The Battle of the VASA: Skiing or Fat Tire Biking?

During many of our TCYP meetings, we talk about taking an active role in our communities and participating in conversations about issues, ideas, or events that are important to us an individuals. As a group, we don't hone in everyone's personal political preferences, but we always advocate for being at the table and getting your voice heard, no matter what stance you take on an issue. 


I've made a strong effort to take this preaching and make it my practice. I keep my ears open for opportunities that would allow me to voice my concerns or praise on a certain topic, and I seek out chances to understand larger pieces of our community. Decisions are made every day that impact our town and region, and whether those decisions are made at a local, state, or national level, I am doing my best to make sure my opinion is expressed on issues I care about.

All that said...I've never attended a public meeting. Like, ever. That's pretty embarrassing at my age. So, I decided to do something about that, and earlier this week I attended my first-ever public meeting!

The issue discussed was the VASA trial, located just east of Traverse City near Acme. For 25 years, the VASA trail has been designated as a classic and skate-style cross-country ski course. It is nationally-renowned and one the most fantastic places to XC ski in all of Michigan. In fact, this trail alone (ranging from 5K to 25K distances) is one of the main reasons I found a whole new love and appreciation for winters up north; we visit it quite often when there's snow on the ground.

But, because it is such a fantastic trail (groomed regularly by diehard volunteers and the TART Trails, with some additional funding from the Michigan DNR), it was opened up to fat tire biking every Friday if conditions were right. This past winter was the first experimental year of allowing the fat tire bikes on the trailhead, and over the course of the season, concerns about allowing the fat tire bikers on the VASA emerged from skiers. 

So, the DNR hosted a public meeting this past Monday at the Civic Center, asking people to come and share their thoughts about allowing fat tire bikers on the trail in the winter. I went to the meeting, but I didn't speak out at all because, honestly, I don't have a strong opinion on the matter either way. I think fat tire bikes are awesome and I love XC-skiing, and while I would love to endorse a multi-use trail...the VASA is such a pristine course designed specifically for XC-skiing that it seems somehow sacrilegious to allow it for anything other than skiing when there's snow on the ground. Still, the fat tire biking community needs a place to explore and call their own (and it needs to be groomed), and it would be best if everyone could have the chance to do the sport they love regardless of what it is. Like I said, I'm pretty conflicted.

The DNR was looking for public comment on the issue, but they were also looking for solutions. During the course of two hours, people brought up a whole range of ideas: designating the trail as XC-ski only, allowing the bikers on the trail on a certain day or under certain weather restrictions, developing a new fat tire bike trail in the same area as the VASA, or somehow finding a way to allow the skiers and bikers to co-exist on the trail (though that wasn't a popular opinion). 

I was amazed to see the turnout for this meeting. There must've been close to 200 people at the meeting, and many were avid cross-country skiers and fat tire bikers; it was a very active and engaged group, to say the least! As the DNR meeting facilitator said, "I feel bad for the people sitting at home on their couches!" Folks came from Cadillac and even as far as Ann Arbor specifically to speak at this meeting and have their stance heard by the DNR. Talk about integrity!
Everyone was courteous, and they were certainly engaged. Many VASA founders were present--the folks who cut and hauled trees out and leveled the trail to make it a solid XC-ski course--as well as the president of the Michigan Mountain Biking Association. I was humbled by the emotion from both sides on this issue, and how each side respected the other during the course of the evening. 

The two things both sides agreed on were the willingness to help build a new fat tire bike trail in the same woods as the VASA and the necessity for the DNR to expedite a land use contract should a new trail for biking be determined a necessity. Mark Esper, the president of the North American Vasa ski race, and Glenn Ruczynski, past president of the Northern Michigan Mountain Biking Association, took the podium together and asked the DNR to approve the building of a new trail. With this collaborative announcement--they were part of a committee formed informally of both fat tire bikers and cross-country skiers to discuss solutions for both sides--the entire room erupted in applause and people gave a standing ovation that lasted nearly two minutes. There was great energy and support in the room for this committee, who took matters into their own hands, and the DNR agreed to work with the committee to find a solution that works for everyone.

All in all, I was so glad I went to the meeting and experienced the passion of all these people for an issue they care deeply about in our community. I left the meeting feeling both informed about an important decision in our community and also empowered as a citizen for exercising my right to participate in these conversations...even though, like I said, I didn't say anything. Making an appearance can be just as powerful, though, because my presence made it clear that this was something I care about and I want to be part of the solution, not someone who sits on the sidelines while decisions are made and I'm not paying attention. No doubt this is the first of many public meetings I'll attend!

