I live in Charlevoix with my wife, Anne.  I have a son, Oliver, who lives in Bloomington, Indiana.  I was born in Indiana and grew up there, in a small town near Fort Wayne.

Anne and I visited the Charlevoix area in our boat about six years ago and really liked the town and entire area.  We purchased a summer home north of downtown Charlevoix and one year later decided to sell our home in Indiana and move to Charlevoix to live here full time.  What attracted us to this area was the natural beauty, the charm of the communities, and the friendliness of the people; but one of the major reasons we chose to move here was the quality of the area bike trails.

For many years Anne and I biked to work and to the stores in Bloomington, which has a long history as a pro-biking community.  Trails were only available in the city of Bloomington, as the state of Indiana does little to build or promote bike trails.  I was so impressed with the quality of the bike trails in Northern Michigan that I wanted to do what I could to help promote and sustain them.  I am involved in the Charlevoix Trail Ambassadors group thanks to Luther Kurtz. Luther submitted my name as a potential board member for the Top of Michigan Trails Council in 2017, and I am proud to serve in that capacity. I believe that it is important for those of us who use the trails to do what we can to support trail organizations like the Trails Council.

As a member of the Charlevoix Trail Ambassador group, I was involved in moving the U.S. 35 bike trail to a safer route through the north side of Charlevoix. I am currently working with the city to set up a bike trail tab on the “Life In Charlevoix” web site.  I may also be working with Mayor Kurtz on a new bike path on the north side of town.

My ultimate dream is for the completion of the Charlevoix to Boyne City trail—sooner rather than later!

I appreciate the opportunity to be a part of the Top of Michigan Trails Council.

Bob

Phase 1, a 10-foot-wide paved non-motorized trail parallel to, but detached from Boyne City/Charlevoix Road, was completed in 2016. This phase begins at the Boyne City limits at W. Michigan Avenue, extends through Young State Park, and runs to the Evangeline/Bay Township line at Springwater Beach Road for a distance of 3.04 miles.

Phase 2 was completed in 2017 and begins at the Little Traverse Wheelway east of Waller Road in Charlevoix Township, crosses US-31 and runs south across a series of private easements to Boyne City/Charlevoix Road east of the Argonne Supper Club. The trail then runs parallel to, but separate from Boyne City/Charlevoix Road on the north side of the road to Quarterline Road for a distance of 2.97 miles.  At the point where the trail meets Boyne City/Charlevoix Road east of the Argonne Supper Club, a trail spur runs west within the right-of-way on the north side of the road to Eastern Avenue to create an access point for Pine Point Subdivision.

Phase 3 will begin at the Bay/Evangeline Township line (Springwater Beach Road) and will continue, detached from the road, through Bay Township on the Lake Charlevoix side of the road.  Just east of the Village of Horton Bay, the trail will connect to the (paved) wide shoulder of the road through the Village (speed limit: 35 mph).  The trail will utilize the shoulder of the road due to the proximity of homes to the road.  On the west side of Horton Bay (west of Horton Creek), the trail will become detached once again on the Lake Charlevoix side of the road and continue to Pincherry Road.  Phase 3 will be 2.83 miles in length.  As part of Phase 3, a trailhead is proposed to be developed at Park of the Pines, just north of Springwater Beach Road N.  Construction of Phase 3 of the trail and the trailhead is planned for 2019.

Phase 4 will begin at the completed Phase 2 of the trail at Quarterline Road in Hayes Township and continue detached within the right-of-way along Boyne City Road to Hayes Township Park (Camp Sea-Gull) on the east/north side of the road (the side opposite Lake Charlevoix).  The trail will cross Boyne City Road in the vicinity of Hayes Township Park, where there are plans to establish a trailhead in the future.  This phase will cover a distance of 2.8 miles.

Phase 5 will begin at the completed Phase 4 of the trail at Hayes Township Park (Camp Sea-Gull) and continue as a detached trail within the right-of-way along Boyne City Road on the south (Lake Charlevoix) side of the road to Pincherry Road in Bay Township, where it will connect to the end of Phase 3.  This phase will cover a distance of 2.7 miles.