Keweenaw Chain Drive races to be June 14; early registration deadline is TODAY, May 31

Keweenaw Chain Drive participants cross the Portage Lift Bridge on their way to the Maasto Hiihto / Churning Rapids Trails in Hancock. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

HANCOCK -- The 2014 Keweenaw Chain Drive bike races will take place Saturday, June 14, at Maasto Hiihto / Churning Rapids Trails in Hancock. However, TODAY, Saturday, May 31, is the deadline to receive a nifty Chain Drive wicking bamboo t-shirt as part of your early registration (and to avoid a $10 fee increase).

The courses for the 16- and 30-mile cross-country mountain bike races will be the same as last year. Plenty of free food will be available at the finish, and the cooks promise some new menu items.

You'll find the online registration links at http://www.chaindrive.org/registration/.

If you've already registered for 2014, the Chain Drive committee thanks you for your support.

Volunteers may still be needed for the race. If you wish to volunteer, please contact Dan Dalquist at ddalquist@gmail.com.

Junior Chain Drive at Portage Health

The Junior Chain Drive will be held at Portage Health on Saturday, June 14.

Marc Norton (right in orange shirt), 2013 Junior Chain Drive organizer, explains to the youngest racers (under age 7) how to follow the course laid out for them at Portage Health. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

The Junior Chain Drive starts and ends at Portage Health, using a single-track trail in a wooded area east of the hospital. The event includes timed races for youth ages 8-13 and non-timed races for those age 7 and under. Registration is from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Portage Health (day of race only), and races begin at 3:30 p.m.

Click here for more information about the Junior Chain Drive.

Fourth Annual Health, Safety Fair offers activities for all June 2 at Portage Health

HANCOCK -- The Fourth Annual Health and Safety Fair is set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Saturday, June 2, at Portage Health in Hancock. Activities for all ages will include the following:

Car seat clinic (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)
Health Screenings -- total cholesterol, blood glucose, bone density, blood pressure, urine protein, hearing, oximetry, heart rate, body mass index and waist circumference
Youth bike helmet giveaway -- (125 available -- first come, first serve) Professionals will be available to properly fit helmets.
Ambulance and fire truck tours
Cyber safety information
Physicians, nurses, therapists and pharmacists available to answer questions
Healthy cooking demo and snacks
Chair massages
Expired medication disposal
Canal Run and Chain Drive registration -- Although the Chain Drive early registration deadline was May 31, Lori Hauswirth says, "Keweenaw Chain Drive Festival will have a table tomorrow at the Portage Health Health Fair. If you stop in and visit us, we'll let you sneak in at the early rate and still get a bamboo shirt with registration."
Giveaways and a chance to win one of two mountain bikes
Hands-Only CPR lessons offered
Plus much more ...

The entire event is FREE. Bring family/friends out anytime between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday, no registration required! Click here for more information.

Updated: Keweenaw Chain Drive early registration deadline is May 31

 

Chain Drive participants head across the Portage Lift Bridge. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

HANCOCK -- The early registration deadline for the Portage Health Keweenaw Chain Drive Festival is TOMORROW, Thursday, May 31. After midnight on May 31 (Thursday), festival shirts are not included and fees go up. Please register soon so you can enjoy the awesome bamboo shirt. You can register online at www.chaindrive.org or print a registration. 

Printed registrations can be dropped off at the Keweenaw Chamber of Commerce in Houghton.

The 2012 event is on Saturday, June 16! The Portage Health Keweenaw Chain Drive Festival mountain bike race includes 16- and 32-mile point-to-point cross-country distance races through the Maasto Hiihto and Churning Rapids trail systems in Hancock. Racers will finish at the Portage Health campus with food, beverages, tunes, and awards.  Distance events will begin with a 10 a.m. roll-out at the Magnuson Hotel - Franklin Square Inn, at the east end of Shelden Avenue in downtown Houghton.

Junior Chain Drive: Kids line up for the start at Portage Health. (Keweenaw Now file photo)

The Junior Chain Drive youth races begin at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 16. The Junior Chain Drive starts and ends at Portage Health, using a single-track trail in a wooded area east of the hospital. The event includes timed races for youth ages 8-13 and non-timed races for those ages 7 and under. Registration is day-of-event only.

Volunteers still needed

Dan Dalquist reports that he still needs traffic control volunteers for the Chain Drive. If you respond no later than May 31, your volunteer shirt will be available before the race.

Locations needed:
 Shelden and Rhythm -- need 2 people
 Shelden and Ambassador -- 2 people
 Navy St and Tezcuco -- need 2 more
 In Hancock -- Jasberg and Wolverine -- need 1
 M-203 and Atlantic St. -- need 1
 Crossing at Snowmobile trail and snowfence trail - Need 3 - 10:30 to 12, 12 to 1:30, 1:30 to sweep
 Doug's Bypass exit onto Campus drive -- 1
 Campus Drive and Portage St. -- need 2-3 from 12:15 to last racer
 First Aid Tent -- need medical professional for the Chain Drive (10:30 to 2) and for Kids race (2:30 - 4)

Please click here to respond through the Chain Drive volunteer site and include your shirt size or respond directly to ddalquist@gmail.com.