By Meg Peters
Review Staff Writer
About 400 wheels will be ‘crawling? to Rochester and back along the 8.9 mile Paint Creek Trail on Saturday, June 7.
For the first time yet, the Paint Creek Crawl cycling event and fundraiser will begin in downtown Lake Orion at Children’s Park with 150 to 200 riders anticipated.
The Paint Creek Trailways Commission and Friends of the Paint Creek Trail are hosting the 4th annual Crawl from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
May the best poker hand win.
Five volunteer stations will be set up between Lake Orion and Rochester for participants to stop and collect their poker hand. At each station riders will select a card and a volunteer will mark their draw on their game piece.
After collecting all five cards cyclists will get a raffle ticket at the trail’s end in Rochester before heading back to Children’s Park for a box lunch provided by CJ’s Lakeside Grill.
Raffle tickets will be collected for the chance to win a $500 gift card to Paint Creek Bicycles and the best poker hand will win $250 cash. Additional prizes will be awarded for ties.
Don’t worry if poker doesn’t come naturally, hints and tricks for a stealthy hand will be on the back of each participant’s game piece. Riders 16 and older may play the poker game.
Register online at http://www.paintcreektrailfriends.org./ or print a form out and bring it to the event by 8 a.m. Saturday morning. Don’t feel like printing anything out? Arrive by 8 a.m. and sign up before the Crawl begins. Registration is $30.
‘We’ve been in Rochester and Oakland Township and we thought we really wanted to get more people involved in the Lake Orion area to see all the cool things downtown,? Trail Manager Kristen Myers said. ‘Many people don’t realize that the trail is a great non-motorized transportation corridor, and we love to promote its versatility.?
Last year the Paint Creek Crawl raised more than $2,500 that was used to fund trail enhancements.
This year is no different.
‘The next project is the purchase and installation of a new water fountain at the Tienken Road trailhead, a Bike-Fixit station in Lake Orion, and the development of new parking facilities in Oakland Township,? Myers said.
The Trailway Commission is also planning a side-path development parcel in the Rochester Hills section for educational display of the local plants and local history, and would like to install another drinking fountain in Lake Orion/Orion Township.
‘We’re so happy to have the overwhelming support of the Rochester and Lake Orion business communities again this year, and we’re excited to bring everyone to Lake Orion,? Friends of the Paint Creek Trail President Jim VanDoom said. ‘We enjoy promoting the trail as a great place to cycle, walk, and incorporate exercise into a healthy lifestyle.?
Helmets are required.
For more information visit http://www.paintcreektrailfriends.org./, www.paintcreektrail.org or call (248) 651-9260.
The Paint Creek Crawl is sponsored by CJ’s Lakeside Grill, Paint Creek Bicycles, 7:30’ers Bike Club, Rochester Mills Beer Co, Dr. Ronald Fried Chiropractic and Wellness Center, Fieldstone Winery, FAMS Custom Printing, Trekt Outdoors, Goodison Veterinary Center, Flagstar Bank, Paint Creek Cider Mill, Crossfit Inclusive, Fitness 19,
Motor City Brew Tours, and Friends of Dinosaur Hill.