Featured Event: Coast To Coast

Featured Event: Coast To Coast – Press Release

Editor’s Note: the following “Featured Event” post is a press release from the Coast To Coast gravel/multi-surface event in Michigan.

Banner image for Coast To Coast gravel event
Image by Rob Meendering Photography

Riders in the third annual Coast to Coast Gravel Grinder, presented by Salsa Cycles, will traverse 210 miles of fast gravel roads and challenging two-tracks, spanning Michigan’s lower peninsula. The race will not be known for its gravel, ironically, but for everything that’s NOT gravel – the forest roads, the two-tracks, the snowmobile trails.

Riders on forest service road
Image by Jamie Gaysbeek

We expect about 500 riders to start their day at the sunrise shores of Lake Huron, making one all-out push west, through Michigan farmlands and grasslands, pine barrens, the majestic Manistee National Forest, all the way to the sandy beaches of Lake Michigan at Ludington. They may see the glorious sunset over Lake Michigan or ride into the night to get to the finish line before the 3 am cut-off.

Group of riders on a rural road
Image by Rob Meendering Photography

The race requires a support vehicle which can meet racers at up to three checkpoints every 50-55 miles. A paid service offering shuttle from Ludington and support at the checkpoints is available as a fundraiser for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the race’s charity partner. Too many miles? Choose the convenient 100 mile loop with a Ludington start and finish or two-person relay across the state (two segments of 50-55 miles each, split support crew duties).  

Date: June 27, 2020

Start: Point Au Gres Marina & Campground on Lake Huron

Finish: Ludington on Lake Michigan (21 hour cut-off)

Distance: 210 miles

Image of cyclists splashing through water
Image by Rob Meendering Photography

Prizes: cash, gear and trophies for overall men and women. Gear, gift cards, trophies for age groups, fatbike, single speed and tandem.

Confirmed sponsors of the race are Salsa Cycles (presenting), Grand Rapids Bicycle Company, Spindrift Cyclesports, Trailhead Bike Shop, Velocity USA, Bike Law, Teravail, Train Out Pain, Ludington Pier House Motel, Three Toes Threadworks, Tim Parks LC, Jamie Geysbeek Photography and Rob Meendering Photography.

For more information about the race and to register, go to www.micoasttocoast.com and visit www.facebook.com/micoasttocoast to join a growing community of gravel lovers.

Note: Images, outbound links, and text provided by Coast To Coast gravel event’s marketing team.

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Author: Guitar Ted

Guitar Ted hails from Iowa. Home of over 70,000 miles of gravel and back roads. An inaugural member of the Gravel Cycling Hall of Fame and Co-creator of Trans Iowa in late 2004- Guitar Ted has been at the forefront of the growth of gravel events and riding since then. Creator of Gravel Grinder News in 2008, he produced the premier calendar of gravel and back road events. GT joined forces with Riding Gravel in late 2014.

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1 thought on “Featured Event: Coast To Coast

  1. My brother did this race last year and is signed up to do it again this year. He loved it. It’s mostly gravel but the sand and trails thrown in nearthe end make for an interesting strategic challenge. You will be over biking or under biking for part of the course no matter what you ride.

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