104 take first Cornerstone 100 Lake Erie Bicycle Tour

Suzanne Nolan Wisler, The Monroe News
Updated ·4 min read
Cyclists from the Toledo Area Bicyclists are shown at the Luna Pier rest stop during Saturday's Cornerstone 100 Lake Erie Bicycle Tour. More than 100 riders took part.
Cyclists from the Toledo Area Bicyclists are shown at the Luna Pier rest stop during Saturday's Cornerstone 100 Lake Erie Bicycle Tour. More than 100 riders took part.

Don Osten of Warren learned about Saturday’s inaugural Cornerstone 100 Lake Erie Bicycle Tour on Facebook.

Osten typically takes at least one bike tour a year. This time he chose to visit Monroe County.

“I've done the Tour Detroit a couple of times. I try to plan on at least one a year,” Osten said. “I like the opportunity to experience and explore new places to ride.”

The Cornerstone 100 Lake Erie Bicycle Tour was organized by the Monroe County Cornerstone 100 and Monroe County Convention & Tourism Bureau. The event was a fundraiser to support cycling in the county but also a way to promote the county as a travel destination. Riders were told about Monroe County's amenities and were awarded gift certificates for local restaurants and businesses.

Participants could choose road routes of 100, 60 or 30 miles or a 65-mile gravel route. Most opted for the 30-mile tour. All routes began and ended at Monroe County Community College.

Osten
Osten

Osten, who had never visited Monroe County before, chose the 60-mile tour. He said the event encouraged him to visit some new sites last Friday and Saturday.

“I enjoyed having a reason to visit a part of Michigan that I hadn't been to before. Monroe is a very nice place,” Osten said. “I also rode around Sterling State Park and part of the downtown area the day before the event. I liked trying some of the local eateries. Misty's Plant Based Foods and Public House were very nice places to eat. All the people I encountered while in Monroe were very friendly.”

Osten also enjoyed taking scenic photos along the bike route.

“Part of the experience for me is seeing what new-to-me places have to offer, including the tourist spots," he said. "I liked seeing the different animals. The 60-mile road ride went past a farm that had some llamas. There were some farms that had horses too. I also saw some cranes and a hawk along the way. It was nice that they had different length rides for you could choose from."

Osten was one of 104 people who participated in Saturday's event. Riders came from Toledo, metro Detroit, Dearborn, Grand Blanc, Grayling and Fort Wayne, Indiana. Some were from clubs, including Monroe Cycling Club, Metro 313 Cyclones, Toledo Pedal Pushers, Toledo Area Bicyclists, Clinton River Riders and Downriver Cycling Club.

Members of the Metro 313 Cyclones: Major Taylor Detroit took part in Saturday's Cornerstone 100 Lake Erie Bicycle Tour.
Members of the Metro 313 Cyclones: Major Taylor Detroit took part in Saturday's Cornerstone 100 Lake Erie Bicycle Tour.

“Our goal was 100 riders,” said Florence Buchanan, one of Monroe County Cornerstone 100’s three directors.

The cost was $40 in advance and $45 on tour day. Net proceeds will be used for several projects: purchasing bicycles for underserved children, advocating for bike and pedestrian safety, adding bike amenities throughout the county, and educating the public on biking for transportation, not just recreation.

“We will work with local nonprofits on cycling-related projects,” Buchanan said.

The Cornerstone 100 Lake Erie Bicycle Tour was based on the Lake Erie Fall Ride, which was organized by Bill Hoffer and the Monroe Cycling Club several years ago.

“After a year's absence, we rebranded the ride to the Cornerstone 100 Lake Erie Bicycle Tour,” organizers said.

Cousins Ruth Fry of Port Huron and Brian Gable of Westland were among the participants at Saturday's Cornerstone 100 Lake Erie Bicycle Tour. "It has been a goal of theirs to ride 100 miles. They achieved their goal," Florence Buchanan, one of the event organizers, said.
Cousins Ruth Fry of Port Huron and Brian Gable of Westland were among the participants at Saturday's Cornerstone 100 Lake Erie Bicycle Tour. "It has been a goal of theirs to ride 100 miles. They achieved their goal," Florence Buchanan, one of the event organizers, said.

Several volunteers helped this year by creating travel routes, making maps, transporting items and stocking the rest stops.

Osten thought the event was well-planned.

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“I liked that it was an organized group event," he said. "They had rest spots along the way that had snacks and water. The turns were marked with colored arrows painted in the streets, so it was easy to stay on track. They also had a number to call if you needed medical or bike assistance, or if you couldn't finish, they could come pick you up.”

Sponsors of the Cornerstone 100 Lake Erie Bicycle Tour were ITC, Jack’s Bicycles, La-Z-Boy, Mannik & Smith Group, Customer Experience360, Lakestone Digital, Mac West Ventures, Monroe County Community College, DTE. In-kind sponsors were Monroe Public Access Cable TV and Hassett Title.

Monroe County Cornerstone 100 is a nonprofit corporation that was formed to advocate for nonmotorized recreation and transportation in Monroe County. It was established through the Community Foundation of Monroe County. Buchanan, James Gardner and Al Prieur are the directors. The trio also serves on the Monroe County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Panel.

"We were appointed by the Monroe County commissioners in 2019.  We advocate for nonmotorized infrastructure development and safety for bicyclists and pedestrians," Buchanan said.

For more information, visit mccornerstone100.org.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: 104 take first Cornerstone 100 Lake Erie Bicycle Tour