July 25, 2016
The Ancilla College Alumni Association, in association with the annual Marshall County Blueberry Festival, will host its annual bicycle tour Saturday, September 3rd, in Plymouth. Routes cover 31, 41, 62 miles, and a special family tour of 16 miles to the Menominee Monument. The tour has won wide acclaim for being well organized and scenic with outstanding SAGs (support and gear.)
“This is the 26th year for this great event. It appeals to casual family riders as well as serious bicyclists and covers a number of beautiful, well-supported routes,” said Development and Alumni Relations Manager Emily Hutsell, organizer of the event. “Best of all, money raised from the hundreds of participants go to scholarships for our students, many of whom are completely reliant on Ancilla’s generous financial aid.”
The cost of the BBC is $20 per person before Aug. 19, 2016, and $25 per person after Aug. 19. The maximum fee for families (parents & children only please) is $35, ($55 after Aug. 19). The cost includes refreshments, SAG stops, and a map of the route with emergency numbers. Refunds are will NOT be made after the application is accepted.
To register, participants can pay securely online at www.ancilla.edu/BBC, download paper form on that page and mail it in, call Ancilla College at574.936.8898 x. 355 or email to emily.hutsell@ancilla.edu. Registration forms are also available at the Blueberry Festival office, 233 E. Jefferson St. Plymouth, Ind.
Menominee Elementary School, 815 Discovery Lane, is the starting point for the BBC. Registration begins at 6 a.m. EDT and continues until 11 a.m. Riders may leave at 7 a.m. Those on the 62-mile (100 KM) route must depart by 10 a.m. All riders should be off the routes by 4 p.m. The BBC is held rain or shine and food/drink and fruit is available at the SAG stops.
Hutsell said, “This is a nice activity over the Labor Day weekend. And good opportunity to enjoy the natural quiet of rural Indiana – a break from than the rush of barbeques and festivals.”
Culver Academies and the beautiful town of Culver are on the route with a SAG at the Culver Depot and the tour also winds through the Twin Lakes area, starting point of the infamous Trail of Death. The Potawatomi Indian tribes populating the region were forcibly relocated to the west by the U.S. government–an event remembered by the statue of Chief Menominee along the route. A SAG will be located on the Menominee grounds.
Riders must sign a waiver on the registration form before starting. Riders under 18 must have a parent or guardian signature. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult over the age of 21. All riders will be asked to sign in at the end of the ride.
Additionally, beautifully designed Blueberry Bicycle t-shirts are available for an early bird price of $10, or $12 at the event.
Plymouth is the home of the annual Blueberry Festival conducted during the four-day Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 2-5). After the BBC, enjoy more than 500 craft booths, 100 food booths, shows and events at Centennial Park. The festival annually attracts more than 500,000 people and you are invited to remain and enjoy a festive day or weekend. Camping is available at the Argos 4-H fairgrounds. For cost and reservation information, contact Kevin Holland at (574)936-9154 or visit the Blueberry Festival website at www.blueberryfestival.org.
Tire inflation and mechanical assistance at Menominee Elementary and Culver Depot is provided. Traveling SAGs will be available–we ask that your bike be in good condition and that you be prepared to handle your own minor repairs, such as flat tires.
“The sisters have promised perfect bicycling weather this year, “Hutsell joked, “So we expect record numbers. We have some groups who have returned year after year for this fun event. Hope to see you there!”