The Michigan Girl Bike (& Hike!) Group has become something far more than I ever imagined! I love it! I love coming up with ideas and trips and new adventures. I like meeting women and picking on them when they biff it. And I like to see what we can come up with next. And – here’s my news! – the time has come to set up the group a little more formally. (However, I promise that it will remain highly informal.)
Last year, I hosted 28 events – of these, 20 were just $5 or free. About 900 women attended events, and we had countless experiences together (although I did count them, see below). Right now, the group is all volunteer-based (by a certain Kandace), and the time it takes is ever growing (in the most delicious way!).
The group has reached a tipping point. Do I keep going or do I scale back? It took me about half a second to say that ratcheting back the events was NOT an option – and I’ve decided to instead move forward (with joy!) and build this into a more organized group that is self-sustaining!
I want to keep building friendships, connections, biffs, bruises and laughter in the woods. This group has become too valuable to give up or scale down. I think we have all felt this – that this has become a surprisingly unique, one-of-a-kind, unexpected community built by the dirt in our boots, the laughter in the woods and our shared stories! There is no way to replace this or what it has become.
I want to keep building friendships, connections, biffs, bruises and laughter in the woods. This group has become too valuable to give up or scale down. I think we have all felt this – that this has become a surprisingly unique, one-of-a-kind, unexpected community built by the dirt in our boots, the laughter in the woods and our shared stories! There is no way to replace this or what it has become.
Plus, there’s still so much more ahead for us as a group, if I can start to curate a support system.
Our shared stories
And I’ve realized something else lately: My written recaps in the Facebook group have become – after two years – like a mini docu-series on how to make new friends in your 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond. Look at how we’ve evolved together! We have all found the power of going out, getting together and suffering through those first awkward moments together – before embarking on a shared experience.
AND every funny rehash has built us some kind of shared history. Whether someone was at the hike or not, I hear all the time about how they love to read the stories and feel like they were “there” (although probably feeling lucky that they weren’t).
All kidding aside, the stories online have built us as a Michigan Girl community just as much as the actual events. From the newest members to the original members – we are all part of the story, the kinship, the history. I love that! (In addition, I take great pride in having brought “porcupine poop tree” into everyone’s vocab.)
What’s next?
This group has become a personal mission that I didn’t even know I was on (not the first time something has taken me by surprise). I am so proud of what it has become. I have watched so many friendships come to life on the trails (my own included!) and on outings. Lucky us!
There are many hours put into planning and curating any one event, and let’s not even mention the wrangling of hydration choices and crafting of jokes– no matter how poorly chosen. With a membership fee, I can devote more time to it than I can as a volunteer effort. It would be an absolute dream to make this something I can actually devote work hours to, and see where it goes! Imagine!
The new membership model will help fund the time spent organizing new adventures and ideas, as well as the time spent maintaining and building the group online and in person. As well as the hands-on reporting of said adventures, offering us a running history of our group. The more we become self-sustaining, the more we will be able to keep and care for each other – you know, pics first, rescue second, that kind of thing.
So that’s where I am at. It’s time to organize the group and formally make it a bigger part of my Michigan Girl mission. To bring you “birches” together officially and tackle the trails of Northern Michigan, one outing at a time!
So, ladies, I hope that you will choose to become a member and to support the continuation of what has become its own little entity – a thriving, laughing, caterwauling group of Michigan Girls, found nowhere else on earth (or in the woods).
*And, one more thing. All members get a Michigan Girl 2024 member pin. It feels like a Girl Scout kind of thing – wear it when we are out and about together! (Someone asked me, “Like the Brownies?” I said, “Yes, but not the pot ones, so don’t get too excited.”) With that being said, all members will get this one-of-a-kind, THC-free, Michigan Girl Member 2024 pin. I hope you collect them and don’t smoke them.
**If you want to check us out, your first event is $15, during which you will be spellbound. If you would like to come again, please become a formal member of our informal group. You won’t regret it. At least not all the time. All members, near or far, will get the PIN to wear on their outings!
2023 Recap!
We had 28 events total, with nearly 900 women gathering this year with Michigan Girl!
This included:
- 28 events
- 900 women
- 5 snowshoes
- 1 weekend girls retreat
- 7 hikes
- 2 movie nights
- 6 bike rides
- 4 special events (cruise, pedal pub, TC Village tour, Christmas light bus tour)
- 1 charity walk (185 women!)
- 1 corn maze
- 2 girls weekend motor coach trips (Chicago and Mackinac Island)
- 1 cookie exchange (1 burnt)
Also of interest:
- 1 twisted ankle
- 1 porcupine poop tree
- 28 different hydration choices (my corner gas station knows me now)
- 28 stories written (some true)
- 100 suitcases (none lost)
- 895 hikers, bikers and snowshoers (not so lucky)
- 10 different restaurants for apres-rescue dinners
- 1 giant house rented with 16 bedrooms, and – be glad you don’t have to clean them – 18 bathrooms
- 12 sponsors for the Wine Walk
- 120 Moomer’s ice cream cups devoured
- 800 cookies
- 2 ferry rides
- 1 cruise on GT Bay
- 1 old hospital tunnel traversed (ghost spotted)
- 18 Barbie getups at movie night (it was Kenough)
- 4 Cycle Pub bikes rented – the entire fleet – and downtown TC stormed (at a snail’s pace)
- 1 cherry blossom bike ride (with a winery chaser)
What else? The list goes on. I’m delighted and astonished at what we can come up with. I thank you all for making this happen! WOW!
Membership Levels
MiGirl Member $45/year
- $5 hikes, bikes & snowshoes throughout the year.
- Non-members pay $15 for their first outing to try us out, during which they will be spellbound.
- Discounted Member pricing for special events (Ex. $10 off MiGirl events like curling, cycle pub, Christmas lights bus tour, that time we saw a racoon downtown.)
- Laughter at all events, even during times of crises.
- Complimentary hydration included, which will be completely dehydrating.
- Community and connection with women in Michigan, the best kind!
- If you biff it – pictures first, rescue second.
- MiGirl 2024 Member Pin
MiGirl Pro $85/year
All of the above plus:
- FREE bikes, hikes and snowshoes!
- On short list for the privilege to help pop corks at events.
- A punch in the upper arm as a thank you for going a step above.
- Rescue first.