B2B Trail User Spotlight: Michael C. Wise
After retiring from the military after 20 years, Mike Wise and his family decided to move to north of Chelsea before they knew what a bike mecca the area would become.
“The trail development in the area has been the most amazing thing to watch unfold!”
When they bought their fixer upper home, the work ahead felt overwhelming and ambitious, but worth it. The same sentiment applied to watching the development of the B2B Trail and its future plans to connect to the DTE Foundation Trail and Mike Levine Lakelands Trail. Mike attended public sessions to learn more about the plans for the trail and it didn’t take long to see visible progress. “These trail people weren’t kidding!”
Seeing progress on the trail has stoked his enthusiasm for exploring the local area. Referencing the progress along M52 towards Stockbridge this summer, “I’m looking forward to the B2B Trail extending towards Stockbridge to connect to the Mike Levine Lakelands Trail, which is also growing to eventually connect through Hudson Mills to Dexter. This creates new, safe bike loops we couldn’t access before and whole day trips available from our doorstep without stepping into a car.”
At a ribbon cutting event celebrating the opening of the North Territorial trailhead, he met local representatives and community members excited about the potential impact on the local economy. He’s since witnessed far more mountain bikes on car racks in Chelsea, groups of cyclists heading into town for a quick bite, and hikers stocking up to explore new trails in Washtenaw County. He believes that the Border to Border Trail is the thread that ties local outdoor recreation efforts together.
Mike and his family walk, bike, or hike from the B2B Trail nearly every other day. “The Border to Border Trail created connections to a huge outdoor playground for us. It’s enhanced our whole wellbeing.” They’d watch the trail’s construction progress during the pandemic and look forward to exploring new stretches as soon as they opened.
As the Covid-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, most people retreated into their houses, Mike felt like the sense of community dropped in those first few weeks, but found he could reconnect with neighbors on the trail by social distancing and checking in on the trail’s progress which was allowing them to venture farther from their house on foot. He eventually met Lew Kidder on a socially distant walk, one of HWPI’s board members. Mike learned all about Lew’s involvement with the B2B Trail and HWPI over the years, and followed the development of the Title IX Plaza, inspired by Lew’s late wife, Karen McKeachie. Mike found inspiration in the construction workers who continued their disciplined and distanced outdoor work to complete sections of the trail. Workers who laid the asphalt, built the berms, drove the loaders, rollers, and crushers on the trail with the hazard lights on even though trail traffic was more spread out than before. While the world slowed down, the trail seemed to speed forward!
Mike appreciates the immediate impact the trail has had on his family’s emotional and physical health since the pandemic, but he also believes it may positively affect the value of homes in the surrounding area for future buyers interested in living in such an active and connected area. “The B2B Trail has delivered a quality experience that enhances our wellbeing every day. Who wouldn’t want that in their backyard?”.
Mike’s favorite access point is the North Territorial Trailhead. From there, he likes to ride into Chelsea, connect to the DTE Foundation Trails, and peek at the trail’s progress north. “Traffic is often light and always friendly in this stretch!”
The B2B Trail is constantly growing and the network of connecting trails is strengthening. For Mike, the nearest upcoming construction project will be adding 1.6 miles to the Chelsea-Stockbridge Corridor between Boyce Road and the Washtenaw-Jackson county line. Currently, the Washtenaw County Parks and Recreation Commission is coordinating with regional partners to make the connection to the Mike Levine Lakelands Trail through Jackson and Livingston Counties. They’ve completed preliminary analysis of the corridor and are working on interagency coordination and funding for next steps. Start date is contingent based on regional commitments, but with enthusiasm and support, it can be just around the bend.