I encourage you to keep your eyes and ears open for meetings and opportunities to take a stand on something you care about. It is always better to be heard than to shy away and miss the chance to make a difference in your city or community!

Recap: Roundtable Discussion with Governor Rick Snyder

Well, well! Last week was a BIG week for the Traverse CIty Young Professionals. We were contacted by the Michigan Govenor's office a while back about hosting a roundtable discussion with Governor Rick Snyder. A lot of planning and organization went into making this happening, but the outcome was incredible. 

Last Friday, at an invitation-only event, fifteen YPs from different businesses and backgrounds sat at a table with Governor Snyder to ask him questions and give him feedback about what young professionals want for our wonderful state of Michigan. It was an experience of a lifetime, and I was so honored to be invited and snap some photos. 

There was a lot of hubbub before the roundtable discussion started. I walked around the room and chatted with familiar faces and met some new folks, too. Our panelists, selected by their industry or expertise in our community, took their seats at the table and awaited the Governor's arrival. 

Honestly, this was about as close to any public governmental figure as I've ever been, and I was pretty nervous that I was going to trip over a speaker cord or something and make a huge fool of myself. And I wasn't even asking a question! I can only imagine how nerve-wracked our panelists were, but as I expected, they did a fantastic job. 

Governor Snyder took his place at the head of the table, next to Kent Wood from the TC Chamber. Kent gave some opening remarks, as did Governor Snyder, and then the conversation worked its way around the table as each of our panelists asked their question. Here is a summary of the YPs that were present and the topics they chose: 

Jessica Wheaton (TC Light & Power): Promoting/incentivizing staying in Michigan for current residents. "Live Michigan"

Warren Call (Huntington National Bank): Support for Michigan's water resources and combatting invasive species

Allison Beers (Events North): Future of public education in Michigan

Rachel Johnson (Cherryland Electric): Growing & sustaining diverse economic development

Josh Janowiak (Platinum Sound): Transportation and road funding 

Jeff Fedorinchik (Hallmark Construction): Incentivizing/Encouraging young people to join trades

Drew Bucholz (Interlochen Center for the Arts): Arts and cultural funding

Shannon Owen (Northwestern Michigan College): Higher education funding

Bryan Taggert (Larkin Group): Tax reform in Michigan 

Andrew Kohlman (Image 360): Struggles for "green" businesses

Todd Sanders (Sanders Solutions): More YP involvement in Government

Marie Chantal-Delese (Chateau Chantal): Regulation for farm/food industry

Lee Michaels (Cherry Capital Foods): Creating a career market place for future workforce

Tracy Wittkop (Munson Healthcare): Northern Michigan Rural OB health service funding

As a young professional living in Michigan, I was so pleased with all the questions posed by our panel. Support for small businesses and farming, concerns about education at all levels, needs for better public and bicycle transportation, concerns about protecting our Great Lakes, and making entrepreneurship more accessible for young people…yes, please! These are all issues near and dear to my heart, and to have the Governor in the room responding to all our concerns--truly having our voices heard--that is something that is unlikely to come around again for our organization. What a privilege!

Governor Snyder did a great job listening to our concerns and understanding our wants for this state. He wanted to know what encourages young people to find a place in Michigan to call home, and also asked us to get involved in our local communities. He is working to build more trails in Michigan, but asks that the trail users work to make trails open for all kinds of activities, not specialized and limited to only a few. Greater pre-K education funding will hopefully make an impact across our entire education system, and upgrades in technology will help teachers as they work with students learning at different paces. Agriculture and arts are important topics to Governor Snyder, and he is pushing for more funding and support into these areas, as well as making it easier for young entrepreneurs to access funding for their businesses.

For us young professionals, we are constantly looking to improve our life/work balance: we want a place that fosters creativity and community, but also provides us with a steady, challenging job and a means to provide for ourselves and our families. Quality of life is the name of our game. Lucky for us, Governor Snyder agreed with the importance of these two issues, and encouraged all of us to get involved in our communities and continue building upon the wonderful foundation we all have in here Traverse City. 

