September 7, 2015 at 12:02 p.m.
Nearly 300 cyclists wheel away in Three Lakes
Nearly 300 cyclists wheel away in Three Lakes
Organizer Skip Brunswick, executive director the Three Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, said the annual scenic ride through the Nicolet National Forest takes a lot of planning.
He expects to start planning for next year's event immediately.
Twenty volunteers assist in efforts to make the ride wonderful for all participants.
The weather was cooperative for Saturday's 36-mile ride, with an option for 18- milers to take part as well.
Lunch was served afterward.
Brunswick said this was the 24th year for the Nicolet Wheel-a-Way.
He has been organizing the event since he took over as the chamber's executive director five years ago.
The event is a family ride, not a race, Brunswick emphasized. "We want people to ride safely and enjoy themselves," he said.
"We have a safe trip all the way up, everything is marked, it's a very pleasant ride," he said, adding that there were riders from 16 or 17 different states this year.
"They know it's Labor Day weekend, so they plan on being here for it," Brunswick said. "It's a whole variety of people, a good variety of ages."
The draw is the beautiful scenery, the early fall colors in the Nicolet National Forest, and the family theme of the event.
Riders used all types of bikes for the event, from traditional single bicycles to recumbent bikes and bicycles built for two.
The bike event included snacks and refreshments along the way, with lunch at Franklin Lake Park.
The event is 100 percent chamber-run, with volunteers from the community helping out with food and refreshments, Brunswick said.
The idea is to promote the area and events in the community, Brunswick said.
The reason planning for the event starts so early is because there's always something to improve upon, Brunswick noted, with comment cards coming in from riders throughout the year. The chamber takes the comments seriously and tries to accommodate the suggestions to make each year's event better than the last.
"The comments come back sporadically, and we look at them and we try to please everybody. We do the best that we can," Brunswick said.
"It's a lot of work, it's a lot of fun. When you get results like we do, that's the win."
Katie Perttunen may be reached at [email protected].
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