It's the Final Countdown!

The biggest day of the month is surely March 19, when Wheelhouse opens its orange garage door again for the season. We are literally counting down the days, ordering bikes and some new product lines and all that good stuff. Just to put things in perspective, here are some other things to look forward to this month. March 15:  St. Patrick Parade, Corktown. 2 p.m. A raucous day to say the least...in some ways the beginning of Spring! (If you want to see Kelli at her bitchy-bartender best, she'll be slinging drinks at PJ's Lager House. Do not under any circumstances ask her for a martini.)

March 19, 20, 21: We are open! from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. You best come visit!

March 20: Our friends at Detroit Bikes! are having their first group ride of the year. This one is sports-themed and takes off at 10 a.m. from the Millennium Bell at Grand Circus Park.

March 21: The first annual Marche du Nain Rouge.

Slightly less organized than the St. Pat's Parade, expect a bunch of freak flags flying on Cass Ave. Yeah, we'll be there.  3 p.m. at the Third Bar is the meet up.

Click here to see the poster: Marche_8.5x11_color

March 25: Alley Cat, 6 p.m. @ The Hub. Looks like it's to be followed by some bike-oriented films at the Burton Theatre. Sweet!

March 28: Second Annual Colin Hubbell Memorial Fund Event @ The Majestic. A fun afternoon with bowling, an art auction and even cornholing, er, beanbag tossing. Find out more here.

We've started posting our tours at wheelhousedetroit.com/tours, so keep checking and start registering!

We reopen on March 19!

Less than a month from now, Wheelhouse Detroit will be back in action. We reopen on March 19.  Through April, we'll be open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m., then May through September, we are open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. We've started uploading tours to our website. We are really excited about this year's roster. We've brought back favorites like Hamtramck, Architecture, Southwest Detroit and Creekside, and are adding some new ones, like Industrial, Civil War and Cycling History, Art Incubators, Galleries, Churches, Urban Agriculture...and lots more. Keep checking www.wheelhousedetroit.com/tours, we are regularly updating the site.

Our tours always include expert information and are led by a tour leaders that is certified by the League of American Bicyclists. We also provide maps and a ride sweeper that is able to care for any mechanical problems or someone that is having trouble keeping up. We ride with a maximum of 15 cyclists to ensure safety.

Miliken State Park is open

According to m-bike, Miliken State Park is finally open to the public. This means that the Riverfront doesn't dead end at Rivard Plaza anymore, but continues east for a bit. There is a trailhead to the Dequindre Cut that is part of the park, but apparently that isn't quite done yet. Any progress is good progress -- although we cannot wait until the day when Bridge to Bridge becomes a reality.

Read more here.

2 Riding Opportunities

What a great November for cycling! Not too windy, not too cold, we've been pretty lucky these last few weeks! We thought we'd share a couple of organized rides coming up. This Saturday, November 14, Detroit Bikes! is hosting their Third Annual Java Junket. Starting Location: Biggby Cafe, 4501 Woodward Ave. just south of Forest Scheduled stops include Cafe 1923 in Hamtramck, Cafe con Leche in Mexicantown, 1515 Broadway Cafe Downtown and Good Girls Go to Paris Crepes in the Park Shelton. The ride starts at 9 a.m. sharp and will conclude at about 1 p.m. Ride length is about 18 miles. The cost is FREE, but riders are encouraged to bring cash to patronize the stops. Bonus: Biggby is offering a free apple cider donut with purchase of a grande beverage before the ride, so get there a bit early.

On Wednesday, November 18, Wayne County is hosting its annual Bike Through the Lights on Hines Drive. It's about a 10-mile ride previewing the great light display that lines Hines for the holidays. It starts at Merriman Hollow, which is off Merriman between Ann Arbor Trail and Warren. Lights and helmets are required. Onsite registration is $20 and includes a long-sleeved t-shirt. There are prizes for decorated bikes. Ride starts at 7 p.m.

So long, farewell...

