A GRAND Ride


Trail near the Grand River. 5/13

Other than riding to and from the bike shop, my first ride of 2022 was during our recent visit to Grand Rapids, Michigan.

It was a great way to see the city while my wife discovered and enjoyed multiple quilt, antique, and vintage shops.

My map showed a bike trail on the other side of the interstate from our hotel. A wrong turn had me on an entrance ramp for I-196 before realizing I couldn't maintain pedal that fast and turned around, which is when I noticed a bike entering the parking lot of Grand Rapids Clean Water Plant (yes, that's what they call it).

Just too distant to ask directions, I followed. A small sign next to a nondescript sidewalk revealed the trail. A few minutes later, I met the biker coming back. The river was too high, flooding the trail and making it impassable. Mud was an inch thick in places; I had stopped to lift my bike over a downed tree when the guy on the bike met me.

It was serendipitous to meet Grant. He told me where the trail was and pointed me in the right direction. He was the first of several kind and friendly people I met in and around Grand Rapids. He was a transplant from Indiana and avid cyclist. He helped me navigate busy streets (thankfully it was quiet that time of day) before pointing me in the right direction.

A bike-pedestrian bridge over the Grand River.

Looking for a bike trail was one thing, also in play last Saturday was a major fun race over Grand Rapids' streets and trails known as the River Bank Run. I later discovered the race made downtown Grand Rapids a perfect place to ride because so many roads were closed there was no traffic.

You could spend a day exploring Millennium Park on foot or bike. It has 18 miles of trails connecting to urban trails through the neighboring communities of Grandville, Walker, and Wyoming and more than 1,400 acres with plenty of places to play or relax.

One of three Grand Rapids downtown. 5/14/22

I went through the park on my way into the heart of Grand Rapids and on my return trip, which provided an opportunity to cross an old railroad bridge under the deep cover of old forests. Later I crossed a trestle bridge over wetlands which offered a dramatic view of kettle lakes and the surrounding wild area.

The trail took me to Grand Valley State University then into the city canyon where runners were finishing their 10K runs.

The city's beautiful skyline is punctuated with tall college buildings and hotels. On the west side of the river you'll find the Presidential museum of native son, Gerald R. Ford. We tried to tour it but traffic barriers prevented us from getting there by car.

The Blue Bridge spans the river.

The Blue Bridge is a gorgeous way to cross Grand River on bike or feet. It's the longest truss bridge in the state (with four spans), in a city with more multi-span truss bridges than any other in the state.

It wasn't busy, so I easily made it back to the west side of the river that cuts through the city. From there it was back on the trail which connected to a looped path on top of the old city landfill which now is a prairie connection between the zoo and Millennium Park.

Riding in an area completely foreign to me, I was surprised the trails were isolated from most of the hustle and bustle. It was so remote I couldn't find a convenience store where I could get a snack or cold water. I didn't see one until I was a mile from the hotel.

The first ride of 2022 on my old Schwinn taught me to use the new bike computer. I was half-way in before figuring out how to track trip. My guess is I covered 27 miles for my shake-down ride.

Scenes from Millennium Park - trail near pond, turtle crossing, trestle bridge, River Bank runners & fans