MTR 2026: Four Days in “The Zoo”

Kalamazoo, MI was the host city for the 50th edition of the Midwest Tandem Rally (MTR).  The ‘Zoo is lovely, with many fun places to eat and pleasant riding.  As a friend of ours likes to say, it provided “miles of smiles”!

The weather forecast for the Friday ice cream ride was not great. We were hoping to ride early (before the planned late afternoon mass ride start). A big storm with thunder, lightning and torrential sheets of rain put a damper on those plans.

Here is what it looked like in the morning on the way to breakfast. Nobody wants to see that on a ride.
The storm hit while we were eating our lunch. Radar did not look promising.

We had pretty much given up on the 1:30 ride at lunch and to console ourselves, we decided to eat pie!

Creamy and delicious peanut butter and heath bar pie!

We drove by the ride start at Ramona Park and discovered about one hundred tandems preparing for a 2PM ride.  Peer pressure forced us to put our cycling clothes back on and start just a little after the main group. We enjoyed a very pleasant 25 miles, but were mostly by ourselves as we left a bit late. 

Lots of corn, but not too much traffic for the afternoon start.
We shared the BIG Neapolitan sandwich. The truck is in background!
On the way back to the remote ride start.

On Saturday it was a bit cool, but it was twenty degrees WARMER than the start time temp of 49 degrees one year earlier! The mass 9AM start allowed us to reconnect with buddies from Texas and Florida.

Debbie and Larry – Texas
Laura and Earle – Florida

The scenery, under cloudy skies, was lovely for our 37-mile ride.

Grapes in Michigan?
A beautiful field of sunflowers
We are loving the scenery!

At dinner, we carbed up on pasta, and then enjoyed the dessert social back at the hotel afterwards.

A look at the dessert bar, complete with a chocolate fountain, which you probably have not seen since COVID.

Sunday morning the sun 🌞 welcomed us as we prepared for our third, but not final ride of the rally! 

Sunny, but cool. Roger with Team King, Team Cox and Team Reynolds.

We hosted a Georgia Tandem Rally alumni event at the pride of Kalamazoo, Bell’s Brewery.  We had a fabulous turnout and everyone had a terrific time. 

14 couples attended our gathering. Two teams missed the photo.

Labor Day, the final day of the rally was the donut 🍩 ride! Our stop was at an orchard where we were treated to cider donuts.

On the road to donuts with Laura, Earle, Vickie, Tim.
This orchard was our rest stop on the short ride.
Basic, but pretty tasty.

Monday was get-away day for us. We lunched at a branch of a Traverse City favorite from last year.

The chicken pot pie was the star attraction!

After lunch, we drove 50 miles south to Shipshewana, where about 30 bikes will participate in a post-tour ride.

The stunning sky as we drive to Indiana.

In the next post: the fun, Amish town of Shipshewana, where they party like it’s 1926.

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