Spring Bike Ride set for May 13

Greater Waupaca Area Parks and Trails (GWAPT) will hold its annual Spring Bike Ride on the Masākāēw Trail Saturday, May 13.

Masākāēw is a Menominee word for “crossing over water” which it does 10 times through territory that is the part of the Menominee homeland.

Cyclists may ride the complete route (29 miles) or sections of 5, 10 or 15 miles with parking lots at various places.

Registration is at South Park in Waupaca from 8:30-9:30 a.m. with lunch served after the ride from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Pre-registration is encouraged at www.commonrootsrising.org/gwapt. Scroll down to Spring Ride.

A GWAPT T-shirt, decal and lunch come with the registration fee of $50 for adults and $75 for a couple with children. Children under 18 ride free with a $5 lunch.

This year’s ride has a dual purpose. It is the opening of the signed Masākāēw Trail and a fundraiser for the Waupa-Wega Trail, a 21-mile route from Waupaca to Weyauwega and back which will be next year’s ride, and future trails.

GWAPT has several routes planned, including z route from Hartman Creek State Park to Waupaca planned for 2024-25 and routes on county and township roads.

Donations for any of these projects can be made on the GWAPT website: commonrootsrising.org/gwapt/ or by sending a check to GWAPT c/o Rural Access to Justice, PO Box 126, Waupaca WI 54981. Checks should be made out to Waupaca County Natural Resource Fund (WCNRF), attention GWAPT in the memo line. All donations are tax-deductible aside from registration fees.

Sponsors include Community First Credit Union, Farmers State Bank, Greenways of Waupaca County, Waupaca Area Community Foundation and the Woodpile Foundation.