Zoo-de-Mack resumes usual bicycle ride plans, scheduled for May 20-21
HARBOR SPRINGS — An annual event bringing thousands together for a 51-mile bike ride from Boyne Highlands up to Mackinaw City is set to return next weekend.
The ride — which was started over 30 years ago — has only ever had to take pause one year in 2020 and had a smaller event in 2021. However, this year it's back in full and ready for riders.
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"Our record is a little over 4,000 people back in 2016. This year we have about half of that registered right now but my guess is we will have about 2,250 or so which is up a bit from last year's count," said event organizer and founder Greg Drawbaugh.
The annual ride brings together outdoor enthusiasts and bikers of all ages who want to enjoy a day of riding together through the countryside and trillium covered Northern Michigan.
The ride is not a race and meant to be enjoyed by everyone at their own pace with a stop about half way at Legs Inn in Cross Village for lunch. Following lunch the ride will continue on to Mackinaw City where the Star Line Ferry boats have been chartered to take riders over to Mackinac Island for an evening of live bands and post ride parties.
The schedule is as follows:
Friday, May 20
8 p.m.-midnight: Registration is open in the Boyne Highland's Zoo Bar
8 p.m.-1:30 a.m.: Kick off party in the Zoo Bar
Saturday, May 21
7:30-10:30 a.m.: Registration continues in the lobby below the Zoo Bar
7:30-10:30 a.m.: Ride starts in the Boyne Highlands in the ski area parking lot
10:30 a.m.-2 p.m.: Lunch at Legs Inn
Noon-5 p.m.: Post ride part at The Crossings in Mackinaw City
Saturday night: Parties on Mackinac Island
Drawbaugh explains that "... essentially this kicks off on Friday night with a party in the Zoo Bar and that acts as a sort of social gathering for all the riders before we take off on Saturday."
"We will all leave the Highlands Saturday morning and head north and cut across and up around Sturgeon Bay and up on to Mackinaw City. There, everyone can grab a ticket and head over to the island to enjoy some live entertainment and a handful of other celebrations," he continued.
Registration for the upcoming Zoo-de-Mack ride is currently open. The timeline to purchase early bird tickets has mostly passed but riders can still register now or at the event for $75.
Registrations includes entry to the annual pre-ride party on Friday night at the Zoo Bar. It also includes luggage transportation to Mackinaw City, lunch at Legs Inn round trip ferry transportation to and from Mackinac Island on the Star Line Ferry and entry to the post-ride party Saturday afternoon at The Crossings in Mackinaw City and the following parties on the island.
"This started really as just a fun thing we did with friends each year and, before you knew it, we had thousands of people joining us," said Drawbaugh.
"It feels great to have it back and this will be the first year it's 'back to normal.' I think everyone is really looking forward to it and is going to have a great time," he said.
Registration can be made and more information — including a detailed schedule of events — can be found online at zoo-de-mack.com.
Contact reporter Sean Miller at smiller@petoskeynews.com. Follow him on Twitter, @seanmillerpnr, and Instagram, @sean_everest.
This article originally appeared on The Petoskey News-Review: Zoo-de-Mack resumes usual bicycle ride plans, scheduled for May 20-21