One of my favorite quotes from Governor Snyder was, "Do you want to be another yuppie in Chicago, or do you want to make a difference in Detroit?" Although we are far from Detroit, the message is the same: we live in a place where our voices, our opinions, and our choices make a difference. As citizens in this town, we can make a difference in transforming our economy and bringing others to the place we call home; we can share all the goodness to be found in Michigan. 

We are young, but we are mighty, and we have the power to positively impact the place we live and help make it better for all. Personally, that is the kind of place I want to call home, and I am so glad to have that in Traverse City. Regardless of your political beliefs, getting involved in your local governance and community efforts can shape the place you live. So get out there, and get your voice heard!

All in all, it was a great experience to have this conversation with the Governor. I was so proud to see my friends up there, asking tough questions and wanting answers for their concerns about the future of our state. 

Congratulations to all the YPs selected for the roundtable discussion, and a big "thank you" to Governor Snyder for sitting down and taking the time to listen to what we have to say!

Guest Blogger: Kelsey Lauer Visits Ice Cave Wonderland

The last time I can remember West Grand Traverse Bay freezing over was in 2009. This year, about 90% of all the Great Lakes are frozen, and I am thrilled to experience winter the way I remember it as a child. While it's unsafe to go explore them now, the Lake Michigan ice caves will live on in legend. Never before have we Michiganders seen something like this, and hundreds of people visited these magnificent natural beauties. Lucky for us, YP Kelsey Lauer and her boyfriend took the trip out and snapped some incredible pictures. Read on to hear about (and see!) their adventure. (All photos by Colin Johnstone.)

By now, most of the people in Northern Michigan have heard about the spectacular ice caves that formed on Lake Michigan in Leelanau County near Northport.

I was alerted by these amazing pictures that were popping up all over my social media news feeds, and after hearing someone call them a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” I decided I had to go check them out along with boyfriend Colin and his camera on a sunny but FRIGID afternoon.

A once in a lifetime opportunity was a total understatement. I've never before seen such majestic jagged ice sculptures that stretch towards the sky, looking like a giant hand had reached down and sculpted the ice.

A rugged, frozen landscape set off by the icy blue sky looked as if it could have come from another world.

We weren’t alone in our adventure, either; it looked as if a few hundred other people had accompanied us out onto the ice, complete with one very small dog wearing a hooded coat and bright pink booties. The huskies, on the other hand, looked right at home.

The very texture of the ice was fascinating, with bumps and divots where spray from the waves had frozen. An occasional handy foothold or handhold made climbing some of the slippery slopes quite irresistible (although that is not recommended!).

Some of the caves were quite small, hardly large enough for a person to stand upright in.

Others, however, offered a myriad of nooks and crannies to explore—including some skylights!

After spending a wonderful couple of hours exploring the caves, however, the sun started to set and we decided to head back to shore while we could still see.

Saying farewell to the ice caves was almost bittersweet—especially now that the ice conditions are no longer safe to check them out. It was truly an honor and a privilege to see them while they were accessible, something far more than a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity.

The caves are a stunning reminder of the power and beauty of Lake Michigan and Mother Nature in all seasons—even in the frozen depths of winter, there is still amazement and joy to be found by going outside.

I challenge you to head outside this winter, try out a few new winter activities to see which strike your fancy and most of all, have FUN.  Let’s make the most of our nearly 17 feet of snow this winter while we can!

Crystal Mountain Skiing

Hi, folks! Sorry for the hiatus here on the blog...the holiday season is busy for everyone, and us YPs are no exception. Thankfully, I've been busy doing nothing but awesome and fun wintery things.

We made it out to Crystal Mountain for a downhill skiing trip recently, and the snow was AWESOME. Rarely do we get powder up north, so when it starts snowing fluffy white flakes for a few days in a row, it's definitely time to hit the slopes. Crystal Mountain is the closest large resort to where we live, and if you buy lift tickets online you can usually nab a good deal.

One thing I love about Crystal is the variety of their slopes. As a somewhat experienced skier, I can ride the easy and medium slopes but also tackle the black diamonds if I’m feeling adventurous. They have plenty of lifts, too, so it’s easy to get away from the busier hills if you want to just take your time cruising down some slopes. Even on the busy weekends we can find a lift or some runs without too many other skiers.

They also have night skiing until 9 p.m. most nights, which makes it easy to get in a few runs after work or long days on the weekends. I personally love night skiing: it’s peaceful and presents a whole new challenge. Plus, with how early the sun sets in the winter, it’s vital to go to a ski resort that has bright lights on so many different runs!

