There’s an exciting bicycling event happening and the community is invited!
The Greater Waupaca Area Parks and Trails Spring Ride Fundraiser is coming up on Sunday, May 2nd, 12-3.
(rain date, May 8th, 9-12).
(Spring Ride Guide, Scott Rusch, has also scheduled a second ride on Saturday, June 12th, from 9-12!)
This is a community fundraising event to help cover costs of signage for the newest section of trail.
The Spring Ride on the Masākāēw Trail*, guided by Scott Rusch, will help familiarize bicyclists with the trail. It will cover the new route that begins at Rotary Park in the city of Waupaca, to the Tomorrow River Trail at Ogdensburg, to Scandinavia, and back through Waupaca, past Swan Park, and back to Rotary Park.
We reached out to GWAPT members, Jane Haasch and Scott Rusch, with some questions to get more information and details about the trail, and what to expect on the Spring Ride … Here are their responses:
How did the trail get this beautiful, unique name and what does it mean?
When we first discussed a name for the route, one of our members, Jane Morrow, suggested we find a Native American name, preferably Menominee because of the history of the Waupaca area. The trail route crosses over water ten times. We considered Ten Crossings as the name. Scott Rusch found some suggestions in Menominee searching on the internet. We settled on Masākāēw, which means “crossing over water” or “crossing over a bridge”. With help from Jean Cox in the Menominee Nation Historic Preservation Office, we connected with David Grignon (Nahwahquaw- When the Sun at Mid-sky), Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin. He corrected the original spelling we had found, confirmed the pronunciation*, and was pleased that we were using a Menominee word since, to quote him, “The Menominee people occupied the area of Waupaca for thousands of years until we were forced to cede the land in the Treaty era.”
*Pronunciation of Masākāēw Trail: Ma (‘may’) – sa (‘a’ as in father) – kaew (‘ka’ as in cat, without the “t”)
Is there a specific cost/donation amount to attend the Spring Ride?
Suggested donation of $5 per person or $10 per family
Do we need to register ahead of time? If so, where?
Pre-registration is encouraged! Here’s how …
- Go to: https://commonrootsrising.org/gwapt/
- Follow the directions to make a donation through Paypal, or send a check.
- Scroll down to “Get Trail Connected”
- Enter your name and email
- In the comment/message field, type in your choice for: “Spring Ride – May” or “Spring Ride – June”
- Click SUBMIT
Registration and donations will be accepted on the day of the event as well. Please come early to take care of these details.
Where do we meet? What are the ride options? (time, place, details)
Option 1: Entire trip 29 mile loop (12 p.m.)
Meet at Rotary Park on Cooper Street in Waupaca. Be ready to depart with the group at 12 p.m. This option will cover the entire 29 mile loop: covering the new route that begins at Rotary Park in the city of Waupaca, to the Tomorrow River Trail at Ogdensburg, to Scandinavia, and back through Waupaca, past Swan Park, and back to Rotary Park.
Option 2: Partial trip to Ogdensburg and back 20 miles (12 p.m.)
turn around at Ogdensburg – Meet at Rotary Park on Cooper Street in Waupaca. Be ready to depart with the group at 12 p.m., (with an option to turn around at Ogdensburg and bike yourselves back to Rotary Park on your own, 20 miles total)
Option 3: Partial trip biking only the Tomorrow River Trail portion 10 miles (1 p.m.)
Meet in Ogdensburg (and do the Tomorrow River State Trail to Scandinavia, and back, 10 mi) Meet at the Tomorrow River Trail parking lot in Ogdensburg at 1 p.m. We will have volunteers at these spots so you know what to do.
Option 4: Partial trip biking only the Tomorrow River Trail portion ONE way*
5 miles (1 p.m.) *Best and shortest option for families with younger children.
Meet in Ogdensburg (and ride the Tomorrow River State Trail one-way, to Scandinavia) Requires cyclists to arrange for their own pick-up in Scandinavia, at the trail parking area.
Meet at the Tomorrow River Trail parking lot in Ogdensburg at 1 p.m. We will have volunteers at these spots so you know what to do.
You can also make a donation at these spots if you did not pre-register.
What do I need to bring with us on the ride?
Recommended: water bottle, helmet, bike repair items, glasses for bug protection, sunscreen, snacks, wear closed toe shoes, dress for the weather.
How long is the ride? (miles and estimated time to complete)
The entire route is 29 miles – approx 3 hrs.
With shorter options for a 20 mile – approx 2 hrs.,
and a 10 mile – approx 90 min., or a 5 mile – approx 45 min. (this one requires arranging pick-up in Scandinavia) for less experienced riders.
See option details above.
What surfaces will we be riding on?
All sections of the trail are road/asphalt, except the Tomorrow River Trail section, which is packed gravel.
Do I need to be an experienced bicyclist to participate?
No. The route is intermediate.
Is the Spring Ride ‘family friendly’?
What ages/level of experience/level of fitness will be required?
Parents are the best judge of what kind of ride their child(ren) can handle.
Look at the options. Teenagers should be able to handle this route.
Choose a lesser route choice if you have not ridden 30 miles in one day before.
Do I have to do the entire ride?
No. See options above, under ‘Ride Options’ and ‘How Long is the Ride’.
Are there sections I could pick or choose from?
Yes. See options above.
Are there restroom/porta-potty opportunities along the way?
Unfortunately, no. There are restrooms at Rotary Park before you start and at Swan Park, a couple miles from the end.
What kind of COVID-safe protocols will be in place?
Wear masks if you prefer, stay 6 ft apart on your bikes, be mindful of social-distancing during registration and where we gather at points along the way.
Are there any highlights or features along the way that I will be interested to take note of?
We will hand out maps where mileage, parking, points of interest will be indicated.
Will there be other trail-aware guides along for the ride, or just one lead guide in the front?
We will have a guide who will ride ahead of the fastest, and a guide that heads up the mid-group, and a guide following to be sure no one gets left behind. We will also have a car riding the route in case someone runs into trouble.
Will there be stops along the way?
There will be a rest stop and water available at the parking lots in Ogdensburg and in Scandinavia.
Is there any other information I need that will help me be safety oriented and enjoy participating in this event?
Get a good night’s sleep. Follow the bicycle rules of the road. We will review these at starting points. Hand Signals, single file, ride WITH the traffic.
What are the ways I can support this new trail, beyond attending this Spring Ride fundraising event?
- Monthly donations can be set up at https://commonrootsrising.org/gwapt/
- Fill out the “Get Trail Connected” at the same site as donations. Tell us what you are interested in. We have plans for other routes in the future.
- Volunteer to help when we actually put up the signs for the trail this summer. This will probably be in July and August.
- We could use help with grant writing, sending thank you notes for donations (which are all tax-deductible less the registration for this ride).
If I have further questions, who can I get in touch with?
Email Jane Haasch: info.gwapt@gmail.com
Happy Spring Ride to All! See you on the trail!