Many thanks for a wonderful 2009 season. We'll be back in business on March 19, 2010. So stay warm this winter and we'll see you then! Sincerely, Your friends Karen, Kelli, Ron, Lisa, Alex & Raymond at the Wheelhouse

Special Wheelhouse Weekend

With the arrival of November, so comes the end of the Wheelhouse's 2009 season. But there are afew ways to stave off the pain a bit, so join us at one or all of the following:

• Critical Mass, Friday, Oct. 30 @ 6:30 p.m. @ Grand Circus Park.

• Alleycat Race, Friday, Oct. 30 @ 6:30 p.m. @ Hart Plaza.

• End-of-Season Sale, Friday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Save on bikes, tubes, tires, baskets,  racks, lights and bags. Stock up for the winter or buy some holiday gifts now!

• Fare-Thee-Well Soiree,  Sunday, Nov. 1, 5 to 7 p.m. Swing by to take advantage of our sale and enjoy some snacks and brew...and say goodbye for the year!

We hope to see you!

Cycling to celebrate our Underground Railroad history

On Oct. 29 at 5:30 p.m., Adventure Cycling Association along with the Michigan Trails and Greenways Alliance and the Michigan Freedom Trail Commission are hosting a meeting about their proposed Underground Railroad Route. There will also be updates on greenways and trails in the Detroit hub and the Freedom Trail Commission’s efforts to designate the Detroit River as an International Heritage Site. The meeting will be held at Historic Second Baptist Church, 441 Monroe Street in Greektown. RSVP to Beth Petersen at 800.755.2453 x 211 or bpetersen@adventurecycling.org.

Extra, Extra...Last Tour of 2009 is here!

This Saturday, October 24, we'll be heading out for a bike tour of Eastern Market at 10 a.m. It's a relatively short ride coupled with a presentation about what is currently happening at the market as well as what is planned...plus a walking tour and a couple of slices of Supino Pizza! All for the low price of $25 per person ($35 with a bike). The bike ride will be led by Wheelhouse co-owner Kelli Kavanaugh and the presentation and walking tour will be led by Randall Fogelman of the Eastern Market Corporation, our community partner for the event.

This tour is especially family-friendly because of the distance of the ride. We'd love to see some trailers out on the Dequindre Cut!

NB: Saturday is also the Harvest Beer Festival at Eastern Market, and we think our tour is a great way to get your market "legs" before quaffing a few Michigan brews! The fest starts at 1 p.m., which is just when our tour will end! You can even stay at the market and ride back to Wheelhouse on your own after you partake in the festivities if you so desire. Bike+pizza+walk+beer sounds like just about a perfect autumn day to us.

Architecture Tour + Open City

This Saturday, October 17 is the return of our Architecture Tour! Led by local architect Brian Hurttienne, this tour will inform riders about local architecture -- the good and the bad. The old and the modern will be considered and plus, it's a great route around Lafayette Park, Midtown and Downtown. Check out a gallery of photos from our Spring Architecture Tour here.

On Tuesday, October 20 at 6:30 p.m., join us at Open City at Cliff Bell's, a monthly gathering of operating and prospective small businesses in Detroit. This month, the subject is new, creative retail, and Kelli will be moderating the panel, which will consist of Joe from Hugh, Rachel from Rachel's Place, Greg from Leopold's Books, and Nate from Burton Theatre. Expect lively conversation and inspiration!

Ron + Alleycats

Ron Shelton is the Wheelhouse's bike tech, and besides being meticulous as a mechanic (and a leather-worker and bag-maker), he pops up now and again with an awesome alley cat race. Check out Model D's coverage of the scavenger hunts.

Since 2006, Shelton has organized Alleycats in Detroit. These unsanctioned cycling races draw riders from throughout the metro area to compete in a crisscrossing sprint down streets and through intersections. Participants fly from checkpoint to checkpoint, collecting clues and directions to their next destination while dodging cars and other riders. The course tests both the riders' knowledge of the city and their guts as they navigate a virtual collision course that backtracks and veers over 35 miles.

"Over the past several years, I've seen an increase in bikers in the city," says Shelton. "Maybe it's the price of gas but it used to be that if I saw someone riding a bike in Detroit, I probably knew them. Today, more people are riding but we're still not at capacity and I think there's potential here. As a biking town, Detroit is ready to explode."

We are particularly fond of the photo of Ron with our favorite shop ducky helmet looking super-tough.

Read the entire article here.