RAT Ride: The Ride Around Torch Lake

Summer is a busy, busy, busy time of year for us northern Michiganders. We have four (maaaaaaybe five, but more like three this year...) solid months of awesome summer weather, fantastic summer events, and time to spend in the sun before winter rolls back in. My husband and I use the summer months for all kinds of activities, but the top of our adventuring list usually comes in the form of long bike rides through some of our favorite countryside landscapes and beautiful small towns in our region.

This past weekend, we joined nearly 1,000 other cyclists for the Cherry Capital Cycling Club's annual Ride Around Torch (RAT). While we've cycled in the area before, this was our first time participating in the organized event. We've only done one other organized ride (and it was a few years ago), so we had some idea of what to expect...but the RAT surpassed all our expectations.

 If you're unfamiliar with the area, Torch Lake has a reputation for being one of the most gorgeous lakes in our region...but also the most notorious for hosting boozey parties of epic proportions on its expansive sandbar (which can be both awesome and terrible). For better or worse, Torch Lake is a gem and the epitome of summertime up north. Torch is the lake that Kid Rock sings (is that singing?) about in his "All Summer Long" song, and despite its artistic value, the song resonates with most residents here in terms of what we love about this area: summer, beaches, relaxing, livin' life to the fullest.

Any chance I get to be around a place as breath-taking as Torch Lake, I'm there. The towns are smaller just east of Traverse City, but they are wonderful, fun, and have a lot of personality...so their populations quadruple this time of year. Lucky for us, we could avoid all the traffic and hustle-bustle by joining a ton of other great cyclists and taking to the road, seeing the land in full panoramic views and taking in the sights not often seen by visitors who stick to the borders of the lakes.

We started our ride in Elk Rapids and headed north to Eastport. From there, we went down the east side of Torch Lake, through Alden and Crystal River, around the top of Elk Lake through Kewadin, and back up to Elk Rapids. We opted for the 63-mile loop, but the RAT also includes a 26-mile route and a challenging (read: HILLY) 100-mile loop. All the routes are clearly marked, and you can ride them during the year even without the helpful markers or roadside assistance that the CCCC provides for the ride. I was pretty beat after riding the 63 miles. Maybe I'll consider doing 100 miles next year...but no promises!

All along the route, we had wonderful volunteers dishing up delicious food (I think I demolished 3-4 cookies and 3 bagels without shame), plenty of pit-stops, and lots of great company. At every stop, we chatted with fellow cyclists and learned more about where folks came from, what kinds of rides they've done, and just about everything else. Everyone was friendly and supportive, which I really needed at our third food stop at mile 49!

The whole route was breath-taking. Sure, we didn't stay along Torch Lake the entire time, but I'm a big fan of rolling country hills and farm landscapes. There were some hills, but the views from the top of many of them were worth the climb. I wish I had more pictures to share the route with you, but I was too busy pedaling and taking it in with my own eyes! You'll have to try it out for yourself next year.

At the end of the ride, I gotta admit, I was really sore. The ride was about 20 miles farther than I've biked all year, so you could say my endurance is quite low for something like this. Luckily I could draft some fellow riders for the last leg and somehow made it back to Elk Rapids going the fastest speed we rode the whole trip! It wasn't just my legs, either: my neck and upper back were the most sore, so when we made it back to our car I gave myself permission to just lie on the ground for a few minutes. Not for too long, though....

...because after the ride, the CC Cycling Club hosted a fantastic BBQ! I loaded up on potato salad, pasta salad, more cookies, and a dee-lish veggie burger. Oh, and the best perk of all? A dip in Lake Michigan right at the BBQ site to cool off and get some of the sweat and grime off my body after a long ride. I wish we could've stayed all day, but alas, we had more summer activities to attend!

All in all, I highly recommend the RAT for beginner, novice, and expert cyclists. There is a course and distance for everyone, and it's a fun, well-organized event that really embodies the great community of cyclists in our region. Plus, you really can't beat the location in terms of views and varying scenery: it is not to be missed!

YP Volunteer Event: Habitat for Humanity Demolition!

WOW! What a weekend! It might've been cold and rainy out on Saturday morning, but while the rest of the town was moping about the weather, an active group of YP and Habitat for Humanity volunteers were up early and ready to work.

A group of us helped a team of Habitat folks take apart a home out on the Old Mission Peninsula that will be town down and rebuilt. All the things we took apart--trim, cabinets, sinks, doors--and everything left in the house that we hauled out ended up in a garage ready for an estate sale. Some of our team spent the day pulling of aluminum siding to scrap, and given the constant downpour outside, let's just say I was totally content to stay inside and pull trim off of walls and remove nails.

