Beginning and returning riders spend a bunch of time looking for local places to ride on a weekend afternoon. At some point, we get tired of slightly curvy, boring suburban subdivisions that are reminiscent of the old Monkees song “Pleasant Valley Sunday.” Fortunately, riders in Southeast Michigan have other choices. Here and in some future posts, I will share some of those I’ve found.
My criteria is simple; a decent road surface, pleasant surroundings, and a difficulty level appropriate for beginners/returners.
Metro Detroit is home to the Huron-Clinton Metropark system and the system has numerous parks that present a perfect place to spend an afternoon with our bikes. One of the best for riding is Stony Creek Metropark in Washington Twp.
The centerpiece of Stony Creek Park is Stony Creek Lake. The pleasantly wooded main Park Road encircles the lake with glimpses of the water as you ride. The road surface is good with only a few “tar snakes” to contend with on curves. The curves are great for beginners, who can easily ride the Park Road at the 35 mph speed limit with only a few curves of concern.
The Park Road is about 7 miles around and there are many offshoots to picnic grounds that add pleasant riding opportunities. One such offshoot is a 1-3/4 mile ride down a newly paved byway to the park’s nature center. The speed limit on the side trips is 25 mph. A note about speed: this is a park, motorcycles, bicycles, pedestrian and cages (cars) must share the roads. The park police strictly enforce the limits and can often be seen running radar along the way. I find I am confident running the main road at 33-37 mph and the side trips at 20-25mph.
So, what makes a nice day riding Stony Creek? Pick up a sandwich and some chips on your way to the park. Ride a loop or two once you arrive and then find a nice place by the lake to enjoy a picnic lunch and maybe read a couple of chapters in your favorite book (my favorite picnic area is Winter Cove on the western side of the park). After lunch, ride a couple of more loops around the park before you head on home.
Not a bad way to spend the afternoon.
© Tim Marks & Midwest Guest 2015 All Rights Reserved
You can also swim in a number of beaches there as well.
Posted by: C Jackson | August 12, 2015 at 10:42 AM