Regular Meeting

Tomorrow is our regular monthly meeting!  Location - Sand Lake Public Library. 

Time - 7:00 pm

I hope to see you there

Please note!  We do not have a regular monthly meeting in July!

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Website

If you have not checked it out please take a look at our re-designed website; it is up and running - check it out and give us feedback.  We need your input!

Website address - - - www.whitepinetrail.com

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Facebook Page

Our Facebook Page has been up and running for several months now!  If you do the Facebook thing please “like” our Facebook Page!  This is a great way to keep up to date on the trail and special conditions.  If you find a problem - please post it on Facebook - it lets us and others know that there is a problem so it can get addressed quickly and other trail users can choose to avoid the problem area if necessary.

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Water Damage Up North - - Update

In the north area in the newly paved area there has been a wash-out due to beavers and a culvert failure.

Some of the work has been done and the patching of the asphalt is comming.

 

Please be carefull in workareas!

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I received the following note today and thought it was worth sending out along with this e-news as it is the kind of thing that could happen on our trail!

 

Following is a summary of a recent accident. Midland City, County and Isabella County are aware and taking corrective actions. Steve’s Learning comments are well worth remembering.

Person on normal road bike hit mound of asphalt and his handle bars turned 90 degrees. He went over his handle bars and his bike shot towards me. The bike hit me on left side face, arm, and hip. I was wearing a helmet. I went unconscious. The rest of the story comes from the tandem following us [Lynn and Kathy Tooman]. We ended up in the ditch. Me face down, Sue under bike. I broke left cheek bone, 2 fingers and thumb on left hand, left rib, a lot of bruises on left arm and hip. Called 911, first responders did a good job; ambulance ride to Midland ER. Face fractures too complicated for Midland; so transfer to Ann Arbor ER. Then to the ICU. In the 2 weeks since the accident, the face fractures swelling has gone down and doctor says I do not need surgery as my eye is in the right place [no double vision.] I had surgery on the left hand to fix little finger and thumb. The ring finger should heel in the right position. I have not been back to work yet.

The maintenance needed is to remove the bumps caused by the plants growing up through the pavement. [between mile 21 and 22 I think]

The learning for me is that the plant growing through the pavement is more of a hazard than I had thought. Both bikes naturally moved a little to the right when meeting an on coming rider. This put us more to the edge of the trail where the plants are a problem. My opinion is that this is a rare occurrence, but eliminating the danger is good so that no one has a similar accident.

Dave Waite

Vice President, Friends of the Pere Marquette Rail Trail

 

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Relay Run 

The upcoming relay run will benefit the “Friends” and we would appreciate your help if you are so inclined. 

      Volunteer are always needed!

Volunteers are the heart and sole (pun intended) of an event and can make or break it's success. Many long distance require teams to supply one or two volunteers. We are not going to do that, at least for the first year. But don't let that stop you from bringing some one that wants to help. We can put them to work and accommodate any scheduling issues they may have.

We have opportunities for volunteers on Friday at Riverside Park beginning early (yawn!) in the morning and at switch areas along the trail for Friday and Saturday, and at the finish line. We are working on an exact volunteer positions and will have a schedule out soon.

If you want to volunteer, please e-mail Sylvia.

Website for the run  http://www.fredmeijerwhitepinetrail200.com 

You may also call Doug Bostian at  616-890-5978

 

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Bridge Run

The “Friends” is one of the organizations that will receive some of the proceeds from the Bridge Run this year - Thanks!

If you should like to volunteer please contact volunteer@rungr.com.

The website is - - http://www.rungr.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&Itemid=15

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Thanks again for your support!  The "Friends" can not function without your support!