The garage was STUFFED with stuff four or five hours later. There were some real gems hidden in that house if you've got the eye for that kind of thing. I all but went ballistic when we came across an original Sega Genesis (complete with Mortal Kombat and Sonic the Hedgehog games)! I'm not sure when the estate sale is, but I may consider driving back up the peninsula specifically to own that Genesis...

I had a great time working with my fellow YPs. We had a lot of hours together this past Saturday morning, and I learned more about all the people there that I don't get to see in passing at the meetings. It's amazing how close I feel to people when I work with them on a great cause, like Habitat for Humanity. There's nothing like sitting on the floor pulling out nails with someone to bring you together, right? And I'm pretty sure we all felt bonded after removing a shelf from an upstairs closet and saw a really old and nasty bagel (with peanut butter) slide off the shelf onto the floor. I mean, those are the things that build friendships, people.

The homeowner graciously cooked everyone up some brats and hot dogs for lunch, complete with potato chips and chocolate chip cookies. How could we not have a good time?! The sun came out for a brief few moments, as did a beautiful Leonberger dog named Bella, who pretty much stole all of our hearts. I may or may not have given her potato chips to show my affection, but I'm pretty sure all she really wanted was a hot dog. Maybe next time, Bella.

There are more YP volunteer opportunities coming up in the next few weeks, so if you're interested in doing good with good folks, keep your eyes and ears open for announcements about upcoming opportunities on our Facebook page. Thanks to everyone who braved the crappy weather to join us, and a big thanks for the Habitat crew for showing us the ins and outs of demolition! (Some of these photos came from the Habitat GTR Facebook page...check 'em out!)

YP Social Event - Low Bar

Last night, we had our first YP social event of the year at a new place in town, called Low Bar. It is underneath the Seven Monks Tap Room (a tried-and-true favorite locale of mine). I was really excited to see what Low Bar had was all about, since I'm a HUGE fan of Seven Monks. 

Low Bar has a whole different vibe to it than any other place I've seen in TC. For one, it is DARK down there...but it's a dark in a cool way. Like, secret-underground-hangout-with-the-best-booze-in-town kind of dark. In a way, it's totally appropriate because it is inspired by the Prohibition Era. Low Bar prides itself on being a high-end spirits and specialty concoctions destination, and they set the mood right. Heck, even the staff gets into character and dress up fancy to make it feel like every drink you order is the best drink you'll find in town (and it very well may be). 

There was a great YP turnout, too! I saw a lot of familiar faces but also some new faces, which is always nice for mingling. Low Bar is a small place, perfect for an event like this where YPs stroll around and chat with each other. You're bound to bump elbows with someone you haven't met yet, and I like that. People stuck around for a few hours, and I've no doubt that it's because they were drinking good drinks, in a good place, with good company.

Thanks to all the YPs who made it out last night! 

Remember, today is our Roundtable Discussion with Governor Snyder. Stay tuned to our Facebook page starting at 3:00 for live, up-to-the-minute updates from this incredible event and conversation! I'll post a recap about the event early next week, so if you miss the Facebook feed, there will still be plenty to share here on the blog. 

Happy weekend, everyone!

TCYP Annual Conference Recap

Last week, I joined around 50 young professionals in the TC area for a fun-filled day we like to call the TCYP Annual Conference! This year the TCYPs decided to do something a little "out-of-the-hotel-conference-room" and into the great northern Michigan outdoors. As you can imagine, it was an incredibly good time and a beautiful place to spend the day (even if it was chilly and a bit rainy).

This year's conference took place at the Leelanau Outdoor Center, which is a camp during the summer and acts as a company/school retreat facility in the fall and winter. It never ceases to amaze me how many wonderful things there are in our area that I've never seen or experienced before, and the Leelanau Outdoor Center (lovingly dubbed "LOC") is one of those places. The whole property took my breath away, and it made me want to be a kid at summer camp all over again. Luckily, that is essentially what I got to do: play games and have fun with total strangers who end up being my friends at the end of the day, all while playing outside and stepping away from technology. I'm always game for that.

The morning started off with a hot (delicious) breakfast and gave us the chance to meet with some new friends and reconnect with old friends. Everyone gathered in the great house, which was nice because it kept us out of the rain during the worst of it.

