ANNUAL RIDE

JOIN US for the 11th ANNUAL GITCHI-GAMI TRAIL ASSOCIATION NORTH SHORE BIKE RIDE on Saturday, August 20, 2011. The ride is a project of the Gitchi-Gami Trail Association (GGTA), a non-profit organization working with state agencies and others in the planning, construction, maintenance and promotion of the Gitchi-Gami State Trail (GGST).

The ride will begin and end in beautiful Gooseberry Falls State Park, located between Two Harbors and Silver Bay on MN Highway 61. Riders can again choose one of two rides: a 28-mile round-trip route and a 55-mile route. Both routes follow the GGST from Gooseberry through Split Rock Lighthouse State Park to a rest stop in Beaver Bay, a distance of approximately 14 miles. The shorter route returns to Gooseberry on the GGST, while the longer route adds a loop on county and state roads, a second rest stop, a return to Beaver Bay and return to Gooseberry on the GGST. Since the ride is a round-trip, riders can turn around at any point along the ride.

Riders will meet at a parking lot inside Gooseberry State Park, with check-in beginning at 9 a.m. All riders are requested to depart by 10:30 a.m. Cars will need an annual state park vehicle sticker, or a daily vehicle permit. A daily permit will be provided by the GGTA as part of the registration fee.

Snacks and refreshments will be provided at rest stops and post-ride. Mechanical, emergency and sag support will be provided. All riders must wear helmets and sign a release form.

All adult riders will receive a t-shirt, and younger riders will receive a water bottle. Registrations postmarked or made online on or before August 1 will cost $28, and registrations after August 1 will cost $35. Registration for a child under age 15 is $5 with a paid adult.

When signing up online, if registering for more than one person, enter the total registration fee for all riders in the "Other amount" space. Be sure to add $5 to the total "donation" to cover a child.

All riders must sign a release form to participate in the ride. Riders who sign up online will be required to sign a release on the day of the ride.

The GGTA extends a BIG THANK YOU to our ride sponsors: Arrowhead Electric Co-op, Cove Point Lodge, Grand Marais Hotel Company, Lutsen Resort, North Shore Federal Credit Union, North Shore Mining, Grand Marais State Bank, Grand Superior Lodge and Superior North Outdoor Center.