationed along the primary route. During the Riders Meeting as we review the next day’s route, we’ll provide the approximate location of these SAG stops. They are spaced on an average about 15 miles apart, but this will vary depending on route conditions. SAG Stops are rest stops located on route and identified with LMB signage. They are stocked with water, electrolytes, light snacks, basic tools, floor pumps, and close to restrooms or porta-potties. Our daily Super SAG Stop will also have a generator to provide e-bike charging. SAG wagons will provide assistance to riders experiencing physical or mechanical issues along the primary route and gravel route. SAG wagons will transport riders and their bikes to a SAG stop or to seek medical treatment. Please be aware that SAG wagons do not go to camp, they stay on the route to provide the fastest possible service in emergency situations. SAG shuttles will periodically travel along the route picking up riders at SAG stops and transport them to camp. Each SAG Stop and SAG wagon carry basic tools and a floor pump. They also carry spare tubes for sale. Our SAG service is designed to transport all supported cycles! Please note, SAG support is not available off route or after hours. LMB provides a professional mechanic for the entire tour. Minor adjustments are free. Any repairs, parts, assembly, disassembly, and shipping will incur a fee. The mechanic will be posted on the route each day and also in camp each afternoon. If your bike requires repair beyond the capacity of our mechanic, you will be referred to the nearest bike shop. Private SAG’s are allowed. A private SAG is a person or group of people who are on the tour to provide support to their rider. We simply ask for vehicle and rider information, and for drivers to use alternate routes that intersect with the tour route to help keep riders safe. If a private SAG wants to use overnight facilities, meals, and tour resources then we ask that they register as Private SAG/Non-Riders. Registration includes meals EVERY RIDING DAY! You’ll enjoy professionally catered breakfasts and dinners with options for vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free lifestyles. Breakfast is 6:30 – 8:00 am, dinner is 5:00 to 7:00 pm. Meals vary and you’ll always find a few staples offered each day. For breakfast you’ll always be able to find oatmeal, yogurt, granola, fresh fruit and cereal in addition to various hot dishes. During dinner you’ll always be able to find fresh salads, fruit, bread, peanut and almond butter, along with hot entrees, side dishes and dessert. All meals are served in camp except where noted in the itinerary. You’re on your own for lunch every day. How serious is the weight limit for bags? Serious. Each rider may bring two bags (duffle bags are ideal). Each bag cannot weigh more than 35 pounds. This weight limit includes your tent and sleeping bag. Bags over the limit will be charged $35 per bag. We ask you to honor the limit and help protect the health of both you and our volunteers. Remember, you’ll have to haul these bags to the camping area and back! Can I bring an extra bag? Yes! If you need more luggage space then please purchase the additional bag option for $35. Any bag over the 35-pound weight limit will be charged the extra bag fee. If you purchase a membership to gain access and decide to cancel your event registration you will retain your membership until the expiration date. We do not refund membership purchases. Membership must be purchased before the registration to gain member benefits as it relates to registration. INDIVIDUAL MEMBERSHIP: Grants early access/pricing for tour registration as well as member benefits under LMB’s Cancellation and Refund Policy for a single tour registrant. HOUSEHOLD MEMBERSHIP: Grants early access/pricing for tour registration as well as member benefits under LMB’s Cancellation and Refund Policy for multiple tour registrants within a single household that are tied to the membership account. In other words: an individual membership will give you early access and more flexible refund options, but just for a single registrant – if more than one person from your household is taking part in the tour, you’ll want a Household membership! Check your membership type at our member portal and upgrade to Household if needed. See More
SAG on Michigander
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Meals on Michigander
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Luggage on Michigander
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Michigander Merch
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