After breakfast, we listened to Bill Marsh Jr. give the keynote address. I found Bill's presentation to be insightful, beneficial, and relevant to my life and where I am in my career. He talked about personal branding, and how to view yourself as a brand where people come to expect certain things from you as an individual just as we expect certain things from other brands we use. What do you stand for? How do you present yourself to people? Do you deliver a consistent high-quality product to everyone you work with, so that they know what to expect when they work with you? It made me think about who I am, how I want to be perceived by the world, and what I need to change to get what I really want out of life (and also spend more time pinning down what I really want out of life. As he put it, the steps are very straight-forward and easy to grasp but are difficult to think about and put into place. I am working each day to take what he said into consideration for my life as both an individual and as a professional.

After all that sitting and focusing, it was time to head outside and start moving! We were broken up into groups and set off to do some team-building and communicating activities, which were really fun and very challenging. For instance, I was blindfolded while my team tried to guide me to swing over to a wooden platform 12 feet away. Oh, yeah, and only 2 members of my 10-person team could talk. It was intimidating, but I learned to work together with these total strangers and trust in them to help the whole team succeed. We also did a balancing-beam-type activity (shown above) where we needed to move from the little square platforms and move the beams to get our whole team across to the other side...without talking to each other. Pretty nuts!

It was great learning more about my team members and working together to accomplish something even though we didn't know each other at all when the morning started. We established a sense of companionship and teamwork through our body language, physical actions, and attentiveness to each other without being allowed to talk to each other for 90% of the activities. I didn't realize how tricky or rewarding it would be, but I definitely noticed the growth in our group and how much more relaxed and comfortable we were with each other when we were finished.

The LOC is located right on the coast of Lake Michigan, so I was ecstatic that we were able to go down to the beach before lunch. I mean, just look at that beautiful water! Even on a cloudy, rainy, chilly day...I am still so calmed and yet exhilarated by the power and magnitude of Lake Michigan.

After another delicious and satisfying meal, we were off to some more fun! Rock climbing, canoeing, a high ropes course, ziplining...man, I really do want to go back to summer camp!!

I chose to do the climbing wall and the zipline, and I was pumped about both my choices. I realized two-thirds up one of the climbing walls that I was pretty uncomfortable up there and maybe a bit scared of heights, so I came back down. But, I gave the "harder" wall a chance and made it all the way to the top with the help of one of the LOC counselors and my fellow YPs cheering me on. I was very proud! Everyone did a great job. I had to go over and see what the ropes course crew was up to, though, because it looked like one sweet ropes course.

 

We also got to ride the 250' zipline through the forest, which is ALWAYS fun. Still, I think it's even more fun when you're with a fantastic group of YPs and you're trying to shoot a ball into a basketball hoop situated halfway down the course. Just sayin'.

Our day concluded with a hike up to Pyramid Point. If you live in the TC area and you've still never had your breath knocked out of you from the view at the top of Pyramid Point, you absolutely positively MUST GO. It is one of the most fantastic views in the whole area, and it's a very secluded hike...it is not as popular as some of the other sights in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, which makes it feel even more intimate and personal. Like I said, even on a "bleh" kind of day, there is something magical about this place we are lucky to call home.

Warren Call, 2013 TCYP Chair, trying to convince everyone to run to the bottom of the sand dune...or something.

Our group had diminished some by the end of the day (I heard that some canoes flipped over the in water...ouch), but I still had the opportunity to meet new YPs I didn't get to see during the rest of the day and connect with some fantastic people. Oh, and did I mention that Pyramid Point is amazing?

Overall, the conference exceeded my already-high expectations. I met some truly fantastic and inspirational people, and I felt that I grew as an individual and as a professional. I was challenged, I tackled new activities, and I was able to make some real connections with professionals who are my age and live in my town. There is a great strength and comfort that comes with being around like-minded people who are ambitious, intelligent, passionate about what they do, and in love with this region we all call home. I was so glad I was able to be a part of this day and learn so much from so many people. It was a wonderful experience, and I already can't wait until next year!

Did you attend the TCYP Annual Conference? What did you think about it? Please share your feedback and thoughts in the comments below!

- Mo

So Long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersehen, Goodnight.

I am ready to admit it: I am comfortable enough in Traverse City to start referring to myself as a member of the Traverse City community. While Florida still has a huge part of my heart, Traverse City is now somewhere that I can call my home. I've adjusted. I've accepted that I will be grocery shopping at Meijer instead of at Publix (aka the world's best grocery store chain). I automatically leave my apartment 3-5 minutes early in winter because I realize that I will need to remove the snow/ice from my car before attempting to drive to work. I know the drink & food specials at local restaurants and I can even give out of towners advice as to where they can chow down on the best local grub.

With that said, it is time to pass the TCYP Blog onto some fresh faces. My story has been told and it is time to introduce you to some other pretty fantastic members of our community and let them tell you how they came to live here and how they are adjusting. I'm sure that they will have plenty to say as far as the goings-on of Traverse City, their new experiences, as well as new TCYP events that occur.

