Northern Michigan Attractions: Business is growing with the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail.
It's hard to believe that summer 2012 has already come and gone. We spent last winter renovating The Cyclery at Crystal River Outfitters to take our bicycle business to the next level. While we have rented bikes over the past 17 years and offered bike repairs for the past 3 years, The Cyclery was our chance to finally really embrace the local biking community. The timing of The Cyclery and the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail were incidental, but could not have worked out better. During the summer, our staff spent the majority of their time setting up rental bikes and educating people about the trail. Upon their return, people would rave about their experiences on the trail.
Even more exciting for us to see, was the multi-generational groups of bikers. Our mechanics saw some of the coolest old bikes come in for tune-ups. These bikes were often covered in spider webs and rust and hadn't seen a ride in decades. However, the trail was now calling the owner's name! After a quick tune at our shop, they would hit the trail.
With the summertime success of the trail, we are now expanding The Cyclery into winter operations of cross-country ski and snowshoe rentals. Once the snow flies, we will be open and renting adult and children's cross-country skis for families to enjoy the 4-miles of groomed trail.
We feel so fortunate that Glen Arbor has embraced The Cyclery and that we are able to offer a local outlet for bike repairs, accessories, new bike sales and now, winter sports. While open last winter at M22 Glen Arbor, we noticed that people are anxiously looking for things to do. One of the many great things about the SBHT is that it offers year-round recreational opportunities for all generations, and should positively impact local businesses, even in the traditional off-season.
Learn more about the Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail on MyNorth.com and visit their official site at sleepingbeartrail.org! For more on The Cyclery at Crystal River Outfitters, check out crystalriveroutfitters.com.