The day we went to Crystal, we were lucky enough to have a TON of beautiful snowflakes fall at the end of the night. It totally set up the whole “wintery wonderland” mood that makes northern Michigan so enjoyable in these cold months. If it’s going to be freezing outside, I at least want it to be beautiful and snowy! Our ski trip definitely delivered that.

So, until next time, I hope you get out and enjoy the wintery weather! I promise that the north can be fun if you get out and explore it (though I admit that movie marathons with hot chocolate are equally tempting some days…)!

World traveller makes Traverse City home - Guest Blogger - Sakura Raftery

Who wants to live in Traverse City? I didn't know it was me!

On my first flight to Traverse City, MI to meet my future husband’s family, I blurted out, “I’ve never been to the middle!”  Aside from a one-week cross country voyage to New York City for business school and countless layovers at Chicago O’Hare Airport, touching down in the Midwest was a first for me. Born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, I spent most of my adult life in Boston, New York City and San Francisco. Between that and two passports full of travel across the globe, little did I know that one of the great gems of our country sat in a nook of a giant mit.

Fast forward four years, two kids, and a Great Recession. My husband and I questioned all the reasons why we choose to live in San Francisco, threw out that plan and packed for Traverse City to make a pit stop before our next move. The prospect of leaving city life was absolutely terrifying for me. All the unknowns about rebuilding a community of friends, job prospects, childcare and staying connected to the world converged at once.

The unmistakeable tacos from Roaming Harvest!!!

What I found when we got here was a community on the verge of exploding with creative, young, talented people who wanted to make it the best possible place to live. My husband’s friends from other big cities were moving back, building families and getting creative with their professional careers. From great child care, cost of living, food and wine, a community of friends and family, to the accessibility of outdoor recreation, the reality of living in Traverse City far exceeded my expectations and we decided to stay.

There were three critical elements to making an unplanned move to Traverse City successful for me:

1.     Think about your long-term professional skill set—plan accordingly. Early in my career in corporate finance, I knew that it was just the beginning of the road for me. 6 years into a successful but unsatisfying career on Wall Street, I re-tooled for a career in non-profits by going back to business school and luckily landed a great job at Goodwill Industries of Northern Michigan. Staying on top of developing skills only enhances your job prospects as industries change.

2.     Get outside of your comfort zone, often. Part of my personality is driven by seeking different cultures and lifestyles. Every place is a new adventure and mentally preparing yourself to embrace change makes drastic moves fun!

3.     Focus on what is here, not what isn’t. People often ask me, “Do you miss the city?” and truthfully, not really. Yes, having hundreds of restaurants and cultural events on a given night is exciting, but it comes with a lot of strings attached: pollution, high prices, small apartments, crime. Northern Michigan balances big city amenities with the peace of living Up North. Living in TC doesn’t mean you can’t still visit the city every now and then!

Sakura Raftery

NMC BBQ & Guest Blogger Sara Hartley

It was like a Norman Rockwell 4^th of July came early on Sunday at the NMC BBQ. Enough people to populate a small city came onto the college campus for the grub and good times. The mood was inspired by the fair weather and amazing planning that kept the lines moving and friendly greetings hailing. Honestly, had there been a square dance and a barber shop quartet all bedecked in seersucker, they wouldn't have been a bit out of place. There were games for the kids tumbling out of the moon-bounce with cotton candy in their hair and fake tattoos on every limb. There were exhibits of robotics and renewable energy alongside LARPers and inflato-gladiators. This was some four-star people-watching!

Grandparents watched their grand kids making new friends, young couples sat in the grass under the trees listening to local musicians like Billy Strings and Blake Elliot. Every so often a loud “toot toot” came from the boiler room counting off how many thousands of people had come out to be a part of this down-home tradition. While NMC seemed pretty proud of counting up those thousands, you could still see the identity of a small Michigan town on the faces of the stompy-footy kids being dragged away from the cake-walk, the grandparents sitting in the shade ready with the Benadryl and band-aids, the brother holding his little sister’s hand and the parents who look forward to washing the dust and sugar off of these exhausted little feet and hands and knowing there won’t be a fight about sleeping tonight.

But the BBQ isn't just for families. Those of us who are all grown up, with or without kids of our own, got a full day out of our $6 tickets too. We got to remember traditions, smile back at the strangers and feel like we finally opened the windows and got the winter out! This fabulous tradition is just the starting shot for our fun-run through a summer up north.

Sara Hartley