We will still be featuring a guest blogger the first Wednesday of each month, but your new regular bloggers will be John Stocki and Mo Stych, who will be introducing themselves next week. I'll miss my weekly blogs and having the chance to explain the differences in lifestyles between Michigan and Florida (and mention how much snow throws me off guard...often), but I'm excited for you to have the opportunity to get to know some new TCYPs.

Besides, you can always catch me at Business After Hours...or Half-price sushi Tuesday at Firefly.

The Importance of Networking

Before I moved to Traverse City, I had heard of Networking Events. I had seen them in movies. I had even heard talk of some of my peers attending them. They always seemed like swanky after work cocktail parties where everyone knows everyone else in attendance and they all have a fabulous carefree after-work celebration wearing only the best new business attire.

I knew that once I was a part of the working-post graduate world, I too would have to be a part of these networking events. This terrified me. My work clothes only got as sophisticated as the occasional outfit from Banana Republic (which is still absolutely one of my favorite work numbers to date). I was convinced that I would be completely out of my element.

Upon starting my life as a Young Professional, however, I found out that I was slightly misinformed. While I was beyond nervous walking into my first networking night, Business After Hours, I walked out at the conclusion of the event breathing a sigh of relief...and with twenty new business cards in hand.

Macaila, another TCYP, and I at The Cherry Festival YP social event.
Source: National Cherry Festival

Traverse City Networking Events are such an essential part of fitting into the professional community- especially as a younger member of the area. They have provided me with not only a chance to introduce myself to a ton of business owners, but also have allowed me to strengthen the connections I have already started to make by giving me a chance to catch up with individuals I crossed paths with in the past.

These networking nights have given me a chance to establish myself in a new town. True, they can be intimidating at first, but as long as you hold your own and make your presence known, you're golden. You cannot go into an event expecting people to flock to you because you're a fresh face (which was my first mistake...luckily Allison Beers made me aware that this would not work well for me early on). Once I made my introductions, I felt so much more comfortable and was able to chat about work and possible connections with ease.

Networking has given me an easy way to socialize with like-minded individuals and create lasting connections at the same time. I'm a huge advocate of multi-tasking, so clearly I'm a big fan of this...plus, the food is always exceptional. There really is nothing not to like!

Today marks my seventh month living in Traverse City and working with Events North. Thanks to both my job at Events North and networking events like Business After Hours and TCYP Social Events, I usually say hello and stop for a quick chat with someone every time I walk down Front Street.

And let me tell you- It's a great feeling.

Make New Friends, but Keep the Old...

Keeping up with the theme of "Things that I have learned since moving to Traverse City," this blog post is going to touch on the topic of making new friends.

I should start by letting you all know that I am a huge advocate for the saying "Make new friends, but keep the old, one is silver and the other's gold." Cheesy, I know, but still pretty accurate. The only part of the saying that I somewhat disagree with is the part where it insinuates that new friends will ever only be "silver"- I personally think that a handful of new friends may absolutely have the potential to become gold one day.

What I'm getting at is that leaving my friends in another state was not easy. In fact, it was terrifying and somewhat depressing at first. Picture this: Me, boarding a plane to leave Florida on New Year's Eve (where the weather is still a balmy 80 degrees) for Michigan, where I know...no one and am completely unprepared with my single coat and fashion-not-function boots. Five days later, I celebrated my 22nd Birthday at Right Brain Brewery with my parents. Then my parents left, making my friend count a whopping 1: my boss.

So, it is safe to say that at first, I was a little worried about finding people to hang out with after work. I'm a very social person, but I had never been in a situation where I was "the new girl" and I have to admit: I'm not very good at being new.

Thankfully, Allison Beers (my boss) threw me right into as many socializing and networking opportunities at possible. I can honestly say that without Young Professionals Events and networking opportunities like Business After Hours, that I would not have met half of the wonderful people that I have. That is also a huge reason as to why I'm such a promoter for Young Professionals Events- because they really are a superb way to meet people who are around the same age as you who understand what it's like to be a Young Professional in Traverse City. They get it. They're in the same boat, and it's so much easier to row that boat when you have people in it with you who are headed in the same direction you are: forward.

With that said, let's switch over to present time. I still miss my friends back home, I still willingly hang out with my parents, and I still hang out with my boss after work... but my friend count has raised significantly. I can thank Young Professionals Events and Volunteer opportunities for a significant amount of those new friends.

I'm also pretty certain that a good number of those new friends have the potential to go from being "silver" to being "gold" in the future.